The night felt thick, heavy, like the world was closing in on me. Midnight was creeping closer, and we stood alone in the dark, shadows dancing across the driveway. Justin’s gaze was hard, empty, a stranger’s stare that sent chills deep into my bones. Every step I took backward brought me closer to the house, but I knew that no walls could keep me safe from him tonight. Under the cover of darkness, he stood in front of me, his intentions clear in every line of his face. Beside him, James was silent, an unwavering shadow.
Justin’s voice was flat, devoid of warmth when he spoke. “We need to talk. Get in the car.”
My heart pounded, a frantic, desperate rhythm, but I forced myself to stand tall, crossing my arms over my chest like a shield. “I’m not going anywhere with you two.”
He barely flinched, but a cold smile curled at the edge of his mouth. “This isn’t a choice, Ann,” he said, his tone lowering, a barely veiled threat. “Get in the car. Now.”
“No.” My voice was a whisper, tremulous, but I held my ground. “If you want to talk, we can do it right here.”
But my defiance was short-lived. Before I could even react, he lunged forward, his hand clamping over my mouth with brutal force. My scream died instantly, muffled against the iron strength of his grip, and panic surged as I twisted, trying to break free. I fought, my body thrashing, but he didn’t flinch. And then, suddenly, James was there, stepping in without a word. His hands gripped my legs, lifting me off the ground as I tried to kick, to fight, to do anything to stop them. They carried me like I was nothing, like I was already beaten, and every kick, every desperate struggle met only with cold, unyielding force.
They shoved me into the back seat, Justin sliding in beside me before I could move. The door slammed shut, sealing us in darkness as James started the car and pulled out of the driveway, driving off. The quiet rumble of the engine felt deafening, echoing in my ears over the frantic pounding of my heart. Justin’s hand was back over my mouth, his face inches from mine, his eyes filled with something dark, something terrifying.
“You think you can run your mouth about us? About how we deal drugs? About Danny?” he hissed, his voice a low, menacing growl.
I shook my head, trying to speak, to plead, but his fingers dug deeper, stifling every sound. His gaze bore into me, sharp and merciless, and I felt the weight of his hatred pressing down on me.
“You have no idea what kind of mess you’ve made,” he said, his voice a low growl. “You think people are really going to believe you? After everything we’re about to do to make sure they see you for what you are?”
His eyes flickered with a twisted satisfaction, like he was savoring every second of my terror. In the mirror, I could see James’s face, impassive, his eyes forward, his silence chilling. His presence was a weight in the car, an unspoken confirmation that this was real, that they were united in this.
Justin’s gaze sharpened, and his hand moved, his fingers slipping into his pocket. When he pulled out a small knife, my heart stopped. He flicked it open, the blade gleaming faintly in the dim light of the car. I froze, my body rigid as he lifted the knife to my wrist, letting the tip hover there, teasing, just enough to make my skin prickle with terror.
“You ever say a word about what happened in March, about Michael—and you’ll live to regret it,” he murmured, his voice a deadly whisper.
He pressed the blade against my wrist, a sharp sting as he dragged it slowly, just enough to break the skin. The pain was sharp, searing, but I fought against the urge to scream, refusing to give him that satisfaction. I watched, horrified, as a thin line of blood welled up, the dark red beading and then slowly spilling down my wrist, tracing a line down my arm, leaving a cold trail in its wake.
“You want to test me?” he whispered, his eyes fixed on mine, each word a threat that settled like ice in my veins. “You ever speak a word about us again, and I will find everyone you care about. Your family, your friends… every single person you’ve ever cared about. I’ll make sure they pay for your mistakes, and then I’ll make sure they blame you for the predicament they will find themselves in.”
The words sank in, heavy and final, a promise I knew he was willing to keep. My breath hitched, terror clutching at me, twisting into something raw and desperate as the realization settled in. They wouldn’t just stop with me—they’d destroy everyone in my life, everyone I loved, without hesitation.
“Do you understand?” His voice was a whisper, but his eyes held the full weight of the threat, a cold assurance that he would follow through. I gave a small nod, barely moving, and only then did he lift his hand from my mouth, his gaze never wavering. My breath was shallow, my pulse a frantic rhythm in my ears as I felt the sting in my wrist, the slow, steady drip of blood tracking down my skin, each drop a reminder of what they were willing to do.
“Good,” he murmured, his voice cold as ice. “Because if you don’t… I’ll make sure they all pay for your stupidity. I’ll make sure they know exactly who brought this on them.”
In the front seat, James’s eyes flicked to me in the mirror, his face as impassive as ever, his silence cold and absolute. He was complicit in this, standing by as Justin issued his threats, as though he agreed with every word, as though he were prepared to carry out the same.
The car moved steadily forward, carrying me deeper into a nightmare from which there was no escape. I sat motionless, the blood slowly dripping from my wrist, each drop marking the silence, a reminder of the price I would pay if I dared to speak. And as the darkness closed in, I realized that the truth was no longer my shield. It was a weapon they would use to destroy me and everyone I loved.