My head started spinning and a wave of nausea hit me as I tried to open my heavy eyelids. I blinked away a few tears and noticed that I was tied to an old chair. I tried to remember the events of the previous night that could explain that situation...

We needed drinks, a car was following us, Nicole...

A whimper escaped my lips as I searched for my friend and tried to find out where I was. I was in the middle of a small bedroom and the only light that could illuminate the room was coming from an open window. A small bed also decorated the small and chilly bedroom.

"Nic-Nicole!, " I tried to shout but it only came as a whisper, my throat begging for mercy. Suddenly as I examined my surroundings the door opened brutally and chills covered my skin as my heart dropped.

"Elle Taylors... we finally meet!"

In front of me stood the masked man, wearing combat boots and black clothes. His fingers were playing with a knife as he walked toward me. I started hyperventilating and whimpering.

"Whe-where is N-Nicole?," I heard myself saying and he chuckled before finally lifting his mask. A long scar covered horizontally his right cheek, his eyes and hair were painted black, by the looks he was probably my age.

"Who...who are you?," I swallowed the confusion welcoming my throat and blinked a few times before he kneeled in front of me. His fingers started caressing my neck gently.

"Didn't he talk about me? Well, I shouldn't be surprised...," he exhaled and continued in a monotone voice. "I'm Hunter King."

My eyebrows stood up and I shook my head as I tried to register the new informations. Hunter King...as in Carter's cousin? It couldn't be possible. My head started pushing harder and harder and I whispered:

"He-he died...you can't be!"

"That's what they all think but I'm standing right here to prove you wrong." He whispered as he tried to penetrate my soul with his black eyes.

"Why? Why me? We don't even know each other...d-did you kill my parents?." My eyes started watering and he stood up and crossed his arms, his eyes never leaving mine more than a second.

"Well...I didn't kill them. Believe it or not. " Hunter stated and I frowned. He actually had no valid reasons to murder them because he only started harassing me when I arrived in Haverhill but some piece of me thought it could've somehow been linked.

"Listen to me, Elle." His voice made me shiver and I gulped hard. "That night...I was following them and you happened."

We were both speaking English but I couldn't understand anything he was saying...what night? He must've seen the confusion in my face because he uncrossed his arms and continued with the same tone.

"That night in the pharmacy he saw you spying on them and you ran away. Once you were out of his sight I noticed something I had never seen on Carter. He looked almost possessed and I could see the urge he had to own you. You made him weak...and I played that in in my favor so that's when the masked man came to life..."

"I don't understand...why?" I was surprised to have found my voice.

"For revenge, Elle! I wanted to hurt him as much as he hurt me! He ruined my all life and took the only precious thing I had in my senseless life!," he yelled and his chest moved up and down faster and faster. "Earlier that night when I had the accident my girlfriend called me and she wanted to break up with me. She told me the reason why was because she had fallen in love with Carter..."

"I-I don't understand...you can't blame Carter because her feelings toward him, it's stupid!" I explained and coughed.

"My family only thinks of Carter, he gets everything he wants, he's the perfect role model on anything and it repulses me. When he also stole my girlfriend's heart it was too much. Now I want to make him pay by taking you. I want him to know the feeling when the most important person in your world vanishes from your life without further explanation."

"You envied him your entire life and want to kill me now? You're taking it too f-," The palm of his hand hit my cheek before I could finish my sentence and I cried of pain.

"It's not envy, you fucking slut. But you're right about one thing...I'm going to kill you and make him watch before killing him slowly." He promised and I cried harder pleading him not to.

"He's coming...I sent the address of our location and he will be here soon...if he truly cares about you. I must admit you were quite advertising..." he trailed off before untying me and hauling me on his shoulder nonchalantly. An awful pain coming from my rib cage made me moan. I mentally prayed for Carter to find us in time.

We passed a few closed doors before descending a big staircase and heading me toward the kitchen. All the lights were switched off and it only made my fear raise up.

"Don't take it too personally. You are just a means to a end." He replied to my pleas and just as we arrived in the kitchen someone punched Hunter, making me fall off his shoulder. My eyes tried to adjust the darkness surrounding us and my heart ached of happiness when my eyes caught sight of Carter hitting his cousin over and over again.

"Cart-Carter?" I swallowed and he glanced at me before running toward me. His arms engulfed me and kissed me on my parted lips after examining my whole face.

"I was shit scared, Elle! I thought I had lost you!," he whispered and I could feel his hands shaking while holding my face. In the corner of my eye I witnessed Hunter trying to raise up and I was about to warn Carter when Nate and Sawyer joined us and knocking Hunter's jaw.

"Fuck... I don't understand." Nate cursed under his breath before he and Sawyer circled Carter's so he had nowhere to escape.

"I hate you with my whole life, Carter. I should've killed your bitch sooner...," Carter's. cousin bellowed while spitting blood.

"Be careful how you talk to my girl, Hunter." My boyfriend warned and helped me stand up, my knees too weak to hold my shaking legs.

All of sudden Hunter throw his knife straight at me before I could blink. My heart jumped out of my chest as Carter's eyes pushed me brutally and Hunter's blade failed his target. I fell into my knees and whimpered before hearing a shot piercing my ears.

"Fuck man..." I heard Nate as a bloody Hunter fell into his knees, a hand on his chest to try to stop his bleeding. I looked up at my boyfriend and noticed the gun he was holding tightly.

"It's over..." Carter read my thoughts and lifted my weak body into his strong arms.

"We have to find Nicole!" I whisper-yelled as Carter carried me outside.

"Vaughn found her. She's safe now!" He explained and just as I was about to request for more informations I saw Vaughn giving his sweatshirt to a shivering Nicole.

"Nicole!!" I shouted and my boyfriend dropped me into my feet, I instantly ran toward my friend. Her cheek was bruised but fortunately she didn't seem to have a bigger injury. She welcomed me in her arms and tears spilled from her eyes as she smiled at me.

"Elle! I was so worried about you! He kept me in a bedroom and didn't allow me to see you!" My British friend cleared her throat.

"Call my father, Vaughn. I'm bringing them home!" Carter ordered and Vaughn nodded after looking at Nicole.

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