HOSTAGE (To Love A Killer) Read Free Page B

apartment opened and three large men stepped through, stomping across the room. Without a word of instruction, they each grabbed one girl at a time, roughly lifting them to their feet, and dragged them out.
                  In an instant Andy, Devon, Margot, and Jenna were gone. They would be locked in the van in no time. They would be back in New Hampshire, at the farmhouse, returned to a life of torture in just nine hours. It would only be a matter of time before each would be murdered on video as Grizzly had promised.
                  Suddenly the apartment was dead silent.
                  Only Hunter, Ash, and Grizzly were left. Hunter didn’t know what to expect next. Grizzly could leave her here with two dead bodies, her hands tied behind her back, and an ever-growing fear that she and her sister were doomed as the minutes ticked by, but he didn’t. Not at first.
                  Grizzly did something she could have never expected.
                  He grabbed Ash and slammed him against the wall. His head hit first, disorienting him terribly. Suddenly Grizzly held the knife at Ash’s throat, forcing him to the ground. In an instant, Grizzly secured Ash to the radiator. Not with plastic ties, instead Grizzly clamped cuffs around Ash’s wrists, chaining him against the metal rungs. 
                  “You’ve done your job, Ash,” said Grizzly. “I don’t need you anymore.”
                  Ash didn’t say a word.
                  “I know you miss killing, sweetheart,” Grizzly said, turning to Hunter, looking her straight in the eye. “Consider this a gift.”
                  Grizzly dropped the knife to the ground. It bounced then spun to a stop on its side. Once it had, Grizzly kicked it, sliding it across the floor to Hunter.
                  She stared at it for a long moment. It lay directly in front of her knees. If she twisted her body, she could grasp it with her hands.
                  It crossed her mind to grab it. Could she slip her hand through the tie, freeing herself of the loose plastic, and charge towards her father? She could kill him right here and now, but she was petrified, paralyzed with fear.
                  Grizzly wanted her to kill Ash. He thought she would appreciate the opportunity.
                  Maybe she would. On some level, Ash had betrayed her, and he deserved to die. But Hunter also knew deep down that Ash was only a pawn in her father’s game. She was torn.
                  She could feel Grizzly’s eyes on her, lingering, enjoying the dilemma she was being presented with. It sickened her. She wasn’t prepared to deal with the darkness that was being stirred up inside her. She wasn’t equipped to handle the possibility that she may want Ash dead. She may need him dead in order to regain enough strength to face the farmhouse and the evils that lay in wait for her there.
                  Finally, her father turned to leave. He walked across her studio apartment until he disappeared around the corner. Not a moment later, Hunter heard her front door open and shut. Grizzly was gone.
                  But the nightmare was just beginning.

Chapter Two
                  Hunter found herself trembling, as a wave of immense relief washed over her. She lowered her head into her knees for a moment and allowed her body to shake off the deep tension that had gripped her. Being in her father’s presence had been beyond terrifying. It had brought up a wealth of memories, memories she had done everything within her power to forget.
                  The memories kept coming, even after he had left, they were unstoppable. It was a very deep well. Hunter collapsed into a ball, her legs turning to rubber and her body quaking as the force of pent up adrenalin dissipated from her body in