Knuckle Dragging My Life Away Novelas e Histórias

Once she recovers, you'll answer for everything. "Don't think death will save you. You'll only die when Vivian forgives you—if she ever does!" My lips parted helplessly. Anyone facing false accusations would instinctively deny them, but I had no strength left. I released a faint breath, unable to utter a single word. The wolfsbane was attacking my nervous system. Soon, it would destroy me completely. Ryan didn't care about my silence. His rage consumed him as he spat, "You disgust me!"

Hamilton crumpled to the floor like a rag doll, coughing, wheezing, his entire body shaking. He tried to crawl away, dragging himself across the floor like an injured animal. Pathetic. Weak. But I didn’t let him get far. My footsteps were slow and steady as I walked toward him, each one falling like the tolling of a bell. My eyes never left his. I wanted him to feel every second of this. When I stopped in front of him, I stretched out my hand toward Nathan without looking. “The stick,” I said, voice like ice. Nathan didn’t move.

He snapped his massive jaws, his teeth clicking together. The tug of my t-shirt being caught was the only warning I had before I was yanked backwards. My feet left the ground and I flailed, roaring obscenities that would’ve had my father blushing. I hit the marble floor with a thud and tried to spin myself around as Draco began dragging me back into that horrible, cursed room.

My life rocks. The hateful necklace of death was charred, blackened, and crumbling around my neck. I tore it free and threw it against the wall. Whatever that thing in the other room had been, it apparently didn’t have any hold here. Now whether that was because the prize truly was behind Door Number One or because there was something even scarier in here, I had to find out. I staggered to my hands and knees, still unable to get to my feet. My head was killing me, but the frantic pounding in my chest hurt even worse.

I felt it in my bones—the hollow absence. The cold settled deeper. And I was just a broken man again. No strength. No shield. Nothing but pain and a name burning in my chest. Selena. I crawled toward the next tree, grabbing at roots, dragging myself up. “Not yet,” I whispered. “Please. Not yet.” But my arms gave way. My body hit the ground hard. My face in the mud. My eyes on the dirt. I couldn’t move anymore. So I did the only thing I could.

“I realize death is the only way I’ll ever be free from the consequences of a crime I didn’t even commit. So kill me. Just do it and be done. Because there’s nothing for me, nothing worth living for.” “Shut the hell up!” Deadrick lobs the bottle at me. Drunk as he is, he’s still got good aim. The bottle smacks into my temple before shattering on a nearby rock. The shards skitter across the forest floor, and several crunch under my feet as I stumble.

Pain clawed at my already shattered heart, it felt like the battered organ was being ripped out of my chest as memories of how I'd ended up being tied to a wheelchair came flooding in. Niko. A name that would always be associated with the pain that constantly gnawed at my insides. My eyes burned the longer I stared down at my limp legs. They were knocked at the knees as my feet dangled loosely against the pedals of my wheelchair. I didn't feel it falling until a small patch of wetness soaked up the fabric of my skirt. My chest heaved as I tried to hold back the body-wracking sobs I knew was coming. The—

Like I was just a broken doll. “We’re moving you,” he grunted. His breath reeked of stale cigarettes and something else… something nasty. “Get your filthy hands off me, you pig!” I screamed, kicking out, thrashing. Fighting. But it was useless. My legs felt like jelly. My body screamed in protest. He was just too strong. They dragged me toward the shattered doorway. I kicked. Twisted. Clawed at his arm. Anything to slow them down. To buy Darius more time.

My nails dug into the back of my hand hard enough to leave marks, but the pain didn't register. Natalie could tell something was wrong and instantly wrapped me up in a hug. "Janelle, I'm fine! Really, don't stress over me." Her hug broke through whatever was holding me together, and suddenly, I was sobbing hard. She got swept up in it, too, and before long, she was crying softly with me. We didn't stop for a good 30 minutes. I wasn't about to let Natalie take this crap for no reason. "Nat, I could really go for some of Navenmoor's pumpkin pancakes right now."

Pain radiated through my knuckles, raw and steady the only thing keeping me anchored to reality. If it hadn't hurt so badly, I wouldn't have stopped. Nobody in Tranquility wanted anything to do with me. Fine. The feeling was mutual. But three men Desmond, Chuck, and Hank couldn't just leave it at that. They had to push. Had to remind me who they thought was in charge. They were wrong, and if it came down to it, I'd make sure they learned that lesson with their last breath. Nobody would ever own me again. Not in this lifetime.