Kings of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #1) - Caroline Peckham ,Susanne Valenti Page 0,216

making it to my breasts. I threw my elbow back with a shriek of defiance and Merl lost his grip on me with a curse. I darted forward once more, the only light around me the one he was using on his phone to find me. It was a blessing and a curse. Because so long as I could see, so could he.

I raced past tomb after tomb, the scent of death everywhere as dust rose into the back of my throat and made me wanna hurl. The hilt of the knife dug into my hand so hard it hurt.

Just keep going.

Run as fast as you fucking can.

My foot caught on a step and I lurched forward as the ground beneath my feet climbed, my fingers grazing the concrete for half a second before I managed to keep going. Sweat dripped down my spine. The air was frozen but my skin was on fire.

The tunnel suddenly split ahead of me and I wheeled to the left at random, immediately crashing into a wall. I screamed as he grabbed me, turning in his arms and throwing fists, scratching, clawing. I slashed the knife at his arm, but he caught my wrist and slammed it back against the cold stone, making my heart lurch in fear. His phone was wedged in his jeans’ pocket, the flashlight sticking out the top so it glared at me.

I refused to ease my grip on the knife as he bashed my wrist against the wall again and again.

I won’t let go. Not ever!

His free hand dropped between us to the edge of my waistband and my heart nearly combusted. I needed a plan and one came to me as I called on my training with my dad, drawing on everything I’d ever learned and begging it to take over my actions.

I dropped the knife, letting it clatter to the ground and as his gaze shifted to it, I threw my knee up between his thighs, catching him right in the balls.

He roared in anger, backing up as he clutched his junk and howled in pain. I dropped down, grabbing the knife as I darted past him and his fingers yanked out a few strands of my hair as he tried to catch me.

I sped down the other passage, my breathing ragged as I raced on into the darkness at a furious pace.

The tunnel started to climb and I could have cried as a hint of moonlight called to me up ahead.

“Tatum!” Monroe’s voice reached me and a glow of light from his phone showed me how close he was.

My heart lifted with pure, desperate hope. He’d actually come for me. And somehow, he’d found me.

“I’m here!” I panted as I raced towards him.

He lifted his phone and I squinted against the brightness, suddenly crashing into a solid iron gate. A metal clang rang out, reverberating through the entire tunnel.

He was just on the other side of it, his face pinched with anxiety as he grabbed my hand through the bars.

Footsteps sounded behind me and panic laced my blood like poison.

“Who the fuck is that?” Monroe demanded then barrelled on. “Can you open the gate?”

“Yes,” I gasped, swearing again and again as I tucked the knife into my waistband and lifted the keys with shaking fingers. Monroe angled his phone light down towards them so I could see.

“Hurry,” he pressed and I wet my achingly dry mouth as I picked a key at random and stuffed it in the lock.

“Hey!” Monroe called out to the asshole heading my way. “Back the fuck up!”

I turned the key hard, but it didn’t work and I knew I’d cost myself everything as Merl snatched a fistful of my hair.

Fear clutched me in its grip and I screamed as he yanked me around to face him, tossing the keys at Monroe in desperation, hearing them jingling across the ground.

“Let her go!” Monroe bellowed, rage and fear colliding in his voice.

Merl pinned me against the wall, throwing a solid punch to my ribs. I wheezed as the air was knocked out of me and he shoved me to the ground, his weight following me, pressing me into the ice-cold concrete.

I jerked and fought but his eyes were wild, unforgiving. I fought to hook the knife from my waistband in determination, but he took my head in both hands and cracked it down against the ground before I could pull it free.

Light burst in front of my eyes and for a moment I