Briana rubbed at her wrists, walking beside me through the pasture. ey were covered in rope burns, angry red and raw skin. She was wobbly on her feet— thanks to being bound for at least ten days—and she struggled to keep up. But I wasn’t slowing down. I needed to get out of here.
“How did he die?” she asked.
“Slowly,” I said as I continued toward the truck.
Her mouth dropped open but she quickly closed it and eyed me cautiously. “Did you call the police?”
I stopped and turned, facing her suddenly. Her re exes were slow, and she nearly fell backward. “No, and I’m leaving.”
e whites of her eyes shined. “Can I come with you?”
Up close I could see ngerprint-shaped bruises around her neck and popped blood vessels surrounding her eyes. Her lips were dried and cracked, peeling in several places. She was obviously dehydrated. I turned from her and kept marching forward.
“No,” I said over my shoulder.
I pulled open the driver’s side door and hopped into the truck. Bri sprinted toward me, but it was more like fast stumbling. She was so weak.
“Wait, you’re just going to leave me?” she said in disbelief, thrusting her hand in front of the door. “You can’t leave me.”
I let out a sigh. Where was my thank-you? I rescued her, and she doesn’t
even have the courtesy to express her gratitude. She would have been dead by
nightfall if it weren’t for me.
I brought my foot up and kicked her square in the chest. “Yes, I can.” She gasped, reeling backward and landing on her ass. Bri let out a painful moan.
“You’re welcome.” I slammed the door, turned the ignition, and pulled out of the driveway.
Glancing back in the mirror, I watched her slowly get to her feet and dust herself o .
She’d be ne, thanks to me.
