I Called Off the Engagement After Our Pre-Wedding Trip Chapter 04

I Called Off the Engagement After Our Pre-Wedding Trip Chapter 04

My heart jumped into my throat.

If he found out my family were the ones who’d kicked them off the boat, what would he do to me?

I was alone. I couldn’t fight them.

Sweat beaded on my forehead, but I kept my face calm.

“The people who run this place.”

I looked down. “They’re only hosting me. If you guys are staying, I have to let them know.”

Caleb glanced at the screen.

I hadn’t saved my cousin’s number, so nothing looked suspicious. He handed the phone back.

“Don’t put onions in the food. Bri doesn’t eat them.”

I pressed my lips together. Bitterness spread through my chest.

There was a time Caleb would remind chefs about my dislikes.

Now? He was worried about Bri’s onions while my hand was bleeding.

He looked at me, and something in his face softened.

He reached out to touch my cheek, then saw the red welts and pulled back.

“Bri’s sensitive. We’re gonna be family, so cut her some slack. When we get back home, I’ll make it up to you.”

He didn’t know. There was no future.

I stared at him. “If you’re really sorry, give me the necklace.”

He frowned. “If I give it back, you’ll just hurt her again.”

So he was keeping it as leverage.

I opened my mouth to curse him out, then stopped.

Why bother?

He started to say something else, but Brianna yelled from outside.

“Caleb!”

“Coming.”

He answered without thinking and walked away.

Through the window, I heard them laughing. I clenched my fists.

I didn’t want to cook for them. But I did it anyway. For the necklace.

I looked at the food I’d made. I felt tired. And stupid.

Caleb knew me. Knew I’d give in.

But I didn’t expect this: the second I finished cooking, Brianna grabbed his arm, all excited. “I don’t want to eat anymore. It’s getting dark. Let’s go up the mountain and look at the stars.”

“I heard there are wild boars up there,” Caleb said.

Brianna looked at me and smiled.

My stomach dropped. Sure enough—

“We can use bait to keep the boars busy. I think Savannah would be perfect.”

“Are you insane?!” I snapped. “If you want to die, do it yourself!”

There really were wild boars on Black Ridge. Last week, my grandma told me one had gored a villager.

“Caleb, I really want to see it.” Brianna ignored me and pouted at him.

Caleb looked at me. “The boars might not even come out, Savannah. Just do this for Bri. Soon as she’s done looking at the stars, I’ll give you the necklace.”

“In your dreams!”

I knew my cousin was almost back. I pointed at him and shouted, “Using my dead grandmother’s necklace to threaten me, throwing me in the river—you’re disgusting! If you break that necklace, I’ll take you to court!”

I swept my gaze over Brianna and the others.

“Assault, attempted murder, aiding and abetting—I’m coming after every one of you!”

Caleb’s face went dark. “Take that back, and I’ll forget this happened.”

I laughed. “Every word is true.”

“Savannah. You’re not listening.”

His eyes burned. He stepped toward me. “I didn’t want to do this again, but you won’t behave.”

Panic hit me. I ran for the gate.

I could see my uncle and the others—twenty feet away.

“Unc—”

Crack.

A baseball bat hit my skull.

Pain exploded, and my legs gave out.

The last thing I heard was Brianna’s frantic whisper:

“She was yelling for help! Caleb, let’s go out the back! We can’t let those nosy villagers catch us.”

When I woke up, I was tied to a tree.

Brianna stood in front of me, a knife in her hand.

She smiled low. “Tonight, you’re bait for the animals.”

Then she cut my calf.

The pain was sharp, and blood poured down my leg.

Blood would bring the boars.

Terror flooded me. I thrashed against the ropes and screamed at Caleb, “Let me go! This is murder!”

Caleb’s voice was calm. “You’ll be fine. I’ll come get you later.”

He held out his hand to Brianna. “Let’s go.”

“Okay!”

She beamed, dropped the knife, and took his hand.

The others followed.

I watched them walk away and screamed, “There are real boars here! Let me go—!”

Grunt—

An animal noise came out of the dark. I froze.

The ground shook. Trees swayed.

Then two glowing eyes locked onto me.

Was I really going to die here?

The boar charged. Right when I thought it was over—

“Savannah!”

I almost sobbed with relief.

Flashlights cut through the dark.

The villagers.