Play The Part (Player Next Door Book 3)

80 | Unmasking

I'm sorry for the delay.  The chapter was deleted and I had to rewrite it in an hour.  I hope you enjoy <3

Chapter 80: Unmasking

The sun sparkled over the still crystal lake and an afternoon breeze rustled the bushes outside the house. The glass door was wide open, bringing in the cool summer breeze.

This House of Horrors slowly melted into the cozy jake house we knew well.

The panic faded as I saw my friends safe around me. Luke, Austin, CeCe, Oma and Charlotte.

My friends were here, Luke was here and Austin was itching to enter the kitchen and microwave something.

It felt normal.

Except for the three masked men, bounded and gagged on the living room floor.

And Oma bleeding nearby...

And the shattered vases, fallen books and toppled chairs dotting the room.

So normal-ish... in the sense that we were alive.

Which is a win in my books.

Austin popped some chewing gum into his mouth.

Then he turned towards the three masked men with his arms crossed over his chest, "You've made yourselves pretty with your animal masks. Who are we unmasking first?"

"All of them," Luke said, yanking masks down with both his hands.

It happened so quickly, without any fanfare that my heart stopped in my throat.

The guys resisted their animal masks being removed, shaking their heads to avoid him. I heard one growl and another try to bite Luke's hand.

And then... naked faces.

I'd been sitting on my knees next to Oma and almost knocked into her as I lunged forwards, pressing my head on the ground to push myself onto my feet.

I scrambled up from all fours to two legs, like a prehistoric human.

"This is the moment," I said, my voice shaking as I digested the impact of what we were doing.

Unmasking the blackmailer.

The blackmailer that had been haunting me ever since I first started seeing Luke.

My life wasn't exactly bubble-gum and roses before I met Luke, but meeting him was the best thing to happen to me.

I felt happy and excited and this creature took that joy and tried to burst it. Again and again, with increasing brutality.

Trying to make us live in fear.

"Which one of you killed Winnifred?" I asked them.

Luke and Austin's backs were towards me as I stumbled towards them.

"Who is it?" I called out, not able to see well enough, my vision partly blocked by their tall figures.

Neither one of them responded.

"Let me see them," I said, reaching out and lightly shoving Luke and Austin out of the way.

They both backed off and Luke turned to me, watching my expression as I studied the three fallen men.

Boys, actually.

I was breathing heavily, fuming, adrenaline rushing through me as we had finally bested the beast.

I silently went from one face to another to another.

Something's wrong.

I went back to the first face, then the second face, the third.