Thanks to The Boots

Chapter Thirty-One

My jaw falls. "What?"

"Bring out the Jones family!" Ryder calls out.

"Ryder, what are you doing?"

He looks at me, "Do you really love me?"

I stare into his eyes, hoping my face is as cold as I'm imagining it to be. "Nope," it was a lie. I knew it was a lie, but I hope he didn't see through me.

He stares at me for another second, then grabs my neck with the hand that isn't holding the gun. "I'm going to make you pay for this."

"You're going to kill me?" I ask, sounding bored.

"Oh, no," he chuckles darkly. "I'm going to make you wish I killed you. I'm going to make you beg me to take your life. Because, Princess, it seems you forgot who I am." He spits the word Princess.

"A lapdog with family-issues that loves me."

He takes long strides, forcing me to walk backwards so he can throw me against the wall. Not literally, throw me. His hand doesn't leave my neck, and he's holding me by my neck. I'm in a similar position as I was when Ryder almost let Ryan kill me. But I don't think anyone's going to stop Ryder. Just a feeling.

"You never know when to shut up, do you?"

"I guess not."

"Ryder," he turns and my family stands before us.

"Oh, good," Ryder grins. He turns to me, "Ready for some fun?"

Ryder has a twisted mind. More twisted than anything I could have ever thought of.

Our first 'game' of the day is where his workers line up my sisters, Valerie and Jamie, and I, then make my parents choose which one they want to save. Oh and Helen joined in on the fun.

"Now, Dylan, Zach, you get to pick one of these ladies to save," Ryder chimes.

"Only one, though," Helen reminds.

Mom is in tears and Dad is angry, with tears in his eyes.

"Let's start with choosing one to get rid of first," Ryder paces in between my parents and us. He has a gun in-hand, and points it at each one of my sisters and I in turn. "I'd say this one," he waves the gun in my face.

No tears fall from my eyes, every other member of my family is in hysterics but I refuse to. Probably because I have a crazy idea in my head.

"Ryder," my voice comes out eerily calm.

"Brianna," he returns the tone.

"I know you're trying to prove a point. This is about the arguments we would have back in your apartment, right?"

He smirks, "You remember."

"How could I forget," I spit. "So, let's go off those ideas. They would pick both of my sisters over me. So make them choose one daughter to kill off."

"Brianna!" Mom and Dad scold.

I choose to ignore them, as does Ryder.

"I like that idea," he cackles like a madman. "Pick one of the Jones daughters to kill, you two."

"I won't," Mom glares.

Dad looks at me, and I try to send him a message telepathically. I know he receives it because of what he says next. Or I hope he does because if not than that's a little frightening. "Brianna."

"What was that, Pops?"

"Brianna."

"You want me to kill her?" My father nods, staring at me. I send him a discreet smile and he looks uneasy. My mother freaks out, as do my siblings but I remain still.