It seemed like Gabe's alarm was going off minutes after I closed my eyes. I only got a couple hours of sleep and it was wearing down my already exhausted body. I stayed curled up in bed as Gabe walked around the room getting ready for the day.

He sat on the edge of the bed and shook my shoulder. I groaned and pulled the blanket up over my head. Gabe ripped the blanket off.

"You have to get up," he said.

"I'm so tired," I said.

"Mom is going to need help with breakfast," he said. "I already got your clothes out."

I yawned as I sat up. Gabe had one of my sundresses from home on the foot of the bed. I changed into it before stretching my arms up over my head. My muscles still ached.

Gabe laced his fingers through mine and pulled me out of the room. My feet dragged along the floor as we made it into the kitchen. Jenny was pulling a carton of eggs out of the fridge. Gabe kissed my temple before going into the dining room with Taylor and Dylan.

I helped Jenny cook breakfast. I was afraid to turn around and look at Noah when I heard him come down the stairs. I did hear him chuckle when he watched me yawn. Despite being able to sleep for two hours, exhaustion overtook my bones.

Gabe, Taylor and Dylan were talking as I brought in breakfast. I sat down next to Gabe. I glanced up to see Noah staring at me. He raised a brow and I knew that it was a silent warning. I had to pretend to be in love with Gabe to gain my basic rights, such as the right to sleep.

I raised my hand and put it on Gabe's shoulder. He stopped talking and looked at me with wide eyes. I forced a smile. I looked over at Noah to see him watching us.

"Are you alright?" Gabe asked.

I let out a shaky breath.

I had to play their game.

"I love you," I said.

The room fell silent. Gabe's jaw dropped. Jenny stopped in the doorway with a bowl in her hands. Noah was hiding a smile behind his hand as he leaned back in his seat.

"I love you too," Gabe said.

The words made my stomach clench. I swallowed past the lump forming in my throat. Everyone stayed still out of shock. I lowered my hand and grabbed a few strips of meat. I hoped they would all resume to normal.

"It's nice to see you settled," Noah said. "You belong to this family."

--

Days passed and I continued to pretend to love Gabe. I did not push him off of me when he would hold me. I forced myself to kiss him whenever he got near. I closed my eyes and pretended I was somewhere else when he forced himself on me at night.

The worst part would be when we were around Noah. He would raise a brow or clear his throat and I would initiate a romantic gesture. I would wrap my arms around Gabe or give him a quick kiss.

I was allowed to sleep at night, but my insomnia terrorized me. Flashbacks of Finn, Alyssa and Wyatt filled my mind. I was happy to be alive, but I may have been better off dead.

Cleaning and cooking with Jenny became my favourite part of the day. I was safe away from the men, and all I had to do was listen to Jenny's delusional rambling.

One day, I was in a blissful moment scrubbing the kitchen floor. Jenny was upstairs cleaning the bathroom, so I had a moment of silence.

The moment was over when I heard faint screaming.

The screaming grew louder before the door burst open.

Dylan walked into the house. Gabe was behind with a girl in his arms. His hand was on her mouth and muffled her screams. The girl was thrashing and trying to pull Gabe's hand off.

"Are you not going to help me?" Gabe asked Dylan.

Gabe let out a cry when the girl bit down on his hand. He moved his hand and grabbed her chin. Dylan pulled a chair out of the dining room before grabbing the girl's legs. They carried her over to the chair.

Jenny came down the stairs with two coils of rope. She passed them to Gabe. Dylan held down the girl as Gabe tied her hands behind her back and her ankles to the legs of the chair.

I stood in horror as the scene unfolded in front of me. They were going to murder these people like they killed my friends.

Jenny grabbed a dish towel off of the front of the oven and handed it to Gabe. He rolled it up and tied it around the girl's head.

Gabe looked over his shoulder to see me stunned. He stepped toward me and I stepped back. My eyes watered as I shook my head.

"Lindsey, it's alright," he said. "They were on our property. We have to keep you safe."

"Safe from what?" I asked.

"They could have hurt you."

"No one wants to hurt me."

The girl let out a muffled cry. Dylan pulled the curtain back to reveal the metal hooks. Alyssa and Wyatt's blood stained the tiles. Gabe strolled over to the girl and brushed a piece of hair off of her forehead.

The door burst open again. Taylor came in with a man in his arms. The man had blood dripping from his temple. Taylor had trouble keeping a hold of the man despite having a knife to his throat.

The girl's screams grew louder when she saw the man. He looked at the metal hooks and his eyes went wide.

"Fuck, no," the man said.

He threw his elbow back and hit Taylor in the stomach. It caught Taylor off guard and he stumbled back. The man took the opportunity to twist out of Taylor's grip. He grabbed Taylor's wrist and pulled the knife out of his hand.

The man held the knife out in front of himself. The end of the blade wavered as his hands shook.

"Let us go," the man said.

"Taylor, grab him," Gabe said.

The man reached forward and snatched my arm. He pulled me in front of him and placed the blade against my neck. My breath caught in my throat. Gabe's eyes narrowed and his hands clenched into fists at his side.

"Let my wife go," Gabe said.

"Untie my girlfriend," the man said. "I won't kill her if you let us go."

I gritted my teeth as the man pushed the blade harder against my neck. The warm blood bubbled to the surface.

I always expected Noah or Gabe to kill me. I never thought some deranged man coming into this house would be my death. They were the only ones I could rely on to save my life.

"Do not hurt her," Gabe said.

"You're going to kill us," the man said.

He wrapped his other arm around my waist and pulled me back. He walked us back to the open door. My hands were clutched to my chest as my heart was pounding. I blinked and my vision became blurry with tears.

"Gabe," I choked out.

"It's going to be okay," Gabe said. He fought with his voice to stop it from wavering.

"Let her go," the man said.

Jenny put her hands over her mouth and gasped. The girl's muffled screams grew louder.

The man let out a horrible noise. He let go of me and I ran across the kitchen and into Gabe's arms. He held onto me tight and I buried my face into his chest. He placed his hand on the back of my head. I could hear his heart hammering in his chest.

"Don't look," he said.

I turned my head to see the man had fallen to his hands and knees. An axe was sticking out from his back. Noah was standing behind him splattered in blood. He kicked the man to the floor. He kept his foot on his back as he ripped the axe out of the man's back.

I gagged and turned so that my face was against Gabe's shirt. Gabe leaned down and kissed the top of my head.

"Let's get you cleaned up," he said.

I pulled my head back to see blood soaking through Gabe's shirt. I winced when I touched the bleeding wound on my throat.

Gabe laced his fingers with mine and pulled me up over the stairs. I looked over my shoulder and watched as they dragged the man's limp body over to the drain.