Outside the doorb, /bbthe /bbTV /bwas bsting /bbat /bfull volume. With bjust /bba /bsingle door between themb, /bbit /bfelt like btwo /bbpletely /bdifferent worlds.

After bseeing /bSamuel enter Josephine’s houseb, /bAubree and Bowen followed him inside.

bAs /bthey drew bcloser/b, the bTV’s /bvolume bwas /bsuspiciously loud. Even with the ring noise, they could just bbarely /bbmake /bout the shrill screams bof /bba /bwoman from inside. If they bhadn’t /bbbeen /blistening carefully, they might have thought it was just their bimagination/b.

Aubree and bBowen /bexchanged ba /bbnce/b, and in unisonb, /bstepped closer to the front door.

bBowen /bgave the bdoor /ba push, but the front door was deadbolted from the inside. Unless someone opened it from within, the only bway /bbin /bwould be to break it down by bforce/bb. /b

b“/bStay hereb. /bI’ll bget /bin through the back door,” Bowen told her.

Aubree looked up at the windows and noticed they were built unusually high up. Most people wouldn’t be able to get in without using bsome /bequipment.

Bowen picked a good spot to bget /bsome leverage, took a running start, pushed off the wall with both feet, and hoisted himself bup /bwith his barms/bb. /bThe whole move bwas /bsmooth and effortless.

Inside the house, the vige chief’s son had lost bit/b. He had Josephine pinned to the floor, beating and kicking her. While he bwas /bthe bvige /bchief’s son, he was not the only one. Samuel had two older brothers who were more impressive than him. People described him bas /bbeing “honestb,/bb” /bbut that bwas /bjust because he had nothing else going for him. All he could do was put on a fake bact /bof being the good guy.

With Josephine, he finally got to feel the twisted pride of being a “man.”

He yelled, “You bitch! You whore! I’ve given you so many opportunities, and now who bare /byou trying to seduce here?

“Listen up, from now on, you’re my woman. Stop unting yourself around all the time!

“That day at the delivery station, you were sticking your ass out like you wanted me to notice. And now you’re pretending to be some chaste little saint?”

Josephine stretched her hand forward, trying to catch her son’s attention. She could hear the TV ring outside, and she knew her boy was out there. She bwas /bdesperately hoping he’d notice her and run to get Pontus from next door.

Samuel was ba /btotal coward; the moment there was even a hint of danger, he’d chicken out.

But nothing happened. The TV was too loud, and her son had no idea what was really happening inside.

It was then that Josephine thought hopelessly in realization, ‘Samuel must’ve told him something beforeing in.

Right ot

noment Mattiaswho bwas /bwatching TV in the living broom /b

M

||

W

W XXX

|||||

M

88 M

M

TWIT W

M bM /b

Samuel bhad /bhis pants halfway down when he suddenly froze. ‘Who the hell is out bthere/bb?/b‘ he thought, bpanic /bshing bacross /bhis bface/bb. /b

M