Prologue

Gianna

Hearing the blood-curdling scream and loud bangs on doors pricked goosebumps on my skin. I rushed to my apartment door and fumbled with the keys. Once I opened the door wide I shuddered to see my best friend's lifeless body tied up with a chair and her stomach split open. Blood and cuts all over, I stiffed and everything around me spun. Half of her face has burnt marks and open cuts. I screamed, and my knees almost dropped to the floor. I hurried towards her as my steps wobbled beneath me.

"Can you hear me, Perry?!"

No physical reaction from my strangled scream as I untied the knot and slapped her face for her response but she was cold. I choked my sob.

Taking my phone out of my pocket, I called for emergency but there was no ring. The sound of heavy footsteps made me look upward at the figure.

"Too late."

He rolled his tongue against the inside of his cheeks. No way he hacked the network system.

"She was no part of this sick game."

I bellowed as I stood my ground shielding her.

"Rebelling now?"

He tilted his head, stepping close.

"You are in no position to talk until you had the privilege."

He tucked out his gun from the holster and cocked. I gasped in fright and took the butter knife from the table swiftly and hurled myself into him but he held my hand in a farm grip and pushed me down the floor. I quavered and clawed his face and I tried to knee him but he was fast to catch before it made contact.

He pressed his weight on me and captured my wrist. I managed to whirl around and swung my fist at his face. I stabbed his shoulder. He hissed and I scooted off of him taking Perri's arm to bring it around my shoulder but he caught ahold of me and slammed me against the mirror glass. The glass broke and shards stabbed my skin. I wailed, my bones may have broken, and my limbs go numb. Seizing my jaw he shoved the gun inside my mouth. He pulled the trigger, smirking evilly.

"Happy father-daughter reunion."

I pant taking a huge gulp of air as my eyes flew open. It was all a dream. He won't be here, will he? I leaped over quickly and checked Perri's bedroom. She is dead asleep. I pressed a hand against my chest where blood was pumping fast.

I took a hold to calm my breath and wiped away the beads of sweat all over my forehead and neck. Washing my face, I changed my tank top. I was about to turn off my lights but something at my door left me petrified. My hair stood on end as I swallowed the lump in my throat and moved close to the note stabbed at my door with the fruit slicer.

"Wish your every nightmare comes true."

My breath stopped, and my gaze moved to the other scribbled note around it.

"It was a sight to see you screaming for me."

He was here, he was watching me. How did he do it? He didn't break any locks. Questions swirled through my head. Picking up my phone from the nightstand I called the number I blocked once. After the third ring, he answered.

"Blue."

A dread crept inside me. I was now his game to play.