2: 2
Bang! The next second, the door slammed open.
Gretchen Cobb burst in, eyes red, fury rolling off her.
She had a fistful of Joy's hair from behind, and with everything she had, she flung the girl and the snake both hard against the windowsill.
"Get off her! Don't touch her!"
Joy lost her footing and hit the floor.
The little snake in her hand arced through the air and landed right by my feet.
Gretchen swallowed hard, her jaw shaking.
She was just like me. She was terrified of these soft, crawling things too.
Her hands hovered in the air, trembling, but she couldn't make herself touch it.
"Hurry! Untie me! I'll throw it out!"
Gretchen snapped out of it and fumbled at the rope.
But Milton had tied it too tight.
She'd barely gotten it half undone when one of Milton's buddies grabbed her and dragged her against him.
His eyes crawled over her body, inch by inch, shameless.
"So this is the Gretchen you keep talking about?"
"You're a good friend, you know that? A real one. Saving a sweet little thing like this for me."
He traded a knowing look with Milton, a nasty smile pulling at his mouth.
Something in me dropped.
They'd planned this all along!
No wonder Milton had insisted, over and over back at the hotel, that Gretchen come keep me company.
He was going to hand her over to someone as a favor!
Gretchen went white with fear and tried to break loose, but the guy was too strong. He wrenched her forearm back and pinned it to the wall.
The little snake was inching closer to her, half a meter away now!
Gretchen couldn't hold it in any longer. She screamed, tears spilling down her face all at once.
"You should be grateful I'd even look at you. Nobody wants you anyway, so you might as well make me happy."
Milton arched his brow, pleased with himself. Joy filmed it, thrilled.
Nobody noticed the rope at my wrists had already gone slack in the corner.
I shot to my feet, lunged across the room, caught the silver snake behind its head, and shoved it hard into the man's mouth.
"Let go of her!"
He jerked back, startled, and gave half a step.
Gretchen took the chance to run to me, clutching me tight, wiping at her tears.
I crushed the little snake underfoot and threw it down by Joy.
Milton, who'd been enjoying the show a second ago, went dark in the face.
Veins stood out on his forehead as he roared,
"Frieda Simmons! Have you lost your mind? My buddy was just joking around. Was that really necessary?"
Joy's tears came in an instant.
"Milton, I didn't think your wife couldn't take a joke like this. Fine, she hates me, but she couldn't even spare one little snake. Poor thing…"
Milton wiped her tears for her, aching over her, then turned to me with ice in his eyes.
"Frieda Simmons, I didn't realize how out of line you could be."
"After this, you're going to apologize to Joy!"
I stared at him and laughed, furious.
He couldn't see how the snake had drained the color from my face.
He couldn't see his friend putting his hands all over Gretchen.
I'd only fought back, only protected myself, and somehow I was the criminal.
"Why should I? She's the one who scared me first!"
His eyes went cold as knives and drove straight into me.
"There are this many people here. Would it kill everyone to just have a good time?"
"You insist on humiliating me in front of them, then don't blame me for being cruel!"
Watching that cold look on his face, an uneasy dread crept through me.
I gripped Gretchen's arm and shielded her with everything I had.
He gave a cold snort and kicked over the box at his feet.
Dozens of snakes, coiling everywhere!
My throat clenched. I nearly threw up.
So he'd had this ready too.
"Milton, this is supposed to be your wedding day with Frieda. Do you really have to pull something like this?"
Gretchen's brow was tight as she put out a hand to shield me.
She wanted to get me out of this poisoned room.
But Milton's face stayed cold as he stepped half a pace forward, blocking the way.
"Want to leave? Not that easy!"
