She’d broken free. Now she helped others. It was that sense of rightness, of purpose that shook her free of the memories.
“Wrong answer. She’s mine.” Taryn imbued the word with all her feelings—rage, protectiveness, love. The pimp would never understand the difference in their world views. Giselle was Taryn’s to protect, not to own and abuse.
Taryn reached for the hand he’d speared through Giselle’s hair.
The fine motor controls of her arm had been the best she could afford at the time. Since then, she got them upgraded regularly for occasions just like this. She grabbed his hand and exerted pressure.
Controlled pressure, carefully calibrated to squeeze until his fingers opened. He hissed in pain.
“Can you get free?” she asked Giselle.
The tiniest of nods.
Taryn could tell she was afraid of getting hurt, but the fighting spirit Giselle had shown from the beginning was still there.
Giselle tilted her head and tried to free her hair without moving her body.
Nothing happened.
“I need you to hurry up, honey.” Taryn could hold him for a while, but she hated having her back exposed like this.
“You’re going to pa?—”
She exerted more pressure on his knuckles and the pimp’s threat cut off.
His grip loosened some more and Giselle freed herself. She scrambled backward like a crab to get out of his reach.
Taryn continued to hold his hand while she pondered what to do with him. He kept turning up. She couldn’t allow that any longer.
He struggled in her grip. “I’m coming for both you bitches! You’re gonna regret this!”
“Shut up, asshole.” Taryn twisted his arm until he whimpered and hunched over.
Giselle took advantage of his position and slammed her fist against his jaw.
Bone crunched and Taryn winced. That didn’t sound good. Not that he didn’t deserve it.
Giselle’s exclamation of pain was drowned out by the pimp’s wail.
“Shit, that hurt!” Giselle didn’t let the discomfort stop her. She cradled her right hand for a moment and then kicked him in the balls.
“Nice!” Taryn said with a nod. She approved of kicking assholes when they were down.
He squealed in pain and sagged to the ground. One hand cupped his balls and he tried to tug his other hand free.
Taryn let go because she didn’t want her hand anywhere near his balls.
He moaned and rolled on the floor.
Giselle slammed her foot down on his hip, holding him in place.
Damn, Taryn was proud of her.
“Behind you!”
Giselle’s warning gave Taryn the time she needed to duck. She spun on her heel and slammed an elbow into her attacker’s throat.
He dropped too.
