Breathing hard, adrenaline rushing through my veins, I stand, turning to check on my guys. They’re all staring at me with a mixture of fear, amazement, and from Kole, arousal.
Nobody says a word as I walk barefoot through the blood on the tile. “Let’s go gentleman, I believe our five minutes are up.”
“Fuck, Fireball,” Hayden sighs as he runs a hand over his face. “I forgot how hot you are when you’re all stabby.”
“Well then I better make sure to keep remindin’ you.” I grin, but falter when my eyes land on Kole, still holding Mabel. I swallow the lump in my throat. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
“Jo, if you’re not ready, I’m kicking your ass up to the vans myself!” Declan’s voice rings out, and his jog slows to a stop as he comes upon us, his words catching in his throat as Kole turns, and his eyes latch onto Mabel.
His body goes eerily still, his jaw tightening.
What…the hell?
“Declan…?” I ask, taking a step forward.
He seems to snap out of it, shaking his head. “Sorry. We have to go. You guys need to get changed—now.” He takes a duffel bag off his shoulder and hands it to Sam, who takes it with a nod as he unzips it and starts handing out clothes. “My guys combed the surrounding forest for Whitmore, but there’s no sign of him. We don’t know if he went underground, or if he’s coming back with more men. His hand was badly damaged when Aidan blasted the radio he was holding, so he may have gone to the hospital. Regardless, I’ve grabbed the flash drive from the server room, but if we don’t do this perfectly, the evidence will get buried before the right people hear about it.”
“You have contacts to make it happen though?” Sam asks, pulling on a shirt.
Declan looks at him like he’s an idiot. “I’m the fucking head of the Irish Mafia, dipshit. Of course I have contacts.” He sighs and shakes his head. “Listen. Everyone besides my pack, Fuzzy, and Helaena have already taken off to escort the van of stolen omegas. We’re taking them back to base. You five are going into hiding—at least until we can get this mess sorted out—and I’m taking Mabel with me.”
“I just got her back, and you’re goin’ to take her from me again?” I can’t help the whine in my voice. My guys start shedding their clothes and getting changed into the gear that Declan brought. I don’t even have it in me to ogle their delicious bodies at this point. Or appreciate how much better Kole and Hayden look in clothes that aren’t an asylum-issued orange jumpsuit.
“What do you want me to do, Jo?” he asks, his tone frustrated. “You need to stay safe. We don’t know if Whitmore is going to try to keep everything quiet, or if he’s going to start a manhunt for three escaped psychopaths and the orderly and doctor who helped them! Mabel obviously needs extreme medical care, and I don’t know how you expect to provide that while moving from safe-house to safe-house.”
“I…” He’s right, I know he is. But this is my sister. The person I’ve been aiming for the last five years, and I finally have her.
Declan sighs, running a hand over his face. “I promise, as soon as it’s safe for you to come home, she’ll be happy and healthy and waiting for you. But you need to lay low for a while.”
Huffing, I nod, and grab the clothes Sam holds out to me. Declan turns around to give me some privacy, and the guys do too. I’m kind of relieved, because it would be a bit weird to have them checking me out with my brother standing right there. I sigh in relief when the soft, buttery fabric of my favorite high-waisted leggings slides over myskin. “And a proper bra!” Tears nearly sting my eyes. “Now IknowMaeve packed my clothes.” Rory’s sister was always so sweet to me, even though I was just the annoying teenager who came to live with her brother’s pack.
“She did,” Declan confirms, his back still to me. “You almost done?”
Sighing, I slide off the cardigan and tap Hayden on the shoulder. “Darlin’, will you hold onto this? Turnip’s in the pocket.”
“Sure thing, Fireball.” He takes it gently, and turns back around while I shed my hospital gown, and then put on the bra and crop top Maeve packed me.
“Shoes?” I ask, using my discarded hospital gown to wipe the blood off my feet.
“Bottom of the bag,” Dec answers, and a minute later I’m taking the cardigan back from Hayden and slipping it on, my cross trainers on my feet.
Then we all head for the elevator, ready to get the fuck out of here.
seventeen
Jo
The fresh air fills my lungs as we step through the broken door at the back of the abandoned ward. The sky is dark, the moon is high, and it’s a perfect time for an escape. There’s no time for dilly-dallying though, seeing as we have no idea if Whitmore ratted us out or not.
If he goes to the authorities, they’ll no doubt believe whatever story he’s told them. Or, if Brooks was right, and this goes up so much higher than we thought, then we have high-powered individuals who would do a lot to see us silenced.
So we slip through the hole in the fence, and then we’re running, my lungs burning with exertion as we tread along the fence that separatesthe facility from the woods. Turnip squeaks at my jostling, and I wince. “Sorry, girl,” I mutter, knowing the faster we get there, the faster the shaking will stop.
Declan keeps in stride next to me. “When we get to the vans, I have a secure phone for you guys. Mine and the guys’ numbers are the only ones programmed into it. We’re also the only ones who have the number.”
“Got it.” We make it to the other side of the building where the fights are held and head for the parking lot, where two passenger vans wait.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here!” Rory calls out, half-hanging out of the passenger side. His eyes go to Mabel, still in Dec’s arms. “Holy shit, you found her?”
