“Who?” Kate asked. Her tone came across as high-pitched and disingenuous. She had never made a capable liar.
“That guard. I heard you two talking earlier… yesterday? Whenever it was. I can’t tell what time it is anymore.”
Kate remained silent.
“Don’t worry, no one can hear us. I promise I won’t tell. It sounded like you knew him unless your plan is to be overly friendly with the guards. It doesn’t work. I saw a woman try that already,” Avery said.
In truth, Kate was unsure of the answer to her question. Nick and Kate had not placed any labels on the relationship they had formed. The closeness they had achieved and the trust they had built superseded one particular title. However, Kate supposed that would be far too difficult to explain.
“He’s my boyfriend,” Kate answered.
“I knew it.” Kate could hear the smile on Avery’s face in her tone.
“Is he getting you out of here?”
Kate wanted to say yes, that he was going to rescue her and everyone else here. It was a huge expectation, and Kate would not make false promises to Avery.
“I hope so,” Kate answered.
“Well, at least you don’t belong to one of those gross assholes,” Avery said in a voice that grew despondent. The thought of those men hurting and touching Avery made Kate’s flesh sizzle with fury. “I hate when he comes in here.”
“Which one?” Kate asked.
“Travis.”
Kate’s lips twisted in disgust. Travis’s long, greasy hair and knobby limbs, along with the underhanded smirk he wore so often, creeped Kate out. Yet, he was quick to back down when Nick threatened him. All bark and no bite. Maybe there was some way Nick could keep him away from Avery.
“I’m sorry you ended up here, Avery,” Kate said with genuine regret.
“It’s bad, but I’m more afraid of where I’ll end up next,” Avery said.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. We’ll focus on one day at a time, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.” Avery’s response was unconvincing.
“Try to get some rest,” Kate instructed, laying her head against the wall. She tried to think of Nick and focus on how thankful she was that he was here with her, tried to put out the fires of rage that had engulfed her.
Chapter 37
When the door to the cell next to Kate’s creaked open, her blank gaze at the floor was interrupted, and her senses came to life. The door shut, followed by shuffling along the floor. Kate pressed her ear to the wall, curious about the interaction.
“How’s my pretty girl doing today?” Travis’s predatory voice floated through the cement, and Kate could picture his grotesque grin.
“Please, leave me alone,” Avery whimpered.
Grappling sounds, resistance, and skin thrusting against skin told Kate a vivid story of what was occurring on the other side of the wall. Kate fought through the urge to flee from the wall. If Avery had to endure it, Kate would, too, despite being vicarious.
Yet the gentle, defeated sobs of Avery traveled through the wall, piercing Kate’s heart, and she flung herself away.
Kate curled into a ball on the furthest side of the room from the wall adjoining Avery’s with her hands over her ears. Tears erupted from her eyes as the sounds of Avery’s torment played over and over in her head. Her mind conjured memories of her own captivity and depraved subjugations.
Connor’s hand around her throat. Poisonous lips grazing the sensitive parts of her skin. The way her flesh would rip itself off the bone and scurry away from his touch. A sickness settled deep in her stomach until she was certain she would retch.
Finally, Kate heard Avery’s cell door open and close again. Travis had left, and Kate could only imagine Avery lying on the floor, crumpled and used up and hating herself.
Despite the nausea and the trembling in her bones, Kate crawled back to their shared wall.
“Avery,” Kate called. Avery’s sobs were stifled at the sound of her voice.
