Frustration eats at me. Emotions threaten, and I want nothing more than to wail.
“Ow, fuck.” Leaning down, I pull a long hairpin out of the toe of my boot.
“Thank you, Lord Jesus.” I whisper, holding up the long, two-pronged, thin piece of metal.
Knowing from living down here all my life and being under the constant threat of tornadoes, there has to be a hatch down here that leads outside, I start looking.
It’s gotten darker, but I don’t let that deter me. Feeling the surface of the low ceiling takes another thirty odd minutes, but then I feel it. Thankfully, the lock is on the inside. It’s smooth, with a keyhole lock. I just hope as I maneuver the hairpin that it doesn’t have a padlock on the outside.
Armpits sweating, locs falling in disarray, my body in turmoil, none of that stops me as I work the lock. Failure is not an option. It means death. Not only mine but this girl who’s endured unspeakable horror made to serve a monster. That more than anything spurs me on.
A snick. It sounds too loud. I drop the hairpin. Scrambling to the ground, I try but cannot find it. It doesn’t matter. Going back over to the hatch, I gingerly push it open.
Peeking my head out, I look around, and nothing but darkness greets me.
“Okay,” I say, hoping I don’t end up breaking any more of her bones. I pull Reverie over my shoulder, heaving as I silently thank Oz for teaching me survival skills at his compound.
When I reach the hatch, I spring up like he taught me, just barely able to grip the ledge.
“Fuck,” I grunt, feeling my hand trying to slip, grappling for anything as I fight to reach for purchase on the ground above.
My heart is erratic as I kick my legs, fighting to pull myself up, but the added burden of Reverie is too much. I’m slipping.
Grappling for anything, I try, but I know I can’t make it. My hand slips, and Reverie falls, or at least I think she does, but instead of the crunch of her hitting the cellar, she’s lifted. Then strong, steady hands grip my forearms pulling me up.
Powerful arms encircle me. “I ought to beat your ass,” comes the grumbling rumble of Snake as he pulls me tightly into his embrace. Instead of making good on his threat, he presses a kiss to the crown of my head before setting me aside.
“She okay?” Big Ben ask holding Reverie, looking down at her with a mix of concern and wonder.
“No. She hit her head trying to warn me.” I tell him.
“Take them to the truck. I’m killing every bitch in there.” Wrath fills every word.
The thunderous rumble of el Diablo approaching en force seems to make the very ground shake.
“No, you can’t. All those boys are survivors and hound dogs being starved. It’s Fitch. He knows about the rest of the network Rudy was dealing with trafficking kids. He told me as much. Saying they wanted revenge against y’all for messing up their delivery.
“Alright.” Nodding, he acknowledges my words then speaks into his comm. “Incapacitate the boys and the dogs. Save Fitch for interrogation.” With that, he turns back to me. “Go with Ben. Stay with him until I come for you.”
“Hadrián.” Rushing to him, I can’t help but give in to the need to hug him.
“Te amo.” I whisper into his chest.
Tipping my chin up to meet his hard gaze, he gives me the meanest look. “Say that shit again when I come home to your lil ass, mi pequeño tormento.”
Chapter twenty-six
TE AMO
SNAKE
Inod to Ben, who returns the gesture as he stands sentry in the foyer, like he’s ready to take on all comers if he has to.
“All that business taken care of?” He asks. I can tell he hates missing out on putting work in with his brothers and the el Diablo.
“Yeah, there was nothing to it but a bunch of scared and confused boys. We took real good care of Fitch.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” He daps me up.
