“Let’s check around back. Maybe they’ve got it out of sight,” I said.
With our hands intertwined and our fingers laced, we moved as quickly as we could. We stumbled around to the back of the abandoned building we had been tossed into, but the second we got there we saw nothing but patchy, brown grass.
“It has to be here. I didn’t hear it drive off,” he said breathlessly.
My eyes scanned the abandoned buildings around us. “Where are we?”
West raked his free hand through his hair. “Probably one of the old business districts that got abandoned. There are multitudes of them in California.”
“Question.”
“Yeah?”
I drew in a deep, solid breath for the first time since leaving the clubhouse. “What are the chances that someone drove away with the van to bring more people back here?”
And as my question settled between us, West started sprinting. “We have to get back inside.”
I tripped over myself behind him. “Wait, what?”
He tugged me back toward the front of the building. “If you’re right—if more people are coming—then we have to act like we’re still tied up. It’ll be the only way to get the jump on them.”
“But we have no idea if that’s the truth. The van could be down one of the alleyways!”
He ripped the door back open. “Keep quiet and follow my lead. Can you do that?”
And that was when an engine revved off in the distance. “Yes, I can do that.”
Worry filled his gaze. “Good. Now, let’s get inside and act like we’re still tied up. You get back into your room and I’ll—”
“I don’t want to be alone. West, please don’t—”
He pulled me back into the darkened warehouse as the engine crept closer. “You’re so much stronger than you realize, Chloe.”
I swallowed hard. “I’m really not.”
The door closed effortlessly as West cupped my cheeks once more. “You’ve got this, one hundred percent. Get back into your room and act like you’re tied up, because they might know that I’m loose with a gun, but they don’t know you’re loose.”
“Wh-wh-wh-what—what are you doing t—”
But he shoved me toward the room. “Go and stop asking fucking questions, you stubborn woman!”
And as fear unlike anything I had ever experienced gripped my heart, I rushed back into the room. I looked around for anything that could be used as a weapon and found some broken shards of glass. I picked up the biggest one and held it tightly in my dominant hand. I tried jabbing it in the air a few times, making sure I had the best grip possible on it.
Then, I went back to my corner and sat down with my hands behind my back.
Hoping and praying that the engine creeping closer to us would simply pass us by.
Nineteen
West
I held my breath as the engine crept closer. I listened as it came around the back of the building and once it passed from my left ear to my right, I relaxed a little bit. Maybe it was just a passenger car that got turned around. Maybe it was some kids joyriding in their parent’s van and dicking off like all teenagers did.
However, once the van swung around to the front of the building, Chloe whimpered.
“Don’t show fear,” I called out softly.
“Easy for you to say,” she mumbled.
