“We’re the danger? None of us tried to rape her in a dark hallway. None of us hit her when she wasn’t looking?—”
“Well, actually…” Liz interrupts.
“You stabbed me,” Riley barks, turning to face her, a playful smile tugs on his lips.
“I was scared!” she shouts back. Hands planted firmly on her hips she glares up at him, waiting for him to back down.
Riley lets out a breath, turning back to the man staring at themlike they have nine heads. Struggling to take him seriously with two black eyes and a bandaged nose, he takes a step forward, ready to do what he should have done in the hallway.
“You can still come with me, honey. They are working for Dmitri. I can make sure you stay safe. Please, listen to me,” Matt pleads.
Despite everything, she almost feels for him. The pain behind his eyes is genuine. Scott has brainwashed him into thinking her team truly is the enemy. But that doesn’t matter. Every second they spend underground is time they don’t have. She ducks between Mikey and Riley, dodging the hands grabbing at her, marching right toward Matt. With every step she takes, his smile grows wider.
“Matt, please just let this go,” she says, wiping the smile off of his face. “You’re not as stupid as you’re acting. Think about it: Why the fuck would they go out, risking their lives for months at a time, if they are working with him? Why would I want anything to do with any of those men if they were working for the man who assaulted and tortured me?” she asks, watching his eyes go wide at her words. “You read my file, you know what Dmitri and his men did to me, right? To my family?”
“I redacted a lot, princess. If Scott didn’t tell him, he may not actually know,” Riley says. Even with his weapon aimed at Riley, Matt’s eyes never leave hers. He gives his head a small shake.
“He held me for months, letting his people come in and beat the shit out of me. They pinned me down while he shoved his dick into my mouth!” she seethes, tears streaming down her face. “When I fought back, they started drugging me. They tortured me every fucking day until Riley found me and got me out,” Liz says, sliding her gun onto her back. She unzips her coat and pulls her shirt up, exposing her stomach and the scars that cover it.
“Theysavedme,” she says, looking back at her found family.
“But Scott—” Matt starts.
“Fuck Scott! He is the reason Riley was taken, tried to hand me back over to Dmitri, and has fucking pictures of Riley covered in blood in his desk like some fucked up shrine to his pain!” she yells, pulling her phone out of her pocket and showing him the photos.
“Why do you think all this is fuckin’ happening? I’ll tell you, it’s because we found out what he is really doing,” Liz shouts. She takes a deep breath, calming the fire burning inside her. “Look, we are running out of time. He will kill us, all of us, if we don’t get out of here.” Her eyes drop to the gun in his hand. It quivers slightly, almost like he wants to put it down.
“He isn’t going to believe you,” Riley says, walking to where Liz stands, keeping his weapon drawn, ever so slowly lifting it to look down the sight. Three other sets of footsteps shuffle closer until she has two men on either side of her, guns aimed and ready. “I’m sorry, love. I know you don’t want anyone else to die, even if they deserve it, but we don’t have time to try any longer. We need to leave.”
She spins around, all four men staring down the sight of their guns, fingers on the trigger, waiting for Riley’s signal. If they kill him, that’s it. It won’t matter what they find, they will always be painted as the evil that killed their fellow soldier. Behind her, Matt lets out a heavy sigh.
“Follow me,” Matt says.
Liz turns. Matt disappears back down the path he came from. The team exchanges glances, unsure of what to do, but knowing there is only one thing theycando. They round the corner to find Matt waiting, looking utterly defeated, as if he is questioning his entire existence. “I can get you outside without being seen. After that, you’re on your own.”
“If you do anything to hurt them, I will put a bullet in youmyself,” Liz says, eerily calm. Not a threat. Not something to scare him. A promise that if any more harm comes to her men, she will push past every reservation she has and remove him from this world. His only acknowledgement is a single nod before striding away, Liz following a step behind.
“I never meant to hurt you,” he says, nearly a whisper.
She speeds up, not slowing until she is walking next to him. The eyes she can feel staring into her soul are not helping the nerves running rampant. Liz shoves her hand behind her back, giving the team a small thumbs up, letting them know she feels safe. At least for now.
“He said you liked that. Men who are mean and take what they want. Scott’s entire team told me you flirted with a pair of his men right after they got you out, all because they chained you to a bed. Said you called themkinky.”
“I was terrified. I tried to fight them. I still have nightmares of them holding me down, trying to chain my ankles,” she says.
“For what it’s worth, I am sorry. Even if youdidlike it, I never should have acted the way I did. Kink or no, I have no excuse for not hearing consent come from your mouth. And I’m sorry it took your boyfriend beating my ass to see that,” he says, eyes on the floor.
“Do you know why it was so easy to fall for him? He respects me. Riley never pushed. I mean, yes, he pissed me off beyond all belief, but everything was on my terms. He didn’t do anything to me without finding out if it was okay first. He didn’t even come into my room without asking, knowing I needed that control. And I could always see how much it killed him if he slipped up. He cares about making me feel safe and comfortable. He gave me space when I needed it and held me when I needed that, too. Riley respected every decision I made, even if it wasn’t the one he wanted,” Liz says, a small smile playing on her lips as she thinks abouteverything Riley has done for her and how grateful she is to have him by her side.
Silence stretches between them as they navigate the dark tunnels.
“You really trust them?” Matt finally asks, leading them down a narrow side hall she hadn’t seen on the way into the cells the first time.
“With every fiber of my being, and I don’t think you would be asking all these questions if you didn’t have some doubts about general micropenis,” Liz says, inciting a small laugh from Matt.
“I started thinking something was wrong when Aunt Paula showed up. Scott has been acting weird since your team got Reaper back. He said you guys traded something for Reaper’s release, that’s why everyone was locked up. Then, Paula shows up demanding they be let go?” he says, more to himself than the woman walking next to him through the dimly lit corridor.
“Wait,” Liz says, stopping. Her brows pinched in confusion. “I thought Scott was your uncle? Is Paula his sister or something?” Liz asks, trying to piece the puzzle together in the little time they have before running for their lives through a field of men and women who want to capture them.
