Isqueezed my eyes closed as Ifelt myself climbing the ladder toward pleasure, breathless and eager for more.
“Ithink Ifound the problem,” he said, his tongue and fingers leaving my body and making me shiver. “Ithink the problem is around here, but don’tworry. Ican sort this problem out real easy for you, babe.”
“Oh yeah?” Ireplied, trying to grab ahold of myself.
“Yeah,” he replied, and Ibit down on my bottom lip as Iheard the sound of his zipper.
Iglanced over my shoulder, my eyebrows raised. Iopened my mouth to speak when the sound of ascreeching alarm exploded through the speakers in the house. Every room seemed to come alive with the piercing, high-pitched sound loud enough that Iput my hands to my ears to shield them.
Gauge pulled back from me, zipping his jeans back up. He reached down and grabbed my shorts, pressing them against my chest, his eyes meeting mine briefly.
“What’sgoing on?” Icalled, wincing at the too-loud alarm.
He pulled his gun out from his cut as Islipped back into my shorts. “Reckon someone has found us. Probably the Vipers. No idea how, but I’ll know soon enough. Come on!” Gauge grabbed my arm and began pulling me from the kitchen. “Need to get you to the panic room,” he said as we hurried through the house.
Gauge had shown me the safe room the first day we had arrived, and he’dexplained all the details of it, though Ihadn’tbeen paying much attention at the time. I’dbeen so focused on the wordspanic roomand admonishing him for ever thinking Iwas the sort of woman to panic that Ididn’treally take in much of what he was saying. Now, Gauge led me through to the dining room and then to the oversized bookshelves that filled the full length of it. Books of various sizes and colors adorned the huge shelves. There was no doubt that many first editions were there gathering dust. He reached up and pulled atall blue book off the shelf—the spine read “Through the Looking Glass”—and then he pressed asmall button hidden behind it. Along panel on the far wall slid open to reveal asolid steel wall, and Gauge hurried to it before typing in asix-digit number that made the door open with awhoosh of air. He pushed me toward the opening, flashbacks of the night in Jeff’soffice coming back to me. Asimilar situation where Gauge pushed me to safety only to remain behind in danger himself. Ididn’twant to do that to him again.
The sound of metal screeching against metal sounded from outside, the loud whirring sound of something trying to cut through the front door sending screaming vibrations through the walls. Fear rolled through me in waves and yet Istill found myself pulling out of Gauge’sgrip
He glared at me, ademon in his gaze. “Get the fuck in there, Jolie.”
Ishook my head defiantly. “No, not this time. This time I’mstaying to help you.”
Gauge snorted in an unamused laugh. “The fuck you are. Get your ass in that room right the fuck now. I’mnot messin’ with you!”
“I’mnot messing either. I’mnot acoward, Gauge. Ican help. Let me help!” My tone was hard and unwavering, even as the fear continued to roll through me.
“Is that what this is? You worried that Ithink you’re acoward?” Gauge stepped closer to me, so close that Ihad to look up to meet his gaze. “Ain’tnothin’ cowardly about you, Jolie. You’re ahard-ass bitch and make no mistake, any man would be in trouble if they ran into you. But the thing is, Ineed you in that room so Ican concentrate on keeping us both alive. You feel me?”
Icontinued to stare up at him, the world sounding like it was being torn apart around us. When Ididn’trespond, he huffed out an angry sigh.
“Goddamn it, Jolie. Get the fuck in there before Iknock you out and drag your unconscious body inside!” he yelled furiously, loud enough to break me free from my silence.
“You wouldn’tfuckin’ dare,” Icountered, and he laughed.
“Imotherfuckin’ would and Ishould.” He placed ahand on my breastbone and pushed me backwards almost tenderly, his eyes never leaving mine. “But it’dbe easier if you just went in there on your own.”
That time Ilet myself be moved backwards, guilt at leaving him crawling over my skin like bugs.
“Three knocks, followed by two knocks, followed by three knocks means it’sme,” he said somberly. “You don’topen this door for anyone but me, Jolie. Only Ican keep you safe right now. You can trust me.”
Inodded firmly, already knowing that Icould trust him. He’dproven it over and over again. My trust in him wasn’teven questionable anymore.
Gauge reached out and cupped my chin in his rough hand. “I’ve got you,” he said, his baritone voice echoing through my body.
Iopened my mouth to say something but he released my chin, stepped back, and the door slid shut, draping me in darkness.
Ifumbled momentarily, panic clawing at me as the tomb-like space closed in. Just as Ifelt like my heart was about to burst free from my chest, the lights clicked on above me and asoft whirring echoed through the metal prison. Istaggered backwards, my back hitting the wall as Igasped, tasting the metallically cooled air on my tongue.
The room was big, with abed on one side fitted with black silk sheets and abedside lamp. The walls were decorated and dressed with expensive paintings and asmall fridge and freezer. But it was the far wall that attracted my attention. Ten flat-screens were fitted across the wall, acomputer panel and keyboard on the desk below. Iran to it and fumbled for an on switch. The screens came to life one by one, images of various rooms flickering to life, until finally Isaw Gauge. He was back in the kitchen, barefoot, wearing nothing but jeans and his cut, his hair hanging around his shoulders, sweat glistening across his forehead as he pointed his gun at the doorway. His black-eyed gaze was unwavering as he waited.
Metal shutters had started to drop down over the windows and doors, and some of the windows had the metal bend backwards like something strong had forced it back.
The deafening quiet of the panic room made me quickly realize that there was no sound on, and Ifumbled with the dials and keyboard, eventually finding the volume and turning it up but wishing Ihadn’t. The sound of the front door splintering open sounded out loudly, though you wouldn’thave guessed it from Gauge’sunmoving stance.
And then all hell broke loose.
