I close my eyes as the painful thoughts crowd back in.
“There are more people that want to kill her in Astley than that don’t,” concludes Tragen.
Great.
“You’re doing a good job of reassuring me,” I say sarcastically.
“I’m not trying to do that. I’m trying to get you to focus, soldier.”
“Focus on what?” I lash out.
“On revenge.”
Again, the expressions in the soldiers’ eyes who surround me go from interest to fear. I can’t believe I’m trying to convince Tragen to let menot getrevenge.
“I just need to get to Piper,” I say, my voice strangling with urgency.
Blood thunders in my ears as I remember Piper’s plea.
They’ll rape and kill me at Devil Tower.
“Please,” I add to Tragen, tears pricking at my eyes. “Please let me go.”
He takes a deep breath. “Quill,” he says slowly, as though explaining something to a kindergartener. “You’ll need an army to get into Devil Tower.”
I shake my head wordlessly, because I know he’s right, but I also know nothing could possibly keep me away from her. Two opposing truths battling it out in my heart.
“You’ll need an army,” he insists. “And that’s what I’m offering you. An army.”
Chapter 20
Piper
I’m starting to get annoyingly used to punches in the face. Also to duct tape around my wrists and ankles, and rags stuffing my mouth.
I experienced the punch just a short while ago, and now, I’m experiencing the rest while returning to consciousness as I’m shoved into the trunk of a car.
Well, fuck.
I haven’t experienced being stuck in the trunk of a car yet. That’s something new, and I’m not at all sure I’ll like it.
Claustrophobia is just one of many of my phobias, and sometimes I wonder if I’m not just as much of a nutcase as Quill is, with his tic of doing everything in multiples when he’s stressed. In my case, nothing freaks me out as much as being in a big space with lots of people, if not being in a small space with no one.
I guess Quill is to blame for at least some of those fears. School became the scariest thing in my day because of his bullying. Plus, he did push my head into the toilet bowl a few times, and it just so happens that the first time we kissed, I was soaking wet because he’d previously been torturing me by dunking me repeatedly in Astley Lake.
Okay, he definitely is insane.
And I’m just as bad for being hopelessly in love with the boy who’s done so much to hurt me.
The farther we drive away from Devil Tower, the less likely, I know, it will be for Quill to find me. Maybe Logan would be a different matter. One of the all-powerful Devilsshouldbe able tofind me, no matter where I am. But then again, the fact that the mafia was able to steal me right from under his nose gives me the uncomfortable feeling that he’s not half as powerful as I might have thought.
And anyway, I’ve gotten so used to pinning all my hopes on Quill over the years that my mind automatically goes to him.
All I can do is desperately hope for him as I close my eyes, a tear winding its way down my cheek.
He destroyed my life, and yet I still want him so bad it hurts.
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