Page 89 of H E R

Dylan suffocates me with his looming presence, and in less than one second, he presses his entire frame against me. “I don’t give a fuck if you burybothyour heels in me. I won’t risk your safety. Pull away again and I’ll throw you over my shoulder.”

I glare at him. “You wouldn’t dare.”

My arm is encased in his iron grip. “Don’t tempt me, little fox.”

I shake my head and let him pull me away. His strides are long and hurried, and I struggle to keep up. I’m practically jogging. One of his steps is five of mine. If Jasmin wasn’t possibly in trouble, I’d throw my shoe at his head. I knew I couldn’t fully trust a fucking cop.

“Forty-five seconds.” Jason’s voice is all business.

I suck in a breath. I can’t believe this fucking mess.

“Niki, listen to me. We leave the way we came–together. I don’t care if you’re angry at me, but now isn’t the time to misjudge the situation. I would never let anything happen to y—”

“Watch out!” My warning comes two seconds too late.

Dylan’s body crashes to the ground in a deafening thud and it takes my soul with him. I’m screaming, but I can’t hear a sound. A man built like a fucking mountain kicks Dylan in the stomach and I lunge forward, but strong arms hold me in place. I throw my shoes at Dylan’s attacker, and he turns.

“Get this crazy bitch out of here,” he yells.

I flail like a fish out of water, and I claw at the arms pulling me backwards. I yell Dylan’s name. Not for him to rescue me, but because I need to see him move, I need confirmation that he’s still conscious. His shoulders elevate slightly, and I smile just in time to see his sharp cheekbones lift up. His coal eyes meet mine when a sharp stab collides with the back of my head, and then everything goes black.

I wish it were because I was swallowed by the twin black holes that I’m sure live behind Dylan’s eyes, but I’m afraid it’s something closer to death than the life he offers.

32

Redemption

Irage forward like a fucking tsunami. The earth shakes beneath my feet and the room goes dark.

“What the fuck is going on over there?”

Jason. I want to rip the earbud out and stomp on it. I ignore him and use the absence of light to my advantage. I know exactly why the lights went out, but the motherfucker in front of me doesn’t and he wanders aimlessly like a headless cockroach.

I can hear him; his breathing and his heavy steps. I launch myself in his direction and knee him in the gut. I wrap my hands around the back of his fat head and thrust it down into my knee three times until he passes out before me.

I kick him for good measure and bend down and search him. “I’m blind, and someone took Niki.”

“Fuck. I knew it. We should’ve never let them go—”

“I don’t need you to fucking scold me, Jason. Check on her. Tell me where she is.”

Jason swears under his breath. “It’s pitch black. I can’t get a hold of her.”

“Fuck!” I punch a hole in the nearest wall. “Direct me to where the prisoners are kept.”

My head is pounding and a warm liquid oozes down my forehead and I slide the back of my hand over it before it reaches my eye. I take the gun from the dumbass on the ground and move through the darkness.

The Mansion is in an uproar. Mike’s made it in and no one is getting out. That is, except for the tunnels Sara suspects lead out to a road fifteen miles south of the property. Just in case, we sent a group to position themselves in the area. But what they may or may not do to the girls in the meantime is why I’m sure Jason is growling directions into my ear.

I can’t think that far; my imagination runs through a dark filter, and if I allow myself to even peek behind the curtain of what they could be subjected to? I’m not sure where those thoughts will take me. So I push forward instead. I’ll find them.

I press my back against a thick wall when I spot a light flashing in the distance. It isn’t my men. I take in a deep breath and focus on the sound of steps. “I count three,” I whisper.

Jason gives me directions, and I ignore him. I know what the fuck to do. He grumbles about this not being the time or place to be hardheaded, but I’m not listening. Someone steps into a table and a vase shatters on the ground and I step out, my gun in hand.

Their light fills the floor and covers them in shadows. The person holding the flashlight feels my presence and points it at me. They’ve got a gun in hand and I simultaneously aim my weapon at his forehead.

“Dylan!” Olivia crashes into me.

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