Page 93 of Sin Like the Devil

At this hour, most patients are in classes, therapy or sleeping. Guards are peppered around, though. I try to ignore the prickle of unease I feel as Rick and his entourage remain on our tail.

“They’re following,” Raine mumbles.

“I know. Keep walking.”

“Oi! Freaks!” One heckles.

Fingers tightening on Raine’s hand, I attempt to slow down to clap back at the son of a bitch, but he tugs me onwards to keep walking.

“Don’t bite back.”

“But—”

“Rip,” Raine warns. “There are six of them.”

“So? What do you think they’ll do?”

“I don’t fancy finding out. Do you?”

Relenting, we continue walking. Our pace slowly increases, passing the red-brick exterior of the west wing. Shit. It’s quieter at this end of the grounds. No guards to stop Rick if he decides to pounce. The library isn’t far from here, but it’s often deserted.

“Where are we?” Raine asks.

“Near the library.”

“Is there a door leading inside?”

“Yeah.” I pull Raine to the right. “But it’s around the other side.”

Their footsteps are still following. I hate giving the impression that we’re afraid, but if Raine doesn’t want drama, I’ll attempt to keep myself leashed. If I were alone, I wouldn’t be so restrained.

“We want to fucking talk to you!”

I recognise Owen’s voice. He’s a bulky, obsessive compulsive from the fifth floor. A recent addition to Rick’s little gang and desperate to prove his worth. I’m sure he’d benefit from a good punching.

With the rear door to the library in sight, we’re almost there when the first hands reach us. Raine is ripped away from me as someone’s arms band around my middle, causing me to drop the backpack.

“Get off!” I shout.

“Voice down, Ripley.”

Fucking Rick.

Owen and some other sneering dickhead whose name I haven’t cared to memorise have hold of Raine. They kick his guide stick aside then hold an arm each, keeping him trapped in place. All while he curses and fights against them to no avail.

Rick’s strong arms around my waist hold me against his chest. “It’s rude to ignore people.”

His breath is hot in my ear, making my skin crawl. I haven’t sold cigarettes to him for a while now. His breath has certainly benefited from the detox.

“You think I give a shit about hurt feelings?”

“Come on, Rip. I wanna have a little chat with you.”

Two of his friends go ahead, holding the doors to the library open so they can wrestle us inside. My heart sinks when I see that Linda, the on-site librarian, isn’t at her desk like usual. Must be her lunch break.

“Get out!” Rick roars.

The handful of patients browsing the towering rows of books scatter.

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