Page 114 of Ruin

The car hasn’t fully parked and I’m out of it. “Trixie!” I shout, nothing.

“Lincoln!” Cain shouts.

“Lileah!” Hayden shouts.

Nothing. We all run to the panic room, and Miles goes to the scanner and puts his hand on it. It opens, and I feel my heart breaking slowly.

Trixie’s not in here. Lileah is tied up with tape on her mouth. Cain pushes past me, to Lincoln who’s been shot and is in the corner.

“Hey,” Cain slaps his face a few times.

I go towards him to help him, there’s no way I’m losing my best friend and Cain’s losing his friend on the same day. I look over Lincoln to see the wound.

“One-” I turn Lincoln a little. “Through and though,” I tell Cain, and he nods, but the look on his face is a sight I haven’t seen in him for a long time. Worry.

How the fuck did they out play us, how did we think this was a little fucking game to them.

My heart is beating almost to a beat which is not safe for me. My hands ball into fists, wanting to kill someone, fucking anyone.

The question now is what do we do?

Hayden and Mason go to Lileah. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Lincoln fought. He killed a few of them, but there were so many. So many-”

“Lileah, breathe.” Hayden cups her face and wipes the tears away. “Did they hurt you?”

“No, they hit me when I stabbed one of them, then tied me up. They shot Lincoln and then dragged me up here for me to open it, and well you’re here.” Her voice is breaking the more she talks, but she’s not telling me where Trixie is. She finally looks at me. “They took Trixie. Lincoln held on to her for so long, he tried to-”

“Lileah, you need to calm down,” Mason tells her, cutting the binding off her. I turn to Cain who is looking over at Lincoln.

“I’m going-” I stop when Cain stands up.

“Are you fucking stupid?”

“They have her,” I shout at him, and he shakes his head at me. “Cain-”

“No! They have been one step ahead of us this whole fucking time. Take a fucking moment and think. What’s the plan? Go there and ask for her back, we know it's not going to happen unless they kill you. Come on Declan, I’ve taught you better than that. I’ve taught you to never put your guard down for a girl, no matter what. So, take a fucking deep breath and think.” He goes back to Lincoln, and grabs his shoulder so he sits up.

Think Declan, think. Don’t play the game up here, play the game of The Pit.

“Get everything you need, no one is staying here, get to my place. Everyone! Declan you’re with me.” The man doesn’t trust me, and I don’t blame him either. He throws his car keys to me and tells my brothers if they are not at his place within thirty minutes, he will be looking for them.

Riley started this fight, but I’m going to be the one to finish it, and make sure he never fucking hurts anyone again.

THIRTY-ONE

TRIXIE

I fightthe man dragging me out of the car. I’ve scratched him a few times, kicked him in the knees, and I’ve elbowed him in the stomach. I did everything I’ve learned in kickboxing, but when the man is three times the size of me it’s difficult to run.

I’ve been slapped more than once, I guess he doesn’t like someone fighting him back. He’s also threatened to rape me, just to shut me up.

And if that isn’t enough to scare the hell out of me, he grips my neck and squeezes so hard I can’t breathe. After that, I decide not to move a single muscle.

He throws me to the ground as if I weigh nothing. I can see a pair of black dress shoes in front of me, and then I look up. He grabs a handful of my hair and pulls me up to stand. My hands grab his hands to stop the sting of the pull on my scalp. I’ve had a lot of experience with Robert to know what to do to counteract the pain. I can feel my pulse racing, and a pain in my lungs. It could be the scream I’m holding inside, but it’s hurting me.

“I don’t need you. You’re only here to bring him to me.” He pulls me closer and leans his face closer to mine. God, I want to be sick, the disgusting smell from his mouth is making me want to vomit.

“They always tell you, to get what you want you need to find their weakness. I found his weakness. But I also found someone else who wants you, too.”

---