Page 74 of No Escape

They pose nothing but a risk to society.

I’m torn on what to think about the big fucker.

The other inmates called him Valor. Before Leo and I even knew what was happening, several of the women were yelling for him to come to the aid of the woman whose capture started all of this.

Leo and I made it to the bathroom first, and it was only pure luck that we knew the way. It was the first thing we did when they released us from our cell. I needed a hot shower and the chance to relieve some of the built-up stress.

Valor may have stepped in to teach those wanna-be rapist assholes a lesson, which would normally be a point in thedon’t hatecolumn.

However, he was also the first to take Saylor up against the glass in the cell they were trapped in. It seemed consensual, and his reaction to the men in the shower earlier leads me to believe he’s not someone who puts up with that kind of bullshit.

My emotions are still all over the place.

I’ve had more than a few daydreams about ripping his spine out through the hole I’d like to form in his chest cavity. Preferably from a distance, using something with a scope.

I’m no stranger to hand-to-hand combat, and I’m fine with getting up close and personal, but he’s a big bastard. He has to have at least three or four inches in height and close to fifty pounds of pure muscle mass on me. I’ve kept myself alive because I know my limits, and I’m not afraid to call it if I need to take another route to get to my destination.

Going up against him one-on-one wouldn’t be the smartest course of action, but I could pick him off from a small distance and the same outcome would be achieved.

“Anyone still on the court in sixty seconds will spend the next twenty-four hours in the hole,” one of the guards yells. “Maybe longer if I’m feeling generous.” Another takes over in German, and the first switches to Russian, repeating his warning.

The blond man with Saylor glances frantically between her and Valor. Pandemonium ensues as everyone pushing and shoving to get a front-row view of the fight turns to hightail it back into the building.

“I can’t leave you. He wouldn’t want me to.” The man with Saylor wraps his arms around her lower back to protect her from the crush of people.

“I’ll be fine with Leo and Shaw. I need to speak to them about what happens next, anyway.” Saylor looks like she’s about to burst into tears, and it makes my chest tight. “You have to go to him, Omen. You said he won’t remember anything when he snaps out of the fog…”

“He won’t, and he’ll spend however long he’s trapped in there losing his shite and wondering what happened when he blacked out.” Omen glances back to the brawl still playing out and turns to Saylor. “He’ll pop back to consciousness and convince himself he’s locked away because he hurt you.”

“I’ll be okay. I’ll hunker down. It’s only a day.” She stretches up, giving him a quick kiss. “I can make it a day without you guys.”

“You won’t leave without us?” he asks, his Irish accent extra thick.

“Not a chance.” Her eyes sparkle with tears as she stares up at him, completely oblivious to the chaos unfolding around them.

He studies her face in return, and my stomach bubbles uncomfortably.

This is going to be a problem.

They’re way too attached, and it makes me feel like I’m intruding on what’s meant to be a private moment.

“You know the first rule of the facility.” He quirks a blond brow. “Everyone lies.”

“Not me. Not to you. Not about this.” She steps back, releasing him. “Hurry, and make sure he knows he’s sinking his teeth in as soon as he gets back.”

My fists clench.

That is abso-fucking-lutely not happening.

“Ten, nine, eight…” The guard continues counting down.

“I fucking hate this,” he hisses, kissing her cheek. He gets close to her ear and whispers something I can’t make out before he spins around to appraise me and Leo. “She’s been having heat spikes since they flushed the suppressants from her system. You don’t want to know the things I’m capable of when I need to be. Keep her safe.”

Did he think that little pep talk was necessary?

Because it wasn’t.

Not at fucking all.

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