Page 16 of Ruined

I peer down at Blake, needing to make sure she’s okay, finding her already looking at me wide-eyed, knowing her life is currently in my hands. If I don’t get these other two cars off our trail and that tracker out of her shoulder, they’re going to keep coming for us.

And right now, Blake is looking at me with trust. I’m not sure what changed, but it’s the small nod she gives me that somehow gives me the all-clear to do whatever is necessary to get us out of here.

Taking a deep breath, I jerk the wheel at the last second, heading down an alleyway. The two cars behind us don’t have enough time to follow. An entrance to the parking garage comes into view. Racing through, I drive higher and higher up the ramp to the top of the parking garage. I can hear the tires squeal not that far behind us. Going to the furthest corner, I park the car, throwing the door open, racing around to the passenger side.

“Blake, look at me,” I say, bending down to her.

Glancing around, her shoulders rise and fall too fast for my liking. But I can’t think about that just yet, I need to get her out of here so I can take out the other two groups.

“I need you to do as I say. You okay?”

Blake nods, her eyes searching around.

“Nah ah, none of that baby, look at me,” I say, grabbing her cheeks. It doesn’t slip past me that she jerks back, surprised at my actions. “You’re going to run to that exit, down the stairs and you’re going to keep running. Find a bathroom inside and hide in the men’s bathroom. They’re going to expect you to be in the women’s. Go into the men’s.”

The tires squeal closer, she has a minute max before they’ve found us.

“Go now,” I order, grabbing her arm and pulling her from the car. Blake shakes her head, tears filling them, and I’m unsure if she’s scared they’re going to find her, or she’s worried about my well-being. Either way, I need her to go. “Go now, Blake. Go, I will find you!” I snap.

Blake bites her lip as if she is going to say something before she holds her pinky out. Smirking down at her hand, I wrap my pinky around hers. “Promise,” I tell her, signing with my other hand. Blake smiles, signing “promise.”

“Go now,” I whisper once more.

Blake turns around and runs.

I wait and watch until she’s out of sight.

Even if I die, I’ll make sure I take the rest of them out with me.

7

Idon’t think I’ve ever run this fast in my life. My legs burn, my feet hit the concrete, and my heart pounds against my rib cage.

I want to look behind me. To see what Jace is doing.

But I can't.

He told me to run. So that’s what I’m doing. Running like my life depends on it.

Because it does.

I don't want to think about that. The last time I put my life into someone else’s hands— someone who was supposed to protect me—I almost didn’t survive it.

I’m still barely hanging on.

Even Mom, how could she do that? How could she go behind my back? She knows what happened.

But she doesn’t.

That little voice reminds me. I don’t know why I couldn’t tell them. I just couldn’t. None of them would understand. I know Gabriel went through his own personal hell when he was growing up. I’ve heard the stories. He’s told mesome. They even said I could talk to Izel, Gabriel’s sister. She was kidnapped and held against her will.

I can’t speak.

I can’t.

Something broke inside me. I’m not sure if it was when they cut off one of my toes. Or when Henry touched me.

No one heard my voice then. Now wouldn’t make a difference.

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