Page 120 of Creep

“Ten,” I repeated. Not a lot. Easier to get ten people out of here than thirty, I supposed, which was what I had been expecting, but not easy enough.

I threw the keys at Theo.

“Get them out, and tell them not to make any noise. I will shoot if they give us away.”

Theo gave me a look before he turned and walked away to do as I asked.

I walked around and took in the people in the cage. They all peered back at me with the same despondent, helpless look that I fucking knew well.

It was the same look Theo had on his face months—hell,years—after we managed to escape. The same look I had on my face every fucking time I looked in the mirror during that time as well.

My fists clenched as memories of the past threatened to take hold of me.

I quickly moved from one cage to the next when I realized they weren’t Lia.

None of them were. I met Theo’s eyes as I got to the last row on one side of the room, and he shook his head.

No Lia.

Fuck.

Where the fuck was she?

I stayed where I was, trying to think. Where could he have put her that I wouldn’t know? It didn’t make sense. Were there more safe houses that I didn’t know about?

Did he have help?

Theo came up to me. “They're all out.”

I looked behind to see all the women standing there. One girl was hiding behind another woman, and she didn’t look to be older than fourteen. She quickly glanced away when she noticed me staring at her.

The women around were crying, but at least they heeded the warning and were crying silently.

“Let’s go. You take the front. I’ll be in the back.”

“Okay.” Theo turned to the women. “Form a line.”

None of the women moved for a long beat.

“Do it now,” I bit out sharply. Some of them jumped from my tone, but it got them moving. I watched as they formed a small line, some of them standing side by side.

“Alright,” Theo said, looking around. “Follow me.”

He turned for the stairs. The women reluctantly followed him and began to move faster when they realized I was right behind. Even if they were scared, they knew their chances were better off with him than with me.

The girl I saw earlier was at the back of the line.

She turned around and looked at me several times. My expression didn’t change. I was working hard to push the anger I felt over the fact that Lia wasn’t here deep down inside of me. I didn’t fucking know why I thought she would be here. I had been sure, too.

Now I needed to go back home and scour all of Leo’s properties, along with his associates, over again.

What was I missing?

The girl turned back once more to make sure I was there… or that I wasn’t going to attack them when their backs were turned.

I was getting annoyed.

If I wanted to attack them, I didn’t need to wait for their backs to be turned.

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