Page 86 of Corrupted Lies

“I'm going to kill you,” Jake replied simply as he strengthened his efforts to get free. Freedom wasn't his goal yet, but he needed the guards to think he was giving it his all so they were unprepared when he actually did unleash on them.

“Course you are,” the man scoffed as he snatched Alannah up, throwing her over his shoulder.

For one second, their gazes met.

Since he couldn’t use words, all Jake could do was try to reassure her with his eyes, let her see that he had a plan and all he needed her to do was hold on for a few more moments.

Tossing her onto the rickety bed hard enough that her body bounced, the man was on her before Alannah could try to crawl away from him.

Nothing in his life had been as traumatic as this moment.

Watching as the man stretched out above her, pinning her in place, crushing his mouth to hers as she whimpered and fought. When the man reached between them and freed his length from his pants, then shoved Alannah’s leggings and panties down enough to bare her to the room, he saw red.

But it wasn't until the man nudged her thighs apart and settled between them, lining up to shove himself inside her, that Jake sprang into action.

Both men holding onto him were distracted, their arousal heavy in the air, one of them reaching with his free hand to palm his erection. There was never going to be a better moment to do something to give him and Alannah a chance of living.

Tearing himself free from the men who had no idea of the strength coursing through his body, Jake grabbed both their heads, one in each hand, and slammed them together.

The blows stunned both of them but caught the attention of the man on the bed, who lunged toward him. With his pants around his knees, he stumbled and fell, and Jake laughed as he stomped on the neck of the man closest to him, crushing his windpipe, then reached for the one who had been about to rape Alannah.

“Told you I'd kill you,” he said with another cold laugh as he snapped the man’s neck.

That left one alive in there with them, and he was fumbling for his weapon, blood smeared all over his face, and swaying slightly.

Tearing the weapon from the man’s hands was like taking candy from a baby, and he’d snapped his neck before he was able to put up a fight, leaving them alone with three dead bodies. With three dead, that left another seven to go plus the smoke man. They could wait in the room until whoever was next in line for a turn with Alannah came looking and then kill him, that would eliminate another of smoke man’s team and even the odds to seven to two.

Definitely doable.

Now, though, he needed to take a moment to check in on his girl.

Spinning around, Jake found her huddled against the wall on the bed, her knees pulled up to her chest, her clothes still in disarray, her eyes wide, and her breathing still much too fast.

Tucking the weapon into the waistband of his pants, Jake held up his hands like he would approaching any other traumatized victim, because he couldn’t count on Alannah being cognizant enough to recognize him right now. Then he walked slowly toward the bed.

“Hey, sunshine, it’s me, Jake. Grumpy,” he added as he knelt on the bed before her.

“You killed them,” she whispered.

Since he knew she’d seen him kill before, he didn't think she was scared of him or upset about what he’d done. She knew they were in a kill or be killed situation.

That was confirmed when she launched herself at him, almost knocking him off the bed as she threw her arms around his neck. “You saved me. Again. Thank you.”

A small growl rumbled through him. “Don’t thank me for that. As long as I’m breathing, I’ll always be there to save you.”

Planting a kiss on his lips, she gifted him one of her sunshiny smiles. “I believe you.”

As much as he’d love to drag this moment out and keep Alannah in his arms where he wanted her, they still had a long way to go if they wanted to survive. So reluctantly, Jake stood, bringing Alannah with him, and set her on her feet. She winced slightly and he wished he could baby her feet for her, let her stay off them so the fresh burns didn’t cause her pain, but in this moment their lives were more important than a bit of pain.

Righting her clothes, he felt her stiffen and knew it was going to take a long time for her to heal from this whole ordeal. Even then, there would be scars.

“We’re going to wait for the next guy to come looking for his turn and kill him, then we’ll start making our way upstairs,” he explained, positioning her so she’d be behind the door when it opened. “After that, they’ll realize something is wrong and we don’t want to be trapped in here when they do. Ideally, we’ll find them all alone and kill them as we go. I have a gun, but I’ll only use it if it’s strictly necessary. I don’t want to alert anyone that we’re free.”

Still wide-eyed, Alannah nodded and stayed where he left her as they both waited.

About ten minutes later, he heard it.

Someone was approaching.

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