Page 52 of Trapped

Baron’s voice was low as he launched into a vicious attack on the guy, his fists flying even faster in the perceived slow-motion.I rose from the seat on instinct, dodging punches as I moved toward the guy on the ground.I was sure colliding with the door had taken the wind out of his sails, but while Baron was busy with the other idiot, I wanted to be sure he was out of the game.He seemed out cold, but then, so had I until only a moment before.I didn’t trust the ploy, and Hawkins’ goons had been fools to have done so.

As soon as I saw the goon lift his head in the gloom, I raised my heel and sent it crashing down over his neck.His head bounced off the dirty tile with a sickening crash, trapped under my foot until I kicked him toward the corner of the cell.There was no real pleasure in the deed.Even the triumphant satisfaction that usually accompanied kicking the asses of my enemies was lacking as I watched his body go limp.Whether he was alive or not, I couldn’t say, but for the foreseeable future, he wasn’t providing back up.

By the time I’d turned to see how Baron was doing, his guy was on all fours and appeared to be spitting blood onto the hard floor.

“Do yourself a favor and stay down, asshole!”Baron was poised over him, still ready to fight.I could relate.The adrenaline pumping through my body was making it difficult to stay still.If I hadn’t been cuffed, I’d have been keen to join in.

“Finish him.”The snarl left my lips as I approached, my senses still primed to revolve and do the same with his mate if necessary.“We need to ensure neither of them can get back up for a while.”

Baron pulled in a breath before he dispatched his roundhouse kick and sent the guy crashing sideways onto the concrete.The walls echoed with the sound of another stomach-churning thud.“I was about to.”

“Sorry, boss.”I risked a smirk as I closed the distance between us.“Now, let’s hope one of these idiots has a key to these cuffs.”

“I’ll check.”Kneeling by the guy’s body, Baron shoved him to one side and searched first one and then the other pocket.“Nothing here.”

“Shit.”I glanced back at the other unconscious form.“What about him?”

Trepidation contracted in my stomach as Baron rose and walked to check the other guy’s pockets, time playing its odd games again as he moved from one potential hiding place to the next.

“No key.”Despondency echoed in his voice.“But this one at least has a gun.”

“Well, that’s good, I guess.”Itwasgood, but I couldn’t hide my disappointment.

“I really thought one of the losers would have had a key.”Baron summarized my woes perfectly.

“I guess they never had any intention of releasing me.”

I tried to sound cheery, but inside, hopelessness was spiraling.The plan had worked so well until that point, but neither of us had banked on neither dimwit guard having the means to liberate me.

“Listen, we’re still out of here.”Baron signaled to the open door and waved the gun in my direction.“And now we’re armed.We’ll head out there and find your woman and a way to free you.”

Baron made it sound so easy.

“Will we?”I couldn’t help my sardonic reticence.

“Yes.”His tone was emphatic.“Come on, Rosen.Get out of your head and remember your training.You’ve got out of worse skirmishes than this unscathed.”

He was right, and as my jaw clenched, I accepted there was no choice but to acknowledge it.

“I know.”Blowing out a breath, I glanced down at our combined handiwork.“I just want to get out of these fucking cuffs, that’s all.”

“I get it.”Baron moved close enough to throw an arm around my shoulder.“Hang in there, okay?We’re far from out of this game.”

“Yeah.”My chin rose at his encouragement, knowing every word he said was true.“We have to get to Erin.I just might need a little more help to rescue her than I was expecting.”

I laughed in spite of myself.There was nothing funny about being holed up in one of Hawkins’ bunkers, especially with Erin in tow.Her presence and the way I felt about her had exposed a vulnerability I wasn’t used to dealing with.For the first time, I had something to lose; someoneto lose, and I’d never have been able to live with myself if that bastard Hawkins had harmed her.

“Not a problem.”Baron ruffled my hair the way a father might play with a child’s.The reassuring gesture might have been riling had the solace not been so frantically required.“I’ll be both our pairs of hands until you have the use of yours again.”

Chapter Twenty-One

The Cliff Edge

Erin

It was much easier to ignore the waning rounds of nausea once Hawkins had departed.Suddenly, my focus was on something far more fundamental than feeling better.It was on freedom.

Using my left hand, I started work on the knot still securing my right.Fortunately, the binds were rudimentary, and even with my less practiced hand, it didn’t take long for me to ease the tension from the rope and release the knot.I wanted to cheer as the bondage fell away, but another heaving surge meant my attention was forced back to the wastepaper bin.Dropping the bin to the floor, I slipped from the chair and, dodging the pools of my vomit helpfully left behind my latest captor, I finally found my feet.

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