Page 102 of Scarred Sins
One of them is underground, with a secret passage leading to the woods. It wasn’t hard to pinpoint it, and Mom has people from the backup teams on standby at the place, making sure no one can slip through our fingers.
If they’re keeping girls in there, they’re in the basement. Lucas suspects it’s soundproof, which is feasible, given what they’re doing to them.
With a deep breath, I tuck my guns in the waistband of my pants, the clips filling my pockets. Blair turns to the mirror, tying her hair in a low ponytail with the same ribbon I’ve given her. A small smile tugs on my lips as I approach her.
“Ready?”
Blair checks the watch on the nightside table and nods. We have an hour and a half of driving there, and we need to arrive at eleven in the evening at the latest. Enough time to hide and plant everything needed.
“Ready,’’ she confirms, her voice steady and confident.
“Take this.’’ I pulled out a small device from my pocket and put it in her hand.
Her eyes drift down instantly, inspecting it.
“What’s this?”
The device is the size of her thumb, with a small red button on the top of it. She quickly turns it around, then puts it in the pocket of her jacket, reaching for the gun and knife, tucking them in safely.
“In case of an emergency,’’ I explained. “Lucas bought it. Mom will give you the earpiece in the car, but in case you can’t speak and find yourself in danger, and I’m not around, just press the button. It will immediately alert both Lucas and me.’’
She nods. “Okay.’’
Blair looks at herself in the mirror one last time before turning back to me. She reaches for my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. She looks up, eyes meeting mine, and the anxiety and reluctance from earlier seem to have disappeared entirely.
Instead, I’m seeing a brave, strong woman that will not let her fears get the best of her. It could be a front – but it doesn’t matter. If you believe a lie long enough, it becomes the truth. And I’ll make sure that she knows just how strong and brave she is.
“Let’s go.’’ I tug on her hand, walking out of the bedroom with her next to me. She’s silent, just letting me lead her outside. As long as she lets me lead, I’ll lead her in the direction she desires the most – freedom and peace.
I’ve made it my life mission to give her the peace she’s yearned for. However, the more time I spend with her, the more I see small parts of myself in her. She’s hiding it well, or perhaps she’s still not ready to admit it, but it’s unmistakable.
Her vision of peace is as violent as mine.
THIRTY-ONE
The sky is awfully starry. They’re so bright, shining beautifully above us, as if they don’t seem to anticipate the danger that we’re about to face. The air is crisp and fresh, and if we’re to trust the weather news reports, it will snow tomorrow.
Aria is very close behind, sitting up in a tree, scrolling through her phone. Although she seems uninterested, from the moment we set foot in the darkness, the forest that surrounds the manor, she’s been on high alert. Her ears are perked, her eyes darting all around every few seconds.
Noelle and Hudson are on the opposite side, hidden within the dark shadows. The cars were returned to the city by a couple of their men, and because it had stopped raining days ago, the ground had gotten dry; hence, the tire marks were minimal.
Raven was put somewhere – and I didn’t see where. Although he seems like a rather annoying man, Arlo reassured me that he’s good at his job and that he won’t be someone we’ll have to worry about, especially since he did listen to Hudson and hasn’t had a drink since the meeting took place.
One of my hands is tucked with Arlo’s in his pocket, the other one gripping the small alert device in my own pocket. The wind blows my hair back, the small ribbon on my hair swooshing. The baby blue shade is a stark contrast to the dark clothes I’m wearing, but Arlo is happy with it, saying he can spot me from a mile away.
He checks his wristwatch, then turns to look at me.
“Have you thought about where in the world you’d like to go and visit?”
The question throws me off guard, and with a small frown, I pause to think about his question. I’ve never had the luxury of going on a vacation, and if we ignore the traveling I did while on the run from the cops, terrified that someone might discover me, I’ve pretty much never traveled.
“Not really,’’ I shrug. “Although, sipping iced coffee on the beach does sound lovely.’’
Arlo smiles. “Then, once all of this is said and done, I’ll take you somewhere pretty. And I still owe you a massage.’’
I chuckle. “Alright, I’ll take you up on your offer.’’
“Good,’’ he nods. “Now, don’t be nervous. Just remember what we talked about, yeah? You’ll do good.’’
