Page 35 of Bones
I heard the door open and shut again as Mac followed me inside. I retreated to the corner where they couldn’t see me and stripped out of my blood-covered clothes, throwing on Clarity’s thin tank top and the extra pants Jax had brought over. I wished I had a sink up here so I could clean the blood out of my clothes without having to go back down where the four men spoke in low angry tones. I debated just letting the blood stain my clothes, but I didn’t feel like seeing the reminder of what I’d done every time I got dressed.
Clenching my jaw, I grabbed my dirty clothes and went back down the ladder. Everyone stopped talking as soon as I did, and my cheeks heated, knowing the brand on my chest was visible. I tried my best to ignore them, going straight to the sink and dumping my clothes in. I turned the water on, lathered my hands with soap, and scrubbed viciously until my skin stung. Behind me, the four men resumed talking.
“He didn’t know anything,” Mac said.
“I knew that was a personal vendetta,” Sam muttered.
“Keep an eye on Dale and Pike,” Mac said. “They were real interested in Bones.”
My spine stiffened, but I didn’t turn around.
“What do you mean?” Trey asked.
“They tried to make a pass at her.”
I bit back a furious scoff at Mac’s phrasing.
“Bones, you ok?” Trey appeared at my elbow, and I flinched, anxiety still thrumming through me. “Sorry,” he added, “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I ignored him, moving on from my clothes to the blood streaked up my arms. He stood quietly beside me, watching me try to scrub my skin off my bones.
When Trey spoke again, the softness in his voice made my heart clench. ““Bones, are you ok?”
I’m fine,” I lied through my teeth.
He frowned, but I looked away, checking my reflection in a metal pot to make sure I got all the blood off. I rinsed the rag out and draped it on the side of the sink before gathering up my wet clothes and pushing past him again to go back to the loft. No one tried to talk to me as I disappeared upstairs again. I draped my wet clothes on the single chair to dry and crawled onto my mattress, pulling my worn blanket over my head. The four of them stayed downstairs talking quietly for a long time as I lay curled in a ball, trying to forget the sound of the man’s screams. Eventually, I heard Mac, Griz, and Trey say goodnight to Sam who had the night watch.
“Night, Shortcake,” he called, but I didn’t respond. When he flipped the single bulb off, it was a relief to be plunged into darkness.
6
The little girl looked about three years old. She clung to her mom, wailing as the slavers tried to rip her away. Her mom screamed, but none of the slavers even batted an eye. They finally got them pulled apart and the Reapers shoved the woman into the back of the truck. The screaming didn’t stop though, and I desperately wanted to cover my ears.
Juck came striding back to his bike where I stood, a wide grin on his face and I knew he’d managed to barter a higher price.
“C’mon, Angel,” he said cheerfully, swinging onto his bike. “Time to go.”
I climbed on behind him and pressed one ear against his back, trying to muffle thescreamsa little. It didn’t work. Even the overwhelming roar of all the bikes didn’t drown her out, and the woman continued to wail. Normally they quieted after a while. This one didn’t. Panic started building in my chest.
Just stop,I longed to plead.Stop before they hurt you. Please!
After a couple hours, Juck had enough. He raised an arm, signaling to the truck and my heart dropped.
“She’s probably gonna stop soon.” I couldn’t help blurting out.
The whole procession came to a stop and Juck swung off the bike. He paused for a moment, staring at me.
“You questioning me, Angel?” he asked.
I swallowed hard and shook my head.
“Good. Then you can come watch.” His eyes glittered.
I swung off the bike, feeling sick. Grip opened the back of the truck and the woman began screaming even louder as they hauled her out. Juck forced her mouth open and as he began to cut out her tongue with ruthless efficiency, he met my eyes and smiled. Blood gushed from her mouth and her cries became garbled noises and I twisted, retching into the sand?—
I jerked upright. It took me a moment to orient myself and to register that Sam stood downstairs shouting my name.
“Bones!”
