Page 6 of Worth the Ruin
“Don’t move, you piece of shit,” Jett spits at Jonah. He digs his fingers into the ground and groans in pain, and Jett boots him in the stomach, maybe cracking a rib or two, just for the hell of it, and that’s all I’ll allow to happen.
“Stop!” I scream, sprinting forward. One of the other FOSers tries to grab me, but I easily duck out of the way, spinning beneath his outstretched hand, and place myself between Jett and Jonah. I see Traeger eyeing me in my peripheral, but whatever he’s thinking, I don’t really give a shit. All I care about is Jonah and ending Jett’s worthless life. I keep my eyes locked on Jett, calculating his every twitch, his every breath, readying myself. I run through six different scenarios in my mind of howthis could go, where I’ll strike first, where I’ll defend and dip and duck, where and how I’ll make the final blow. He has a gun but that won’t matter much, not with him so close. I can strike before he has time to raise the barrel, and I’m fucking ready.
Jett’s lips pull into a cruel sneer, a sick glee dancing in his muddy brown eyes, and I have his number in a nanosecond, no profile necessary: this man enjoys hurting others, butespeciallywomen. He gets off on it. With what looks like joy, he raises his gun again. I don’t cower. Oh no, I bow up as I arch a brow and jut my chin, shifting my stance subtly, ready to act within a breath.
“I fuckingdareyou,” I spit quietly.
Traeger roars, “Enough!” stepping closer to our little standoff. Jett reluctantly stops himself from doing anything, but the look in his eyes tells me that he plans to finish this at some point. I give him a look back that tells him I’m looking forward to it. Jett has no idea who he’s just fucked with, but I’m more than happy to educate him. He narrows his eyes at me, clearly irritated that I’m not afraid of him, and I decide in this moment that when his time comes, it won’t be quick. This fucker deserves to suffer a bit.
“What in the fuck is going on here? Have you all lost your god damned minds?” Traeger doesn’t yell, but his voice is loud enough to be heard by the crowd and rings with absolute authority. Even I feel it and know enough to take it seriously. I tear my gaze from Jett to face Traeger. He seems to have forgotten about his wound, the blood running freely down his arm, dripping off of his fingers and splashing quietly on the asphalt. “Now, someone is going to pay the price,” he adds, voice cold and sharp as a blade.
I clench my jaw.Fuck. I’ve made it worse. I hadn’t thought it through, but Ihadto stop Jonah from being hurt. I can’t let them suffer because of me. I have to diffuse this somehow…Gears start turning and a plan snaps into place. A really terrible, stupid,awful plan. A plan that will rip my heart out, but…it would be worth it if it keeps them safe.
Decision made.
I shift my shoulders back and take a deep breath.
“I’ll go with you.”
Traeger narrows his eyes.
“No, Mel!” Jonah rasps from the ground, spitting blood before continuing. “I won’t let you do this.”
“Not your choice, J,” I say without taking my eyes from Traeger’s. I keep my voice firm and even, but the words threaten to break me completely. I point to Kevin. “This man has a sick wife who needs his care. I’ll go with you as collateral or a hostage or whatever the hell you want to call it. I’ll be your pound of flesh—as long no one here will be harmed for this little…misunderstanding. Kevinwillbe punished by the Council, but there is no need to shed blood over this.” I glance at the puddles of scarlet staining the ground. “Moreblood,” I amend. He studies me with those green eyes that seem to see far too much as he stalks closer, and I force myself not to move an inch.
“And why would you be a good pound of flesh?” he asks quietly, a cool challenge in his voice. “Jonah would be the better choice. He’s a leader here. I take him, I punish the community for thismisunderstanding.” He’s right. Jonahwouldbe the better choice, but I refuse to let that happen.Think, think, think. The obvious answer is to offer up my body, but I’m not ready to just throw that out there quite yet. Instead, I narrow my eyes. Traeger deals in power and strength. Might makes right and all that.
“You know I’m the unofficial head of security, and I’m the best shot in all of Haven. Hell, probably the entire country at this point, dare I say the world. You take me, you weaken their defenses—” I grind my teeth at the thought, but know they’ll beok, “—and gain my expertise in your arsenal.” Jett snorts and I flare my nostrils, clenching my fists at my sides.
“I-it’s true,” a shaky voice says from behind me. “She’s the best we’ve ever had and the one you want with you on any run. I’ve never seen anyone fight the way she does. We have ex-military guys and cops here, and she kicks all their asses. And she can cap a Bloody at three hundred yards.”Eight hundred, I correct silently.
“God damn it, Mull,” Jonah grits from where he’s managed to pull himself up to his knees. Mulligan gives me an apologetic look, but I nod, letting him know that I understand and appreciate the assist. He sighs quietly and shifts his stricken gaze to Jonah, to the blood coating the side of his cheek.He loves him as much as I do.
“See. I’m better than anyone you have.” Jett lets out a mocking laugh at that and I shoot him a killing look, running my tongue over my teeth before glancing back to Traeger. I would swear I see a hint of amusement in his eyes. “I’ll cooperate, I won’t put up a fight. I’ll…behave,” I grate, hating how the word tastes. “Just…please. Take me.” I hesitate for the briefest moment before steeling myself and adding quietly, “I’ll dowhateveryou want,” making my meaning crystal fucking clear.
“Mel,” Jonah whispers, half shocked, half pleading. We’d all heard the rumors about Traeger’s compound, about the hell people endure there, especially the women. I might have just offered myself up to be the village bicycle for a bunch of psychos, but for Jonah, I’ll do it. I’d do anything for him.
“You wanted me there before,” I say, reminding him of his invitation. “Has that changed?” I hold his gaze, searching for…I don’t know what, but whatever’s there, I can’t get a read on it.Why the hell can’t I read him?I’ve rarely encountered anyone that gave me this much trouble. He finally leans in close.
“This is a one-way ticket, Melody. You have one chance and one chance only to change your mind.” He says the words so quietly that only I can hear. “Let the old man pay the price and you can stay here with your people. Simple. Why ruin your life for his?”
He pulls back and straightens, and I have to crane my head back to meet his eyes. I hold his stare for a long moment, trying to dig through the layers of his words. Is he serious? Is this some kind of test? Is he mocking me? I honestly can’t tell, but I know that my fate is already sealed. As much as I long to stay with Jonah, I won’t let Kevin, and by extension, Sandy, suffer for this. I understand all too well the darkness that losing a child leaves inside of you, the rage that slowly eats away at your insides like a poison. I can’t blame him for his actions here today. If I’d had the opportunity to end the one who took Gabby from me, I would have done it a thousand times over, but there are somethings you can’t fight against, no matter how hard you want to.
I lift my chin defiantly.
“I stand by what I said.” His eyes widen ever so slightly. “Do we have a deal or not?”
After what feels like an eternity, he finally nods. Without taking his eyes from mine, he calls to the others, “She comes with us.”
“No!” Jonah groan-yells in denial.
Ignoring him, Traeger continues, “Kevin here will get ten lashes and spend six months under house-arrest. If he’s let out before then, Iwillknow about it,” he says, the threat clear in his voice. “No other harm or retaliation will come so long as this punishment is upheld.” He returns his gaze to me and adds, “And so long as youbehave.” His lips curl into a crooked grin that’s somewhere between bemused and cruel. “Better go packyour things. We’re leaving in an hour.” He snaps his fingers at one of his men. “Get me the fucking Doc.”
CHAPTER THREE
TRAEGER
Getting fuckingshot was not on my agenda for today. I grit my teeth against the pain, my entire arm burning with it, but sit still as Doc patches me up. The bullet just grazed me, so I really can’t complain since it could have been much, much worse. I’m lucky that Kevin is a shitty shot.
