Page 101 of Hart of Darkness
Her statement should’ve scared the lights out of me, but panicking would only send me deeper into shock.
I lifted my arm to pull the thin fabric through the hole, but even that small act was hard. My arm felt like a heavy weight. I took a breath when I finally had the shirt in my lap. In slow movements, I managed to secure it around my leg, groaning and swearing the entire time.
Push past the pain. You need to get out of here. You need to get these girls out.I didn’t want to give up, but I was kind of screwed. I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t get out, and I couldn’t save anyone including myself.
When I told Dillon I was already dead, I was serious.
“Miguel!” I screamed as loud as I could. I would continue to scream bloody murder until the man showed his face, if I lasted that long. It took all the energy I had to push air out of my lungs.
“What are you doing?” Misty didn’t sound thrilled. “Don’t bring attention to yourself. He’ll kill you.”
I let out a weak laugh. “No, he won’t. He needs me.” That much, I was certain of.
“I hate to say this, but you’ll be lucky if you last the next hour,” Misty added.
I heard a faint click of shoes, or I might have imagined it. Then Cory, the ugly bastard, grinned down at me from the other side of the cage. He’d cleaned up his bloody mouth.
“How’s your tongue, asshole?”
He narrowed his eyes and threw me the finger.
“Aw, cat bit it off?” I shouldn’t have been cocky or sarcastic, but as much pain as I was in, I was enjoying the heck out of the fact that I’d hurt him in some small way.
His nostrils flared, and his cheeks reddened.
“I want to talk to Miguel.”
“You can tell me.” His speech was off.
I spied Miguel strutting over, his short legs moving fast, or maybe I was imagining things.
“What do you want?” He settled next to Cory, his hooknose protruding more than I remembered.
I was about to answer him until I spotted Rick sauntering over with a grin the size of California. No, it couldn’t be him. My mind had to be playing tricks on me.
Miguel followed my line of sight. Then he laughed, the sound making all my hairs stand up. “Everyone can be bought, Maggie.”
Rick studied me. “Miguel, you said you weren’t going to hurt her. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“Spare me the emotion, Rick. You can’t possibly believe someone like these two.” I tried to wag my finger between asshole one and asshole two.
“I wasn’t planning on it, but she gave me no choice,” Miguel said as though it were my fault he’d shot me.
“Who is he?” Misty whispered.
“Ladies,” I said, “meet Rick the cop. You can’t trust anyone anymore, not even the law.”
The girls made noises, but quiet ones just in case Miguel had any inkling to unleash his abuse.
“I see you want to get shot again.” He sounded excited to have the opportunity to use his gun on me.
Jerk.
“If I die, you will never get Grace.” I glanced at my leg. The blood wasn’t coming out as fast. “So get me a doctor. Now.” Whatever plan Dillon had up his sleeve, I prayed it would work. I couldn’t die. I had a lot to live for, and by golly, if I was going to give my life to the good Lord today, then I wanted to at least try like a bitch to save myself and the girls in this warehouse.
He considered me as Cory harrumphed. Rick had an impassive expression. No surprise there since he was an experienced cop.
“I can help her,” Misty chimed in. “Get me some medical supplies and a knife and tweezers. Oh, and I’ll need a syringe of that Special K drug you use to knock us out with.”
