Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
“Goddamn, motherfucking…”
I’ll just let him do his thing.
There are four beeps in rapid succession, followed by a click and the sound of an opening door. Footsteps on metal. What kind of place are we in?
More importantly, who’s in here?
Blade stops swearing, which makes the room uncomfortably quiet.
“Well, we got two for the fucking price of one, didn’t we?” Shovelhead. The gravelly quality of his voice is easy enough to recognize. I won’t forget that any time soon. “One we care about, at least for now, but the other one? Just a bonus prize.”
There’s a hard impact, followed by Blade’s grunt. A moment later, I hear him spit. “Fuck you.”
“Oh, that was the wrong answer.”
Blade grunts again.
I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a right answer. “Don’t hurt him,” I beg, hoping Shovelhead isn’t here to kill Blade, because I’m starting to think of all three of the guys as mine, and losing him like this? It might break me, even if I die here.
“You fucking killed Crank,” Shovelhead snarls. “You know that? You and your fucking knives that night. He bled out before we could fucking save him. What’s going to stop me from doing the same to you, huh?”
Another punch and a grunt. And another. Jesus.
Other than the grunts, Blade doesn’t make a sound. He just takes the punches, and it’s all because of me. I’m trying not to cry, because it’s not going to help anything and I don’t want Shovelhead to get the satisfaction.
I don’t know how long it lasts, but eventually Shovelhead tires of not getting a response out of Blade. “Fuck, you’re boring. Maybe I should start punching your girl instead, huh? Crow said to keep her alive. He didn’t say shit about keeping her comfortable.”
“You’re that much of a fucking pussy? Your knuckles get sore or something? Does punching a girl make you feel like a real man?” Blade spits, and I hear it hit.
“You piece of shit!”
And then he starts the beating over, leaving me struggling not to cry or beg while Shovelhead takes out his anger on Blade. As terrible as listening to it is, I can’t even imagine what it’s like for Blade, who’s having to actually take all that abuse.
“Leave him alone!” I shout, unable to take it any longer.
“Faith, shut up!” snaps Blade, but his words sound slurred.
Shovelhead laughs as his footsteps ring on the hollow metal floor, coming in my direction. “I figured you’d be the first to break. What, don’t like me roughing up your boyfriend? Would you like a turn?”
“You little pissant, come back here and finish what you started,” shouts Blade. “You punch like a little girl.”
“Aww, really? If it’s just love taps I’m dishing out, then you won’t mind if I put a few of them on your girl, would you? She’s been fucking naughty.”
Then he slaps me. With the blindfold, I can’t see it coming, and it snaps my head sideways with a crack that’s loud as thunder in my head. A moment later, pain spreads from my cheek like ripples on a pond until I swear I can feel it all the way down my toes. I work my jaw to make sure it’s not broken.
Even in pitch blackness, the press of anxiety makes things louder, less focused. This is way too close to that night. No one can expect me to hold it together here. No one.
Shovelhead’s phone rings. There’s a pause as he picks it up. “Fuck. And I was just having fun. Yeah? Be right there.” When he hangs up, he laughs harshly. “Duty calls. I’ll be back for more later, though.”
The sound of his heavy boots moving away is the best thing I’ve heard all day, only topped by the sound of the door shutting behind him. Not thrilled about the beeping of some sort of code pad and the lock clicking, but I’ll take what I can get. At least now I can panic without him watching.
I nearly jump out of my skin when Blade’s hands find mine. I didn’t realize our backs were so close he could reach, but he’s been so busy working on the ropes. “You okay?”
I consider lying, but I shake my head. “No. I’m so not okay.”
He squeezes my fingers. “You can do this, Faith. We’re going to get the fuck out of here, and I’m going to personally make sure that Shovelhead regrets ever putting his hands on you, right before I carve out Crow’s liver and feed it to him.”
I’m probably crazy, but right now, that’s about the most romantic declaration I could get. I hope I’m there to see it.
“Besides, Ripper and Alpha are probably almost here already.”
The burning gas station pops into my mind, and I try to imagine a world where they would’ve made it out without burning up or getting shot. I’m not exactly hopeful.