Knocking them back, I raced down the hallway.
“Stop her!” Malik’s voice boomed from somewhere behind me. “Don’t let her get away!”
I careened around a corner and spied the stairwell up ahead.
Almost there.
Time to become a shadow warrior and disappear into the night.
I reached the door to the stairs, thrusting it open, barreling forward.
Down I went, flying like a bird, landing just long enough to leap forward again.
Down. Down. Down.
Hop…Fly…Hop…Fly…
One flight of stairs.
Two.
Hop…Fly…Hop…Fly…
Three.
Four…
At last I reached the bottom.
The door opened and a big black man stepped into the stairwell, sneering at me.
I attacked. Smack. Crack. Thud.
Then I ducked down and raced out into the dark night.
No one was going to stop me.
No. One.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Nishi
The cold hit me as soon as I stepped out of the building. Naked and shivering, I darted around the corner and raced toward a garbage dumpster in the alley. Climbing up the side of the dumpster, I held my breath and dived inside. My nostrils were immediately assailed with the overwhelming stench of garbage. I gagged. Drawing in a deep breath, I gagged again.
Then I plugged my nose, hoping it would help. Holding my breath, I waited. Still and quiet as a mouse.
Don’t move little mouse. Don’t make a sound.
Voices carried down the alleyway toward me. “She’s out here somewhere!” Malik boomed, his voice coming from somewhere close by. “She can’t have gotten far. Find her!”
Hold still, little mouse. Don’t breathe.
Footfalls thundered past, then the sound of someone banging things around outside of the garbage can, searching. Something moved above me, a hand digging through the garbage.
“This is disgusting. She’s not in here. She must have gone the other direction.”
The footsteps faded. Then nothing but silence.
Be still, little mouse. Don’t make a sound.
I waited another few minutes, the stench of garbage so overwhelming it was all I could do not to throw up what was left in my stomach.
Still, I waited. A silent mouse.
Then, at last, when I decided they were gone, I wiggled free of the garbage and stuck my head out, gasping in fresh air. The sky was turning gray with the rising of the sun. I needed to get far away from Malik before the sun came up.
Logan. I needed to get back to Logan. Where was he? Was he even alive? Had the other dregs gotten him out of there?
I leapt over the side of the dumpster, wiping garbage from my naked skin, then raced silently toward the street. Bare feet on concrete hardly made any sound. A group of Malik’s men stood on the opposite corner. I watched them for a moment, waiting until they were all turned away from me, then I snuck around the side of the building.
And ran.
I made it past the first block without incident, but it was only about forty-five degrees out and my teeth began to chatter. I needed to find a place to hide. I needed some clothes before I froze to death.
Another block, several more buildings, and I was getting farther away from Malik. I needed to find a ride out of the city. A way back to Logan.
A car came around the corner behind me, its headlights lighting the road before me. I darted away, flattening myself against the back of a lamppost, making myself as small and thin as possible, hoping they wouldn’t see me.
The car slowed as it approached.
I held my breath again. Not moving. Still as a mouse.
The low rumble of the engine reached my ears as the car crawled past. It sounded like one of those fancy muscle cars with a big motor. I peered around the lamppost, my brain slowly registering the familiarity of the red sports car.
Wait! I knew that car. It was Luke’s Camaro!
Luke isn’t the only person who owns a red Camaro, Nishi.
Yeah, but if it was indeed Luke, then I needed to get his attention. But I couldn’t make any noise or I might alert Malik’s men to my presence. I stared after the car’s disappearing taillights for all of two seconds, then I leapt out from behind the lamp post, racing after the car, waving my arms wildly in the air.
Please look back. Please see me.
Please help me.
The brake lights came on as the car rocked to a halt. The driver’s side door flew open. I didn’t wait to see if I was right or wrong about the owner of the car. If it was one of Malik’s men, I was doomed.
No. I refused to think that. It wasn’t Malik’s men. It wasn’t!
I barreled forward, slamming into a large body as someone stepped out of the vehicle.
“Umph!”
“Whoa, easy, little Nishi.” Strong arms came around me, gently setting me back.
Breathing heavily, I stared up into Luke’s face. It was Luke’s car. Overcome with relief, I sagged against him and began to sob, squeezing my arms around his waist, afraid if I let go, he’d leave me here. While I didn’t particularly like Luke—he had interrogated me, after all—he was still Logan’s friend, and I knew he would save me.
“Help me,” I begged, hitching in a breath. “Please. They’re coming.”
Luke jerked his head up, glancing down the street. I turned and followed his gaze in time to see some of Malik’s men heading toward us.
Shit. They’d seen me.
“Hey!” one of them shouted. “Stop!” They began running toward us.
Suddenly Ryan was there beside us, tossing a jacket over my shoulders and urgently leading me around to the passenger’s side of the car. “Come on, doll. Let’s get you warm.”
Luke slid back behind the wheel while Ryan climbed into the passenger’s seat and pulled me into his lap. The backseat was full of guns and ammo, leaving no place for me except in Ryan’s lap. Right now, I didn’t care. I’d sit in Ryan’s lap if I had to. They were taking me away from here. Away from Malik.
Luke stepped on the gas. The tires peeled out on the pavement with a loud screeching sound.
Then we were racing away, leaving them far behind.
I was still shivering violently. Ryan wrapped his arms around me, helping to keep me warm. “Go ahead, doll, use my body heat to get warm. You’re shaking like a leaf. I promise I won’t try to cop a feel.”
A chuckle burst out of me. Strangely, even though I didn’t know Ryan very well, I trusted him. And I knew Logan trusted him. “It’s okay. I trust you.”
Luke snorted softly. “You do realize he’s The Extractor, right?”
I glanced at Luke, then back at Ryan. “Actually, no. I don’t know your dreg names. Just Logan’s and Noah’s. Why are you called The Extractor?”
Ryan cleared his throat, casting a glance at Luke. “Do you have to tell her about this right now?”
Luke snickered. “Well, you do have a nearly naked, hot chic in your lap. You should probably warn her about the pheromone, or at the very least, try to keep it in check, or Logan will be pissed.”
Heat crept into my cheeks. What were they talking about? What pheromone?
Ryan’s face turned red. “I’ll have you know, I rarely use the pheromone, and I would never release it around Logan’s girl! What the fuck’s wrong with you, man?”
Uh oh. I seemed to have started an argument between them. Inadvertently.
“It’s okay,” I said quickly, wanting to ease the sudden tension in the car. “You don’t have to tell me about your dreg talents now. We can do that later.”
A muscle ticked in Luke’s jaw, though I wasn’t sure why he was so mad at Ryan. Ryan hadn’t done anything. Or, at least, I didn’t think he had. I wasn’t entirely sure what was going on.
Luke finally jerked his head in a nod, exchanging a long glance with Ryan. They seemed to have forgiven each other, thou
gh I wasn’t sure what the argument had been about. Ryan lifted his prosthetic arm away from me to pull a cellphone out of his pocket. The heat of his body was already starting to thaw me out, but I kept the jacket wrapped around me, trying to cover my nakedness.
“Tell Logan we found Nishi,” Ryan said into his phone. “Yes. She’s alive. Did Reena have any trouble removing the bullets? No? Great news. I’ll tell them. Later.”
My eyes widened as I leaned back and looked into Ryan’s eyes. “My mother’s okay?”
“Yep. She removed the bullets from Logan’s arm and leg. She said he’s going to be fine. He’s resting now, but as soon as he wakes, Noah will let him know that we found you.”
I swallowed hard, emotion clogging my throat. They’d found my mother. They’d freed her. And she’d helped Logan.
“Thank you.” I met Luke’s gaze. He nodded, then turned back to the road. I looked at Ryan and repeated, “Thank you.”
Ryan shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “No need to thank us. Logan’s our brother. We’d do anything for him. And if you decide to stay with him, you’ll be part of our family, too. You’ll be like our little sister.”
I choked out a sob. Family. Brothers. These guys would be my family.
If Logan wanted me to stick around.
Logan and I hadn’t shared more than a few kisses. A few intimate touches. He’d said we needed to take it slow, get to know each other before he took me to his bed.
I squeezed my eyes shut as the horrid memory of Malik touching me while he stroked himself flashed through my mind. I had come so close to being raped tonight. If I hadn’t found that little safety pin and stabbed him repeatedly with it, if I hadn’t thrown up all over him, I would likely still be with him right now while he had his way with me.
Oh God. I trembled. Would I ever be able to let Logan touch me now without thinking about Malik’s disgusting hands on me? What if Malik had ruined it for me? What if every time Logan touched me, I saw Malik instead?
“You okay, doll?”
Ryan’s concerned voice penetrated my brain, thrusting my worried thoughts aside. There was no way in hell I could ever mistake Logan for Malik. My worries were completely asinine. There was no way I would ever confuse the two. Ever.
The breath left me in a rush, relief consuming me.
“I’m fine.”
We reached the military barricade and Luke spoke with the guard on duty. The guard let us pass. Then we were racing down the highway toward Eatonton.
Ryan cleared his throat. “So, you want to tell us what happened back there? We’re good listeners. It helps to talk about it.”
Ryan and Luke didn’t seem like the “listening” type. Then again, I didn’t really know them.
“Malik tried to make me…” I broke off, swallowing hard and drawing in a deep breath. Hot tears of humiliation burned my eyes. A sob burst out. “He tried to–”
“There, there,” Ryan murmured, patting my arm awkwardly. “You don’t have to talk about it if it’s too difficult. We understand, doll.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and shuddered as the events of the last several hours came back to me in a rush. Being kept a prisoner, ordered to strip, to endure Malik’s crude, disgusting touch. And being so scared of what Malik would do to me. Then fighting. Running. Hiding.
I had almost been raped.
A tear trickled down my cheek, followed by another.
“He tried to make me suck his disgusting man stick,” I whispered, my voice wobbling with emotion. “But I threw up on him. And I found a small safety pin in the carpet and stabbed him in the balls with it.”
Ryan winced, leaning back. “Ouch. Did you castrate the bastard?”
I snorted, a laugh bubbling out. “I wish. I doubt I did much damage, but it was enough that he stopped groping me and tripped backward.”
Luke cleared his throat. “Then what happened?” He cast a glance askance at me. “Did you kick his ass?”
“Kind of. I landed a front elbow strike to his jaw, a couple of roundhouse kicks to his groin and other vulnerable areas, stunning him long enough to race out into the hallway. I had to fight my way past a couple of his men before I reached the stairwell. There was one more guy at the bottom. I fought him off and ran out into the alleyway, then climbed into the dumpster and hid.”
Ryan made a face. “I didn’t want to be rude earlier, but you do kind of stink.”
A startled laugh burst out of me. “Yeah, I do, don’t I? Sorry.”
Ryan chuckled. “S’all right, doll. I’ve suffered worse. Believe me. Much worse.”
Luke nodded his agreement. Ryan and Luke exchanged another glance. I swear, every time the dregs looked at each other, some type of silent communication passed between them. What would it be like to have such a deep connection with someone? I found the whole dreg bond to be utterly fascinating.
Luke cleared his throat. “Try not to dwell too much on what happened back there, okay? You’re safe now, and we’re getting you back to Logan.”
I turned and studied Luke’s profile for a moment. He was strikingly handsome. A lean jaw, chiseled, well-defined features. Intense, deep blue eyes. Short-cropped blond hair. Luke gave off a harsh vibe, an air of danger that had originally made me uncomfortable. There was a hardness about him, a hint of violence, and a deep jadedness that made me wonder if he was even capable of tender feelings.
Though he acted like a hard ass most of the time, and I sensed he was indeed jaded, underneath I sensed he was a good guy. He’d saved me tonight. And he and Ryan had both listened to me, and had offered comforting advice. He didn’t make me uncomfortable anymore.
I nodded gratefully, meeting his gaze. I decided I liked Luke now. As long as he never interrogated me again.
Then I turned and contemplated Ryan for a moment. Ryan was equally good-looking, almost to the point of prettiness, except his hair was dark compared to Luke’s blond, and Ryan’s eyes were an unusual amber color. Kind of like honey. Ryan’s eyes were a striking contrast to his dark hair. Ryan had a flirtatious, sweet, caring side that was totally opposite from Luke’s semi-coldness. Though they seemed to joke around a lot, their personalities were different. Luke was sarcastic. A smartass. While Ryan was more fun-loving. Friendly.
Despite their good looks, I felt zero attraction toward either one. They weren’t my type. Not at all.
Because Logan was my type. My only type.
I couldn’t wait to see him again. To touch him. To hold him. To kiss him.
Ryan’s lips twitched as he caught me staring at him. “Sick of sitting on me, doll? Guess I can’t blame you. We can move some guns aside if you want to sit in the back,” he offered.
“Yes, please.” I wasn’t cold anymore. And I’d really rather not sit on any man’s lap except Logan’s.
Luke drove the car over to the side of the road and parked. He and Ryan got out and moved things around in the backseat, making a small space for me to sit. I thanked them and climbed into the back.
Ryan winked. “Sure thing, doll.”
Luke slid back behind the wheel and drove the car back out onto the road.
Yes, I decided I liked Ryan and Luke. They were good guys. Both of them.
Exhaustion crept in and shortly thereafter, I dozed off.
When I woke later, we were back at their hideout.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Nishi
After a quick shower to wash the stench of garbage from my skin, I’d dressed and rushed to find my mother and Logan. Ryan and Luke had informed me that Logan was recuperating and was still sedated, and Mama was staying in Jacob’s empty apartment, which was Room 2. Jacob was one of the dregs who had apparently left, so I had never meet him. I hoped to meet all of the dregs someday.
Since Logan was sleeping right now, I went to find my mother first.
I knocked on Room 2 and waited expectedly. Anxiously.
The door opened.
And there she was.
My mother.
/> A tiny little woman with long black hair and striking features, Mama was just as beautiful as I remembered. Her eyes filled with warmth, joy, and fresh tears.
“Mama!” Was it really true? Was I really looking at my mother after eight long years?
“Nishi!” She rushed forward, squeezing me in her familiar, comforting arms. “Oh Nishi! I tried so hard to find you. For years and years! I never gave up. I knew, I just knew your father had stolen you. I’m so, so sorry I didn’t find you. So sorry, my beautiful girl.”
Emotion clawed its way up my throat, bursting loose. “It’s okay, Mama. It’s okay.” Tears stung my eyes, slipping silently down my cheeks. I didn’t blame her for being unable to find me.
Though my mother was small, standing at barely five foot, which made me two inches taller than she was, she had always seemed “large” in personality, and I’d always looked up to her. My sweet, loving mama. She had never seemed so tiny to me before. Maybe it was because I was a grown woman now, no longer a child. Unexpected protectiveness washed over me. I would keep Mama safe. I was able to now. I was a kunoichi. I would protect her from my father and anyone else who might try to harm her.
“Oh Mama, I missed you so much!” I couldn’t believe she was alive. She was safe. She was here.
“Oh, my beautiful Nishi.” Mama gushed, stepping back and looking me up and down. “Look at you! A woman now!” She gently ran a hand over my short boyish hairstyle, lovingly stroking through the damp strands. “So pretty.”
“Father made me cut it all off,” I complained. “But now I’m going to grow it long again. Like yours.”
Mama hugged me again, so tightly. “He can change your hair, but he can’t change who you are inside.”
So true. Oh, how I’d missed Mama. I let out a happy sob and stepped back. “Look at you, Mama! As gorgeous as ever! You look exactly the same.”
We both laughed, and hugged again for a long time.
“What happened, Mama?” I asked. “What did Father do to you?”
She sighed, gently setting me away from her. “It is a very long story, one I should have told you years ago. But you were just a girl, and I wasn’t sure if you were ready for the truth then.”
A trickle of anxiety swept through me. “What truth, Mama?”
The Trainer (military romantic suspense) (The Dregs Book 5) Page 18