My Demons (The Angel Trilogy #2)

by Kimberly Blalock

  I hear muffled voices outside the room I’m in every few minutes or so. I know that I’m not alone here and again I wonder why he’s keeping me here.

  I haven’t seen Marco since they dragged me here. That’s what scares me the most. I know he’s going to go after Abby. I don’t know what he’ll do honestly, but he’s a monster so I know it’ll be bad.

  Fuck!

  For the first time since I’ve been here I hear the troops getting their feathers ruffled. Loud voices erupt through the door. My body jumps when the key turns and the door handle starts to move. The door opens to the same ugly bastard that’s been bringing in the food. My guess is he hasn’t said anything to his dear ole boss, about getting his ass knocked out because he’s still alive.

  I couldn’t get out then. The guards don’t carry keys for the chains I’m imprisoned by. That’s not how Marco operates. He doesn’t trust anyone, but himself. He has the key, so that’s who I’ll have to kill.

  When the guard opens the door further, the light from the outside room shines in blinding me for a moment. A shadow enters the room and I know instantly by the sounds of his footsteps that it’s Marco.

  He’s come to die…

  The door is abruptly closed behind him as he takes a seat in a chair that the guard had brought in for him.

  “I see you're refusing my kindness.” He kicks the tray away causing the rats to scatter.

  I don’t speak. I want to know why he’s really here.

  “I wanted to come and uh…” he pauses whipping his jacket off. “Give you my condolences.”

  Condolences? What’s he playing at?

  I hold a flat expression on my face because I know he’s trying to get a rise out of me and I’m not going to give him the chance.

  “Aren’t you even just a bit curious as to who I’m talking about Evan?” My body goes cold, and if he says Abby… “Oh, I see you’re a little curious then. Am I correct?” He knows the answer, it’s on my face, and I’m not hiding it well. “It seems that she really is weak...” he pauses to adjust his fucking shirt. “Get on with it asshole.” I’m going to snap his neck.

  He laughs. “Oh, don’t act like you didn’t know it was going to happen. You were locked in here all alone. She was alone too. Until I was there and she liked it, she begged for it. I want to thank you though. Give you the applause of the year. I hate to admit it, but without you I wouldn’t be on top right now and damn it Evan, it feels great being there just like when I was on top of her.”

  “You killed her?”

  “Who, your precious Abby?” He crosses his legs.

  “Did you hurt her?” I spit.

  “Hurt her?” He tilts his head side to side. “Something like that. Now, let’s get down to business.” He claps his hands together. “I’ve let you stay in these fine accommodations…” he dusts off his dress shirt, “for long enough. I thought I’d be a nice guy and let you feel the pain of knowing your precious little angel was… well, first of all, amazing in bed and second of all beautiful when she’s been sucked dry of all life.” He grins.

  I have no chance to fucking recover from this shit. The vomit rises and expels onto the floor and I watch as the rats scurry their way over to it.

  Are you fucking kidding me? I thought she’d be safe because he loved her. Turns out he never loved her and any safety from that idea was shit. I knew that though, I just hoped better for her sake. Or mine…

  “Yeah, well…” He shakes his head adjusting his cuffs. “She got what she got because you did what you did. So, I guess you could say it’s really all your fault.” He smiles.

  “A helpless girl? You hurt a helpless girl? You fucking left her. You cheated on her and you fucking left her. And because of me you took her life?” I’m a man, but this is bringing me to an empty place that leaves only pain.

  “Yep, that’s exactly what I’ve done.” He stands. “It’s been fun, but it’s time for me to go.” He smiles as he throws his jacket over his shoulder. “Wow, this place really stinks Evan. I’d do something about it if I were you.” He turns to the door. “Oh, wait you won’t be doing anything soon.” He turns around. “Open up.” He yells for the men on the other side to open the door.

  I’m standing in this shit hole wishing that I could reach him, but the chains I’m attached to won’t reach him.

  “See you in hell, Evan.” The door closes and the lock is turned.

  “Fuck!” I yell.

  I hope Nat got my message because it’s all in her hands now.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Abby

  The building that everyone’s watching is about half a mile from where we are. There are bright lights shining, but that’s all I see.

  I sit on my knees next to Nat as she watches with a scope. “What’re you going to do?”

  She pulls her head away from the gun she’s holding. “I’m gonna save your man, so you two can live happily ever after.” She winks.

  There are seven of us, but we’re divided into two groups. Michael had said that if one group got caught the other would have a better chance to do a rescue than if we’re all together.

  “Are you going to go in there in a blaze of glory?” I’m nervous that she’s gonna get herself killed.

  “Yeah, she is. That’s the only way Nat enters a room.”

  “Oh God.” My head falls.

  “Don’t worry little one, I’ve got her back. Always.” Dom’s deep voice reassures me.

  Nat’s facing the building when a small smile curves onto her lips. When she sees I’m watching her from the corner of her eye she loses the smile and I quickly turn my head.

  Does she like him?

  “Unless you have a death wish I suggest you use that gun to kill them all,” I whisper.

  “Oh? Huh, I hadn’t thought of that,” she teases, winking at me. “Don’t worry I’ve… we’ve got this.” She laughs.

  “What did he say in the coded message? Is he hurt?”

  “Nothing was said.” Her stare is on the dirt below her.

  “Five in the front. One on the left. Two in the back,” Michael whispers holding his fingers out as he speaks.

  “What does that mean?” My eye flutter rapidly with worry.

  “It means I only have eight to kill.” She locks and loads the massive gun under her control.

  Seriously? I know that there’re people that do this every day protecting our country, and for their sacrifice I’m so grateful, their courage is something that I will never have or forget, my heart swells for the brave men and woman as well as their families, but, I never thought I’d be in a situation that would lead me to a place like this one.

  I’m not brave, and I’m damn sure no heroic soldier fighting for my country. I am, however, a woman determined to get her man back in her arms and for that I will lay down my life in a second. Evan’s in trouble, if it were me I’m convinced he’d do the same in a heartbeat.

  “Time for you to get inside the truck, Abby.” She doesn’t look at me.

  I’m desperate to help. I admit I’m not brave, I’m no one special. I’m just an average girl, but I love him. “No, I want to help,” I demand.

  “Listen to me very carefully, Abby. You will get in the truck and you will do as you’re told. If we get him back and you're dead, he won’t want to live anymore that I know for a fact. So get your pretty little ass in the truck,” she demands not really nice about it either.

  “Geez,” I get up sweeping the dust from my pants. “I’m going, I’m going.” I won’t stay there, but for now I’m going.

  The night is warm and dark and I wonder if there are any animals out here watching and stalking us like we are the people near that building.

  “Stay down, don’t move for anything. We’ll see you in a few.”

  “Isn’t someone staying here with me?” I raise my brows.

  “Yeah, I’ll be right outside,” the man I know to be Skits says to me.

  I nod my head. When I’m in the tru
ck, I find a comfortable space on the floor and wrap my arm tight around myself. I’m scared. It’s so dark, I can barely see my own hand in front of my face. I wait listening for the gun shots that will inevitably take out the men Nat was watching, but I hear absolutely nothing.

  I think I’ve been sitting here for a good thirty minutes and still I hear nothing. Raising up from the floor I support my weight on the seat peeking out the window. “Where are they?” I ask myself, not even seeing Skits. I sit back down as my heart starts that race it’s so damn good at. I slow my increased breathing by taking in slow deep breaths.

  Fuck, this is getting real.

  Michael had shown me the basics of gun control on the plane, but I realize that he didn’t leave me one. I’m convinced he was trying to keep me occupied. “Asshole.”

  I lean forward looking for something, anything when I find a knife. “Oh my God, don’t you have to be close enough to use this. I don’t want to be close enough to use it.” I breathe out loud dropping it to the ground.

  I continue to look around and in this dark it isn’t the easiest of tasks. I find nothing. “Screw it.” I search the floor for the large knife I’d dropped. “Shit,” I hiss, grabbing the blade cutting myself. I wrap my finger at the bottom of my t-shirt and apply pressure. I’m not sure how bad the cut is because again it’s too freaking dark to see.

  I’m holding the heavy metal in my left hand and sit on the seat. I fully intend to help in some way. I take a deep breath blowing it out. “Here goes nothing.” I reach for the door handle. I hold the door and quietly jump out. I see no one, not even Skits. We’re sitting way back on top of a hill just above the building that sits inside a valley.

  “Skits,” I whisper. “Skits?” No response. I grip the knife in my hand and pace back and forth next to the truck. “Screw it.” My feet take one step at a time until I’m standing on the spot Nat had been sitting.

  The hill is steep. I test it and slide on my bottom dropping the knife when I do. “Shit.” I search through the brush. “Yes.” I find it. Sitting up on my bottom I squint my eyes to get a better view of the ground below me. Well, here goes everything. I slowly slide down the hill.

  When I reach the bottom, it’s easier to see because of the lights surrounding the building. I duck next to a very small tree hoping to see Nat or any of them really.

  The men that she’d been watching earlier are still there. I see them pacing back and forth. One man looks my way and then lights something, I fall to the ground. “Shit.” I breathe, not even being able to hear my own words through the heartbeat ringing in my ears.

  I slowly raise my head over the brush that I’m hoping has concealed my body. I take a deep breath once again trying to slow my breathing.

  I get to my feet bending down and move closer to the metal fence.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” Nat scares the shit out of me.

  “Oh my God.” I grab my chest. “Helping.”

  She rolls her eyes. “You’re a pain in my ass, you know that?” She looks down in deep thought. “Wait, where’s Skits?” Her head pops up.

  I shrug. “I didn’t see him.”

  “Fuck.” Her head turns in the direction of the truck. “Skits?” she says, maybe into some sort of microphone. “Where the fuck are you?” Silence fills the lifeless sound of the Brazilian night. “Abby’s here, asshole. Twelve o’clock.” She turns to look at me. “He took a piss,” she informs. “Uh sexy, I think we have bigger problems right now,” Michael announces.

  “Get down,” Nat nearly slams my head to the ground. “Dogs? We’ll be caught for sure.” She’s adjusting something. “I’ve got to take them out now. Take them on my mark,” she says into her mic… I think. Michael gently lays his bag on the ground and Nat unfolds metal things off the bottom of her gun sitting it on the bag. “Three…Two… Mark.”

  I expect to hear a loud noise and when I don’t, I’m confused.

  “Shit, Abby, I hope you don’t get us all killed. We have maybe five minutes at best before they find them. There’s a guard that comes out the northwest door every ten minutes or so.”

  When Michael and Nat start toward the fence, I follow feeling like shit that I could get them killed.

  Michael pulls his gun, taking out a dog that must hear us.

  “When this is over, I’m taking a long, hot, bubbly bath,” Nat sighs.

  “I’ll rub your feet,” Michael plays.

  We get through a small hole in the fence and run to the building. The lights are so bright and if someone looked outside I know they’d see us for sure.

  Michael runs to a door investigating. He looks in the window and then waves us over. Nat and I enter after him. She left the big gun where we had been on the other side of the fence and now she’s carrying two smaller ones.

  We come to a hallway with flashing yellow lights. Nat makes hand movements; the kind I’ve seen in the movies. She acts like she knows where she’s going.

  We come to another door and as Michael opens it we hear voices. “He’s got to be in the basement. I’ll head there, you handle those pricks,” she whispers.

  “Where do I go?” I don’t want to handle any ‘pricks.’

  “With me to get your man unless you want to stay with Michael.” She smiles.

  “No, I’m good with your plan.” I follow as she turns down another hallway. “How do you know where you’re going?” I question.

  She doesn’t answer. “Shhh,” she warns.

  Another door is in our path and Nat reaches for the knob. “I don’t know what we’ll find, Abby.” She turns to warn me.

  I realize what we could find might be bad. I nod even though I’m not ready for this. She nods in return and then continues through the door. My heart’s pounding against my chest like a drum and the headache that hits me is unlike any other I’ve had for a while. My pills are in my bag that’s in the truck, so pretty much not doing me any good now.

  Natalia stills her movement as we reach the bottom of the stairs. She looks back to me reaching for my arm. “Do not leave my side.” I nod.

  We step down onto a dirt floor. The lights in this room are bright fluorescent and when they flash off and then back on, I jump.

  Nat reaches back and shoves me against a wall when we hear two men laughing. “Fuck,” she hisses. “Listen to me very carefully, Abby. Marco’s in that room and I know that you two… But you need to understand he’s not what you think.” If anyone knows that it’s me. I nod. “I’m going to do what I have to do.” I think she’s really trying to tell me she’s going to kill him. I’d like to pull that trigger myself after what he’s done to me. “You ready for this?” she asks. I nod my head instantly knowing I am ready. I want to end this, hug Evan, and go home. “Yes.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Evan

  I hear screams from the other side of the door and I know there here. They did get my message. “Fuck, yes!” I can see Nat and Michael out there now. In my head I can. Bloodbath I’m sure. When I get loose, I’m going to snap Marco’s fucking neck and end him. End of… There’s a soft knock on the door and I jump. “I’m in here.”

  “Evan?” That… no fucking way. My ears are playing tricks with me. The door opens in a flurry of activity. “Ready to go big brother?” Nat smiles.

  “Fuck yeah, I am.”

  “Don’t be mad, but I brought a surprise.” Abby runs to me jumping in my arms. I can’t believe my eyes. “I thought… I thought you were dead.” I pull at the chains squeezing her into my arms.

  “I thought you were dead, too.”

  “Marco,” we both say.

  “Yeah, yeah, we gotta go.” Nat’s watching out the door.

  “Oh, sorry.” Abby pulls a ring of keys from her pocket trying each one on the locks.

  “How did you get those?” I lift her chin.

  “Abby,” Nat says shaking her head. “Not now.”

  Abby turns to me. What the fuck is going on?

  “Let’s go,�
� she hisses again.

  “Later,” Abby whispers finally finding the key that we need.

  When the cuffs are off my wrists, I sweep her into my arms. “I love you so much.”

  “Next time you plan a vacation to Brazil can you let a girl know.” She smiles

  “Absolutely.” I stand her on her feet and we head out the door as Nat hands me a gun. “Hell, yeah! I need to have a little chat with Marco.” This is going to be fun.

  “There isn’t going to be any chatting with Marco,” Nat answers as we walk through a hall.

  “He’s not here?” I ask as we come to a door to a small room.

  “No, he’s here.” She points inside the room.

  A knife is sticking out of his neck. “What the fuck?”

  Nat points to Abby. “She saved my life. Now can we get out of here?”

  “You did that?” I sweep her soft face into my hands. I never wanted this for her. Everyone in my world gets sucked into the darkness that lingers over me.

  “Mhmmm, but we need to go.” She nods leaning into my hand.

  I nod, I don’t know what she’s feeling right now, but I’m sure it’s not a joyful resolution. Not like it would’ve been for me. He’s gone.

  Finally…

  We reach the main floor and Michael is waiting for us. “Bro, you look like shit.”

  “Thanks.” I’m a free man and it feels great. I haven’t had a shower in a while, but that’ll come. “What did I miss?”

  “Uh, not much.” He shrugs.

  We find the doors leading outside and I suck in a breath of fresh air into my lungs. “Damn it feels good to be out here.” I look up to the sky.

  Hands linked together Abby and I run toward a fence.

  “We’re parked up there.” Nat points.

  “Ouch.” Abby hisses.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  “The fence.” She continues trying to keep up with my pace. “How are we going to get up this steep ass hill?”