by S. M. Shade
“Joey…I’m not.” Airen’s hands sweep through his hair in frustration as he tries to find the right words. “I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“I know, but you can try harder not to.”
Airen nods, and I grab their hands again. “I want us all together tonight. We don’t have to have sex, but I can’t choose who to stay with when it could be the last…” I stop as my voice cracks. I’m instantly surrounded by strong arms, enclosed between their warm, solid bodies.
“No, ladybug, don’t say that.”
“Don’t even think it, darlin’. We’ll be back. Don’t we always come back?”
When they pull away from me, Joseph leans to kiss my forehead. “I’m so sorry I hurt you, baby. I don’t know why I reacted the way I did. I just…I’m always the one that gets left, and I guess I thought I’d beat you to it. I swear I didn’t mean it.”
“I know. We’re okay. I’m past it.”
His skeptical look makes me avert my eyes. “You wouldn’t have told Airen if it wasn’t bothering you. Please tell me I didn’t screw things up between us. I can’t lose you too.”
Airen watches as I cup Joseph’s nape and pull his lips to mine. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Everyone gathers at the picnic tables after dinner to plan out tomorrow’s rescue mission. The plan is pretty simple. They’ll come at them from both entrances, shooting the men while they evacuate the women and children. “Have them hide at the laundromat across the street until we come get them,” Nic advises.
“I can wait at the laundromat, keep the kids calm,” I suggest. It’s a waste of breath.
“No,” Airen and Joseph reply in unison. At least there’s one thing they agree on. It pisses me off. It’s not like I’ve never been in a dangerous situation before, and I handled them well. I’m a better shot than Joseph, but they won’t even consider it.
“Just listen, if I…”
“No. We had a deal. I’ll tie you to the bed if you give me any shit, Abigail,” Airen threatens.
Seeing no hope of getting my way with him, I turn to Joseph. “Joseph…”
I’m greeted by the palm of his hand. “No. Absolutely not. You’re staying here.”
“Give it up girl,” Gary speaks up. “They’re right. You, Sammy and Diane need to wait here.” Troy and Mac nod their agreement. Well shit. I’m surprised Sammy doesn’t argue. Maybe he’s already pleaded his case.
“Fine,” I grumble. “If any of you come back shot, I’ll kill you.” After another hour of discussion, they load the cars with guns and ammunition and we say goodnight. They want to leave at dawn.
In bed, cuddled between the two halves of my world, I’m determined not to cry, not to worry them. They have enough to deal with. “Are you pissed?” Airen asks, kissing my temple as Joseph plays with my hair.
“No. You’re going to rescue children. It’s kind of hard to be angry about that.”
“You’re scared,” Joseph says.
“Scared doesn’t touch it. I’m terrified, but I know you’ll take care of each other.” They glance at one another.
“Always,” Airen murmurs. We manage a few hours of sleep before dawn, our bodies wrapped tightly together. We can talk positive all we want, but we know what could happen.
“Promise me you’ll hang out with Diane and Sammy today,” Joseph says, pulling on his shoes the next morning. “Don’t stay here and worry yourself crazy.”
“But I’m so good at it.” I get a flash of those dimples that grabbed my heart so long ago. “I promise. Don’t worry about me. Focus on keeping yourselves alive. Use Jon as a shield at every opportunity.”
Airen’s rough hands run up either side of my jaw as his dark eyes study mine. “I love you, Abigail.”
I thread my fingers through his hair and bring my lips to his. Our kiss is long and thorough, comforting and reassuring. “I love you. Be safe. I’ll give you the best blow job of your life when you come back.”
My heart lightens a bit at the sound of their laughter as Joseph pulls me into his arms. “That better apply to me too.”
“You two can flip a coin to see who goes first.”
A soft, gentle kiss lands on my mouth and I take the opportunity to suck his lower lip one more time. When we part, he rests his forehead against mine. “I love you, ladybug.”
“I love you, too.” Swallowing back the knot in my throat, I gaze at my two men. “Don’t say goodbye.”
Airen cracks me on the ass. “Nope.”
“You better have dinner waiting when we get home,” Joseph adds, leading the way outdoors.
Everyone is gathered around the vehicles, waiting for them. Diane waves to me, and I join her to watch the men leave. When the cars have disappeared down the drive, Diane turns to me and suggests, “Come and have a drink?”
What I want to do is curl up in a ball and pretend none of this is happening, but I reply, “I’d love to. Where’s Sammy?”
“Still asleep. I didn’t want to wake him.” She leads the way to the kitchen. “I have tea, coffee, or lemonade. Or maybe something a little stronger?” A bottle of bourbon dances in front of me.
“Hell yes.”
She laughs and fills two shot glasses. “Whiskey before breakfast. What these men do to us.” We’re silent for a bit before Diane says, “I should wake Sammy, I suppose. He’s usually up by now. I thought we could fire up the generator and watch some movies. Try to pass the time.”
“I’m sure he had as much trouble sleeping as the rest of us, poor kid. A movie sounds good. Thanks for inviting me. Sitting in that RV all day would’ve been torture.”
“Of course. We may as well wear a groove in the carpet together.”
“I’ll start the generator,” I volunteer, and head outside while Diane goes to wake Sammy. Just before I press the start button, I hear her curse.
She bursts out the cottage door. “He’s gone!” After a frantic look in the garage, she curses again. “Fuck! He took the ATV!”
“What? Wouldn’t we have heard him?”
“He must’ve left before dawn. He rolled up a blanket so it would look like he was in bed. Dammit!”
“You think he went to the hotel?”
“Where else? Shit. I wondered why he didn’t give the guys more trouble when they told him he couldn’t go.”
“We don’t have a way to contact them?”
Diane’s face lights up. “Nic took a radio!” She darts back inside, returning with a walkie talkie. It’s no use, after ten minutes of trying, we get nothing but static.
“Maybe they’ll find him,” I try to reassure her.
“If those men get their hands on him again.” She shakes her head, tears rolling down her face.
“Do you know where the laundromat is? Can you find it?”
She nods.
“Then let’s go. We have to let the guys know.”
“Mac’s going to kill me. I swore I wouldn’t go.”
“They can bury us together,” I quip. My guys are going to be furious. “Do you have a gun?”
“They took them all.”
“Shit. Let’s go. We’ll find them.”
Diane parks her small car a few streets south of the hotel and leads the way through a few overgrown yards and crumbling parking lots to the rear of the laundromat. The back door is chocked open with a cinder block, but I don’t hear anything. “Do you think they’re already in the hotel?” I whisper, inching my way into the doorway. A strong hand shoots out of the gloom and grabs my arm. Before I can scream, a hand clamps over my lips. I’ve never understood the term blinded by fear until this moment. The link between my eyes and brain seems to be interrupted, but my instincts are intact. And without a second’s hesitation, I bite down on the palm covering my mouth.
“Fuck!” Airen jerks his hand away. I’ve never been so glad to hear his voice, and relief floods through me as I’m jerked inside into a dim hallway, gritty with dust.
“You scared the shit out of me!”
“Sammy, he’s gone,” Diane speaks up, following us. “We can’t find him.”
Airen huffs and continues to drag me down the hall by my arm like a wayward child. We step into an area lined with washers and dryers, and as my eyes adjust I see everyone staring at us. Well, glaring at us.
“Sammy!” Diane cries, running to sit beside the sullen little boy. “What the hell is this?” She holds up his wrist. A silver handcuff is locked around it, the other end secured to a thick metal pipe.
“That’s what’s going to keep his ass here while we raid the hotel. I guess we need two more pair,” Mac snaps.
“The fuck you do,” Diane replies. “I’m not following you into a firefight. I just came for Sammy.”
“A pair for Abby, then,” Joseph says, his voice hard as stone. Shit, he’s pissed.
“Try it and I’ll remove your balls, Joseph Crane. No one’s chaining me up. I’ll stay here.”
Joseph grabs my shoulders. “Like you stayed at Troy’s? Your word doesn’t mean shit now.”
Airen pulls him back. “Stop, Joey.”
“Stop! She’s going to get herself killed!”
“No, she’s not. She’s going to stay right here with Sammy and Diane, aren’t you, Abigail?”
“Yes, I swear.”
“You need to be here. We’re sending the kids and women to you. Keep them quiet and calm.”
“I will.”
Taking a deep breath, Joseph pulls me aside. “I’ve never been so pissed at you. If you leave this place, put yourself in more danger, I’ll never forgive you.”
“I’m sorry.” I choke out the words. “I didn’t plan to…”
“Sit your ass down behind the row of washers and keep it there until we get back.”
Christ. It’s like he’s channeling Airen. I nod, and he hugs me hard.
“We need to do this,” Nic interrupts, “before they see or hear us. The plan is the same. Meet back here when it’s over.”
Cold fear grips me again as Joseph releases me, and Airen cups my jaw, his stern eyes gazing into mine, a silent warning. “I’ll stay. Focus on staying alive.”
“We’ll be back.” Joseph stares at me until I obediently sit down beside Sammy. The guys file out the back door, guns at the ready. Joseph and Airen are the last two to leave, and I’m comforted by the sight of Airen taking Joseph’s hand just before they disappear, taking my heart with them.
Sammy hasn’t spoken a word. He sits with his back to us, sulking. “Who has the key, honey?” Diane asks him.
“Nic,” he grumbles.
“They’re trying to keep you safe.”
“I should get to kill them. I’m the one they hurt.”
“It won’t make you feel any better,” I reply. “I’ve been there. No matter whose life you take, you carry the weight of it forever.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Probably not, but I know an hour from now those low life sons of bitches will be dead, and you’ll have a long happy life to live.”
While Diane tries to reassure him, I have a look around our hideout. Three rows of industrial washers and dryers separate the front of the laundromat from us. The two large plate glass windows are caked with grime. I can’t see out so I’m betting no one can see in. “Where are you going?” Diane asks.
“To watch. Relax, they can’t see me.”
“Tell me what you see.”
Nodding, I lean against a long, formica topped table that stretches the length of the windows. I have a perfect view of the decaying hotel across the road. It’s all one level, but the rooms don’t open into the parking lot. The only doors are the two glass office doors and two metal gray doors I assume lead to maintenance closets.
Windows line the building, all covered over by curtains. I watch as Nic, Gary, Mac, and Eric barge through the glass doors. I can’t see Airen or Joseph, but I know they’re going in the back. The curtains on the furthest room fly open, and the window shatters outward.
“What’s happening?” Diane calls.
“They’re going in now.”
Two tiny legs dangle from the broken window before a toddler is lowered to the ground. He stands there bawling while another child is thrust out onto the grass. Neither can be more than four years old. They both scream and try to get back inside as a thin terrified woman tries to shoo them away. Oh God. I have to help. I have to.
“I’m grabbing the kids!” I call to Diane. “Stay here.”
“No Abby! Dammit!” As I run out the back door I hear her tell Sammy, “They should’ve handcuffed her.”
I’m across the street in seconds, pulling the kids away from the window. The air is filled with screams and gunshots. They’re terrified. “Come on!” I shout to the woman, and she hands me a baby. It can’t be more than a few weeks old. No wonder she was struggling. She climbs out, and I point to the laundromat. “Hide in there. It’s safe. Go around the back. My friend Diane is there. She’ll explain.”
“Thank you,” she sobs, taking the infant from my arms. Just as I bend to pick up the youngest child, an arm wraps around my neck. The woman’s eyes fill with terror, and I wave her away.
“Run,” I croak.
A rank odor fills my nostrils as a deep voice screams in my ear. “You fucking bitch! You’ll take her place!” I’m dragged backward through the window, the brick windowsill and crumbled glass tearing through my skin. The man loosens the hold on my neck just as I’m sure I’ll lose consciousness. My vision clears and I’m face to face with a snarling madman. Another gunshot rings out from the corridor, and my eyes dart to the door. “Don’t worry about that, bitch. That’s the sound of my guys taking down your boys. Half of them’s dead already!” he sings.
No. Please, no. Airen. Joseph.
A small sob diverts my attention to a young woman curled up in the corner of the room, her head buried in her knees. Hope fills me when the door flies open, and Jon steps through. I never thought I’d be glad to see him, but the relief doesn’t last long. A grin tilts his lips as he surveys the scene.
At the sight of Jon’s rifle, my captor grabs me by the throat again and moves me between them. “This bitch is mine.”
Jon laughs. “Have at it, buddy. Her pussy sucks and she can’t suck dick to save her life. I’d fuck her ass if I were you. Better hurry though.” With a hateful grin, he steps back out the door and closes it behind him.
The man’s laughter is cruel. “Well, ain’t today my lucky day.” He spins me around and shoves my face against the peeling wallpaper. Terror streaks through me when his hands reach around to unbutton my jeans and jerk them down.
“No!” I scream, fighting to escape, but he’s too strong, too heavy. I’m pinned against the wall. No. No, please. The cool air hits my bare ass before it’s squeezed hard by a rough hand.
“You do have a tight ass. Let’s see how tight.”
Terror turns to panic and I scream, “No! Please! Airen!”
He laughs and kicks my legs apart. “Nobody’s coming, slut. Except me.” This can’t be happening. I’m not here. I can’t be here. It’s time to take myself away.
The door bangs open, and Airen’s voice echoes through the room. “Abby!” Then gunshots. So many gunshots. The world narrows and slows. Airen’s horrified face, Joseph’s furious eyes, their mouths moving. All I can hear is the thump of my heart in my ears. Hands pull my panties up, and fasten my jeans. I try to talk, to ask what happened, but no sound comes out. I want to reach for Airen, climb into his arms, but it’s like moving through honey.
Airen embraces me, and my head falls to his chest. Chaos rages around me, but I can’t seem to care. The last thing my brain registers is the smell of Airen’s body. He’s got me. One way or another, it’s over.
Chapter Eight
Joseph
Airen’s hand gives mine a quick squeeze as we file out of the laundromat. “Joseph, I want yo
u right behind me. Troy, Jon, watch our backs. Grab the women and kids, get them out however you can, and make sure they know where to hide. Shoot anything with a full grown dick.”
We’ve been over this multiple times, but nerves are kicking in. Nic is going through the same spiel with his group. We put our best marksman in the lead, and the plan is simple. Shoot the men and shoot to kill. There are no innocents here. Child rapists don’t get to plead their case.
Our team enters from the side, smashing through an entrance by the swill filled swimming pool with a battering ram. I can hear glass shattering as Nic’s team breaches the front entrance. A fat, heavily bearded man looks at us in total shock when we crash into the tiny hallway.
“What the fu…?” Airen’s bullet tears through his eye, painting the wall with a spray of blood and brains before he can finish his question. A thin blonde woman holding the hand of a little girl watches him slump to the ground, her eyes wide with terror.
Troy steps forward as Airen and I guard the hall in both directions. “Ma’am! Ma’am!” he grabs her chin. “Take the girl and run. Hide in the laundromat across the street. Understand?”
“They’ll kill us…the babies.” Her head shakes.
“Where are the kids?” Airen asks.
“Last room on the left.”
“None of these men will leave here alive. Go! Now!” Troy orders, pointing to the exit. Finally, the woman yanks the girl away, fleeing to safety.
We clear two more rooms, the sound of gunfire from Nic’s group rattling my chest. The first room is empty, the second houses a tiny scrap of a woman who shoves a young boy behind her. Troy smashes the window and throws a bedspread across the glass, helping them outside. His calm, reassuring voice is a balm in the cacophony of screams, gunshots, and breaking glass.
“Jon took off!” I yell at Airen, realizing he’s gone.
“Fucking coward,” Airen grumbles. “C’mon. We’ll clear these rooms, then join Nic!” he yells over the din. Having no idea what we were walking into, we were afraid of an all out firefight. So far we haven’t even run into an armed enemy. From the sounds of firing from the front of the hotel, I know Nic’s group hasn’t been as fortunate.