Page 59 of Tainted Love

“You said to stop screaming.”

I sigh and strengthen my grip on her as we near the house. “Just stop everything, okay?”

“Asshole.”

I carry her up the stairs, this time not bothering to watch whether she strikes the wall. She hisses and growls at me and my lips curl as I take her down the hall to the master bedroom and toss her down onto the old bed. The iron frame squeaks as she bounces into place.

“Ow!” She glares at me. “Be gentle!”

“Oh, we’re way past gentle, Ms. Vaughn...”

I unzip the gray bag and feel inside for the hard, metal rings.

She spots the handcuffs and her jaw drops. “No! Don’t you dare!”

I grab her left arm as she tries to roll away and slap one cuff onto her wrist, quickly clicking it as tight as it’ll go.

“Can’t say you didn’t ask for this…” I say, locking the other cuff around the ancient iron bars of the headboard.

She tugs against her restraint and tries to slip the cuff off her small wrist but it’s far too tight. “You can’t keep me locked up like this!”

“No?”

“No!”

“Says who?”

Lucy pulls at the cuff again, growling through her teeth. “I have rights.”

“Not out here you don’t.”

“You’re really going to leave me here like this?”

I grin. “You’re actually pretty cute when you’re pissed off.”

Rage washes over her eyes and she tugs at her wrist again, getting absolutely nowhere.

“Now, stay put like I told you,” I say as I leave her.

“Fuck you.”

I head back outside and walk down the driveway to retrieve the car. This time, I take the keys with me and lock the damn doors after I park beside the house.

I knew she was hell-bent on revenge, but I didn’t think she’d be so stupid about it. If Snake Eyes taught me anything, it’s that you never make a decision based on emotion. You wait. You plan. You choose the correct strategy before ever taking the first step. Going after the Zappia family isn’t the kind of thing you just jump into without careful thought and planning first.

It’s probably best avoided altogether but that’s never stopped me before.

It won’t stop her either.

Chapter 19

Lucy

The lights flicker on overhead. I guess that jackass got the generator running.

I try to think of every action movie I’ve ever seen. There’s always that one scene where someone dislocates their thumb to get out of handcuffs. I usually turn away at that point because even that small popping sound effect is enough to make me cringe. I’m kind of pissed I didn’t pay more attention before. That information would have come in handy right about now.

There’s no way I’m slipping out of this cuff. It’s too tight and I’m too squeamish to hurt myself. This old bed is solid. These iron bars aren’t bending. The entire frame was welded together so it’s not breaking for me anytime soon.

---