Page 77 of Bone Dust

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Savannah

Asavage cry rips through the space, and the air thickens with adrenaline. Like roaches, Drake and the other men scatter as a relieved sob escapes me. A flock of men rush into the old mine, and weapons glint in the pale light. I see a flash of metal in one’s hand, and a knife in another’s. Fearing the danger of a stray bullet, I run, anxious to get Gigi as far from here as I can.

A sliver of pale moonlight hits the mouth of the mine and I rush to the bright ochre color. It's almost close enough that I can touch it, but before I get there, someone snatches my hair and yanks me back.

“Where do you think you’re going, bitch!” Drake’s voice ravages my ears.

He pulls my hair again, and then, just as quickly, releases me. I fall forward, stumbling as Gigi screams. I drop to the ground, pulling her face to my chest, as Ian issues a blow to Drake’s head with the butt of the gun. As he falls, Ian rushes to me, grabs my arm, and pulls me and Gigi up from the dirt floor.

“Come on! We got to get out of here.”

We take off running but before we can escape, a shot fires, and Ian stumbles.

“Ian!” I scream as blood emerges from his shoulder. Gigi throws her arms around my neck, squealing and crying as she squeezes me in a stranglehold. Tears rush down my face as I swallow a sob.

“Fuck!” He pulls at the neck of his T-shirt for a rapid look. “It burns but it just grazed my sholder.” He turns to Gigi. “It’s okay, kiddo.” Sucking in a breath, fury flashes in his eyes. “Get her out of here. Now.” He issues the order through gritted teeth. As I begin to move, I catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye.

Drake looms in the background, moving toward me and Gigi. My heart pounds as I run from the mine and burst out of the entrance and into the night air. It’s chilly and she’s wet but I keep running, bouncing Gigi on my hip as I heave for air. I keep running until I can no longer hear anything or anyone, just Gigi’s terrified sobs.

I pull her close, soothing her as I rub her arms to warm her skin. “I wanna go home.” She nestles against me, her cries now joining with hiccups.

“I know, baby. It’s okay.”

“Momma!” Gigi screams and points as men approach. I grab her up and take a step back.

“Don’t come any closer!”

“We won’t hurt you. Where’d they go?” The man’s gruff voice chills me as, confused, I point to the mine.

The group goes past us, but one pauses to peel off his jacket. “Here. Put this around her.”

In a stupor, I nod, at a loss for words. I take the leather and wrap it around my little one. I don’t know where I am and there’s nowhere to go, so I drop to the ground as Gigi hooks her legs around my waist and rests her head against my chest.

Minutes tick by. The clouds have disappeared, and we sit in the moonlight, waiting as time passes painfully slow. Gigi’s passed out against me. Both of us shiver. It could be fear, the cold, or a combination of both. My nerves are still on edge and, when I hear a noise, I spring to my feet so I can grab her and run.

“Savannah!”

I recognize Ian’s voice, and a cry explodes from my chest. Relief washes over me as he comes near. When we lock eyes, he gives me a look with an intensity I’ve never seen. It cuts straight to my heart and takes my breath away. He lifts Gigi from my arms, and I fall into him as he presses a kiss to her head. Sam’s behind him.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

I nod.

He glances at Gigi. “She okay?”

“She’s wet and cold.”

She lifts her head from Ian’s shoulder. “I wanna go home,” she whimpers, breaking my heart.

“You are chickadee.” Sam forces a smile that quickly flatlines. “You’re shivering.”

“I’s wet.” Her voice is hoarse and gruff, like an old woman who’s spent years in a smoky bar.

Sam’s eyes fill with concern. “Let’s get her warm before the cold sets in her bones.” He turns to the man beside him and extends his hand. “Jameson.”

It’s the man who gave me the jacket. He's tall and looks like Sam. His hair isn’t as silver but is just as thick. With broad shoulders and thick, ropey arms the two look nearly identical.

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