Page 9 of Under Her Skin

“God, please,” I whisper. “If you’re real - if you’re out there, please spare her from this. I know it’s too late for my soul, but spare hers. I don’t deserve her, and she doesn’t deserve this. Please, for once in my life, show mercy.” I can’t even find it within myself to feel foolish because escape is inconceivable. I can barely stay conscious, let alone plan a breakout.

“Please, God,” I whisper again. This time, I feel something wet on my face. I’m crying. I don’t know the last time I cried. There’s a building pressure in my chest. Panic follows right behind the tears, and I quickly lose what little control I had on my breathing.

Who am I fucking kidding? God didn’t answer any of my prayers when I pleaded for him to save my mom. Why would he show up now? It doesn’t matter. I would beg for Ava.

“You owe me,” I say between gasping breaths. “You watched me and my mom suffer for years while you sat on your shitty ass metaphysical throne in the fucking sky. You let her suffer and then you let her die. So, you owe me. Ava has to live.” I choke on the words and lean the back of my head against the wall.

I think I sleep, but nothing has changed when I open my eyes. She’s asleep on the table. The wounds on her stomach and legs are an angry red. Some are scabbed but so many have reopened. Her dark hair twists around the pillow, full of tangles.

The man in scrubs tried to brush it at first, but now he occupies himself with different parts of her body during those visits. The memories make me nauseous. Ava will never forgive me for this, but it’s not like I deserve her forgiveness anyways. She should kill both Kiel and me for what’s happened to her. I wouldn’t even fight her. I’d give her the loaded gun myself.

I think I’m asleep again when Ava lifts her head. She scans the room with an alertness I haven’t seen in a long time. It’s as if she can see through the glass because I feel her eyes looking into my very soul. She pulls at her restraints, but gives up when they don’t budge.

I’m sure I’m asleep when both Kiel and the man in scrubs barrel into Ava’s room a few minutes later. They’re disheveled, but Kiel immediately begins preparing a syringe. When he’s injected it into her arm, he waits for her eyes to close before pulling on her restraints. They work together to unbuckle her before Kiel scoops her into his arms. He carries her out the door as the man in scrubs opens mine. He’s through the threshold when Kiel yells after him.

“Leave him! Let’s go!” Doors open, I can now hear alarms echoing from another part of the building. I thrash in my chains, sure the place is in the process of burning down. The skin around my wrist is raw and bloody when I slump back against the wall. There’s no smell of smoke, but the building seems quiet aside from the alarms.

The silence breaks fifteen minutes later when I hear the unmistakable sound of gunshots. Hope flares white hot in my chest at the sound. Thudding footsteps follow a moment later, and Chase Giovanni surveys the room, assault rifle raised. I might be asleep, but I call out anyway.

“Chase! I’m here!” His head whips toward the sound. He looks between the one-way mirror and my door. He keeps the weapon raised as he pushes into the room. When he sees me, he lowers the gun, mouth agape.

“Cal? Jesus Christ, Cal, I’ve got you man. I’ve got you.” I fall forward, but Chase catches me before the chains can.

“Ava’s gone. He took her again,” I groan before I pass out.

10

CAL

The steady beep is the only sound in the room. For a moment, I think I’m at the grocery store, but when the antiseptic scent hits me, I realize where I must be.

Sure enough, when I open my eyes, I’m surrounded by white-washed walls and machinery. For the first time in days, I’m not dizzy when I prop myself up. My wrists and forearms are bandaged. A white cotton blanket slips from my chest as I move.

“Are you cold?” a deep voice asks. I start at the noise and freeze. Chase’s eyes are haunted, but he seems relieved to see me awake. I am a little cold, but I shake my head. My friend studies me for a moment before standing and striding out of the room.

I’m sure he only stayed in the hospital because he felt obligated to make sure I woke up. I’m sure he can’t stand to look at me, let alone be in my presence after letting his sister go through everything. But a few moments later, he walks back in the room holding another blanket. He wordlessly drapes it over me before dropping back into his chair.

“Thank you,” I choke out. My chest is tight, but I feel some relief when he nods. He has dark circles under his eyes as he gives me a little smile.

“Didn’t think you were going to make it for a second. You were close to dead.” I look ahead without responding. The local news flashes across the TV but I can’t make any sense of it. Chase continues. “I’m sorry it took us so long, Cal.” I’ve never heard him sound so gentle. I turn toward his chair.

“Ava?” I ask. My voice is still raspy. Chase stares at me for a few seconds beforeresponding.

“We’re not sure. We got one of his men, but we’re still trying to figure out where he went. But you just need to focus on getting better. We’ll focus on Ava.” I close my eyes. “We’re going to find her, Cal. I swear we will.” His voice is firm now, but I shake my head.

“I should have gotten her out of there.” My voice is unsteady, but I continue. “I should have gotten her out. I don’t know how you can even look at me right now. You should have left me there and gone after Ava.”

“The fuck is this, a pity party?” Chase’s voice is venomous. “You want to die, Drake? That’s too goddamn bad. There’s not a doubt in my mind that you did the best that you could while you were in there. But my sister is gone and there’s no way in hell I’m going to lose my best friend too.” I close my eyes again, breathing through my nose before exhaling from my mouth. I repeat this over and over until I feel like I can look Chase in the eyes.

“I’m sorry. So, what’s the plan?” There’s a quiver in my chest but I force it down. Chase surveys me for a second before responding.

“Why don’t you start with your side of things. I know it might be painful, but

we need to know what we’re looking at.” Deep, terrible dread settles in my gut as I remember how all of this started.

“Kiel called me that night. Told me to meet him somewhere else. He threatened Ava. I had no choice but to go alone.” I clear my throat then continue. “It was the simplest trick in the book. He and his men cornered me and of course he didn’t give Ava back. Ava became collateral and leverage all at once. I didn’t expect what he would do to her. Chase, I-”

My voice breaks off and it takes me several long moments before I can continue. The beep of the machines is the only sound in the room as he waits.

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