Page 120 of Gambler's Fallacy

I wince against the pain, but I swallow my reply. I wonder if telling them who I am would help, but they’d taken my wallet and phone and tossed them out the side of the van while we’d been driving. I don’t have proof of my identity anymore.

“It’s too hot in here,” the third man says. “I’m waiting outside.”

The other two end up following, every bit as eager to get out of the boiling heat. I have to assume there’s a breeze outside. The metal roof on the shack is probably contributing to the heat, too.

Once we’re alone, I tilt my head back so it rests against Seven’s. “Talk to me, pet,” I whisper.

He clings to my hands for dear life. “I told you. I told you they wouldn’t… wouldn’t stop until they got me back,” he chokes out with a strangled laugh. “You… You should’ve let them have me.”

“I should not,” I state. “I’m not going to let you be scared and alone.” I squeeze his hand. “Havoc and Vortex already know we’re missing, and they can track you. As soon as Earl sees me, he’s going to second-guess everything, too.”

“What if they don’t come?” he whispers, despair making his voice crack. “What if no one does? What if they just leave you out here?”

“They’re coming.” I take a deep breath to steady myself. “This isn’t the worst situation I’ve been in, Seven. Vortex has pulled me out of dire straits before. And we both know Havoc won’t stop until he has you back in his arms.”

He nods, but he only says, “Okay.”

I squeeze his hand again. “We’ll get out of this, pet.”

I keep my voice calm, even though internally I’m less sure about everything. If I can talk to Earl, if I can get him to see reason, there’s a chance I’m getting out of this alive. But the three hired goons have no incentive to keep me alive. I’m a liability, in fact, and they’ve already got us out here in the desert where it’d be almost impossible to find my body.

I can’t dwell on that.

“When we’re back,” I say quietly, “I’ll force you to take a bath.”

“Y-yeah?” he asks as softly. “Will you hold me under?” He makes a choked sound that’s a cross between a laugh and a sob. “God, I’m so messed up, aren’t I?”

“No more than any of us,” I answer. “I’ll let Havoc hold youdown. Vortex will bathe you gently. I’ll give all the orders and fuck your ass.”

Seven shivers. “I’ll cry,” he says. “I won’t want you to stop, but I’ll cry because it’s so much. So, so much.”

“That’s fine.” I lean my head back again, rubbing against Seven’s head. “I’ll kiss those beautiful tears of yours.”

He nods, leaning hard against me. “I’m scared,” he admits. “Things were finallygood.”

“They’ll still be good when we get out of this,” I answer. “Earl’s an idiot. He knows he can’t do anything to me.” I pause, then add, “When I negotiate with Earl, remember that everything I say is to get you out. Even if I seem colder, or callous, or say something that might hurt. It’s all for you.”

Seven is silent for several long seconds. “Caleb—” he begins, only to stop again. “Maybe… Maybe you should really think about it.” He sounds tired, and small, and defeated. “You can tell Vortex and Havoc that I’m dead or something. I can take the tracker out. Then they won’t look for me.”

Anger grips me. “No,” I hiss. “That isn’t an option. And if you keep suggesting it, I’m going to have to punish you.”

He huffs out a weak laugh. “I’m always gonna suggest it,” he tells me. “Maybe I kind of want to go back.”

“You don’t,” I answer fiercely. “If you wanted to go back, you wouldn’t have been so terrified when I threatened it. You wouldn’t have fought so hard to escape.”

“It would be easier,” he says, and as much as I wish I could see his face, I don’t want to see this level of despondency on it. “And you’d be safe. I want you to be safe, Caleb.Master. Thank you for giving me something so good, but?—”

“But nothing,” I interrupt. “Nothing is over with.”

“Isn’t it though?” he asks. “This is kinda… the end here.”

“It’s not?—”

The flimsy shack door slams open, interrupting us. Earl steps inside, his hair disheveled, and he stares at me with wide eyes.

“Why?” Earl demands. “Why are you here?”

I squeeze Seven’s hand. “I’d like to know that too, Uncle. You apparently hired the most incompetent men in the city.”

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