Page 49 of Masked Darling

“Everyone has the same story,” Jagger replied, voice steady. “Just like Jazlyn and Camille said, the girls were prepped on what to say and they texted me the same. The girls all escaped from the Inn tonight and barely got away. Scales and Gremlin happened upon them on their way to work here tonight and called us because our girls were there. Scales got hurt fighting the men off as they drove us to the hospital with Jazlyn and Camille as backup. The men all fled.”

“What do you mean Scales got hurt?” Sadie demanded, grabbing Jagger’s arm so he’d look at her.

Jagger squeezed the small hand on his arm reassuringly. “He’s going to be alright, Sweets. Bullet went clean through.”

Madison frowned, confusion etched on her face. “But what about all their bikes? And your bar? I mean, it’s going to be traced back to here.”

“It won’t be,” Kade said matter-of-factly. “If there’s anything the Rebels are good at, it’s cleaning up messes. All evidence of them is gone by now.”

Jagger nodded in agreement, his eyes meeting Madison’s with a calmness she appreciated more than she could say. “Trust me, we’ve been through this before. By the time anyone shows up to ask questions, there won’t be anything to find.”

Madison took a deep breath, clearly trying to process everything. “I just... I don’t want you guys to get in trouble for helping us.”

“We won’t,” Kade promised.

Jagger glanced at his fiancé, then back at Kade and Madison. “We should go.”

The group moved toward the door, their footsteps echoing in the bar now that the music had long since stopped playing. Kade kept a protective arm around Madison as they walked, keeping the blanket closed tight over her naked body.

As they stepped outside, the cool night air hit them, a stark contrast to the tension inside. The parking lot was empty save for a few bikes–theirs, and a couple cars.

Jagger led the way to an older vehicle, Sadie’s dusty Camry, unlocking it with a click. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

As they made their way to the car, Madison’s eyes caught movement by the dumpster and she gasped as she clutched Kade’s hand. She stopped short, peering into the shadows. “Wait. There’s someone there.”

Jagger and Kade tensed, ready for a fight, but Madison stepped forward, her voice soft and clear. “It’s okay. You can come out now.”

One of the women she’d been held captive with emerged slowly, her eyes wide with fear and mistrust. She was shivering in her short black cotton dress, her breath visible in the cool night air as she hugged herself tightly.

Madison’s eyes widened in recognition. “It’s the girl with the braids,” she whispered to herself.

Sadie immediately shrugged off her blanket and hurried over, wrapping it around the girl’s shoulders, not caring that it left her in next to nothing in return. “You’re freezing,” she said gently. “Here, take this.”

The young woman looked at them with such a scared expression on her face, clutching the blanket tightly around herself.

“Where are they?” She asked, looking around.

“The men are dead,” Jagger stated plainly.

“All of them?” She still hadn’t moved from her spot.

“All of them,” Kade chimed in and moved to stand beside Madison. “The rest of the girls have been taken to the hospital. Why didn’t you go with them?”

Long braids swung over her blanketed shoulders as she shook her head.

“I didn’t know what was happening. I mean–there was so much blood. There were only a few of us left in there. The other girls must have left before me, so I was there when they started shooting. I don’t want to go anywhere.”

Sadie accepted Jagger’s Rebel jacket over her shoulders as she approached the girl again, keeping her movements slow so as not to scare her. “That was me. I’m so sorry, I should have waited until all of you were out but I couldn’t chance it. They were going to figure it out and I had to–I had to, I’m so sorry–” Sadie choked on a silent sob as she apologized, knowing she had a part in her terror from that night.

“It’s over now,” Madison assured her. “We’re going to the hospital. You should come with us.” She paused for a moment before adding, “I promise you’re safe now. Let’s get you checked out and back home, okay?”

Jagger nodded towards the car, signaling that it was time to go before they drew attention to themselves being out in the open like this.

“No one is going to hurt you anymore,” he said gently. “But it’s important that we make sure you all get medical care tonight. I’m not sure what happened while you all were with Green Light but it’s better to check, alright?”

“Okay,” she said finally. “Okay, I’ll go.”

Jagger led them back to Sadie’s car as he got in the driver’s seat. The girls all sat beside each other with the woman between Madison and Sadie. Once they were all settled inside, Kade glanced back at the girls as they pulled out of the parking lot, then through the back window. All traces of Green Light gone.

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