Page 108 of Between the Lies

Nina gritted her teeth. Human trafficking never gave anyone any power or a potential future. And while Nina helped people learn the truth, Anne betrayed their hopes.

Robert shuffled, inching closer to Nina. Anne whirled round, knife held up. ‘Stay right there.’

‘You traffic innocent women, make them live terrible lives and profit off of them.’ Robert shook his head. ‘No matter how you explain it, it’s shameful.’

‘What should I do? Pay for their uni tuition instead?’

Robert’s jaw set at that comment, and Nina remembered Daisy mentioning the huge fight they’d had when Robert had used the money he’d saved for IVF treatment at a private clinic on Daisy’s tuition. Robert laughed, and finally a single tear slid down his cheek. Even in the dim light, it glinted. ‘You were never pregnant, Anne.’

‘It was fun to see you break every time I gave you the news,’ Anne snarled. ‘As if I’d haveyourchild.’

That was it. Nina had heard enough vitriol from this woman. Besides, their wee surprise was late – really late.

She scooted forward on her knees, then shoved her shoulders straight into Anne’s legs. Those heels weren’t such a great choice now, were they? The bitch crumpled to the ground, and the knife skittered against the dirty floor.

Anne screamed just a second before Robert leaped into action. Footsteps, then hands grabbed Nina. But she rolled, despite the pain it caused her hands – then kicked out. Her feet collided with a wall of human muscle. She aimed lower the second time, jack-knifing.

‘Argh!’ She’d hit home.

From her right, there was more yelling and punching.

Then Anne screamed again. ‘Get ’em!’

No chance in hell. Nina crunched into a foetal position, then jabbed her feet into the man’s knees… She— Oh hell!

Pratt, the thug who’d previously abducted her at the airport, picked her up like she weighed no more than a bag of puffed rice and barked something in a language she didn’t recognise. Fuck this. When society had restricted her, she’d fought back. And with Pratt restraining her, Nina reacted, relaxing her entire body, so she became dead weight. He grunted and then dropped her, which gave her just enough time to ram her knees into his nose.

A crack echoed throughout the room, and Pratt staggered back, instinctually reaching for his face. Once more, Nina raised her feet and kicked straight into the buff man’s family jewels. Over the years, she’d realised that was the quickest way to impair a man.

And with the slight heels on her boots, Nina’s second kick to the man’s nuts had the behemoth crumpling to the floor.

Nina grinned. ‘Softie.’

She struggled over to him and used his body as cover. He still squirmed, but his width hid her from the other attackers.

On the other side of the room, Robert fought. He’d somehow freed his cuffed hands and looked to have grabbed the knife Anne had been brandishing. But him against five men… he wouldn’t last long.

Wait, five men? Nina’s eyes darted around. She’d only felled two, and Robert… Well, he’d injured a few of the men attacking him, but judging by the ribboned remains of his T-shirt, they’d also got him good.

What had happened to the rest of the bevy?

Looking around, Nina noticed two things – no Anne or Dickheadson, and the smell of kerosene.

A memory slammed into her. The same pungent odour fighting with the overpowering stench of blood. Jonas writhing on the floor, and Nina – bound, gagged and groggy.

Just like she felt right then.

Athunkdrew Nina out of her flashback. The giant was moving again. Hell no!

Nina kicked the man in the side, knowing it wouldn’t affect him. But he moved, slightly, giving her exactly what she searched for – a knife, tucked into his belt. She grabbed the hilt and tried to saw through her binds, but the knife clattered to the floor. Damn it!

Once more, Nina picked it up, this time holding the other side of the blade, and nicked her own skin. ‘Fuck!’ She tried once more, angling the blade so it found the rope.

Fuck, how had Robert freed himself from actual freaking metal cuffs when she struggled to get the ropes off?

Grunting, Nina angled the knife and tried again. Pratt must have recently sharpened the thing, because it sliced through the thick rope like it was molten butter.

Nina turned and cut through the ties holding her feet together. Then she pulled the gag out and shook herself.

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