Page 96 of Coerced

“Sentimental means pathetic and lame. No. That’s colored by my bias. It’s not pathetic or lame to be sentimental, I guess. This is harder than I would have thought!” He was quiet for a minute, then said, “Sentimental just means emotional, like in a soft way.”

As I thought about that, I heard his breathing even out in sleep. I wished I could escape to dreamland, too. Every time I closed my eyes, though, I sawherwhite face when I told her not to touch me. That chased sleep away right quick.

I reached between my bed and the wall and pulled up what I’d stashed there earlier. Her scent clung to the backpack, and I was tempted to take Sir Martin out because that’s where it would be the richest. It would start to fade over time, though, and I didn’t wanna waste any. I was gonna need all the grounding I could get until I found her.

Curling around the backpack, I was finally able to fall asleep.

25. Monkey

Gemma

We heard constant noises on the other side of the garage door. Demons chittering. A few human voices. Foot traffic. Vehicles. We couldn’t see out any of the windows, though, and could only guess what was going on and where we were.

Since it was the biggest piece of furniture in the room, we used the workstation as a table and laid out all of the items we had in our pockets. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a phone among us. Those who had them on their person during the ambush came up empty-handed, and I was glad I’d left mine in my backpack.

The sum total of our assets came to a tin of mints, a packet of tissues and one of gum, three lip balms, Jax and Spin’s wallets and everyone’s watches, Chance’s pocket knife, three combs, some spare change, dental floss, and a few chocolate candies.

I crossed my arms as I surveyed our meager resources.

What I wouldn’t give for even a little duct tape.If I’d only had time to grab my pack. I should have it kept on!

“Gemma.” Spin broke into my thoughts and I looked over at him, then followed his line of sight.

Our stray was up and walking toward the bathroom, shedding the quilt from her shoulders as if unaware it was even there. Spin hadn’t moved from where he’d stationed himself on the stool, but he looked worried.

“It’s okay, Spin.” I absently noted the girl appeared to be about Gigi’s height. “It’s a good thing.”

He didn’t look reassured. He frowned and his eyes stayed glued to the bathroom door until the girl emerged. She walked past him and sat down on the quilt, pulled her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. Her stare was as vague as ever.

I watched with amusement as Spin went over to a cot, grabbed another blanket, and hesitantly held it out to the girl.

“Here,” he half-growled. “Take it.”

The girl stayed still and I wasn’t surprised. Spin began to inch forward with a determined look on his face. He kept moving until he was close enough, then draped the blanket around the girl’s shoulders with awkward care.

Oh. He’s kind, this boy, and sweet. Like my Kerry, he has a good heart waiting for someone to help excavate it.

When the girl didn’t shrink away from him, he must have taken it as a positive sign. He smiled and knelt in front of her, his knees brushing her toes.

“Hello, in there.” He cocked his head to one side. “I’m Spin. I hope you can come back soon, but don’t worry. I’ll watch over you until you do.”

Then he covered the girl’s feet with the edge of her blanket, fetched another one for himself, and settled near her on the floor. He braced his back against the workstation and stretched his legs out in front of him, then crossed his arms over his chest.

“Try talking to her some more,” I suggested. “Coma victims who wake up often report that they could hear everything happening around them. And she might like the sound of your voice.”

“What should I talk about?”

“Anything.”

While the rest of us took turns in the shower, Spin spent the afternoon telling story after story. I listened as he told the girl about growing up in New Jersey, surrounded by his huge, close-knit family, most of whom seemed to be firefighters and police officers.

He had two older half-brothers who hadn’t treated him very nicely when he was little. While he laughed off their antics, I was incensed by them, especially when he spoke of the summer they’d broken both his arms.

I hope I meet up with his two brothers one day.

“Gemma.”

At Jax’s whisper, I glanced over at him. He jerked his head toward Spin and I swung around to see what was happening.

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