Page 38 of Lost in Her
I don’t want to kill more men if I don’t have to.
Shawn and I make our way through the trees and out into the alley.Our club is closed tonight.Shawn made sure to make it clear to everyone to stay clear of the club.We don’t want anyone to get hurt from the fire.
We have the insurance in place with the club because we know it will burn as well, but it has to.We have to make it look like the studio wasn’t the target, but the community will know it was.We haven’t been hiding our feelings toward the studio or Tristan.We all have been pretty loud about what is going on, which is odd because normally we keep everything quiet.
But with Tristan I am learning nothing stays quiet.We had to get ahead of him and state our side before he stated his.
The city knows we are at war with Tristan and most of them are on our side but there are some that want what he is doing to continue.I will never understand why a man would want to force a woman to be with him.
I take a deep breath as I reach behind my back and grab the gun from the back of my pants.I look at Shawn doing the same as we walk up the steps to the back door.
Shawn kicks in the door and leans down, placing the liquor bottle against the brick wall.They are stupid to not have a metal door.But Tristan has remodeled the studio since Gael died and he made some big mistakes when he made the changes.I walk through the doorway, Shawn on my heels as we make our way down the hallway.Shawn and I both start kicking in each door.
Each girl is passed out from substances—it looks like Tristan decided to continue what Gael was doing to them, drugging them to make it easier to control them.
I quickly gather one of the girls in my arms and make my way out of the sex room and down the hallway, out the broken door and down the stairs.Shawn has been getting as many as he can—he is a fucking beast right now.I make my way to the car and place the girl in the back seat.We have only found four.
“We have to go back inside,” Shawn says, catching his breath.
I nod and we both take off running back through the trees and back into the studio.We pass the broken-down doors, kicking in every fucking door we find.But no more girls.
“I think we got them all,” I whisper as I lift my gun.I can feel my heart starting to race as we stand still and listen, listen for anything or anyone.
But the place is silent, so fucking silent.Too fucking silent.
I turn and look at Shawn, his breathing steady, his body still as he holds his gun pointing down the hallway.
He turns and looks at me his eyes searching mine.
I turn back to the sound I know we both heard.I look down the hallway and see a cracked door.“Ethan,” Shawn whispers in a worried voice.
“I know.”
“Let’s go.”Shawn is trying to convince me.I know we should.I know the plan is going the way we have hoped.But there is a strong part of me that wants to go through that door and kill whoever the fuck is in there.
They would never show us mercy.They never showed any of these women mercy, or Jenn, so why the fuck should I?
I feel my heart racing with my dark thoughts.The same dark thoughts I know Shawn was worried about me having.
So, I do the only thing I know will protect Shawn and the girls we just saved.I nod and slowly start backing up.The men must be in that room.So much for not killing anyone.
Shawn and I both back down the hallway keeping our guns pointed toward the open door.As we back out of the broken door, Shawn lowers his gun and grabs the lighter from his pocket.
I watch him lean down and grab the liquor bottle he left right outside the door.He flicks on the lighter and puts it underneath the cloth that is sticking out of the bottle.The cloth takes the flame.
Shawn takes a deep breath then throws the bottle into the hallway.We both watch it shatter against the wall.
I hold my breath as we both watch the flame starting to grow, catching onto the cloth on the wall.Soon this whole place will go up in flames.
“Ethan, come on.”
“Wait,” I say as calmly as I can, my heart racing with what I know I am about to do.
“Ethan.”Shawn is speaking louder, trying to get my attention.
“Shawn, go to the car.”I am keeping my eyes on the growing flames.I know.I know if I fucking look at him, I will go with him.And I can’t.I just fucking can’t.I have to make sure there are no loose ends.
I keep my gun pointed down the hallway.Soon those fuckers will smell the smoke and come running.We can’t risk them getting out and surviving.
