Page 85 of Never Gonna Lie
He must sense my determination because he throws his arms in the air in defeat, exclaiming, “Ah fuck, who needs to be a lawyer anyway? Let’s go get ourselves killed.”
I slap him upside his head before pulling out my Glock G17 from my back that I’d stashed before we left.
“Jesus fucking Christ!” Theo whisper-yells. “I did not see that, I did not see that,” he mumbles to himself, placing his hands over his eyes. “I know nothing. Absolutely fucking nothing.”
“You coming or what?” I grit out.
Theo grumbles something unintelligible, and I storm over to the entrance, gun held high. I was trained in weapons when I was sixteen. Dear old Dad said a man should always be able to protect himself and his family. I don’t know why, my father hated his family, so who the fuck he was protecting, I’ll never know. I’ve never had to use a gun, but that might quickly change.
Slowly moving through the dark corridors with Theo close behind, I check for movement, but it looks clear. Each room we pass—most of them only used for storage—is completely empty.
“This is fucking creepy.” Theo shudders next to me. “I’m just waiting for that creepy clown,IT, to jump out at me and say, ‘Hi, Theo.’” He brushes up closer to me, clutching my jacket.
“Shh, keep your voice down,” I chastise, glancing back at him. “They could still be here.”
“Sorry,” he mumbles. “You know I get chatty when I’m nervous.”
I raise a brow at him but continue down the hallway. “You’re chatty all the time. You’re like the fucking Energizer bunny on steroids.”
“It’s the meds.”
I come to a stop as I hear voices further down. I gesture with my head to Theo, and we slowly creep toward the sound.
“She goes with the Sheriff. I want her to pay for what he did.”
Not hearing the reply, I press up against the door that’s slightly ajar, looking to see who’s in the room. Two guys in black tactical gear are standing surrounded by storage containers, and a feeling of dread works its way through me.
What the fuck is in them?
The person who kidnapped my girl turns around, and I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut. “Motherfucker.”
Chapter Fifty-Seven
RAVEN
Shouts and gunfire jolt me awake again, and I lie there unable to do anything. Unable to shout or call for help. Unable to move or get myself out of here. I’ve never felt so fucking useless before. Mia, Lauren, or Sydney would never have been this weak; they would’ve fought back. They would’ve doneanythingother than sit and wait for their demise.
Tears stream down my face as I throw my pity party. My hands are still bound, so I can’t even wipe the wetness away. My shoulder protests with any kind of movement after being thrown on the floor.
The door crashes open, and someone in full tactical gear shouts, “Asset attained.”
I don’t know what that means. Is he here to help me or kill me?
They hold their hands up, moving toward me slowly. “I’m here to help.”
Oh, thank god.
“Can you move?” they ask. It could be a man or a woman, but with the helmet on, I can’t be sure.
My eyes are wide, trying to convey that I can’t move, can’t speak, can’t do anything other than let someone save me as fear holds me frozen in its chokehold. They take my silence as my answer and lean down, gently picking me up, and cradling me against them like I’m a baby, and right now, that wouldn’t be an unfair assessment.
My savior walks us through the building, but I keep dropping in and out of consciousness as we move. They stop, unbolting a door, and a bright light blinds me. My eyes water at the intrusion on my senses.
“Raven,” a voice frantically shouts. Footsteps pound against the floor, getting louder the closer they get.
Dad?
I’m jostled from one person to another as he speaks again. “I’ve got you, pumpkin.” His voice breaks, and he holds me closer. “I’ve got you.”
