Page 106 of Redemption
I whip the pillowcase in his direction, trying my best to loop it around the cattle prod and dislodge it from his fist, but the flimsy thing isn’t helping me at all.
Worst. Weapon. Ever.
You lied, Jackie!
I throw that plan out the window and go full psycho, screaming like a fucking banshee as I run right for him. At the last second, I leap onto the bastard, wrapping my legs around his waist before lifting the pillowcase and throwing it over his head. He screams as I tighten it around his throat, strangling him as I hurl my body to the right and slam his head into the wall over and over again. It makes a nice rhythm, and I’m tempted to start singingBaby Sharksince it’s just fucking perfect and is so utterly ridiculous it would be amazing, but I hold myself back. They already think I’m completely Looney Tunes; no need to confirm it.
I almost have a good enough grip to break his neck when two more come from behind and yank me off him, splaying me out on the floor like a damn starfish.
“Fucking hell. If David didn’t want you for Ascension, I’d kill you right now.” Spit flies at my face as they hold me down. I arch my back to try to push them off, but it’s no use. The four of them working in tandem easily overpower me. “Lucky for you, your tests came back, and he likes what he sees. It’s off to Ascension House for you!”
“Fuck you!” I yell, tossing some saliva back up at him and returning the favor. Instead of recoiling, however, he just laughs, the sinister sound promising to haunt my dreams long after I leave this room. His buddy moves in closer and, not even a second later, a sharp pain pricks my neck.
Son of a bitch.
More fucking sedatives.
These must be stronger than the last ones because I instantly lose my strength, my surroundings melding together like a diluted oil painting. Before I realize what’s happening, I’m lifted into the air and hauled out of the room.
Despite fighting them as much as I can, the drugs force my racing pulse to slow. My breathing turns imperceptible, and my head becomes too heavy to hold up, lolling to the side as my strength leaves me. I turn it at the last second, glancing towards the door across the hall while trying to force my unwilling lips to cooperate and call for Aly. To warn her. Tell her I love her. And then...
I finally see her as she exits the room. Perfect. Beautiful. Undeniably, my Aly. My heart would leap if it could at the close proximity to my fucking source of happiness and overall reason for living. Most importantly, she’s ok. She’s not chained up or being abused like I was. Not a mark on her either. From what I can see, those fucks didn’t do anything to her.
Thank. Fucking. God.
I try to say something—anything—to her, but my stupid mouth refuses to work. I’m barely able to move my lips, let alone force a sound out of my chest besides a low groan.
It’s enough, though.
She sees me.
Her mouth parts as she takes me in, the state they’ve reduced me to. Embarrassment floods my consciousness but is tamped down by victory. I’ve found her. She’s right here. I can tell Cole, and, together, we can get her out of here.
“Come on, hurry up, guys. Let’s get this bastard to Ascension House before he wakes up. Asshole is enough of a prick when he’s sedated. I don’t wanna deal with him while he’s lucid.”
They hoist me higher amongst them, moving faster down the hall. The sudden jostling of my subdued state reminds me that I’m not about to be doing any sort of rescuing anytime soon. And, of course, of all the rotten luck, Cole is nowhere to be seen, and his shift doesn’t start for another hour or so.
We round the corner towards the stairs, and, at the last second, the guy she came in with turns my way. The one with the military-issued boots. Tall... dark hair... tan skin... familiar eyes.
Wait...
Chapter Forty-Three
Aly
Hawk.
Oh my God.
I found him.
Thankfully, the candles lining the hallway were bright enough that I was able to identify him, but I’m not even sure how. His face... it was barely recognizable.
Bruises. So many of them. His face and body were covered. Black. Blue. Purple. Some were even turning greenish yellow. What did they do to him?
At first, all I noticed was someone being hauled off like a rag doll in the arms of those four guys. But then...
I saw him.
