Page 71 of Knight
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Gwen
I swore I heard the faint, distant sound of motorcycle engines, but I was so disoriented that I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it or not.
I closed my eyes and hoped it would be over soon.
“Oh, look at that!” she squealed with delight. “I didn’t even have to send him a picture. Well, sorry about all that, Gwenie. Please forgive me.”
I heard the telltale sound of duct tape and a moment later, I felt the cold strip press firmly against my mouth.
“Shhh. Not a word. We wouldn’t want to kill the surprise, right?”
Her evil giggle rang out and I tried my damnedest to fight the dizziness that was threatening to pull me under.
She retreated out of my line of sight and I wondered if she’d left the room altogether. I closed my eyes, forcing my ears to track any sort of movement, but the place had gone creepily quiet.
Fear shot up my spine. Every part of my body struggled against the duct tape that rendered me helpless. The hairs and skin ripped as I frantically moved around. The tape over my mouth dulled my scream to nothing more than a muffled moan.
That was when it hit me. The damn spring or whatever that had been poking me. I flopped about until I was sitting up. With awkward movements, I twisted around so I could see what and where it was.
Oh, thank God.
It had been a spring and I could see the pointed end jutting out. I dove for it, turning in the process. I did my best to hold it still with the tips of my fingers as I worked the tape back and forth against the sharp end. I had no idea if I was getting anywhere until I felt one end tear and become loose. I worked faster and before I knew it, I was able to rip my wrists free.
I figured since I was able to do such a thing that Tara must have left the room. I scanned the area just to be sure and when I didn’t see anything, I moved to release my ankles. Taking in a deep breath and holding it in, I rolled my lips between my teeth as much as I could and pulled at the tape over my mouth with a quick jerk. It was all I could do to trap the scream of pain in my throat.
“Gwen,” Sketch’s voice whispered from somewhere behind me. Since I’d only seen Tara come in and out through the one entrance, I had no idea how he’d gotten in here. Not that I gave a crap right then. He was there and I wasn’t sure if I felt relieved or terrified. We still weren’t safe and he had no idea about her plans. “Where the fuck is she?”
“I don’t know,” I whispered, my eyes scanning the room frantically. “Where is Knight? She’s going to kill him. We have to save him.”
“Shit,” he whispered harshly as his eyes raked over my battered body. He pulled off his cut and then his t-shirt. Before I knew it, he was sliding his shirt over my head. “He’s going to skin her when he sees what she did to you. I wouldn’t worry, if I were you. Come on, we have to get out of here.”
He whipped out his phone after he put his cut back on. His eyes barely looked at the screen as he typed something out. I guessed he was letting someone know he’d found me.
“No, I’m not leaving him. And my dad. And the brothers. I can’t just leave. I have to save them.” I all but begged even though I knew it was pointless as well as stupid.
“Gwen,” he said in a tone that was not one to argue with. “Your ankles are bleeding. Can you walk?”
“I think so,” I said as I pushed my way to stand. Everything was sore and stiff but other than that, I could function.
“Baby,” Knight’s voice called out just as he rounded the corner into the room. “Fuck!” he roared the moment he laid eyes on me.
Then his feet were carrying him to me with lightning speed and I all but fell into his arms the second he was close enough. I breathed in his scent feeling safe as it wrapped around me.
I saw a flash of movement over his shoulder. Wild eyes and blonde hair sprinted towards Knight and I couldn’t even open my mouth to get the words out to warn him. With all my strength, I pushed him to the side. He stumbled out of the way right as the knife she was wielding sliced down, narrowly missing his shoulder.
Before I could blink, Knight and Sketch had their guns trained on her.
“Wait. Don’t!” I screamed.
Mouse came out of nowhere and took her down to the ground, rendering her helpless as he yanked the knife out of her hand and tossed it across the room.
“Gwen?” Knight asked, his voice vibrating with anger.
“She needs help, Knight,” I said honestly.
Did I want her dead for what she’d put us all through? Yes, maybe a little. But I also knew that I didn’t want any of this on their shoulders, especially Knight’s.
