Page 188 of Devil's Bargain

I scream again when she pulls on me. I know it’s my best friend somewhere deep inside, but my body hasn’t realized it. My body still fights for its life.

“Please help me, guys! She’s moving away, and it pulls the chain tighter around her throat. She’s panicking!”

Hands grab me. I scream until I’m hoarse and can’t scream anymore. It’s not until I’m wrapped up in a set of strong arms that I begin to calm down. I know this smell. I am safe in these arms. I burrow in deeper, protesting when hands untangle the chain from around my neck.

“How long has she been chained naked like an animal?”

Ben.I look up. “Ben?”

He crouches down in front of me, brushing my hair away from my face. “I’m here! We’re all here!”

My face crumbles. “He was going to kill me!”

The arms around me tighten.

“I know!” Ben whispers, scanning his brown eyes over my face.

“Rick?” I ask, clutching the lapels of his jacket.

He buries his nose in my hair. “Ssshh!”

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” I’m sobbing.

“I know. I’m sorry too! I should have believed you!”

“Is he dead?” I ask, peering at the body on the floor.

“No,” he whispers, removing his letterman jacket and draping it over my bare shoulders. “Ben knocked him out with a baseball bat.”

“How are we going to remove this chain from around her ankle?” Dallas asks, inspecting it.

“There must be a key around here somewhere. Josh, search his pockets.”

The overhead fluorescent light comes on. I blink against the brightness as I watch them hunt every corner of the bare room.

“Nothing in his pockets.”

“Where’s his office?”

I speak up. “There’s paid staff living in this house. Be careful.”

Nina crouches down in front of me. Her kind eyes are glassy with remorse as she brushes her thumb over my bruised cheek. “I’m so sorry for everything! How long have you been down here?”

I wince when Matt tries to tear the chain off with his bare hands. He’s strong, but he’s not that strong. He roars in frustration and tries again.

“I don’t know, I lost track of time. There’s no light to go by. It’s always dark.”

Her eyes fill with tears. “We tried to get to you sooner.”

Ben comes running down the stairs with a pair of bolt cutters. “These will have to do!”

“Only you can find a pair of bolt cutters in a place this big,” Josh says, jogging down the stairs after him.

“Well, finding a key here is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

“Are you okay?” Ben whispers as he goes to cut the chain.

My eyes drop to the cutters in his hand. “Please, Ben.”

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