Page 13 of Savage Sin

“You’re not special. We were all drugged and woke up here. Now shut the fuck up.”

I open my eyes, and freedom is right in front of me. Pain aside, I slowly push to my feet and make sure I’m not going to nose dive before I try to walk. Why they’re not all running for the light, I don’t know. Fear does funny things to people. For me, it’s the juice in my batteries. My head is still spinning, but I’m not hallucinating. The bastard who came in here left the door open.

“We are literally all in the same boat here, so mind keeping your snark to yourself. I didn’t put you here, so don’t take it out on me,” I grit sourly, my patience wearing thin.

This time, the silence is a gift.

I crawl forward a few inches when my hand brushes up against something.

I can’t believe it. I break out in a silent prayer, pick up the flash drive and tighten my fist around it.

Sweet Jesus. It’s a miracle.

I don’t know what kind of break I’m getting here, or if some guardian angel is taking pity on me, but I’m not one to ask a lot of questions before running.

Freedom is literally beyond that door. I can feel it in my bones.

“How many of you are there?” I ask briskly and slowly push to my feet. My knees shake, but I hold my body weight.

I can’t save them all. But I can try. “Never mind that. How many ofthemare there?” I stumble over a body and kick at a couple more to get their attention.

“Everyone up.” I hiss. Screw being quiet. It’s time to raise some hell. I clutch my side and bite through the pain. The sliver of light pushing through a crack in the door is a beacon of hope. “If you want out of here, follow me. If anyone tells me to shut up and hide again, I’ll leave them behind.

My bravado cracks when another round of bullets ping off the hull of the ship. This time, they sound closer. Way close. Like right outside…

“Oh, shit!” I hit the deck the second the metal door swings open and men barge in. White dots fill my vision and the pain radiating throughout my body nearly pulls me under.

I fight the darkness.

Cries for help and shrills of terror turn everything into chaos. Black clothes, bullet-proof vests and guns ping on my oh-shit-meter. Those three add up to big trouble. Like I don’t have enough of that already. I crab walk backward until a wall stops my progress out of the line of fire.

I wish I could twitch my nose or click my heels and be almost anywhere but here the instant one of the men spots me. Dirty blonde hair and a look of wildfire in his eyes are a warning of what is about to happen. And I am powerless to stop it.

Bright light blinds me and then I find myself hefted off the floor and slung over a hulking shoulder. I try to fight him, but the pain barreling through me is so intense the dots in front of my eyes block everything for precious moments.

“Put me down,” I hear myself say, but there’s no strength behind my fight. I favor my left and take some of the pressure off my stitches. We’re moving fast. Am I being rescued? Or kidnapped from my kidnappers? Does it matter right now?

Yes!A voice in my head screams.Yes, it matters!

God, my side is screaming for mercy and I’m tempted to stuff my mouth full of the pills in my hand.

My hands!

I tighten my fingers around the pill bag in one and the flash drive in the other. Both are the only proof I have of the evil going on back at thehacienda.

I shake my head and swallow until the urge to vomit subsides. Beams of light shoot this way and that, catching the fear on the women’s faces. Their tearful eyes and lean faces burn into my memory.

Pounding against my skull and the pain firing off from my side leaves me gasping for air and trying to fight my way off the mammoth who is carrying me.

“No, I need to help them! Put me down!”

“Be still!”

I assumed from the second I cracked my eyes open, I would have to fight for my life somehow. But this…this I never saw coming.

Rough hands clutch my thighs, ass and anywhere else he can get a good hold as he ducks low and steps out of the black hole they stuffed me in. Light stings my eyes, but this time it’s not as harsh. A few blinks and my prison comes into clear view.

“Put me down. I have to go back for them.” I don’t know them, but a sense of responsibility fists around my heart and squeezes. “I have too!” They are there because of me. Because of my family. I have to do all I can to help them.

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