Page 126 of Menace

“Send out the call, Byte, church in twenty minutes.” Maniac ordered then looked at Lucky. “We’re goin’ to bring them home, brother, just a little longer and they will be home safe.”

Lucky nodded, he badly wanted to believe it.

Believe that his woman and baby boy were safe.

But, his gut feel said differently.

Something bad was coming.

THIRTY FIVE

Harper

I woke on the cold steel table, shivering violently, making the chains rattle in sync with the shudders running through my body. I tried to control it but it was impossible. My shoulders and arms ached from being unnaturally stretched above my head

But that wasn’t the worst of it.

Pain had a vice like hold on my lower body and fear shot through me. What happened while I was out? I forced my eyes open, moving my head painfully to try and see what was wrong. Lifting my head slightly I squinted down a gap where the space blanket didn’t meet my body. The bandages on my chest and right side were seeping blood, too much blood. I couldn’t see the left side as the blanket was in the way.

The blood wasn’t good, not good at all. Dropping my head back on the table I stared up at the ceiling and moaned softly. Hearing the door open I tensed and closed my eyes tightly. I prayed it wasn’t Pablo coming back to carry on hurting me.

“I’m going to take the cuffs off.” A voice suddenly whispered in my ear.

My eyes snapped open and I rolled my head towards the voice. It was the guard with the soft brown eyes. I tried to nod, licked my dry lips and braced because I knew it was going to hurt.

The chains rattled as he gently lifted my arm, unlocking the cuffs he let them fall to the floor with a loud clang. It sounded overly loud in the silent room. He tried to be gentle as he moved my arm down to my side. I moaned through clenched teeth as my numb arm was engulfed in fiery pain. He vigorously rubbed up and down to help with circulation and the pain became manageable. Moving to the other arm he did the same, unlocking, moving my arm and rubbing it. Both arms ached but at least they were no longer tied down.

Why was he being so nice?

“I’m going to have to redo some of the bandages. There’s too much blood.” He muttered as he moved the space blanket and checked the bandages.

Unlocking the cuffs around my ankles he gently moved my legs together then came back to the head of the table. Leaning over me he dropped his head next to mine and spoke in a whisper.

“I’m goin’ to get you out of here, sweetheart. I just need you to hold on for a little while longer, okay?”

I was confused. Why would he help me and where did his accent disappear to?

“Who..?” He put a hand over my mouth and shook his head, not letting me speak as he looked towards the door.

Straightening he spoke to someone I couldn’t see. “You get clothes?”

The accent was back again.

“Yes.” The other guard walked over and threw a bundle at him. “Pablo’s busy, he’ll come down later.”

This one’s English was perfect, no accent.

My guard said nothing, put the clothes on my legs then walked over to the table where the instruments used to be. There was nothing there now. Picking up the first aid bag he came back to the table.

“What are you doing?” The other one snapped.

“Blood, too much, fixing.” My guard muttered as he went to work.

The other snorted as if he was wasting his time.

He not only fixed my bandages he cleaned off the table under me as well.

Once my guard, that’s what I called him in my head, was done he gently helped me to sit up, turning me so my legs were hanging off the side. Slipping the sweat pants over my feet he pulled them up until he couldn’t go any further. Tapping my leg he made a ‘lift up’ motion with his hand. Pressing my hands to the table I hissed as I painfully raised my bum, allowing him to slip the pants under me and pull them up. Gently, very gently, he settled waistband around my hips, trying not to hurt me.

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