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CHAPTER EIGHT

Ellery

I waited to see what they would do while a few of the women continued grasping at Scarlet, trying to tear the keys away. They were too far gone in their panic to register anything other than their desperation to be free.

Releasing her hold on me, Ruby stalked forward. I’d never seen her hit anyone before, but the blow she delivered to the woman pulling on Scarlet’s shirt knocked the woman out.

“Mom!” Scarlet gasped.

Ruby straightened her shoulders as she glowered at the women. “Get the fuck away from my daughter.”

My jaw dropped as Scarlet and I exchanged astonished glances. We’d never heard Ruby swear like that either; she’d always been so dignified, yet she clearly had some experience with hitting others. I’d love to know the story behind that, but it wasn’t exactly the time.

Some of the women melted into the crowd, while others glared at Ruby. She returned their stares with a militant one of her own, but they didn’t come any closer.

Scarlet’s hands trembled as she slid one key and then another into the lock on my chains. Refusing to be held at bay anymore, one woman seized Scarlet’s shirt.

Before she could pull Scarlet back or Ruby could intervene, another woman shoved her away. Scarlet stumbled a little to the side as the first woman jerked on her shirt before releasing it.

“Let her go!” the other women shouted at her. “Leave them be!”

They’d formed a small, protective circle around us, but it didn’t stop us from being bumped and jostled as the crowd scrambled away from the stage. Everyone had finally decided what to do when the stage collapsed… run.

A stampede was underway, and we had been swept into the middle of it.

“I can’t find the key,” Scarlet breathed as she fumbled with another one.