Page 34 of Blue-Eyed Jacks (Destroyers MC: Skilletsville PA #1)

Kate

B amBam blocked the top of the stairs. He was one of the older members. I recognized him from Shock’s arsenal of torturers. Almost twenty years wasn’t enough to erase the fear that paralyzed me.

“Kate.” His eyes scanned my body, but quickly flicked past me and locked on Zoe. “I hear she ain’t Shock’s. Is that right?” He licked his lips as if tasting something savory.

My arm shot out, blocking Zoe and moving her into my shadow. “Move.”

He ignored my command. “She’s pretty like her mother was when she was younger. If she ain’t Shock’s, she’s fair game.”

Like hell she was. I stepped up the last step and kept moving forward. Each inch closer added to my fear, but also to my fury.

“You sick son of a bitch,” I started. “Touch one fucking hair on her head, and I will cut you down and then torch the pieces. Move!”

To my surprise, he took a step back. I kept coming until I’d backed him into the lounge at the top of the stairs. Two hookers were on the couch. As I kept detailing what I’d do to that asshole’s defiled corpse, one of them stood up.

That caught my attention and broke my train of thought. And holy shit , I recognized her, too.

“Cara?”

Her face showed the years between then and now, but she still had those lovely brown eyes and nearly black hair that attracted men. Unfortunately, she attracted the wrong sort, like Shock, and the assholes around him.

BamBam remembered who he was and sneered. “That’s right. You might have slipped our trap in New Jersey, but we snagged someone else. Coco here sucks a mean cock, don’t cha, babe?”

“Sure do. BamBam, go downstairs. I got this.”

His gaze bounced between me and her and back, eventually landing on Zoe. Something unspoken made him hesitate. “I’ll be at the bottom of the stairs. When Shock gets out of the meeting, have ‘em ready.”

What did he mean by that?

Maybe I didn’t want to know. I waited until he tromped away before saying anything.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Hell if I know. Been a bit, hasn’t it?”

“Cara…” I started, but didn’t know what to say or ask first.

“Save it for someone who needs it.”

She sounded resigned. And more than a little angry.

“He doesn’t own you.” It was a long shot, trying to get through to her.

“Do you really think you can stand up to Shock?” Cara asked.

“If it comes to that. But if we can get out of here, then we don’t have to find out. Right?”

Cara’s eyes narrowed. “Run. You’re good at that.”

“We both were.”

Her eyes shot to mine. In that silence, she shook her head faintly.

The other hooker stood up. “My name is Tina. Hi.” She stuck out a hand. I took it and held onto it rather than shaking it.

“I’m pleased to meet you.” I meant that sincerely. If there was one thing I knew with my whole heart was that when someone really saw you and appreciated who you were, not what was done to you, it changed you.

The girl smiled. She wasn’t much older than Zoe. “Coco, I mean, Cara… and I are stuck up here because Shock doesn’t trust us. I’m… well, it doesn’t matter what I am, and Cara’s used to a different crowd. I’m more than ready to leave when you are. The trick is getting through the gates.”

I could tell by the quiver in her tone that she was barely hanging on. “Follow me.”

The stairs to the kitchen were in the same spot. I led Zoe, Cara, and Tina down them and tested the door to the outside. Unlike so many years ago, it was unlocked. “Does anyone have keys to a vehicle?”

Cara smirked. She dug inside her bra and pulled out a set of keys with a braided black leather strap attached. “I stole these off BamBam while he was busy.”

Tina snorted. In a sotto voce volume, she said, “Busy getting his dick sucked.”

It was uncomfortably obvious that my daughter was right next to me, soaking all of this in.

I wanted to take time out to explain everything so she wouldn’t jump to conclusions, but also not adopt any remnants of the lifestyle Shock helped perpetuate.

Hell, he made these women the way they were. I witnessed his methods first hand.

“Right. Here’s the plan—I’ll talk you through the gates.

We drive. As soon as we are safe, you will drop Zoe and I off at a gas station.

Then both of you get gone. Go as far as you need.

Cara knows the shelter system. She’ll tell you what to avoid doing and saying.

You can’t be totally honest with them, they’ll try to help; and that…

well, that will get you caught.” I stared down at my old friend, daring her to balk.

Her face softened for a moment. There was a small break in her armor. Her mouth opened. Then the hardness of her expression returned. “Sometimes, others pay the price.”

My heart bled for her. She’d lived under Shock’s thumb for as long as I was free. Longer than Zoe’s entire life. I wondered if she hated me for it.

But that would need to wait. What was most important was getting out of this place in one piece. The gate was the least of our problems.

The prospect took one look at me and Zoe in the front seats of the van and waved us through. It was almost as if he’d been ordered to let us go. I wouldn’t have put it past Jackson to arrange a miracle for just such a scenario.

Which gave me a lot to think about as I drove away from the junkyard.

Cara pointed to the interstate. “We’re going toward Pittsburgh. It will throw Shock off. He’ll expect you to stay far away.”

With good reason . I had to admit she knew him much better than I did. I followed her orders but tacked on my own demand. “At the first gas station, Zoe and I are out.”

We had no phones and no weapons, but I still had my tracker tucked into my coat. No one found it during the pat-down because the brand-new coat was stiff and the tracker was small enough to miss.

Zoe’s RFID tag was also in place in her shoe. I had to count on Jackson to care enough to search for us.

Which would take me right back into Shock’s hands. I began to rethink the plan. That’s why I didn’t exit when I saw the first gas station sign. Or the second.

Tina leaned over my seat to check the road. “What are you doing?”

“Getting a bit farther away. He’ll have people check the stations. He’ll expect us to do the obvious.”

Cara overheard. “Good thinking. Let’s go right down his throat. What do you say?”

I chanced taking my eyes off the road for a second to read her face. There was a gleam there that was almost maniacal and murderous.

If that intent was aimed at Shock, would I be the terrible person pulling the trigger? The world would be a much better place if he was gone.

Tina retreated to the back and tried to smile as our eyes met in the rearview.

Zoe watched the road, sometimes squirming in her seat but remaining eerily quiet and intent on our course without complaint.

I worried about her, too. She’d been too quiet through all of this.

I’d recently learned her silences were often when I should be most concerned.

She had a plan brewing. I could almost feel it; her concentration on the details around us bordered on hyper-vigilance.

My trauma and subsequent counseling recognized the signs.

It was one more thing to pile on top of Shock’s sins.

For the hundredth time, I wished I had a weapon. I pulled off the interstate about halfway to Pittsburgh. I’d noticed a toll scanner and realized that Shock would have a method to trace our route. Even if it arrived in the mail a month later, it would give him enough information to search for us.

Cara noticed. “Why did you pull off?”

“I’m finding a superstore.”

“For what?” Cara shifted closer, and her nervousness became palpable.

Tina asked where we were. Zoe relayed the information.

“Get back on the freeway,” Cara ordered.

“No. We’re getting scanned every few miles by the toll system. Shock will have a record of the trip.”

The corner of Zoe’s mouth quirked up. She knew what I was up to. She popped open the glove box and rummaged through it. “Score.” She held up a screwdriver. Trust bikers to keep tools in the most convenient places.

The lot wasn’t as full as I preferred. I pulled up to a van near the back and swapped plates quickly.

Cara watched with a raised eyebrow. “ When did you learn that?”

“It’s just something I picked up.” From Zoe’s father . I kept that part to myself. I still hadn’t decided if Cara was on my side or not.

With the new plate, we slipped back onto the freeway.

I should have taken the opportunity to switch places with Cara and let them disappear without us.

But I was too paranoid, thinking that the toll system could be hacked and they’d know exactly where Zoe and I were.

I figured I would know Pittsburgh better than any place in the road between, which gave Zoe and me better odds to find somewhere to hide.

Cara pointed to an exit that took us off the toll road. “If those plates are reported stolen, we’ll have more to worry about than just Shock. I know a back route.” I let her guide us through the winding country highways that led us closer to the place I least wanted to be with each westerly turn.

Tina watched from the back anxiously. Secretly, I was just as scared as she was, but had to hide it for Zoe’s sake. I’d done a lot of that lately.

I’d just begun to recognize the surroundings when Cara told me to pull off.

“Why are we stopping now?”

“Just do it.” The turnoff she pointed me toward was quickly swallowed by trees. We were deep inside the steep hills and carved valleys where roads followed the rivers rather than any man-made lines. Cara smiled. “Perfect. No one to see us. I need to stretch my legs.”

I parked in the lot. It was a trailhead with ample spots for hikers and day vacationers to touch nature. But in the dark that had fallen, it was deserted and ominous. Not a place I wanted to linger at.

“Cool. I need to pee.” Tina jumped out of the van and rushed to the squat little building.