Page 24

Lyra

I close my eyes and picture Grease’s crooked smirk and gray eyes full of love staring at me. I want to laugh at the thought that I could have ever believed he hated or didn't like me. All the teasing and cocky smiles sent my way. I see them now as adoration. I hope and pray he saw it through my masked stares or heated conversations as well. I know I’ve told him since getting together, but was it enough? It doesn't seem like it. I just got him. How can this be it?

My breathing speeds up when I feel the van turn off the main highway and down what I’m guessing is a long dirt road. I turn to Piper, who is on the floor beside me. She’s staying so strong and so stoic I can't help but break. We’ve been hit, slapped, slung around this damn van, and it's all my fault.

“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I can't believe I put you all in this situation,” I say, finally letting one tear fall from my cheek.

“Sweetheart, the men ain't dead, and the day ain't over. This isn't your fault, and we aren't damsels in distress.” Jade gives me a strong smile, and I try to return it, pretty sure it falls flat.

“Shut the fuck up. Not another word from any of you or I’ll start clipping you off one by one. We only need the fucking teacher,” the one in the passenger seat throws back at us.

It's not much longer before we pull up to a huge mansion surrounded by a field, and in the distance, nothing but trees. We are completely secluded out here. I don't know how the guys will find us or what the hell we will do, but the other women don't look worried. Maybe I need to have a little more faith.

We are dragged out of the van and around the enormous mansion to a door guarded by two huge men. There, we are taken through the door, down a set of stairs, and brought to a wooden door.

“Home sweet home. For as long as you are alive,” says the one they called Mac. I thought I heard the driver's name was Art. As the door is unlocked, a new guy comes down the dark hallway from the opposite end from which we were brought.

“What happened to them? Why is that one's nose bleeding?” asks the new guy.

“Let's just say they didn't come easy, and they are a mouthy bunch of bitches. Had to do what we had to fucking do, Garret,” Art growls.

“Think we should teach them a lesson?” Mac grabs my boob in a painful grip, making me cry out. That's when Halle goes crazy. She tries to get away from the fucker holding her, but she’s the most restrained. They realized pretty fast how unpredictable she was.

To my utter shock and surprise, though, Izzy throws herself into Mac. He’s so surprised he goes to the ground with her on top of him. She scratches, hits, punches, and kicks with everything in her until Art has to pull her off. But as they pull her off of them, I see the damage she has inflicted. She damn near ripped his face off.

“That's my girl! You might not be able to admire your handiwork, but I can promise you he will have to see it every day for the rest of his miserable life Iz! Badass!” Halle cheers.

We are pulled and pushed into the room. Jade stomps on Mac's nuts as she walks by, since he’s still rolling around on the floor in pain. Art is at the door, glaring at us as we stand around the tiny room. There's one mattress in the corner and a bucket in the opposite corner close to the door.

“You all are going to pay for that shit,” he threatens before closing the door.

He’s not wrong either; we end up paying for that. All night, we are awoken by either banging on the door, men coming in and kicking us around, or loud music played throughout the room just when exhaustion wants to hit. Our hands were tied the last time they came in when Piper got the upper hand. It only got worse from there.

They won't let us sleep, and by the morning, my head is pounding, and my ears are ringing. The only good thing to come out of this is no one else has tried to force themselves on us… yet, but I can feel it's only a matter of time. I remember one attack where the one in charge caught the act. His voice was hard when he addressed his men.

“Leave them to stew in their own shit. The boss wants first dibs and first pick. That means hands off.” We were safe from that attack, but the dread in my stomach at what was coming was causing me to panic.

For now, we are alone.

“Okay, I can get us out of the restraints, but we need a plan to get out of here,” Piper says as she fiddles behind her back. It doesn’t take her long until she is free of her hand ties.

I look up when I hear the scrape of the door, sucking in a breath as I see Mac and Art step into the room and close it behind them.

“Wakey, Wakey. Time for some payback. Who wants to volunteer to go first?” Mac says, grabbing his dick and licking his lips.

There's no way we are going down without a fight. There are only two of them, and there are seven of us. Even exhausted, we can take them. Then I watch the door open again behind them, and my heart sinks. They didn’t come alone. We won’t be able to take on more than three would be my guess. I look at all the women.

Halle has a black eye and bloody nose, Jade's lip is busted, and Piper is limping but still holding up a sagging Izzy. Sunny has an arm wrapped around her middle and is having a hard time breathing; I’m worried it’s a cracked rib. Mom has a scratch down her forehead and cheek, and Ophelia’s blond hair is marred with blood from a head wound. I don’t know how we are going to get out of this.

Mac takes a step closer, and I gasp when his eyes meet mine. The next minute, I watch his eyes roll to the back of his head, and he goes down to the floor. Art is next and goes to the ground just as quick. Standing behind them with a black baton is Garret. The man from when we first got here.

“I can only give you this one chance. You can take the stairs. Once at the top, go to the right, follow the hall to the back patio door, and make a run for it. There are snipers on the roof and men patrolling. This is the only help I can give you. Good luck.” With that, he turns and leaves.

“What in the actual fuck was that?” Jade asks the room.

“I say it's a trap,” Halle says, looking at the door with suspicion. “We should follow the directions.”

“You just said it was a trap!” Ophelia screeches, but Halle only shrugs.

“I’m too pumped up to run. I want to fight.” She actually bares her teeth.

“We are going to do exactly as he says. We are going to stay quiet, keep down, and slowly make our way outside. I’ll take the lead. Lyra, Sunny, check those two for any weapons or cell phones. Ophelia, I need you to help Izzy up the stairs. Halle, you're the only other one who specializes in hand-to-hand, so I need you to stay in the rear. Keep us safe. Jade, when we get outside, keep your eyes out. I want the locations of each sniper,” Piper directs us, and we all jump into action.

Sunny and I head to Mac and Art. I can't help taking another cheap shot. I want to break his arm or kneecap, but I can't risk him waking up. Instead, I stomp down on his head. Maybe it will keep him out longer. After that, I search him. I find a pistol at his back, one at his ankle, and a total of three knives. Halle automatically steals those.

Sunny found three guns on her guy. In the end, Piper, me, Jade, Sunny, and Halle all have a gun as we quietly make our way out of the door. At the top of the stairs, just as we are about to round the corner, we are stopped by one soldier.

“What the-”

Before he can finish, Piper thrusts her palm up, smashing it into his nose, whipping around behind him, and twisting his neck. He goes down without another word. A gasp sounds behind her, and we see another big fucker reach for his side holster. Still, Halle has her knife out and throws it past Piper's head and straight into the throat of the new fucker before he can get the shot off. He grabs for his neck, uselessly trying to stop the bleeding.

“We have to move, now!” Piper says, jumping into action. We run down but stop as we get to the door leading to outside. Piper slowly opens the door and peeks out before creeping out slowly. We follow her lead, keeping low and to the side of the building. She pauses when a shadow crosses above us on the roof, right over our heads.

“One above us, two more at ten and six. Total of three on the roof. That's all I see,” Jade whispers.

“We’re getting too good at this mission shit,” Sunny mutters.

“Grim has been preparing me for almost every scenario,” Jade says with a sad, faraway smile. I know she's thinking of her man. I’m thinking of mine, too.

“On the count of three, we need to take the shots. Anyone not of a fan of taking a life today?” Piper asks us.

“They stole us from our homes, threatened us in front of our babies. I want to blow this whole fucking place up,” Sunny says, surprising us all.

“Alrighty then. On three, Sunny, you shoot the fucker above us. Halle, you take the one at ten, and I’ll take the one at six. Everyone else, head for the trees!” We nod and get into position.

“One, two, three!” Shots ring out, and then we are up and running. We take off as one, but Piper and Halle stay toward the back. I fall behind as well, knowing this is my fault, and I won't let any of these women get shot today.

“RUN!” Piper screams just as shots ring out. I scream as I feel a sting against my calf, but I keep running. The trees are still half a football field away. There is no way we can all make it. I have to do something, and then it hits me. There’s only one thing left to do, only one thing that will work, that will make sure everyone else gets to the wood line.

With a deep breath, I stop dead in my tracks, turn around, raise the gun still in my shaking hands, and start returning fire.

I might be an easy target, but I won't go down easily. I’ll make sure I’m the only one left here for these fuckers to grab, full of bullet holes and all.