Page 29 of One (The Towns Syndicate #2)

Ally

T he feel of their hands was still with me when I woke up screaming.

I scrambled up, pressing my back against the wall of the room, looking around like I might still be in my old life.

Being locked up had brought back old memories I had wanted to keep locked away forever, but the current situation had dredged up the past and all that I wished I could drill out of my brain.

The room was dimly lit because I couldn’t sleep without the light on anymore, too afraid that at any moment Kris was going to come down those stairs and drag me back to my old life. The days had melted together and I was slowly breaking.

It had been a while since I had seen Boogie and King, which seemed strange, but my mind was starting to whisper that maybe they had been a part of my dreams all this time.

I was my own worst enemy and the longer I stayed in here, the more lost I would become.

My mind was a landmine of memories I had chosen to keep buried and each day I was here I was stepping on memories that threatened to explode the thinly crafted bunker I had for myself.

I hated King and Boogie. I hated what they had left me to be. I hated that I loved them.

Once my heart had stopped racing and my mind had no longer tried to pull me back into the shadows, I got up and started my day.

Some semblance of consistency was the only thing that was keeping me sane and I did my morning ritual of showering and attempting to do my hair before dressing in my last pair of clean clothes.

It has been a while since I had seen anyone, and as I got myself a drink of water from a small water dispenser, I noticed that it had been at least a couple of days since someone had been down.

The jug was almost empty and I knew it lasted me at least three to four days.

I checked my box of snacks, realizing I was down to my last protein bar and chocolate I like.

When was the last time I ate a real meal?

Dread hit me when I thought about all the possibilities and what-ifs.

I pounded on the door even though no one had heard me before and it was useless. I screamed as loud as I could while pounding on the door because it was not just about getting out anymore. If someone didn’t give me food and water, I was as good as dead.

I lasted for five minutes before I tired, and I needed another drink of water. Worst case I could start drinking the tap water but there was a reason Boogie gave me this jug of water. My mind raced as I tried to think of what to do if I was left to fend for myself, if no one came back for me.

Does this mean they are dead?

The thought brought tears to my eyes, and I got angry for letting them get to me. They weren’t worth my fucking tears. I was in this mess because of them—unfortunately, my heart still beat for them, and the thought of them dead made my chest hurt no matter how much I would like to cause them pain.

I ate a protein bar and drank a little bit of water as I tried to come up with a plan that got more pathetic as the minutes went by.

I scoured the room the first few days, and there was nothing for me to use to get out of here.

The walls were concrete and unless I wanted to get out with a fucking metal spoon and I had ten years to spare, I needed to think of something else.

I was deep in thought when the door opened, and I was ready to unleash a storm of profanities when Mars came into the room looking like shit. Just by the look he gave me that we were in deep shit, and all the anger I had bottled up the last week or so just seemed to disappear.

“King and Boogie have been taken,” he said, his voice scratchy and deep.

“Alive?” I whispered, dreading the answer.

“That we know of,” he said somberly.

“Do we know the culprit?” He nodded, and I think I knew who it was before he even said who it was.

“Arthur.”

Now I had someone else to be mad at. Someone else to direct all this anger at and it centered me.

Fucking Arthur.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to come back,” he said as I stood up. “I had to track them and ran into trouble. I know they don’t deserve your help, but?—”

He took a deep breath. “I need your help, please.”

“Why not call the Mayor?” I asked, curious as to why he thought I could help him.

Mars stared at me, and I rolled my eyes.

“I wish the loyalty you have for Boogie and King was a fraction of the loyalty they had for me,” I sighed.

“It’s not just my loyalty to them,” he said, leaning back against the door. “We don’t know how she will react to all of us. I’m protecting you as much as I am them. She might have a soft spot for you, but if you're more trouble than you're worth, she might decide to kill you.

Many people had told me she was unpredictable. She always seemed level-headed with me. I could always try and figure this out on my own, and if all else failed, maybe I could plead my case.

“Do you know where they are?” I asked, as I walked up to him waiting for him to push me back into the room.

“Roman has found them up north in a small compound,” he said, stepping aside so I could step out.

“What do you expect from me?” I asked.

I didn’t have much to offer.

“King and Boogie didn’t trust you, but I’ve seen you, and what you've done with Christmas Town,” he said, stepping in line with me. “I need all the help I can get to get them back and you are my best hope. I’m a soldier and I need you to be our leader.”

We reached the landing and a few men stood there looking at me along with Roman and Lance. I froze seeing the last two men.

“Al—Noelle,” Lance kneeled.

All of the men followed, kneeling before me.

“Don’t insult me with your fake allegiance. You don’t need to kneel for me or butter me up,” I snapped, overwhelmed with heartache. “I will free King and Boogie then go my own way.”

I walked away as tears stung my eyes in search of the damn kitchen around here.

“Noelle.”

My steps quickened as I walked faster away from the men, from Lance, from my failure.

“Ally.”

Lance.

I didn’t stop. I wasn’t ready to face my problems and the reminder that I failed Lance.

“Alison.”

I stopped at my real name. A name I hadn’t been called in years.

“You don’t call me by that name,” I snapped, turning around.

He didn’t stop and wrapped me in a hug.

“It was the only way to make you stop,” he said, squeezing me tightly.

I attempted to push him away, but it wasn’t what I wanted. “I’m a mess.” I mumbled on his shoulder.

“This entire situation is a mess,” he sighed, as I wrapped my arms around him. “If I had known those bastards were going to lock you away, I would have come back for you and hoped for the best.”

“I still can’t believe those fuckers did it,” I growled.

“Well, with how things went down maybe it was a good thing,” he said, squeezing me one more time before letting me go.

I glared at Lance as he held his hands up to surrender. “Ok, they did a very, very, bad thing.”

“I need food and then we can plan how to get them out,” I said, noticing Mars and Roman looking over at us.

I scowled and looked away.

“It’s not their fault,” Lance said, following my line of sight. “Mars said he didn’t even know where you were. You are just as important to them.”

“I think we need to call the triplets,” I said, looking away from the men who kneeled for me.

“Already done,” Lance said, turning a little pink. “Mav said they would be here by tonight.”

“Mav, huh?” I raised my brows up and down teasing him because it was better than thinking about Boogie and King.

“Don’t start,” he sighed, rolling his eyes.

“I won’t if you won’t,” I said, hoping we could leave our hearts behind and get through the next couple of days.

“Deal,” he said, pulling me in for a side hug as my eyes stung for the hundredth time.

My heart broke when I thought he had betrayed me, and I was glad it wasn’t him.

“I’m starving, I need a real meal,” I said, as he steered me hopefully to a kitchen. “Then I need to hear your recounts.”

“I didn’t know what was happening,” he said as he walked me outside. “I was in the office, and two men dragged me out. I heard Arthur talking about taking you, and I tried listening to as much as I could, and then he said he was going to blame it on me.”

Lance brought me to a small building off to the side of the haunted house. He opened the door, and it smelled amazing. Sara was inside cooking with an apron on and it was a juxtaposition to see her domesticated, but still scary as hell.

“Hello!” She smiled, but it gave me the chills.

“Hello, Sarah,” I said as Lance pulled a chair out for me.

“Good afternoon, Sarah,” Lance said, smiling at her.

“Two plates?” she asked cheerfully.

“Please,” Lance said. “I’m sure the boys are right behind us too.”

“Okeydokey,” she said as I watched her be comfortable in the kitchen.

Lance kicked my foot, and I stopped staring. Thank you, I mouthed.

“So, then what happened?” I asked.

“I got away from the two idiots,” he said, but as I tried to go back for you, there were too many men and?—”

Lance looked guilty.

“It was either die saving me, or save yourself,” I said for him.

He nodded. “Arthur said they wanted you alive, so I thought I’d have a chance to save you, but he was deadset on making sure he had all his loose ends tied up so I had to run. I figured he'd paint his pretty picture and I'd be screwed anyway.”

“I was so pissed when he said you ran, and he blamed you for everything.” I punched him. “I almost went back because I hated you thinking I did.”

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t,” I said, feeling better that at least one person hadn’t betrayed me.

The door slammed open and three people walked in.

“My queen,” Winchester said, bowing dramatically.

“We heard?—”

I didn’t let Maverick finish her sentence when I launched myself at her. Her arms wrapped around me before another set did, and then the last one.

“Oh, honey.” Maverick squeezed me tighter.

I couldn’t hold it back anymore and cried. It was the first time I felt safe and that maybe everything was going to be ok.

“Help me,” I cried.

“Of course.” Ruger's deep timber soothed me.

“That’s what we are here for,” Winchester said, running his hand through my hair.

“We will get them back, I promise,” Maverick whispered, holding me tighter. “Then we will kill that fucking weasel, and roast him for all to see.”

“No one fucks with our Noelle,” Ruger said as he rested his head against my own.

“And gets away with it,” Winchester growled.

“Well, then maybe we can kick their asses after we set them free for locking her up,” Lance said.

The triplets stilled around me.

“They what?” Maverick pulled away from me.

I glared at Lance for bringing it up.

“It’s a long story, but can we focus on a plan to get them out and then we can focus on that afterwards,” I said, feeling exhausted.

The triplets did that weird non-talking language amongst themselves before they nodded. A part of me wondered if it was a dick move to tell them what they had done to me, but fuck it, I wasn’t the asshole who did this to us.

“Let’s eat, plan and then save these damsels in distress,” Maverick said, as she said hello to Sarah.

“I can’t wait to rub it in King’s face that we saved them,” Winchester said sitting down.

“He’s going to be so pissy about it,” Ruger smirked.

The triplets kept the conversation going as we ate. Not too long after, Mars, Roman and their guys joined us. I felt uncomfortable with them, and while I knew they were just listening to orders, it still stung that I was left there.

We started planning how we were going to get them back, but at a certain point, the triplets, Mars and Roman had argued. I fell asleep on Ruger's arm. It was the first night I didn’t have a nightmare that woke me up in a panic.

This time my dreams were King and Boogie locking me in a room and never coming back, leaving me to sit in a room, alone, by myself, just me. When I woke up, I was squished between my crazy triplets. I vowed I would never be in this position again.

It was time to become the woman who ran Christmas Town, ruthless and cunning and someone who bowed to no one.