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“Are you all right?” Karma asks beside me.
She’s not talking to me, she’s talking to Ariel, but I answer anyway.
“Not even close.”
This war just got a whole lot worse and a whole lot more personal. And I could’ve stopped it all if I’d just killed Joker for disrespecting Ariel the other night. Like the old me would’ve done in a flash.
32
Ariel
I literally couldn’t believe it when the door to my cell opened. I felt like I could breathe again. The three men that came in said nothing. Their faces were covered by those stupid matching masks and for a moment I was afraid they were there to rape me, or worse.
But then they dragged me down some hallways and up a few stairs and my fear that I was being sold grew with each step. I’d begun to yearn for the comfortable windowless cell by the time I saw Ruin in a cramped room beside Joker.
And once I was chained to him, I truly could breathe again. Because I knew nothing bad could happen as long as we were together. As long as he was there to protect me.
But I was wrong.
Everything happened so fast.
Jokers thinly veiled threats, three of Ruin’s brothers shot practically in front of us and then Eden. Dragged into the back of a van by a chain held by Joker—one of the scariest guys I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen plenty of scary dudes. But that guy's eyes belong to a dead guy. Unless he’s in a rage. Then he makes people dead. I’m sure.
“Are you all right?” Karma is asking me.
But it’s Ruin she should be worried about.
“Not even close,” he says and the truth of those words is written plainly on his face.
“I’m fine,” I tell her. “But we have to go after Eden.”
I see the same fiery determination to do just that in Ruin’s eyes.
One of Karma’s friends-a big and broad guy with a black beard covering most of his face and piercingly bright light blue eyes—comes over. “I have this handcuff key. Try it.”
Ruin snatches it from his hand and turns to me. “I’d prefer to keep you chained to me from now until forever, but maybe that’s not such a hot idea right now.”
He’s grinning at me and I can’t help but smile wide. It’s how it is for us. We’re each other’s light even in the blackest darkness.
“You did amazing back there,” he says as he unlocks the cuffs.
“I just followed your lead,” I say. “Man, you run fast.”
I rub my shoulder, which is throbbing from getting yanked after him when he sprinted to save Eden.
“Did you get hurt?” he asks as he sees me do it.
“I just wish we were fast enough to save her,” I say. “I think he’s the guy she’s been dating in secret for a few weeks now. No one knows about him. She only told me. But I don’t think she knew who he is.”
“That makes sense,” he says. “He’s a lying psycho bastard.”
My stomach twists in icy pain in fear for Eden. Ruin’s right. Joker is a psycho. And I’m afraid she’s in no way equipped to survive him.
“We have to save her,” I say and he nods.
“We’ll get her back,” he says. “But first things first.”
He gets between me and Karma and gives her a level, hard look. “Why are you helping us?”
