I jerk and fight his grip to get away, the horns I catch out of the corner of my eye telling me I am dealing with the same masked asshole who brought me out here. The struggle takes us both to the ground, jarring the breath from my lungs. Moisture on the grass from the dew of the night before soaks my skin. I scramble to my hands and knees to get away but am yanked back by an ankle. He flips me onto my back, pinning my arms over my head.
I feel the panic creeping in from being pinned just like that night. Tremors take over my body, my breathing is shallow and my chest is tight. My vision starts to tunnel. With a gasp and enormous amount of effort I speak up, my voice strained and scratchy, “Please let my hands go. I don't…” I force an inhale. “I don’t like to be pinned.”
“Well, I don't like being kicked in the nuts.” He retorts but whatever he sees in my face has him loosening his grip and shifting back. I focus on my breathing, trying to bring it back to normal.
It’s several minutes later when my system starts to truly calm down and I sit up, knees pulled to my chest, staring ahead.
“Stand up.” His voice is commanding as he stares down at me.
I say nothing as I get to my feet, dusting off the grass and dirt before raising my gaze to meet his. In quick movements, he snatches my wrists together, securing them tightly with a rope while shifting his body behind me.Well shit.
He leans in close to my ear; I can hear his breath behind his mask. “This is exactly why we didn’t just ask you, you fucking menace.”
I can’t help but bark out a laugh as he re-secures the blindfold and marches me back through the maze. He walks me into the building and down the stairs before shoving me into a room. He unties me and takes off the blindfold with jerky movements. Before a single quip leaves my lips, I hear the door slam and the lock clanging into place
I glance around, annoyed, because yet again I am stuck in this fucking box.
Chapter 12
Declan
Iroll my eyes as I look through the bottles of girly shit that Akio is currently adding to a bag that already has clothes in it for Fallon. After her comments the other day, he went through her phone and purchase history to make a list that he then gave to Ms. T so she could buy this… junk.
“Retinol Serum” I read off the glass bottle before Akio snatches it from my hand. “Since when do we make targets this fucking comfortable?”
“She isn’t a target asshole.” He doesn’t look up from his work as he grumbles at me. I pick up the hairbrush that is on the table. My eyes bug out at the price. Twenty fucking bucks for a brush. I have never been more thankful to be a guy.
I start flipping it into the air and catching it, just so I have something to do with all of this restless energy. I have got to get into headquarters today and spar with some unlucky soul or I am going to go insane. The truth is, Fallon is what has me so damn stirred up. The way she refuses to break, the fierce determination, showing no fear, and getting a hit on Teo not once but twice. I‘m beginning to enjoy having her around and it’s getting under my skin.
“Give me that.” Akio grabs the brush from midair, jarring me from my thoughts on ways to keep Fallon Helix here longer.
“Why keep her this comfortable if you want to let her go so bad?” I see his jaw tic and I know I have him there.
“Human decency. You should try it sometime.” I scoff in response but he continues. “If we think bigger than just the information she can provide currently, we might realize that she could be the key to all of it.”
I tilt my head to the side, my interest piqued. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know man, what if we could get her to work with us? Let her go back to her life since she hasn’t seen our faces, but with just enough knowledge and curiosity to start digging. Then she is close to them and we can monitor her and get exactly what we need. ”
I find myself nodding as I follow the conversation. It’s not a bad idea, but what I find most confusing is the fucking panic that is vibrating through me at the thought of her leaving. With a slight shake of my head, I chalk the feelings up to not wanting to miss out on this challenge.
“I don’t know man. I don't think Teo will go for it.”
“I won't go for what?” The person in question strides into the room. He has his shirt sleeves rolled up, which tells me he has been up and working on his mad little inventions that make us a ridiculous amount of money.
“Letting Fallon go and seeing what she digs up on her own.” I give Akio a pointed look as I speak to Teo.
“Absolutely not.” Teo crosses his arms.
Akio zips up the bag of bullshit he got for Poison before looking up and grinning. “Well, maybe if the two of you would have listened to me before, then you wouldn’t have gotten nailed by her. Twice.”
I snort in amusement because watching the footage of Teo taking those shots had me laughing my ass off.
He flips us both off before grabbing a water bottle from the refrigerator and heading back upstairs.
“Alright, masks on,” Akio says, already sliding his into place. And that’s when it hits me. I know exactly how to keep Fallon here longer.
I grab my mask from the table and pull it on, and we head down the stairs to the lowest level of the house. Akio approaches her door, puts his face to the scanner and enters when the locks clang open. I stride in behind him to see Poison with most of her body on the bed but her head hanging upside down facing the door.
