Page 9 of Off the Rails

“Got a guy for everything.” Cyrus slid the phone into her back pocket with a scowl.

“ID?” Nash called back to me.

“Nothing. No wallet. A real Jane Doe.”

“Must have dropped it in the park,” Nash frowned.

“Or the woods. Who knows how fucking far she ran?” Cyrus didn’t sound pleased by the lack of wallet.

But nothing could bring me down from the thrill of our new toy. “I’d like to see just how far she can run before her legs give out.”

“Don’t be sick,” Nash sighed, raising a hand before I could counter her argument. “More sick than usual, Blade.”

“Oh, don’t act like you’re above it,” I cooed, leaning up against the metal bars that encircled the bed. “You want to break her just as bad as I do, Storm.”

She flexed her hand, the lightning tattoo jumping over the tense cords of muscle. “Are you all done in there? Can we lock up?”

“Only if I can watch her first.” I reached up, grabbing the metal bars at the top of the cell door and pulling my feet off the ground.

Cyrus let out a deep sigh. “Can you be trusted to take first watch?”

“Of course I can,” I swung my feet out before letting go of the bars and dropping down again. “You know I’m always careful with my toys.”

Cyrus glanced at Nash, who nodded before holding her hand out to me. “Keys.”

My hand dropped defensively to my pocket. “Why do you need those?”

“Do you want first watch or not?” Nash raised her eyebrow.

“Fine,” I threw my head back, brushing a strand of hair away from Sleeping Beauty’s face before locking the gate between us.

“Here.” I flung the keys over my shoulder to Nash, not wanting to take my eyes off of my pretty little prize.

Cyrus pushed off the desk and headed toward the door. “You call us as soon as she’s up. Yeah?”

“Yeah, yeah,” I waved her off, pulling a wooden chair up beside the cell. “Ta-ta.”

“Goodnight,” Nash hummed, punching in the code for the keypad.

Cyrus followed her to the door, pausing just long enough to look back at me. “The moment she’s up, Blade.”

“Sure thing.” I smirked, running my fingers over the cold bars of the cell. And as the jailhouse door swung shut, electricity buzzed through my veins.

It was silly that Nash and Cyrus were so worried, and it was much easier to enjoy myself without their watchful eyes on me.

It would be hours before our new toy woke from the meds — not until the evening, if I’d gotten the dosage right. But I didn’t mind — I’d watch her for hours, days if that’s what it took. They’d have to force me to step away when my shift was over.

If it were up to me, I would drink up every little twitch of her lips, every little flutter of her eyelashes and every peaceful little sigh.

And when she finally batted open those pretty little eyes of hers and rejoined the waking world, I’d be watching. Waiting for that delicious moment where the peace on her sweet face turned to absolute terror.

6

TESS

A beam of light hit my eye, ever-so-slightly peeking through the bars over the windows. If it hadn’t, I probably would have stayed asleep for another few hours at least.

My eyelids were heavy, and so were my limbs. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been asleep, my body sinking into the mattress underneath me. It had been months since I’d slept in a real bed.