AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey,” I say, taking my gun from her and quickly holstering it. She shivers, and I take off my jacket, wrapping it round her shoulders as she sits up.
A crash comes from the main door of the barn as it’s flung open and Maddox storms in, halting the second his eyes land on me. I feel and see his sigh from here because it matches my own, then I remember what James said about Zak.
“Where’s Zak? James said—” I fire at him, as he strides toward me, but he stops me before I’ve even finished, hands on my face.
“He’s fine. James stabbed him, but Kavanagh and Mitch are with him, and an ambulance is on its way. Are you okay?” he asks, and my legs give a little as his words make it to my brain.
“Oh god, I thought…Shit! Are you okay?” I ask, running my hands over him to check for injuries, and he does the same to me. “I’m fine, Maddox,” I tell him, halting his hands, knuckles red and bruised and blood splatters on his face and clothes. Pushing him away, I crouch down to help Star to her feet. I see Maddox taking in his surroundings and the exact moment he sees what this place is. Then he curses as his eyes land on the little girl behind bars across from us. She’s sitting hugging her knees in the corner, but I don’t see the fear that was there earlier. Her eyes are full of tears, but they feel like tears of relief.
“Fucking hell!” Maddox exclaims, turning back to me and looking at Rogers, who is silent but clutching his arse. Then he looks to James with his knee shot out and unconscious. “Jesus, Roxanne.” He turns back to me, eyes wide.
“Come on. You can stroke my ego later, but we need to get Star and the girls out of here.” I make sure Star can stand on her own, then I duck out the room, spotting a small storage room next door.
I try not to think about all the things the storeroom is housing and just search for what I’m looking for. There are even boxes of whiskey in here. It doesn’t take me long to find some zip ties, then I quickly tie James and Rogers up. Rogers whimpers like a fucking baby, especially when I stretch his arms behind his back, pulling at the slashes across his chest.
“You think this is painful, just wait till later. You’re going to wish you’d never been born,” I spit at him venomously, my voice full of promise. I quickly find something to gag the fucker so he can’t shout for help. I don’t want anyone finding him. He’s ours.
Dropping him back to the floor, I lead Star from the room and ask Maddox to drag the piece of shit that is James from the building.
Once outside, I breathe in deeply, the fresh air cleansing my lungs from the filth of being inside that place. There are police cars and ambulances, and in one ambulance I can see someone lying on a stretcher.
Zak.
Holding on to Star, we walk over, and a paramedic takes Star as I jump up into the ambulance.
“Zak, oh my god,” I cry, taking in his ashen skin and the tube sticking out of his side. I hesitate to touch him, not wanting to hurt him.
“Thank fuck!” he manages to say, and I can see he’s in pain. “I tried…”
“Shhh, don’t talk. I’m fine. Just concentrate on you.” I swallow past the lump in my throat.
“Is Rogers—”
“Not yet,” I grit out. “But he fucking will be.”
“Good. Make him hurt for me, Rox,” he says, gripping my hand.
“I will. Just don’t you dare fucking die on me, Zak.” I swipe at my face as a tear escapes.
“Not gonna happen,” he promises, pulling me down for a kiss, which I gladly give him.
“I’ll see you soon,” I tell him, jumping down and watching as the doors are closed, then they are driving away.
“He’ll be fine, Roxy,” a voice says behind me, and I spin round instantly.
“Fine? Fine would be not on his way to hospital with a stab wound and what I’m guessing is a collapsed fucking lung. He’s not fucking fine. And where the fuck were you, Kavanagh, huh?”
He looks at me, brows raised and a smile on his face. “Sorting some business. Business that’s going to be of interest to you later. Whilst it was important, it seems I missed all the fun. I only managed to kill one person tonight,” he deadpans. Then he steps forward, leaning in to whisper in my ear. “I could have killed two, but I left the other one for you. You can thank me later.” He kisses my cheek and walks away, leaving me standing there with Maddox.
“Fucking man is a pain in the arse,” I say, shaking my head.
“You’re not wrong, but he’s alright,” Maddox says, and I laugh at that.
I see Maria and Smithy coming out the house with Noah bringing Rocky, and something eases inside me now I know everyone is safe.
I look back to Maddox but spot an officer heading for the barn and not wanting them to discover Rogers, I quickly race down there, getting inside before them. I manage to shut the door to the makeshift bedroom just before they enter.
I see the small girl with the big blue eyes watching me. I give her a wink, and she offers me a small smile as I step closer to the cell. Uncurling herself from the corner she comes over to me. Now she’s standing, I can see just how thin she is. Her long light brown hair is matted, and I see several bruises littered among the dirt on the visible parts of her body.
