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I hit the ground hard on my shoulder and cry out. Eli’s on me in a moment.
“You’re just fucking like her, trying to fucking leave me,” he spits before grabbing my hair and starting to drag me. I let out a scream as my hair is torn from the roots, even as I grip his wrist for some leverage. My feet scramble against the ground as he pulls me back toward the small windowless room I woke up in, all but throwing me in.
“I’ll be back for another round soon,” he says before slamming the door behind him.
I hear music playing loudly from the other room before a distant door slams shut.
45
Atlas
Dirty Deeds
“It should be about an hour away,”Echo says, looking at the GPS in her hand. I nod, my hands gripped tight on the steering wheel as I press my foot down a bit harder.
I brought enough cash to bribe any cops that might show up, and we’ve already cut what should have been a five-hour drive down significantly by driving like fucking maniacs.
“Hold on, Kin.”
We parkon the dirt road about one mile from where the GPS says the cabin should be. There was nothing listed on the electronic device, but we managed to use some old maps to figure out where the property title was listed and got a relative idea. I hate the thought of going into this blind, but we can’t take the time to assess anymore. Kinsey has been with that fucker for almost two days now, and god fucking knows what he’s been doing to her.
“I should go alone,” I say to both of them. Echo puts her hands on her hips and opens her mouth, but Kill places a hand on her shoulder, effectively stopping her. She glares at him, crossing her arms.
“Let us at least follow behind you; we’ll stay out of sight unless or until we’re needed, but it’s stupid to go in there alone.”
My lips tighten, but I nod.
I’ve got my favorite pistol strapped to my side, my best blade on my hip, and a twelve gauge in my hands. I keep the road in sight, but don’t walk right on it, assuming the cabin will be at the end.
The sun is high in the sky and sweat beads down my back. I don’t know the forest like I know the city, and unease trickles up my spine at the thought of unseen eyes on me. Even though I know somewhere behind me are Killian and Echo, watching my back, I can’t dispel that feeling. It’s only a few minutes before I hear something that sounds like chopping wood. I move slowly as I approach a clearing over the rise and let out a sigh of relief when I see the cabin below. At least we found the damn thing.
My eyes scan the area, looking for the source of the sound until they land on a figure coming around the side. Although it’s far away and he isn’t wearing the usual suit, I can tell it's him.
My breathing sounds loud in my own ears, pulse pounding as my hand tightens around the shotgun. I don’t think; I just start fucking sprinting.
The gap closes quickly between us, and I’m only forty feet away when he finally looks up. I grin as I watch his face whiten, the fear in his expression spurring me forward. I ignore the gun in my hand; I want to squeeze the life out of him myself.
Eli drops the ax he’s holding and rushes around the front of the house. Behind me, I hear one of the others shouting at me to stop, but I don’t slow as I turn the corner a few seconds behind him.
I get to the front to see the fucker running for the front door and I lift the shotgun.
“I will fucking shoot you,” I shout, and Eli freezes, only few steps away from the door, but doesn’t turn. My eyes narrow, and I slowly walk toward him.
“This is fucking over. Turn around,” I tell him, stopping at the bottom of the small landing.
He makes a move toward the door, and I put my finger on the trigger, but he pushes himself inside before I can shoot.
“Motherfuc—” I take all three steps at once and shove my shoulder into the doorway, preventing him from closing it. Fortunately, I have a good eighty pounds on the fucker, and the door flies open. The momentum has me crashing into him and we both tumble to the floor, the shotgun clattering across the room.
Eli’s fists are flying before I realize what’s happening and I flail to get him off me, both of us lost in a tangle of limbs. I manage to scramble to get above him, but my foot hits something by the door, and it falls to the ground with the sound of shattering glass.
My hands are around his neck starting to tighten when I hear the whoosh of something igniting behind me. My grip loosens as fear strikes me, memories of fire and flame rushing too fast. Eli takes advantage of the momentary distraction and his fist flies up to my face, shoving me off him.
He scrambles up and I look quickly at the fire that’s now spreading by the door. With a shout, I grab his foot before he can get far and he slams back down to the ground. Ripping him back down toward me, I punch a fist into his face, dazing him. With gritted teeth, I wrap my hands around his neck and smash his head back.
“Where is she?” I shout. The fury overwhelms the fear that tickles the back of my mind, with the very real knowledge that this is an old and dry cabin. The crackle of fire behind me signifies I don’t have long.
Eli’s face turns purple, his eyes bulging, and I slam his head back once more, loosening enough for him to answer.
