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“To die,” I say honestly and easily.
I hear both of their sharp intakes of breaths. “Please,” Jade says, “Don’t. There’s so much out there for you.”
I blink. “Out where?” My words are cold and sharp. I don’t trust them. How can I? Everyone I’ve ever known has hurt me. Why would two complete strangers help me?
Silence spreads between us.
“Teagan…” Jade whispers. “How long have you been here?”
“Since I was three,” I reply. “My dad wouldn’t let me leave.”
“Okay, how about this…” she begins. “We unlock you, let you have a shower and something to eat, and then go from there?”
A shower sounds nice. I’ve had to wash with a bucket, and that was only when the men let me.
“Is everyone gone?” I ask her, needing to know that it’s safe to go upstairs.
“I promise you they’re gone.”
Kelvin moves toward me, and I brace. I watch him, wondering what he’s going to do next. His eyes harden as he grows closer, so I turn onto my front and lie down, just as Crunk instructed me to do whenever a man was angry. He told me it meant they would need relief.
“Oh, Teagan,” Jade whispers.
“Teagan,” Kelvin says softly. “Please turn around.” I do as he says, and he reaches for my collar, unlocking it. The moment it’s off me, I’m able to breathe a little easier. “I don’t want anything from you. I just want to help.”
“But why? No one has ever helped me, so why would you? What do you want from me?” I call bullshit. There’s no way these two are here out of the goodness of their hearts. No fucking way. As much as I hate the Demons, they taught me many lessons, the foremost one being not to trust anyone. People always want something in return.
“Okay, yes, I do want something in return,” he says, and I nod. I knew he did. “I want you to get out of here, and then when you’re healthy, I want you to work for me.”
“As a whore?” I ask, wondering what else I’m good for.
“No,” he says, his words hard as stone. “I’m in need of an assistant. Can you do that for me?”
I still don’t buy this shit. I feel as though there’s something off about all of this. But if I’m able to get out of here, maybe, just maybe, I can find somewhere to hide and then they’ll never be able to find me.
Maybe, just maybe, I can live my life without anyone hurting me?
“Okay,” I whisper. “I’d like a shower now.”
Jade smiles at me. She has pretty eyes and a soft smile, but there’s something cold behind that assessing gaze. She’s a killer, both of them are. I’ve lived around enough of them to know one when I look at them. I’ve been hurt by enough to know what one looks like.
She helps me to my feet and up the stairs. With every step that I take, I grow stronger but weaker at the same time. My body is weakening as I’ve not eaten in a day or so. I’ve also not walked very far in a long time. But my resolve is growing stronger. For the first time in my life, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just pray that no matter what happens, I can find somewhere to hide from these two and live my life quietly and without worry.
FOUR
TEAGAN
I’m sitting in a coffee shop, a cup of coffee in my hands, warming me up. It’s weird being outside, away from the confines of the clubhouse. I can’t help but watch everyone with a distrustful eye, wondering what their plans are. I’m constantly on edge and in fear, but I push it back and focus on the two people in front of me.
It’s been two days since the Demons were taken from the clubhouse. It was the strangest feeling to be upstairs rather than locked in the basement. Both Jade and Kelvin left me after I had eaten and had a shower. They had something to do, and judging by the dark look in their eyes, it was to kill someone. I just hope that it was Crunk and the rest of the men.
I’m not in the least bit sad that my father is dead. I’m just so relieved that neither he nor any of the other brothers can hurt me again.
That night, I slept in my old room. I was surprised that it hadn’t changed. Not a bit. I crawled into the bed, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I fell straight to sleep and didn’t wake up until I heard Jade calling me the following day. I have a feeling that she thought I would have been gone when she returned. I probably should have, but I was so tired, I needed the sleep. Now, I’m feeling better, more alert, so when it’s time for me to disappear I will be better equipped.
Being outside and seeing things for the first time is scary and intimidating. I feel foolish whenever I have to ask Jade about things quietly, not wanting to be overheard. She’s answered every single question that I’ve had, and she hasn’t made me feel stupid or told me to shut up. She’s even explained a few things to me without me having to ask.
I take a sip of the coffee. This is definitely something that I’ll be having again.
