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“Hello?” he asks, voice rough.
“Where the fuck are you?” I snap out of it and start pulling on a pair of jeans.
“In bed. Where the fuck are you?” He yawns. I swear he can sleep through anything.
“Ashtyn is missing, and we’ve got a code 26.” I yank on a T-shirt.
“Fuck.” He sighs, sounding more awake now. “What do you need me to do?”
“Get up, get dressed, and help find her before the guards do.” They don’t send an alert out for no reason. But if they get to her before me, it could be days before I’m allowed to talk to her. She would never do anything that would warrant a code.
You get one chance to control her. If she fucks up, she’s going to the basement.
“I’m up,” he assures me, and then I tell him we’ll split up and to call me if he finds her first.
THIRTY-ONE
ASHTYN
Irun down the dimly lit hallway, looking over my shoulder. My hair sticks to my tear-streaked face. Sucking in air, I hold my side, trying to ignore the sharp pain.
“ASH!”
My breath hitches, and I stumble over my own feet but manage not to fall flat on my face. I sidestep into a dark room and yank the door open to shield me as I push my back into the interior wall, allowing the door to cover me. Maybe if they see it’s open, they won’t think to look in here. My bloody hands come up to cover my face to quiet my sobs.
Don’t let them hear you.
“Ash,” Kashton calls out, making me jump. “Where the fuck did she go, man?” he growls.
“I don’t know. But we better find her. You go that way; I’ll go this way,” Saint suggests and just the sound of his voice makes my chest tighten.
“Where the fuck is Haidyn?” Kashton asks.
“I told him we needed to split up. He’s covering the hospital. If he finds her first, he’ll call me,” Saint answers.
I close my eyes after they go quiet, pressing my back into the cold wall, praying it’ll swallow me up and I won’t be seen.
Footsteps grow heavy as someone approaches, and I bite my tongue to keep from whimpering. Prying my watery lashes open, I turn my head to peek through the slit in the door and see Kashton walk by while typing away on his cell.
I knew I’d never survive here, but now I have no choice. The Spade brothers are free to come and go as they please. They’re not prisoners here like I am. As much as they mean to me, they’ll never understand my need to leave. To escape. Especially Saint. No matter how much it physically hurts me to know I won’t have him in my life. That once I’m gone, he’ll move on and be with another woman. That’s part of being a Lord—marriage, kids. They have to provide the world with more of them. That way, when they die one day, they’ll have an heir to carry on their name.
Once Kashton’s out of sight, I push my back into the wall once again and inhale a deep breath before pushing off it. My shaky hand wraps around the edge of the door, and I slowly push it away from me so I can get out from behind it. It squeaks, and I hold my breath for a second as my heart races. After a moment of silence, I go to step out of the room, but a hand hits my chest, shoving me back inside.
“We’ve been looking for you, sweet cheeks.” Kashton’s chuckle fills the concrete room, making my heart skip a beat. “Playing hide-and-seek, huh? What do I get for finding you first?”
I look up into a set of blue eyes through my watery lashes. His narrow on me when he realizes I’m covered in blood. “What the fuck happened, Ashtyn?” Kashton snaps, his playful banter now gone.
“Shh.” I yank on his black T-shirt, pulling him farther into the room to keep from being seen and heard. “Keep your voice down,” I whisper harshly, panic starting to set in. I can’t let them stop me.
“I’m not going to be quiet. What the fuck happened? Is that your blood?” He yanks my shirt up, but I shove him away, pushing the material down. “You’re in some deep shit, Ash. Everyone is looking for you. Come on.” He grabs my hand and goes to remove me from the room.
I yank back, and he spins around to face me once again, but I slam my fist into his nose.
“Fuck.” He stumbles back, grabbing it. “What the fuck, Ash?” When he removes his hand from his face, blood gushes down his chin to fall on his T-shirt.
I knee him in the balls, and he falls to the floor groaning. I rush into the hallway and run the opposite direction that I came from. Coming to the end of the hall, I slowly peek around the corner and immediately slam my back to the wall when I see Saint approaching. My eyes dart back the other way to make sure Kashton isn’t chasing me.
“Ash—what the fuck? Where are you?” Saint adds, calling out. “We’re going to find you, sweetheart. But we can’t protect you if you don’t surrender.”
