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Without thought, I snag one of Marco’s knives and slit the asshole's throat. Blood spurts, and he drops, crimson liquid pooling beneath his head and trailing across the floor as we reach her door.
Unwilling to wait for someone to find me the key to the locked door, I slip an explosive device on the hinges. Wes and Marshall approach behind us, waiting for my cue. “Catch it so it doesn’t fall inwards.” As soon as they nod, I blast the caps. The contained explosion makes the girl behind the door screech.
I suffer a moment of guilt for frightening her, but I’m betting she’s already terrified at the gunfire coming from downstairs. “Go help Ty and Grange,” I order them as they lean the door against the wall. Nobody gets to see her before I do.
The smoke clears as I enter the room. Sparse, dark, and depressing are my initial thoughts. The sound of growling pulls my attention to the side as I see two large cats on their haunches, ready to attack.
“What the fuck are those?” Marco clips out, sticking his head in the door at the sound.
“Servals.” They’re like miniature leopards in appearance, and I’m willing to bet in viciousness as well. “Keep an eye on them,” I say, and he pulls out his knives.
“Little girl, you can come out now.” Another burst of gunfire erupts, drawing a whimper from where she must be hiding under the bed.
“Fuck,” Marco grunts, and from the corner of my eye, I spot the animals trying to close in on him.
“Can you control the cats, little girl? They’d like to bite my friend's head off, and if they attack, so will he.” I try to keep my voice gentle, hoping she’ll come out. A light clicking of the tongue gets the felines to sit down, but they remain watchful as their growling ceases. “Good girl. Now, can you come out for me?” I wave Marco back out of the room.
Another whimper is audible as I approach the bed. Crouching down, I now know that she’s hiding under the base. Lifting the bottom of a blanket, I meet a frightened stare as she scoots back. Her eyes widen the more they roam across me. Following her line of sight, I see the blood splattered across my once crisp, white shirt.
Cursing, I drop the edge of the duvet and stand, ripping the garment off. I use a clean portion to wipe what I can from my arms.
Resuming my position, I lift it again. “I’m sorry, little girl. Should have been more cautious.” Reaching out a hand, I steel my patience as I wait for her to decide whether to accept my offer or if I’m going to have to tear her out of there kicking and screaming.
“Please, little one.”
Someone chokes behind me. Likely because I don’t think I’ve ever used my manners before.
She whimpers and draws into herself even more. It takes the longest minute before she finally reaches out. As soon as her hand is in mine, I drag her out and into my arms.
“Ssshhh, little girl, you’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Her entire frame trembles as I rub a soothing hand along her back. The cats bare their teeth at me but don’t move otherwise.
“What’s your name, little one?” Tilting her chin up with my hand, she stares at me blankly. Unmoving and hardly breathing. “Dante!” I snap, my voice hardened with rage. She doesn’t even flinch.
“Yeah?” He peers inside the room, his eyes eating her up.
“Eyes off,” I growl, ready to snap his neck. His gaze cricks up to mine, fear lurking in their depths. “There something wrong with her? Deaf, doesn’t speak English…?”
“Not as far as I know. But nobody knows much about her.”
I dismiss him, and Marco comes and drags his ass back out.
This might complicate things. Gunfire finally ceases downstairs. Ordinarily, I’d want to know how that ended, but nothing matters more than the girl in my arms right now.
“We’re leaving,” I tell her, hoping for some response. Her wide blue eyes don’t leave my face as I release her and take a step back, registering what she’s wearing for the first time. A pastel pink baby doll dress that hugs her body so tightly that there’s nothing left to the imagination.
Dragging a hand down my face, I do my best to quell the desire running rampant through my veins and straight to my greedy-for-her dick. “Marco, see if these critters have a leash or something.” Both are wearing sleek gold collars that blend in with their fur.
The girl steps closer to me as Marco walks into the room, putting me between her and him, and satisfaction rolls through me. This is precisely why I wanted to be the one to enter her room first. I needed her dependant on me.
Wrapping an arm across her shoulders, I bring her into my body and kiss the side of her head, telling her, “You can trust Marco. He’ll keep you safe, too.” Her head rests over my heart as her hands fist against my bare flesh, looking to grab onto something.
“Nick, these fucking things are going to eat me.” A bark of laughter spills from my lips, and the girl's head lifts up to stare at me.
Tracing the line of her jaw, I brush my thumb across her plump red lip. “Can you put the leash on them?” Her eyes flit to the cats, then to Marco holding leashes, and back to me before nodding.
Leaning back from me, her fingers clutch the belt in my pants, halting her progress as I jolt forward. Her head turns, and she frowns at her hand but doesn’t move to let me go. She tugs a little, her doe eyes gazing up at me, pleading that I go with her.
Fuck, she’s precious.
