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“I wouldn’t count on that. Besides, they aren’t just looking for me. They’re looking for you, too. I also believe internal affairs is looking for you, aren’t they? Something about taking bribes and being a dirty cop.”
“You bitch,” Traynor steps toward me, raising his hand as if to slap me. However, he can’t reach my face, so he does something stupid. He leans over the bed, which gives me the opportunity to kick him in the chest. He stumbles backward and lands on his ass. Angelica giggles, which pisses Traynor off more.Standing, he grabs Angelica’s arms, lifting her from the bed. Angela and I scream at him, but he ignores us. “You think that’s funny? I’ll teach you to laugh at me!” he shouts in her face as he shakes her hard.
“Leave her alone, you fucking bastard,” I shout at him as Angelica cries out in pain. “I’ll fucking kill you.”
“Guess we found a way to keep you under control,” Mitchell says. “Bring the little bitch, and we’ll have some fun. Show Ashley what will happen if she doesn’t behave.”
“No!” Angela screams as they carry Angelica out the door. She’s thrashing on the bed, which makes it hard for me to do what I need to do.
“Angela, stop!” I shout at her. “I’ll get us out of here, and I’ll rescue Angelica, but you need to calm down.”
Angela calms but doesn’t stop weeping. I need to move quickly. Lying on my back, I work my arms and legs until my arms are in front. “Turn over, and I’ll free you,” I order Angela, who immediately does what I ask. Reaching into my boot, I pull out the switchblade I keep hidden there so I can cut her free.
“Want me to cut you free?” Angela offers, using the knife to point to the rope around my legs. I shake my head.
“See the patch with the word ‘Enforcer’ on it?” I ask her. When she nods, I shift forward. “There’s a small gap at the top. Stick your finger in and pull until you can get two fingers inside. There’s a small key under the patch that I need you to get.”
Angela gives me a quizzical look but does as I ask. I hear her break a few threads until she can stick her fingers inside. She pulls out the handcuff key with her fingers. “Good. Now use the key to unlock the cuffs.”
“How do you have this?” she asks in awe. “Did Rafe give you this?”
“No. Our SOA in New Orleans was a former magician. He gave me one when he found out I was dating Rafe. Thought Imight need it if I ever pissed Rafe off enough that he’d handcuff me to the bed.”
While I’m explaining, she unlocks the cuffs. I take them from her along with the key. Reaching down, I use the switchblade to cut through the rope around my ankles. We slide off the bed and move toward the door. Angela’s legs give out when we hear Angelica scream from somewhere in the house. Placing Angela on the bed, I assure her we’re going to rescue Angelica. She stares at me with hope as I hand the switchblade to her.
“Keep this on you. If they get close to you, stab them and keep stabbing. Try for their neck or eyes, but their gut works, too. Don’t try for the chest. You risk hitting bone.”
I pull my necklace over my head and remove the charm before shoving the chain into my pocket. The charm looks like a nut, but I slide it open to reveal four rings with pointy edges. Sliding it onto my fingers, they form a very effective set of brass knuckles. From my bra, I remove a slender cylinder that I snap open into a security baton.
“Holy shit,” Angela whispers as she sees me gear up for the fight.
“Let’s go. Stay behind me. We need to be quiet, but we have to hurry.”
She nods before standing. Straightening her shoulders, she takes a deep breath and holds the knife in front of her. Her form could use some work, but it will do for now. I don’t plan on letting either man get near her.
My first obstacle is the locked door, but I easily bypass it with a lock pick I keep in the seam of my kutte. The basic lock is almost an insult. Opening the door, I glance into an empty hallway that leads to a living room. I can see a couch and a low coffee table. Across from me is another door. I open it to reveal a bathroom. There are two more doors further down. Reaching for the knob of one, I hear Angelica’s whimper behind the otherdoor. Angela responds with a whimper of her own that she tries to smother. I’m not too worried. I doubt they heard her.
Grasping the knob, I’m satisfied to find it turns easily in my hand. Pushing the door open, I see Angelica on a mattress. The two assholes stand over her as they paw at her dress. Blocking the view from Angela, I push her away from me so she’s against the wall. Once she’s out of range, I slide into the room. Circling the baton, I slam it up between Traynor’s legs. He screams and drops into a fetal position. Flipping the baton to my left hand, I slam my right fist into the back of Mitchell’s head. He falls forward onto the bed, barely missing Angelica.
She scrambles off the bed and runs out the door. Angela soothes her while I deal with the trash. After slamming the baton against Mitchell’s kneecaps, I punch his face repeatedly until he stops moving. Traynor tries to scramble to his feet, but I wail on him with my fists and the baton until he crashes back down to the ground. Blood oozes out of the wounds on their faces. Traynor groans in pain. I use the handcuffs to attach them to the metal bed frame. It might not keep them prisoners for long, but it will buy us some time. Searching their pockets, I take both sets of keys, happy to see the handcuff key on Traynor’s.
The lock on this door is as useless as the other one. I still lock it. Since no one came to check out the commotion, I figure Mitchell and Traynor are here alone. However, to keep Angela and Angelica safe, I make sure they stay behind me. Creeping into the main area of what I assume is a cabin, I notice the space smells of must and mold. Across the room is a door and, next to it, a window. Although the window could use a good cleaning, I can see outside. I see an empty field and the edge of a gravel driveway. Off in the distance is a tree line. What I don’t see is movement, so I carefully open the door and step outside. The wooden porch has seen better days.
“Watch your step,” I whisper to Angela, who nods. She leans over and lifts Angelica into her arms before she steps gingerly across the space. As we step onto the lawn, I hear a noise that makes my heart stop. A car crests over the small hill, its headlights capturing us in their glare.
EPILOGUE: RAFE
I follow the Deputy’s car along the semi-paved road until she turns off onto a dirt track. I’m glad she’s in the lead because I don’t know how she spotted the turnoff. The dirt road curves around several rock outcrops and up a small hill. Up ahead, I see a rustic cabin. The Deputy’s headlights capture three people in their beam. Without warning, they turn and run for the trees. Their blonde hair stands out in the light, but it’s the image of the snarling dog on the back of the tallest figure that captures my attention.
“Viper!” I bellow as I shove my door open. “Viper, it’s me, Rafe.”
The figures slide to a stop before changing direction. The smaller figures crash into me. I put a protective arm around them as Viper wraps her arms around my neck. Her heart pounds against my chest as she lets out a long sigh.
“I’m so glad to see you,” she whispers before backing away.
“What’s going on? Who are these people?” Deputy Jennings asks as she takes a blanket out of her car and wraps it around a shivering Angelica.
“Deputy Jennings, this is Angelica, her mother, Angela, and my woman, Viper. This is Deputy Jennings. As for what is going on? No idea. What are you doing out here?”
