AllFreeNovel
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Within seconds, we’re on the move.
“Where are we going?” Miri asks quietly.
I don’t have an answer.
“Heckle, how’s Jamie?”
“Bad,” the man driving replies.
We’re in darkness again, only the streetlights cutting through the back of the van to illuminate us.
“Safe house?” Heckle asks.
“Hospital first. Jamie needs help. Are the plates clean?”
“As a whistle.”
Nobody speaks for a while. The air is filled with the stench of burning and the sound of us coughing and wheezing, but not a word is spoken in any language. Whether we’re all in shock or relieved to be free, I don’t know. Miri’s made a pillow for my head on her lap, but my hand has somehow wound its way around Jackson’s. He’s sitting against the front passenger seat, his head resting on his arm braced across his knees.
A million thoughts and a hundred questions fill my head, but not yet.
The van stops, and I see Heckle ease Jamie from the front seat. Jackson doesn’t move, and neither does his hand in mine. Minutes pass us by, and the tension and fear that someone might find us, the authorities, the men from the club, weigh heavy, but nobody comes.
And when Heckle returns, we drive off again.
I squeeze Jackson’s hand, hoping he knows that I’m here for him. Because, right now, I am.
Another period of silence passes. I stare at him, at the girls, at the road outside, and try to understand his reason for helping us. Nothing comes clearly, only that he did help us.
Is still helping us.
We eventually stop, and this time, Jackson moves to open the back of the van.
“Everyone out.” He speaks to the other girls. “You’re free to go. Do as you want. I can’t offer you anything more than that. Don’t think you can come after me or that you’ll see me again. You can’t, and if you try, you’ll wish the Cortez brothers had sold you in the end.” His voice is cruel, full of threats and promises.
My heart thuds in my chest, but then, what did I expect?
Miri helps me out of the van after the others have made it out, but Jackson stops us.
“No.” He shakes his head and runs his hand down the side of my face. “I didn’t just fuck my whole world for you to disappear into the night.” The corner of my lips twitch with a smile. “Come on.”
We switch vehicles to a car, and Jackson gets in after speaking with Heckle and shaking hands.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“Somewhere out of the city for now. We need to get you cleaned up and work out a plan.” Heckle brings us a blanket from the safe house and some old jumpers. They look more like short dresses on us, but at least cover us and stop us from shivering in the barely there dresses we were in.
We’re both in the back seat of the car as Jackson pulls away into the night.
Despite wanting to stay awake, my eyes close.
And despite all my fears, we made it out. Together.
Safe and unharmed might be in question, but we can think about that tomorrow.
For now, we’re safe.
Chapter Fifteen
