AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s over now,” he whispers softly.
“We don’t have Clara or Riley,” I remind him, staring down at the lifeless body in front of me. His eyes are wide and staring, and his mouth gapes open, clogged with the deep red blood he’s choked on.
“Squeal and Brax are looking for them now.”
“They took Maddy. We have to find her.”
“Jessie’s on it, I promise. Let me get you out of here,” he tells me.
“Don’t send me away again, Screwy.” I look up into the dark blue eyes that are always saving me.
“Never,” he promises. “But… You need to know me, Lydia. It’ll hurt you to hear, and it’ll kill me to tell you. But there are things you need to know before you decide if it’s me you really want.”
“Okay,” I nod, already knowing that there is nothing this man could tell me that could make me not want him. “Thank you,” I manage to smile at him, despite the massacre surrounding us.
“For what?” he frowns, as if him charging in here and saving my life again was nothing.
“For saving me again, and for knowing before I did that I needed to kill that man to feel free.”
“I made you a promise, didn’t I?” He shows me that half-smile that warms up my heart before sliding his sticky hand into mine and leading me outside.
We meet the others up at the pretty woodland that surrounds the house of horrors, where the cage is parked.
“I’m going back in.” Storm is fighting against Troj, who’s got him pinned to a tree.
“Brax and Squealer are combing the palace. If she’s in there, they’ll find her,” Troj tries to reason with him.
Grace is sitting with her arm wrapped around Shaniya, who wears Troj’s cut draped over her shoulders and is shaking like a leaf.
“Took your time, VP.” Grimm blows a long steady stream of smoke out of his nostrils as Jessie and Maddy appear over the ridge.
“And will you look at that, Mommy and Daddy made up.” Rogue grins, drawing attention to the fact they’re holding hands. “Nothing like some good old-fashioned danger to put shit into perspective, huh? I told you us coming here was a good idea.” She smiles proudly, and the cold eyes of every man around us attack her at the same time.
I let go of Screwy’s hand and rush to Maddy, and she stumbles slightly when I wrap my arms around her and hug her tight.
“Thank you all for coming for me,” I tell them, moved by the danger they’ve all put themselves in.
The girls smile back at me, even Shaniya. The men, not so much.
They will never know how grateful I am to them all.
“Yeah, well, it looks like we showed up just in time,” Jessie says, taking a long, heavy breath and lighting himself a cigarette.
“We totally had it handled,” Rogue lies through her pearly white teeth.
“Rogue.” Maddy moves to stand in front of her and, although she's covered in blood, gives her a huge hug. One that looks like it lasts way longer than Rogue is comfortable with.
“What you did back there, it meant a lot,” Maddy tells her.
“What are you talking about?” Rogue shrugs Maddy off like she’s a nuisance.
“You know what I’m talking about… They wanted me because they knew I could hack, and Rogue tried pretending to be me to save me,” Maddy tells the group, and everyone looks a little shocked besides Grimm.
“Yeah, and if you tell anyone else that story, Summers, I’ll end you,” Rogue warns. Her bloody fingers take the cigarette out of Grimm's mouth, and she sucks a long drag. I don’t miss the wink and crooked smile she gives Maddy through the smoke, though.
“We need a Doc.” I quickly turn my head around when the sound of Squealer’s voice comes from behind me. He’s running toward us, and he’s got Clara in his arms. Her body is limp, and as he lays her down on the ground, I rush over to her.
“She’s been shot, at least I think she has.” Squealer steps back, and I trace my eyes over her body, searching for injuries.
