Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
“And risk everyone in the club knowing what we look like?” Nathan grits. “If one of them rips off these masks, it’s game over.”
More banging on the door ensues.
“We have to make a decision,” Kai says.
I look around the room and spot a vent in the back big enough for a kid like her, and maybe just big enough for someone like me …
“No, give her to me,” I say, holding out my hands.
“What do you want to do?” Nathan asks as he hands Rory over.
I hold her tight as I point at the shaft.
“No way that’ll fit,” Kai says. “Except for Ro.”
“No, we can’t let her go alone!” Nathan growls.
“I’ll go with her,” I say.
Kai swallows. “You’re leaving us here.”
“We came here to get Rory. She needs to be safe. We can’t get her through that hallway with those men waiting out there for us.”
Nathan takes in a deep breath. “You want to save her first.”
I nod. “It’s the only shot we have. We have to take it.”
“Nathan? I don’t want to leave,” Rory mumbles, reaching for him.
He watches me with a concerned look on his face. “Okay. I trust you.”
I don’t know if he’s just saying that to make her feel safe or if he really means it, but it’s enough for me to immediately move.
“C’mon, Ro,” I say as I push her up to the shaft. “Push the lid aside.”
She does what I ask, and I lift her over my shoulder and into the shaft.
“I need help,” I say when it’s my turn.
Kai approaches. “This better work,” he warns. “If you die out there, I’m coming to haunt you.”
“I won’t, don’t worry,” I say, winking.
“Lana!” Nathan says, drawing my attention. “Save her. Get her out of here. No matter the cost.”
I swallow, realizing the gravity of his words. “I will.”
“We’ll take care of these fuckers once they break in,” Blaine says, whipping his katana around. “This blade is hungry for blood.”
Kai lowers his hands and puts them underneath my foot. “Got you.”
Right as he pushes me up, the door cracks.
We all turn our heads toward the sound.
BANG!
My eyes widen as I see them barge in.
Right then, I lift myself into the shaft. “Rory, go! Crawl as fast as you can!”
Her panicked little body shifts from side to side as we make our way through the dusty shaft. Below us, the fighting breaks out. The sound of gunshots fills the shaft, and each one makes her flinch.
“Don’t listen to any of the sounds; just keep moving,” I tell her as the shaft tilts upward.
“I’m scared,” she says.
“I’m here,” I reply, going around a corner. “We’re almost there.”
I slide across the metal, headed for the opening in the far back where light pours in.
“I can see the floor,” Rory mutters.
“Okay, now jump down carefully,” I tell her. “You can turn around, right?”
She nods when she looks at me, and then she curls her body up into a ball and switches her legs to the front.
“Just like on the playground, you just jump down.”
“But what if there are people there?”
“Don’t worry about them. If they even see you, they’ll be far too busy with Nathan, Kai, and Blaine to care,” I reply.
She hesitates but still pushes farther, dangling her little legs over before she makes the jump.
It’s not far down, and when I crawl ahead, I can see her.
“Hide!” I tell her.
She moves away from the shaft and remains out of sight for a second as I lower myself face-first and hang onto the ledge to let my feet drop first.
But as I come to a stand, I feel the weight of my own blood coming down on me.
Because in front of me is a hoard of Bonesmen, their tattoos giving away their allegiance. They’re sporting butcher knives and gnarly-looking grimaces.
“Please don’t hurt me,” Rory murmurs from underneath the table to my left.
I step to the side to block them from looking at her.
“Don’t worry, Ro,” I say, with a smug grin as I pull my tiny gun from my boot while the Bonesmen approach. “I won’t let them touch you. Now close your eyes and don’t open them until I say so.”
KAI
When they burst into the room, I brace myself and wait until they’ve run over the door before I shoot. Bullets ricochet across the room, zooming past my ears as I shoot them down one after the other. Nathan storms at one of the Bonesmen who comes too close and rams his knife into his throat, then roars when he pulls it out. His eyes almost blaze with fire after every kill he makes, vengeance turning him into a psycho killer. And it puts a goddamn smile on my face.
“I’m gonna kill you all!” Nathan screams, shoving his knife into someone’s eye.
“Please…” my victim mutters, but I shoot a bullet straight between his eyes.