Unbound (Bound and Bared Book 1)

by Christine Monroe

  “Whoops, I missed.”

  The man opened his mouth to say something, but he never got a chance. Thorn put a bullet in his head.

  "Got it right this time." Thorn looked back at me and shrugged. He kept going and I followed him, reminding myself he wasn't on the hit list. Not this time.

  I saw a door off to the right, and I threw it open. My finger steady on the trigger, but I stopped dead in my tracks. A girl looking too much like Miranda lied motionless on a dirty cot. Her body so still, I feared she hadn't survived. I felt the gut wrenching pain of being too late.

  A shallow breath escaped her, the small movement making her chest rise ever so slightly. Relief washed over me, but it was short lived. I could tell she was knocking on death's door. Her small body was ready to give out.

  “I won’t hurt you.” I made my voice calm and soft even though the blinding rage still crawled through my body. I crossed the small space, my movements slow and steady.

  She didn't move as I approached her, but I heard her breaths quicken, the only sign she was aware of my presence. What I saw when I got close made me wish I could resurrect those to dead fuckers so that I could kill them all over again.

  Lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling. I looked down, trying to access the damage before I attempted to move her. Her body carried new lash marks right on top of old ones. Careless and cruel, she hadn't had time to heal before they hurt her again. They didn't care what happened to her. There would always be another girl. I saw Miranda when I looked at her. Every mark upon her skin I imagined on Miranda.

  “I am going to get you out of here. This might hurt. I’m sorry.” Leaning down I picked her up as gently as I could. She was cold and practically weightless in my arms. I felt her whole body tense in my hold. I stepped out into the darkened hallway. My eyes scanned for any sign of a threat. Seeing nothing, I called out for Thorn.

  He appeared, and I noticed the way his eyes darkened at the sight of the girl in my arms.

  “I need you to take her.” Thorn moved to take her, but the despite how weak she was, she wrapped her arms around my neck and held on tight.

  “Wait.” The word came out hoarse. Her voice was raw and haunted. "There was another girl in the room with me. Her name was Miranda. They took her away. She let them take her to protect me. Did they bring her back? Did you find her?" The girl met my eyes. I froze. The blood was turning to ice in my veins.

  “You need to go with him. He will take you somewhere safe.” I managed to push the words out by sheer force of will. Every trigger had been switched on. The beast I had kept dormant all these years broke free with one single purpose. To find Miranda and cast the man who took her into the deepest pits of hell.

  The girl in my arms sensed the change. I expected her to try to get free. I was no longer safe. Her savior had morphed into a predator. She kept her eyed locked on mine. Her hold tightened ever so slightly. “You are the one she said would come find her. She told me to keep fighting because help was coming. I don’t know the man who took her. He was someone new, but she seemed to recognize him. I saw it on her face. She knew who he was.”

  The broken girl in my arms gave me the gift of information. A place to start my hunt.

  “Thank you.”

  She nodded and then reached to Thorn.

  Thorn gathered her close. His touch is soft and gentle.

  “Don’t worry I got you.” Thorn’s voice seemed to break ever so slightly as he pulled the small girl closer to his chest. “Let’s get you out of here, beautiful.”

  I pulled my phone out. I dialed the number of the person I knew would anything to help me find Miranda.

  The phone rang twice before being picked up.

  “What do you need?” Selena’s voice came through like a lifeline.

  “They took her.” I didn’t need to explain. I didn’t think I could.

  “Bring me someone and I guarantee I will get him to talk. We will find her, V.”

  “What if we are too late?”

  "We won't be. Now get me a playmate." Selena's voice dripped with venom. We both carried something deadly beneath our skin, and it was time to let her out to play.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  I had been awake for twenty-four hours. For the first time in a long time, I had fueled myself on pure fear. Every minute that ticked by was a minute Miranda lost, a minute more she spent trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t protect her from.

  When I finally dragged our guest through the doors of the club, I was running on empty. I threw him at Selena’s feet, as I slammed a kick into the man’s ribs. His screams didn’t even register.

  “I see you started the party without me.” Selena’s words reached my ears, laced with violence I knew all too well. She would use subtle way to inflict it, delivering pain like a dance. She knew every dark step, every twisted melody to get what she needed. As much as I wanted to be the one to hurt him, I knew he wouldn’t last long enough to get what I sought. Once I started, I wouldn’t stop.

  “Get what I need,” I ordered.

  “With pleasure.”

  I walked away. I knew Selena would find me once she got what we needed. I found myself standing outside the room that I had given Miranda. I threw open the door and took a step inside. Darkness surrounded me, but I didn't bother to turn on the light. I caught Miranda's scent, a faint trace of her that almost took me to my knees. I wanted to forget. I didn't know how to deal with this. I had become adrift at sea, my anchor of control had broken free, and I washed away. All I had left was her ghost, lingering like a phantom I couldn't catch. I worried if I didn't find her soon that would be all that remained.

  “I got what you need, V.” Selena stood in my office, her face grim and drawn tight. I knew I wasn’t going to like what I heard next.

  “Tell me, Selena.”

  She stepped closer, and I caught sight of red on her hands. I didn’t ask what she had done. I didn’t need to know.

  “Miranda did know who took her. It was Eddie.”

  My heart stopped. “How?” That’s all I managed to get out of my mouth.

  “Her father sold her to him,” Selena said the words then took a step back.

  Luckily she did, because of a split second later, my fist connected with the wall, shining on its accord as my hand slammed into the concrete. I didn't even flinch, the pain not registering as my mind blanked out. Betrayal cut fast and profound. Everything turned upside down. I tumbled down the rabbit hole, my whole world shifting in an instant.

  Hands shot out, and I grabbed Selena.

  "Do you know where he has her?" My hands dug into her shoulders with brutal force. Blood from my hand seeped through Selena's shirt. A dark stain was spreading out like spilled wine, turning the white of Selena's shirt into crimson.

  Selena put her hand up to my cheek. Red from her hand stained my skin. Her shirt, her hands, my cheek, my hand, everything was shaded in red. Her hand dropped, and I let go. I had always known we were alike and at this moment I saw us for what we are.

  “You good?” Selena’s voice come out tinged with the same madness consuming me.

  I nodded.

  “You need to stay that way.”

  “Where are they?”

  “Eddie’s parents left him a cabin. He took her there.”

  “You sure?”

  “My methods always get the truth.”

  “I think your methods are better than mine.”

  A tiny smile formed at the edges of Selena’s lips. “You know he will be expecting you, V. He might not have kept her long.”

  Selena’s words hit hard as she tried to prepare me for the possibility Miranda could already be gone.

  “I know.”

  “I would tell you to get some rest before you go but I don’t want her with that monster any second longer than you do. One way or another, bring her back.”

  Selena walked away, leaving me alone with the fear we both shared. I could do many things, but even I couldn't turn back
time. I wore my regrets like I wore my demons, etched into my skin permeant reminders I could never be free of. I prayed Miranda wasn't added to the list. I wasn't sure I could survive it.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  I stood silhouetted against the black. My thoughts trained to one purpose. Find Miranda. I put my hands against the door and gave a slight push finding it locked. A locked door wouldn’t stop me. A small window caught my eye. With a little push, the window gave way. I slipped inside, my feet dropping to the floor without a sound. I moved in the darkness, my mindset on my target. Another bedroom waited at the end of the hall. I heard no movement as I crept past the door. A body laid on the bed and I pulled a blade. The weight of the knife in my hand gave me comfort, like greeting an old friend.

  I pressed the blade against Eddie’s throat before I leaned down and asked, “Where is she?”

  Eddie’s eyes snapped open, cold metal resting so dangerously against his neck. I pressed the blade in a little deeper—deep enough to start drawing blood. I longed for it to go deeper, to paint the room in crimson.

  “Who?”

  "Don't fuck with me, Eddie. You can tell me what I want to know, and your death will come quickly, or we can do things the hard way. I know you have her. That alone seals your fate. Now choose."

  “So fucking righteous, with all your rules. You broke them all for her. You gave up everything for nothing but a whore. I did you a favor. Now that I got rid of her, maybe you can come to your senses. You should be thanking me, Val.”

  “The only thing I am going to thank you for is the pleasure of doing this the hard way. I am going to enjoy this.”

  I had my hand on another blade before I finished the sentence. I struck. My target- the tender flesh between his legs. With a quick motion, I sank it deep and cut, ridding him of something he wouldn’t fucking need anymore. His scream lit up the night like Christmas. The sound cleansing as it sated the blood lust pulsing through my veins.

  “SHE’S DEAD. I KILLED HER.” The words flew from Eddie’s mouth like bullets. I wanted to dodge them but I couldn’t. My greatest fear came spilling out of his mouth, slamming into me with deadly aim. I prayed Eddie was lying, a small trace of fragile hope to help keep me standing.

  “I’ll see you in hell.” Eddie spat the words at me. They meant nothing. If the only real thing I had ever had were gone, then I would welcome what waited for me. I had always known where I belonged. There is no heaven for men like me.

  “I look forward to it," I added pressure to the blade I held against his neck. One clean cut and blood flowed from the gruesome line I had carved across his throat. I heard his last breath as I walked out, not one ounce of remorse trailing my footsteps. My only mission was Miranda. I refused to let go. I would bring her back. I had already failed her, watched her walk out of my life without telling her how she had changed me, that she had become my heartbeat, the very breath in my lungs. I had fallen, turned from the king to fool as I held on to my crumbling castle in the sand. If she were gone, I would have nothing but the ruins of my heart, a forgotten crown lost among broken pieces of my soul.

  Chapter Forty

  I opened my eyes. Those first few seconds had become my bitter enemy, lies that made me forgot the nightmare and believed this was nothing more than a nightmare. Precious seconds where I thought he would be beside me and when they vanished every beautiful memory of him was stolen from me. With Val, the pain had brought me freedom, and now it had become a brutal reminder of what I no longer had. The pain seeped in like a disease, destroying me from the inside out, eating me alive with deadly sharp teeth. My waking moments were spent waiting for him. I listened for the slightest sound of footsteps. I counted my heartbeats, wondering how many I had left, afraid of the answer. The beautiful line between giving in and holding on had grown so fine I could no longer tell the difference.

  Footsteps registered in my ear, frantic and fast, hitting each stair like a hammer. I had memorized the sound of Eddie's, and I knew those footsteps didn't belong to him. A new terror gripped me. Eddie had decided to share. The realization enough to shatter me, as the beautiful line blurred and I stood ready to throw myself across it. The fragile hold I had to stay slipped away.

  “Miranda?” That voice. His voice. Val.

  My vocal cords strained, desperate to answer him.

  "MIRANDA." His voice was frantic as he searched for me. My name became my salvation. The lifeline back to him. I had never heard anything so sweet.

  "I'm here." The words came out harsh. My voice worked the syllables out of my mouth like nails. Each one is driving the pain deeper. I flinched. My throat was raw from all the things Eddie had stuffed into it. I also wore a ring of dark bruises on my neck. Every word felt like torture. Still, I called, over and over again, dying every second he didn't appear.

  I heard her voice, frail and desperate. I needed to get to her. I had no thought at what I would find when I got there. The air inside my lungs ripped away the moment I found her.

  “Miranda.”

  She turned toward me and found my face. Her eyes wide and glassy, never leaving mine as she looked at me like I had become a saint. A pale hand reached for me, and I sank beside her. Cold fingers slipped into my hand.

  “You found me.”

  I nodded, unable to do more. The sight of me filled her eyes with hope. Here in the darkest of places I gave her back the light.

  “Let’s get you out of here.” I tried to slip my hand free, but her grip tightened.

  “Don’t let go.” Miranda’s voice shook slightly as she tightened her grip even further.

  I stared at Val wondering if I was dreaming. I became terrified to let go, afraid he would vanish. Had my dreams turned so cruel that they now wanted me to believe he was here with me? My fingers locked onto his hand.

  I hated the way her face had changed. She now wore fear like a veil. Something inside her had broken. The sight of her at this moment would leave a permeant scar, one that would haunt me like a ghost chasing my heels.

  “I can’t get you free without my hand. Let go, sweetheart.”

  I slowly loosened my grip until my hand slipped from Val’s. I turned my head away. I couldn’t bear to see if he faded away into nothing but a memory. I heard the locks fall free, the weight of the chains disappeared. Then, I found myself back in his arms. His heartbeat seeped through my skin. I tried to hold on to every beat. I wanted to capture them like stars, to fill up the dark and hollow space existing inside of me.

  “This might hurt,” I whispered. Miranda’s cheeked rested against my chest.

  Her hand found its way up to my cheek. “It’s okay.”

  As I carried Miranda up the stairs, my deadly calm shattered under the weight of her in my arms. Her skin was like paper that had been dyed a sick shade of ink. She felt lighter, her already tiny body smaller in my arms. Once outside I moved even faster driven by the need to get her away from this house of horrors.

  Val put me into the car. The sky was breaking into dawn, and I finally could see him. He looked like war, battle weary and stained red. I had never seen anything more beautiful. I didn't have to ask what he had done.

  My hand reached out and captured his. He stopped. His eyes caught the sight of his hand in mine. He tried to pull free, but I held on.

  “Miranda don’t.”

  I saw worry etched on his face; I thought for a moment it was because he didn't like other people to touch him but then I knew the truth. He worried what I thought of him. The blood on his hands stood out against my pale skin. The dark shade of red didn't bother me. Instead, I felt comforted by the shade, knowing he had killed my nightmare so it could never hurt again.

  "Thank you," I whispered.

  Val hesitated. “You shouldn’t thank me.”

  Here in this moment, I wished I could stop time. I was awed by him, finding solace in his darkness. That his kind of night was the kind that would never stop. It would chase me to the ends of the earth, hunting me, saving me an
d bringing me back home. His hell was my heaven.

  “Why? Because I shouldn’t be grateful for what you did?” My words died as my fingers traced the red on his palm. “I won’t run, Val. I’m not afraid or ashamed of this side of you. I have the same thing inside of me. I feel the razor tipped shadows wanting to be set free. It’s not a curse. It’s the thing keeping you breathing when you have nothing else.”

  I let go of his hand and curled into the seat.

  I watched Miranda retreat. Those shadows had kept her breathing, but they had also claimed her. I didn’t know if I could bring her back, but I knew I would follow her.

  I slipped into the driver seat, pulling a blanket from the back seat. As I wrapped it around her, a ghost of a smile found her lips before she curled up tighter and looked out the window.

  I knew more monsters waited for me. The road ahead seemed dark, full of things I knew would want to try to steal me back. I risked a glance at Val. Those things didn’t know him. They didn’t know he was a beautiful mix of god and monster. I still didn’t know what created him, but I didn’t care. I was his, all I had to do was find my way back

  Chapter Forty-One

  “Try to get some rest. You are safe now, Miranda.”

  She nodded, and I hated the lie that dropped from my lips. She wasn't safe. I still had her father to deal with, and I knew he wasn't going to be happy once he realized everything I had done. He also still had her sisters. I had to make a choice them or Miranda. I never hesitated. I knew who I would try to save. I also knew I would have to answer to her about why I came for her instead of doing what I promised her. I hoped the fact I had a backup plan would make me telling her easier. Everything hinged on the call I was waiting for. If my plan worked, then the next step would be to eliminate her father for good. I had managed to discover Connor Price did indeed have enemies, and his money wasn't going to stop them. These type of men didn't give a fuck who you were. They only wanted blood, and I had promised to deliver.