The smell of the room hits my senses. The huge room has red plush carpet and is decorated like an old-fashioned theater. There is a stage to my left, covered in red velvet drapes, and under any other circumstances, I might think it was pretty. But right now, knowing what little I know, this whole room fills me with dread. I look at a few guys sitting at what looks like a bar area, but as I scan the rest of the room, it appears empty.
I continue to follow Jax. He stops at the far side of the grand stage, pulling back the drapes to reveal a door. We walk through the door and down yet another cold corridor. I can just about make out another metal door. Jax smiles at the guard standing outside the door. He nods, opening the door slowly, so I tentatively step through. The fear of walking into the unknown terrifies me, and the sound of someone sobbing puts me on high alert.
The door slams behind me. I jump at the sound, clutching my hands to my chest as I try to steady myself. I strain my neck, looking at the room we just entered. My eyes immediately land on a girl crouched on the floor. Her hands are wrapped in her long blond hair, and her wails are ear piercing.
I stretch my shaking hand forward, grabbing Jax’s shirt. “What’s wrong with her?”
He glares at me, studying me for a second. His expression is one of disgust.
“Hey,” I shout, looking around the room. The man standing in front of her slowly turns his head, his eyes raking over my body. “What’s wrong with her? Don’t you think you need to do something?”
“Kailee,” Jax turns and warns.
“This silly little whore needs to pull herself together. No one will pay money for a wailing tramp.” He takes a hand full of her hair, dragging her up from the floor. She yelps out, struggling to stand. Controlling her head with the grasp he has on her hair, he tilts her head back, her red swollen face meeting his.
“You have five minutes to sort out your scrawny little ass, or I’ll come back and finish you off myself,” he growls in her face. I want to help her; I feel awful just watching this happen, but I have to remember these are dangerous people. Shooting my mouth off will only make things worse. I look around slowly. Four other girls are here, including the one left sobbing on the floor. Three of the girls look strung out with dark circles around their eyes and hair that’s pulled up — but in no way disguises how greasy it looks. They look dead behind their dark eyes. Each girl is dressed in the same set as I am. Revealing lacy bra and panties. We’ve all got the same bright lipstick on. It’s like we are a herd of cattle waiting at the market to be sold.
The guy throws the sobbing girl back against the floor, making his way over to Jax. He leans in close, whispering so quietly, I can’t make out what they are saying. They glance over at me, the guy smiling widely, revealing his whiter than white teeth. It’s not the nice smile you’d expect; it’s the kind that tells me he’s hiding something. I shudder, turning away from his repulsive gaze. I look at the girl still on the floor.
“Here, let me help you.” I walk over, bending down, offering her my hand. She looks up at me, peering through the strands of hair partially covering her face. She slowly lifts her hand out to me, and I bend forward, reaching it and pulling just enough to help her from the ground.
“Thank you.” She sniffles, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. As she clears her face of hair, I can’t help but study her features. She’s stunning. Her cool blond hair is almost to her waist, and her eyes are so blue. But despite all this, it’s her youth that has me fixed on her. I gently tug on her hand, leading her farther away from Jax and the other guy’s earshot.
I stop when I feel my bare back touching the cool brick wall.
“It’s going to be okay,” I lie. Not because I want to give her false hope, but because I have to believe this myself.
Her head shakes wildly. “It’s not okay. This will never be okay,” she croaks. I reach up and place my hands on top of her thin arms.
“Shhh,” I prompt. Looking around at Jax, I make sure she hasn’t drawn attention to us. My eyes land back on her face. “Take deep breaths,” I say, inhaling and exhaling, hoping she will follow.
And she does. She breathes, but her breaths are ragged. She had clearly been crying for a long time and wound herself up.
“I’m going to die, aren’t I?” Her eyes widen.
“No,” I quickly respond. “Nobody is dying on my watch,” I say, trying to lighten the situation. “I’m Kailee, by the way.” I offer my hand to her, and her eyes study my hand for a second.
“I’m Layla,” she says with a huge breath, taking my hand, and we shake.
“How old are you, Layla?” I ask, my voice just a whisper.
“I’m not allowed to say,” she mumbles, cautiously checking over her shoulder.
“You can trust me,” I say tilting my head and focusing on her face. “You’re not eighteen, are you?”
She shakes her head.
I try my best not to gasp, but I can’t help sucking in a shaking breath. “Jesus,” I mutter. “Has he hurt you?”
She nods, her eyes saddening, and I lunge forward, wrapping my arms around her. This whole thing is messed up. But I’m spared a little comfort in the fact I probably haven’t experienced what this girl has.
“I want to go home,” she whispers through her sobs as she rests her head on my shoulders.
“You will, I promise,” I say, stroking her hair. “But you need to start playing the game. You might be bought by a good businessman, and there’s a chance you can get out of this.” Her head moves against my shoulder as she nods in agreement. “Let’s look our best; we stand a better chance then.” I swipe my finger under her eyes, wiping away the stray tears. She barely has any makeup on now, but she doesn’t need it. She’s stunning and still has the bright red lipstick on.
“Let your face dry, and the redness will go down. Here, let me fix your hair,” I say as I reach up and flatten the few strands sticking up.
“Why are you doing this?” she asks. “How are you so calm?”
“Believe me; I’m just as terrified as you are. But freaking out isn’t going to help. I’m trying to keep a clear head because I will get out of here.”
“The men who come here want to do despicable things to us. Nick told me they would fuck me like a rag doll then kill me when they’ve got all they need from me.”
I swallow hard. I have to hope this isn’t the future for either of us.
“No one knows what’s waiting on the other side.”
And that’s the terrifying truth. I have no idea what’s going to happen to either of us.
Ryder
We pull up on the side of the road.
“That road there leads to the building where the whole thing takes place. Aston will go with you and make sure you get in. But then you’re on your own, Ryder. The black car parked just behind is all yours.” He holds up a set of keys, and I hold my hand out. He drops them into my palm, and I quickly push them inside my pocket.
“I wish you all the best, my man, but this is as far as I go.”
“Thanks, man.” I take his hand, pulling him in for a man hug.
I pull down my black ski mask then turn and step from the car.
“Ryder,” Marco calls. “Don’t go getting yourself killed. I like looking at that tight ass of yours way too much.”
I can’t help but laugh. “I’m not fucking planning on it, man,” I say with a huff of laughter. I slam the door shut, and the car speeds away. “Ready?” I ask Aston, the guy Marco has appointed to help me.
He nods in a nonverbal response. I start jogging down the small road, all my senses on high alert. My adrenaline is at an all-time high. This is fucking dangerous, and my heart’s pace reminds me just how fucking nervous I am. But I have to do this.
We soon make it to the entrance of the grounds. The stark brick building is like some sort of old warehouse. The mixture of white exterior and metal shutters at the windows makes this look like a motherfucking prison.
“We should go arou
nd the back,” Aston advises, waving his hand and gesturing for me to follow him. We walk all the way around; the high metal fencing secures the entire perimeter of the building.
“The surveillance cameras don’t cover this side, so we need to make our way over the fence and through that small window,” he says, pointing at a window that looks like it leads into a basement.
I nod. Following him over the metal fence, I climb and drop down on the other side. My eyes dart all around us, constantly checking for signs we may have company. We rush over the gravel path, and I crouch beside Aston as he works a small screwdriver under the seal of the window.
“Keep checking, man. We don’t want someone sneaking up behind us.”
“I got it,” I reassure him, resting my hand on his shoulder as my eyes roam the surrounding area.
Within seconds, I notice the window is open and just big enough for my large frame to fit through. I slide all the way in, resting my foot on a box below. I flick on my pocket-sized flashlight, checking the area around me. Looks like we landed in a storage closet.
“Check the door,” he whisper-shouts. I slowly walk over, trying the handle on the door. It opens easily, and I peer through the small gap. It’s a hallway. The lights flicker, and I slowly and quietly close the door.
“I’m in,” I say with a nod.
“I’ll be waiting in the car.” He shuffles back from the window, loosely closing the window. He disappears from my sight, and I know I’m going this alone, that I’m risking it all for this girl. But I’m doing it willingly, and I’d do it a thousand times over just to know she’s okay. I rest my back against the door, my heart pounding so fiercely in my chest that it’s the only sound I can hear.
I’ve done this so many times before.
Walking into the unknown.
Putting my own life at risk.
But this is different.
She depends on me. I depend on me to get her out of here alive. This time, it means something. This time, I’m teetering on the edge of life.
Kailee
I quiver as we sit in the corner of the room. Waiting. I’m not entirely sure what we are waiting for, but no one has been in since Jax left with the crazy guy hitting on Layla. I look at her face; the redness is fading, and I smile. She slowly reaches for my hand, taking it and squeezing gently. “Thank you,” she mouths. I’m just glad I could finally calm her down. I stare at the floor as all sorts of evil thoughts race through my mind. Images of what those guys might do to me, what they might do to poor Layla, ravage my mind.
An almighty thud against the door has me up on my feet. I look at Layla, gesturing with my hand for her to stand. “We need to be ready,” I croak out.
Her eyes glisten as tears appear.
“Stay strong, Layla. I know we can get through this.”
She coughs a little, clearing her throat. My anxiety rises as my eyes fixate on the door, waiting for something to happen. Everything happens in slow motion. I can see the door opening, but it’s all happening so slowly. I swallow the huge lump in my throat as I watch him walk in. His green, piercing eyes land on me as he pulls up the black ski mask, revealing his face. I have nowhere to turn. I look at Layla and back at him.
“Kailee.” He races over to me; his eyes darken and roam over my mostly naked body. He stops just in front of me, his arms around me, pulling me close. “Thank fuck you’re okay.”
“Ryder,” I gasp. “What are you doing?”
“I’m getting you out of here. We have no time to lose. We have to go NOW.” He releases the hold he has on me and our eyes connect.
My brain tries to process what’s happening. Ryder is here, but I’m not sure if it’s another one of Jax’s tricks. A way to lure me out without a fight.
“Has he put you up to this?” I ask, taking a cautious step back, folding one arm over the over and holding them tightly against my chest.
“No,” he growls angrily, “I had nothing to do with this, Pip. You have to believe me. I traced you based on Jax’s cell phone location. We have to hurry, Pip. There’s a dead guy outside the door, and I’m not sure how long he will go unnoticed. We need to move, now!”
“B-b-but how?” I ask. There was no sound of gunfire, only the thud against the door.
He quickly reaches inside his waistband, holding a gun out in front of him. I widen my eyes, stepping back ever so slightly, before Ryder’s arm grabs me firmly around the waist.
“This one has a silencer,” he says with a light nod of his head. He pushes it back into its prior position.
He holds out his hand, and my eyes meet his one last time. There is something genuine about the way he’s looking at me. Trusting him is a risk, but not trusting him could lead to a lot worse. I reach up, grabbing him, my hand shaking more than ever. He tugs lightly on my hand, pulling me closer to him. “I don’t like this look on you. Here, put this on.” He slides off his leather jacket, holding it out for me to slide my arms into the sleeves. It’s miles too big but covers the parts of my body on show. It smells of him, and I can’t help but pull the collar closer to my nose, inhaling the musky smell that defines him. Defines Ryder.
He resumes the hold on my hand, pulling me close. My body rests against his. The thud of his heart beats against me. His head drops as he leans in and softly kisses me on the cheek.
“Happy birthday, Pip,” he whispers, his breath warm against my cold face. He squeezes my hand then leads me to the door. I had forgotten about my birthday. It seems so unimportant, considering what’s happening right now. I smile, mouthing, “Thank you,” when he turns and looks at me before reaching for the door.
“Ryder,” I call out. He turns his head, his eyes wide and waiting. “What about the others?” I look around the room. The other girls are slumped against the walls, barely paying attention to what is happening. Then my eyes catch Layla. She’s watching us with silent tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I can’t leave her behind,” I squeak, reaching my hand to her. She runs over to me, taking my hand in hers.
“Pip.” Ryder’s tone is like an unspoken warning. “She ain’t my responsibility.”
“Please, she’s so young, so very young. I can’t leave her here alone.”
He sighs loudly. “Let’s just get outta here.” His hand lands on the door handle as he swiftly pulls it open. “Close your eyes. This ain’t a pretty sight,” he orders. I can’t help but look around me as we step through the door, despite Ryder’s warning. I step over the limp body of the guard; the light from the room we are leaving highlights the blood splatter against the wall. I snap my eyes away, looking back at Layla. Her hand flies to her mouth before she squeezes her eyes closed as if desperately trying to rid herself of the images.
“I have no idea which way is out,” I whisper to Ryder as my legs struggle to keep up with his frantic pace.
“Just follow me,” he continues as we race to the end of the corridor, following it to the left. Ryder reaches inside his waistband, taking the object he has wedged there. Layla’s hold on my hand loosens, so I look back to check on her.
I gasp loudly.
I turn to see Jax behind us, holding Layla around the neck with a gun pointing at her temple.
“Ryder,” I screech, panic rasping through my tone. He stops dead in his tracks, spinning on the spot, his eyes widening.
“Brother,” Ryder snarls. “You can have her, but Kailee’s coming with me.” Ryder has his gun held out, pointing it directly at Jax.
“No,” I yell. Ryder’s arm pushes against my chest as he positions me behind his wide stature. “Stay there, Pip. Don’t fucking move until I tell you to,” he whispers, but I hear the wavering of his voice. For the first time, I sense his fear. I peek around him, trying to see that Layla is doing okay. She seems frozen, her body rigid as the gun pushes against the side of her head.
“Why?” Ryder roars, causing me to jump a little at the ferocity of his voice. “Why the fuck would you do this to her?”
�
��It’s just business, bro. It’s nothing personal.”
“You made it personal when you involved Kailee. What the fuck is wrong with you? What’s going on in that tiny little fucking brain of yours?” Ryder taps his head with the end of the gun.
“We all know I’m the brains here.” Jax laughs.
“Oh, shut the fuck up. We left school a long fucking time ago.”
“Don’t fall out with your brother.” I hear another voice cut in, and as I look around Ryder, I notice Eric standing beside Jax, his hands held together in front of him.
Ryder holds the gun out at full stretch, pointing it at Eric. “I should blow your fucking brains out, you son of a bitch. Here and now,” Ryder growls.
Eric holds up his hands in a mock surrender. “Son, you don’t want to do that.”
“Believe me, I do. Nothing would give me greater pleasure.” Ryder’s teeth clench together, his body tense.
“None of this is our fault. Kailee is payment to us.” Eric speaks in a placating voice as if trying to reason with Ryder.
Ryder shakes his head, and I stand on my tiptoes, concentrating on the two men in front. What the hell are they talking about?
“What sort of payment?” Ryder asks, dropping his gun a little.
“Her father couldn’t settle his debts. He had to repay what he owed me somehow.”
“What debts?” I ask, stepping to the side of Ryder, but his strong arm flies out immediately to hold me back.
“Thousands of dollars. Money he could never repay. He lost it all gambling, and he had to settle the debt somehow. Kailee, you are the settlement.”
“No!” I scream, and my heart pounds uncontrollably. He would never do that. “You’re a liar,” I scream, saliva flying from my mouth as I force out the words.
“This whole debt thing ends here.” Ryder holds up the gun. “She’s not your fucking possession now, and she never will be.”
The edge of forever: A Blackhearts twins novel (Book two) Page 3
