“You can’t. Skull and his men have swarmed the place—you saw it. I don’t even know if Joker got out alive. It’s a suicide mission.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do!” I shout, shoving him off me. “This is your fault! Yours! None of this would’ve happened if you hadn’t taken us to that damn bar! They wouldn’t have cornered Huss. They wouldn’t have had the chance to squeeze information out of him!”
He flinches, his brows pulling together.
“But it doesn’t matter anymore, right? You got what you wanted and I’m left to suffer…like always.”
“I didn’t intend for this to happen. This isn’t what I wanted for you…or for Emily.”
“We can help you get her back.” Monique cuts in.
I’d forgotten she was here. I turned toward her. Her determined, and slightly scared, little pout is almost laughable. She’s cute. Stupid, but cute.
“What can you do to help me? You’re just a child.”
She straightens her shoulders. “I’m nineteen…turning twenty soon.”
I roll my eyes. She’s not old enough to buy a beer, but she wants to help me fight a war? This isn’t fucking Xbox.
“Oh, that changes everything.” I narrow my eyes. “Why don’t you go and color in your coloring book and leave this to the adults.”
Her thin eyebrows pull together and she opens her mouth.
“Niq.” Joel cuts in. “Not now.”
She clamps her lips shut and turns away from us, her attitude thick in her stance. Joel takes the opportunity to pull the gun from my hands while I’m distracted bickering with his girlfriend. He points the gun at me, his finger firm on the trigger.
“You’re going to shoot me?”
“If it stops you from getting yourself killed.”
I lick my lips, shifting my weight on to my right leg. “Don’t do this, Joel. I can’t leave here without her.”
“Ted is dying. He needs a doctor. We have to deal with that first and then regroup.”
I shake my head, almost pleading. I knew this would happen. Deep down I know I knew. The old man practically warned me, but I didn’t listen. We were so concerned about me not making it back we didn’t even consider the possibility of her not being there when I did.
I have to do something.
I can’t leave her there.
“We’ll regroup.” Joel says, his voice low—unconvincing. “I promise.”
I drop my head, my chin almost touching my chest.
I tried so hard…how’d I fail her?
Sixteen
****
Kitty-Kat
Emily
Calloused fingers dance along my jaw and sweep the length of my neck before tapping along the rise of my breasts. I sigh, leaning into the touch. Why do I feel so terrible? Why does it feel like my brain is swelling against my skull? My eyes flutter open, revealing a thin layer of fog that obscures my vision. I close them again and they roll into the back of my head.
“Who hit her?”
That Australian accent. Involuntarily, I shudder at the strangely familiar voice.
Bang!
I jump as a gunshot rings out and liquid sprays against my bare feet. I blink as reality begins to set in. I shake my wrists and hear metal as it scrapes together. They’re suspended above my head. Groaning, I force my head up and blink some more. The bright spotlight above me burns my eyes so I squeeze them shut, letting my head fall.
More fingers caress me, switching from poking and prodding impatiently, to stroking me with utmost affection. Curiously, I blink some more, clearing away the Vaseline that has blocked my vision. I see his hand first...the tattooed bones and illegible letters. My hear sinks like a stone.
Stone. Jai?
My head flies up and I shoot forward, only to be caught by chains. No.
No, God. Please. No.
I shake my head, clearing away the last of my sleep. His tattooed mouth, the teeth, they curl into a devilish grin.
“Rise and shine.”
I shake my head as grief sets in, making me sob unashamedly. Tears fall from my eyes and land on my bare thighs, making clean circles in the dirt. Why am I naked?
He swipes his large, smooth hand from my eyebrow down to my chin and I close my eyes right before he snatches it in his fist and pulls my face forward. He holds me there for days—months, maybe. At least, that’s what it feels like. When I open my eyes, chills consume me and fear paralyzes me.
The skull tattoo. It’s as terrifying as I remember—even more so now I’ve done what I’ve done to him.
I’m a dead girl.
Skull chuckles, his smile stretching to his eyes. “You didn’t really think you could outrun me forever, did you, Kitty-Kat?”
To my family, my friends and my readers,
Thank you for allowing to write Jai and Emily’s story. Your infinite patience and kindness makes everything so much easier on me. I’m lucky to have you.
SKYLA MADI is an Australian writer from Brisbane, Queensland.
Skyla started her writing career fresh out of high school and at 21 she is a giver of both real and fictional life.
She is an Aquarian, lover of the written word and author of the #1 BESTSELLING Consumed trilogy.
Skyla LOVES to hear from readers! Here are some of ways to get into
contact with her:
TWITTER: @Skyla_madi
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