44. Sage
sage
Blackout blinds covered the windows. The early spring chill penetrated the thin cabin walls making it fucking freezing …
or it was the come down from the adrenaline.
I shivered beneath the coat Clayton insisted cover my shoulders.
It smelled like him and made me want to vomit.
A single ceiling lamp was on, casting shadows in the corners.
It wasn’t furnished, other than a few folding chairs in the tiny living room like this was some sort of interrogation room.
I suppose, fewer surfaces to clean the blood from. The cabin smelled musty with mildew.
I had no choice but to allow Clayton to scoop me up from the backseat of the Escalade and place me in one of the chairs. As soon as he sat me down, I recoiled from him, wishing I could just melt into the floor and disappear.
“Remember, it’s just a phone call to end them if you try to run.
” I didn’t know if he was bluffing now, but I wasn’t going to chance it.
“Make good choices, doll,” he warned, a pocketknife in his hand.
I trembled not trusting him to just use the knife to cut the duct tape away from my ankles and wrists.
He was getting turned on watching me bend to his will. I could see the bulge in his pants as he crouched in front of me. My stomach rolled, bile scorching my throat, making me swallow and cough. He loved seeing me at his mercy. I flinched with each cut he made, tearing the tape away.
“Now we’re going to sit here and behave, right?”
I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of my voice acquiescing to his requests, so I sat there stoic without a word or a nod.
He chuckled, standing up from his crouch. “Still the ice-cold bitch I remember.”
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he took it out to look at his screen, his mouth pulling down into a frown.
“Alani, stay with her while I take this.”
“Not a problem,” she said, stepping out of the shadows while Clayton walked down the dark hallway to take his call in private.
As soon as he was gone, I turned to Alani. “You don’t have to do this.”
“It’s my job,” she said, her voice cold and dismissive.
I shook my head. “Pretty fucking terrible job to have if you ask me.”
To my surprise she huffed a laugh.
I checked the shadows, making sure Clayton wasn’t on his way back. “Your boss sucks.”
She shook her head. “He’s not my boss. This was just a job.”
I tried to get a read on her, but her emotionless expression was disconcerting.
It was like she’d detached herself from this.
“You know this is shitty, don’t you? You’re just trying to compartmentalize.
To separate yourself from this to make yourself feel fucking better for doing this.
Because it’s eating your conscience alive. ”
A flicker of doubt crossed her eyes in the dim light for the briefest of seconds. I wondered if I could get to her, break her down to help me.
Clayton’s boots sounded on the floor as he returned. “He’s close,” he said, pocketing his phone.
“I have to use the bathroom,” I told him.
Clayton snapped his fingers at Alani. “Take her and stay with her.”
“While I pee?” I asked in surprise. I’d hoped to get a moment of privacy. Maybe check the bathroom for a window or something to escape. But I wasn’t sure if this was the time to risk anything, too worried he’d act on his threat.
Clayton ignored me. “Do what you need to if she tries anything.”
Alani retrieved the syringe. I hesitated, wondering if I could hold it until a better opportunity arose.
I stood, shrugging the coat onto the chair. With my head held high, not even looking at Clayton, I followed Alani to the dark bathroom. I was just about to close the door behind us when Clayton said, “Leave the door open.”
Stuffing down the shame and embarrassment, I lowered my pants and took my seat on the toilet, while Alani watched over me, armed with the syringe.
A knock sounded at the front door, making me nearly jump off the toilet.
“Stay with her!” Clayton called out. His boots sounded on the floorboards as he walked to the front door.
The door opened. There was a muffled exchange between Clayton and whoever was there.
I wiped and quickly pulled up my pants, flushing as I stepped out of the bathroom, Alani close on my heels. The morning light flooded the hallway from the open door. Junior stood there talking with Clayton, water dripping from his hat.
There was a green plastic folder now in Clayton’s hand as he flipped through the pages of a document. Satisfied with what he saw, he nodded and tucked the folder under his arm.
A duffle bag sat on the floor beside the door. Clayton leaned down to unzip it. My eyes widened. The bag was filled with what looked like thousands of dollars in neat wrapped portions. Pulling out two stacks, he set them into Junior’s open palm.
“There’s your cut. Give him a call now,” Clayton ordered.
Junior took out his phone, tapped on the screen, and within one ring, someone picked up. “Hello?”
It was Chuck. My heart flipped hearing someone familiar. Someone I considered family. I was equal parts terrified for Chuck and relieved to hear he was alive.
“The deal is done,” Clayton said on speaker phone.
“Good. Does Junior have Sage and the cash in hand now?” he asked.
Clayton paused to look over his shoulder, his eyes taking me in from head to toe while I stood there watching this exchange. My heart was hammering. But I knew Clayton. He wasn’t going to let me go now that he had me back.
Clayton turned back to Junior and the phone. “The money’s yours. You can save what’s left of your ranch now, but I never intended for Sage to be part of the deal. The exchange is done.”
“What? You agreed to—” Chuck growled.
“No, Mr. Larsen.” Clayton cut him off. “The land for the money. Not Sage.”
“You’re going to fucking regret this,” Chuck said, his voice like the rumble of thunder.
“You fucking asshole …” Christian yelled on the other end before it died out, almost like someone pushed him away from the phone.
I gulped, swallowing the vomit that was threatening to rise. “Christian,” I gasped, taking a step forward as if he was right there within my reach.
The dial tone was deafening.
Junior shrugged, pocketing his phone and picking up the duffle bag at his feet.
“Pleasure doing business with you,” Junior saluted, turning to take off.
Just then a succession of pops punctuated the air.
“What’s that?” For a moment I didn't know what I was hearing until Junior ducked his head and ran from the door to find cover at his truck.
Wood splintered off the open door as bullets chipped away at the frame.
“Get down!” Clayton yelled, dropping to the floor.
I ducked on instinct, my hearing muffled like I was underwater while blood rushed through my ears.
Clayton covered his ears as shot after shot hit the door. “We gotta get out of here!”
christian
A few yards away in the undergrowth, Chuck raised his arm, signaling us to halt. I relaxed my finger off the trigger of the rifle, my eyes swinging back to the open cabin door hoping to see any sign of Sage.
I breathed. And breathed. And breathed.
We waited in silence, my ears rang from the percussion of the shots.
We were spread out and had the place surrounded.
Reed and Chuck on one side, Kale and I on the other.
The horses waited hobbled in the woods for us, while Jude posted up as a lookout down the hillside by the lake with the trucks and horse trailers.
The sky was brightening with the rising sun. Rain fell in a steady drizzle, dampening our camo.
Just as Junior reached his truck, another truck skidded to a stop behind him, spraying gravel.
I barely had time to whisper, “Shit,” as I watched two other men come out of the vehicle, revolvers now firing a reply to our own.
Ducking behind the boulder, I checked my sight, aiming on one of the men.
“Fuck,” I breathed. I could see as clear as day who they were.
Fucking shits crossed us.
Marshall and Jace, the two ranch hands that worked for Chuck, fired back, crouching as they ran toward the cabin.
Chuck and Reed must have recognized them at the same time I did, because they didn’t hesitate to squeeze their triggers.
It was the cover Clayton needed, though. He was bound to come out now.
Junior jumped in his truck, backing out and speeding off like the roach he was.
I followed their lead, taking shot after shot while I also watched the door.
Sucking in a breath, a bullet whizzed past my ear.
“Shit, that was close.”
I still hadn’t breathed when Clayton came running out, ducking as he ran to the Escalade.
Then time slowed.
The woman who I assumed was Alani, was running out the door, Sage in her grasp as she pulled her along.
Both of them were covering their heads as bullets soared past them.
My gut clenched. I lowered the gun. There was no way in hell I was going to fire when she was out in the open.
I may consider myself a decent shot, but I wasn’t that good. I didn’t trust myself not to hit her.
Everyone held their shots for the briefest moment as we watched them head to the car.
Then a single shot rang out.
Alani jerked and stumbled to the ground, loosening her grip on Sage.
I swung my head to Chuck and Reed wondering which one took the shot. Then I looked to my right, my eyes connecting with Kale. He nodded. It was all the communication I needed that it was time.
I took off, sprinting toward them, my rifle ready at a moment’s notice, with Kale close behind me.
I had to trust Chuck and Reed had us covered. I didn’t know if Jace and Marshall’s fire would hit us. I just needed to reach her. To end this.
“Get Sage out of here! Get down the hill!” I yelled to Kale.
“Christian!” Sage screamed. Her eyes were wide, her mouth open on another scream as Kale wrapped an arm around her.
“Come on,” Kale encouraged, drawing her away from the firefight.
I couldn’t watch her leave. I had to trust her brother to get her out safely. My heart felt like it was cracking in two knowing I couldn’t hold her when I saw the desperation in her eyes.
“Go!” I roared before I swung away from them, leveling my rifle on Clayton who was struggling to open the door of his fancy fucking SUV.
My eardrums rang with the cacophony. Rifles continued to fire as Chuck and Reed exchanged fire with Jace and Marshall.
The rain continued to fall, dampening my hoodie and dripping from my hat.
But I didn’t feel the storm soak me.
My sights were fixed on him.
Then … There was deafening silence. I didn’t need coverage anymore. I didn’t know if that meant Chuck and Reed had taken the double-crossing ranch hands out or someone had called them off.
It didn’t matter anymore.
All that mattered was Sage’s freedom.
And the dead motherfucker fumbling with his key fob.