33. Taryn
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
TARYN
When the garage grew quiet again, it offered me a much-needed chance to collect myself.
Patience isn’t waiting. It’s knowing when not to move. My dad’s voice sounded in my head again.
"Got it, Dad," I whispered, a sad smile on my face. “This time I promise.”
Losing my dad left me with a bunch of mixed emotions.
In the last few weeks spent at his house, we were just beginning to understand each other.
I was starting to realize that Adrian was right and that Ben really loved me.
Then Nash happened... and now I'd never get to tell him I understood why he pushed me so hard or to thank him for it.
I banged my head back against the wall. He’d sacrificed himself for me, and I’d have to live with that for the rest of my life.
I opened my eyes when I heard the garage door open again. “What now?”
“Miss me?”
Shit. Fucking Jonah.
He stepped into the garage and shut the side door behind him. “It looks like I caught you alone.”
I didn’t answer as he walked closer to my cage.
Narrowing my eyes, I noticed the key ring hanging from his belt. I was fairly sure it was the same one Curtis had carried earlier.
He walked up to the bars and sniffed the air like a dog. “Damn, you smell good.”
The hair on the back of my neck stood up. “Does Caesar know you’re here?”
His smile widened, all his yellow, crusted teeth on display. “You’re prettier when you’re scared.”
I heard the lock click on my door and I willed my pulse to stay steady, even as I let fear shine out of my eyes.
Men really did become stupid when they thought a woman was afraid of them. A few even thrived on it, and I had a strong feeling that Jonah was one of them.
He unlocked the cage and stepped inside. My heart sped up when he left the door hanging open behind him.
I backed away slowly, making sure to put a hitch in my breath.
“Where are you going, darlin’?” The heat in his eyes made my stomach lurch. “Old Jonah has a surprise for you.”
One step.
Two.
My fingers brushed the thin leather strap wrapped around my wrist. It had come off an old tool bag we’d scavenged on the way to the farmhouse. I’d wound it around my arm because you never knew when something like that would come in handy.
Ben had taught me not to discard anything that could tie, bind, or pull.
Apparently, I’d finally found a use for it.
Jonah stepped closer, and the stench coming from him was almost unbearable.
His hand went to the snap of his jeans. “Treat me good, and I might keep you.”
My stomach turned as he reached for me.
I moved. The leather unwrapped from my wrist in a single sharp pull. Jonah barely had time to frown before I slipped behind him and looped it around his throat. Then I yanked it tight, dropping so I was pulling with all my weight.
His hands flew up, and he twisted violently, his enhanced strength almost ripping the strap from my grip. I planted a knee between his shoulder blades and pulled tighter.
He slammed backward, and my spine hit the cage wall. Pain exploded through me, but I held on. Jonah clawed at the leather in desperation and drove an elbow back, catching me in the ribs.
I grunted, but still didn’t let go of him. “Die, you big bastard!”
He lunged, and I let him, then delivered a sharp kick to the back of his knee. He dropped, and I followed him down. I crossed the strap behind his neck and twisted it around my forearm.
His movements became frantic before gradually weakening. He jerked a few times in ugly little spasms, but I kept pulling to make absolutely certain he was dead.
Jonah’s body sagged. I stayed another second, breathing hard, then released the strap.
He collapsed onto the concrete.
I stared down at him and spat. “You fucked with the wrong woman this time.”
I loosened the leather from his neck and re-wrapped it around my wrist, then grabbed the key ring and knife hanging from his belt.
Stepping out of the cage, I shut and locked the door behind me. With a bit of luck, his discovery would take a minute, affording me the chance to rescue Lila and escape with her and Wren.
I tensed up when the garage door opened, but eased when I noticed Wren slipping in.
She froze at the sight of me. “I was coming to break you out. I should’ve known it wouldn’t be necessary. Mom could never keep you in your playpen as a baby.” Wren peered into my cage. “Damn, I only left you alone for a few hours.”
I shrugged. “Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.”
She looked at the knife at my waist, then reached beneath her shirt.
“I found these.” Wren held two wicked-looking daggers. “Looks like I get to keep them as a set.”
“Where the hell did you get those?”
“Acme. Beep. Beep.”
I smirked. “You’re one badass bitch.”
“No shit.” Her expression shifted. “I found where the women sleep when they’re not entertaining.”
“Lila?”
“No.”
My chest tightened. “Did you question anyone?”
“One woman remembers her.”
“Alive?” I held my breath.
Wren hesitated, and that was enough to make my stomach drop. “Some men came in, and she clammed up.”
“Did you find out anything else?”
“Six men in the east warehouse. Two enhanced. Curtis carries keys for the women’s building, and Caesar keeps most of the extra weapons in a small room beside his office.” She recited all of that without taking a breath.
“You’ve been busy,” I said in admiration.
She shrugged. “I’m nosy. It’s a useful trait.”
“Well, getting to the women won’t be a problem.” I raised the keyring that I had taken from Jonah.
“Yippee!”
I looked toward the door. “Radio?”
“I already one-clicked.” Wren wiggled her fingers.
“Did you get anything back?”
“No.”
Good.
The men outside knew we were in, and that was enough.
The compound had gotten louder as evening approached. That helped our agenda. We slipped out the side door. Wren led the way as I followed silently behind her.
The first man we killed never saw us. He rounded the rear corner of the warehouse as Wren and I pressed against the wall.
Wren stepped into his path. “Hello.”
He frowned. “What are you doing back—”
I came up behind him and put one hand over his mouth, then put my knife beneath his ribs.
He jerked, and Wren caught his wrist before he could grab for his weapon.
I drove the blade higher, and his body softened. We lowered him quietly to the ground.
Wren looked at me. “Teamwork.”
“Makes the dream work.” I finished.
I was sharing in her madness.
We shoved him behind a stack of empty drums.
The second was more difficult. He was enhanced and heard us before we could approach. He spun around swiftly, and Wren dodged under his first attack. I aimed my knife at his side, but he caught my wrist.
Damn.
He threw me against the wall, making a sharp pain shoot through my shoulder. Wren leapt onto his back, but he shrugged her off. She hit the ground hard, and a wave of anger flared inside me. I kicked his knee hard, causing him to stumble.
Wren came up with the knife and drove it into the side of his neck. He grabbed her as I drove my blade into the base of his skull. His body went still.
For one second, all three of us stayed upright together.
Then he dropped.
Wren was breathing hard. “When we get out of here, I think we should open a burger joint.”
I just stared because… I had no words.
We kept moving.
A woman carrying towels stopped when she saw us and the blood on our clothes. I raised one finger to my lips, and she nodded, then walked away quickly. Another woman appeared near the warehouse. The same one who had brought me water earlier.
Her face drained of color. “You need to go back.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“They’ll kill you.” She warned, her voice shaking with fear.
“Maybe,” I agreed. “Or maybe I’ll kill them.”
“I really hope so.” Her eyes moved to Wren, then back to me. “There are worse things than death around here.”
I didn’t doubt that.
“Do you know a girl named Lila?” She froze, and I stepped closer. “Please. She has blonde hair and was brought here for fuel.”
She parted her lips to speak, but only managed a slight nod.
“Where is she?” I asked urgently.
Her shoulders dropped. “South of the warehouse.”
My heart jumped. “Take us.”
She shook her head frantically. “I can’t.”
Wren stepped closer. “We’ll protect you.”
“No,” she whispered, her voice low and desperate. “I can’t go back there.”
I softened my expression. “What’s back there?”
Her eyes filled with sympathy. “I’ll take you close, but that’s it.”
That was enough.
She led us between the warehouses, staying several feet ahead, as if distance might save her if someone discovered us.
We passed two more women, but neither even looked up.
As we reached the far corner of the south warehouse, the woman stopped. “I’m not going any farther.”
I looked past her, but all I could see was fencing and shadows. “What’s back there?” I asked again, hoping to get an answer this time.
Her face turned pale. “That’s where they keep the dead.”
Every nerve in my body tightened, and Wren’s hand found my arm.
The woman backed away. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”
I glanced over at Wren, and she seemed as uneasy as I was. Neither of us spoke as we rounded the corner.
Both of us came to a sudden stop.
What the hell was I looking at?
A livestock enclosure was erected at the rear of the warehouse. Heavy pipe reinforced with chain-link fencing.
Five women moved inside it.
No.
Five rotters, that used to be women.
One threw herself against the fence with a thud when she spotted us. Another limped, a ruined foot dragging uselessly behind her. A third woman still had on pieces of a colorful, flower-patterned dress.
Then I saw blonde hair.
She stood near the back, in the shadows, head tilted. Her hair was filthy and tangled around a gray face. Something red and white hung from her wrist.
My heart stopped.
I recognized that bracelet. I glanced down at my left wrist. Avery and Emery had found old craft supplies back at the farmhouse and made matching ones for all four of us.
I knew her even before she ambled closer.
“Lila.”