| |
JESSICA
Steph.
A wail of grief breaks out of me as I watch a zombie sink its teeth into the immobile flesh of her arm.
Steph.
What happened to her? Someone shot her, yes, but that’s not what grabs my attention.
Her clothes have been ripped. Her jeans are down around her knees.
Someone tried to rape her. I know this instantly. One of Rosario’s fucking assholes tried to rape her. My compliance hadn’t been enough to protect her.
And now they intend to hurt Bella. I watch as she’s dragged into a nearby RV and thrown inside.
No. Fucking. Way.
No man is going to lay a finger on that girl.
And the rest of those assholes are not going to hunt Alvarez down like an animal. Not on my watch. I don’t care who I have to kill to save him.
Time for Fort Ross to burn.
I have no plan beyond fire. It’s my primary weapon and I have every intention of using it.
Fingers shaking, I dump the contents of the fire-starting box onto the passenger seat. It’s covered with a dirty lambskin seat cover. It should go up like a torch.
I fumble with the matches. My hands shake with fury and I drop half of them in my haste.
The door to the RV rattles. What the fuck? Don’t they have enough entertainment?
I have just enough time to shove the box under the front seat when Joe Dirt climbs inside.
“It’s your lucky day, girlie. I helped capture those prisoners out there. Mr. Rosario has given me some time off. I have all day.”
The way he drawls those last two words is a promise of slow torture. I resist the urge to back away like a cornered animal.
Alvarez. Steph. Bella. I repeat their names in my head like a mantra. They anchor my feet in place and help me hang onto my sanity. My timing has to be perfect. I’m only going to have one chance at this.
My door opens a second time. Another man steps inside. I name him Bad Teeth. This one hasn’t been to see me yet. He scowls at Joe Dirt.
“What the fuck? You had your turn yesterday.”
“So what?” Joe Dirt shoots back. “I got here first.”
“Well, hurry the fuck up. One of those bitches in the kitchen found some enchilada sauce. She’s making stewed chicken.”
“I’ll take my sweet time and you can wait your fucking turn.”
I resist the urge to attack both these assholes with my bare hands. I want to scratch off their faces and rip out their hearts. Adrenaline beats so hard in my temples that I’m half convinced I can do it.
But two against one has never been good odds, even if I do have righteous fury on my side. I have one shot to scorch every last fucker in this place to ash. I can’t risk that chance by acting preemptively.
Joe Dirt and Bad Teeth argue for another thirty seconds. I ease close to the window over the sink. Both men turn as the window slides shut. I give them both a flat stare as I pull the curtain closed.
“Come back when I’m finished.” Joe Dirt plants his foot in Bad Teeth’s stomach and kicks him backward. The other man yelps as he tumbles backward onto the ground.
I turn my back to Joe Dirt as he closes the door and locks it from the inside. He chuckles as I work my way around the RV, systematically closing each window and drawing the curtains.
The rattle of his belt buckle makes my teeth grind. The clump of his shoes makes me want to stab something. The soft crumpling of his pants as they hit the floor make me wish I had fangs.
He grabs me around the waist as I close the last window. His mouth latches onto the back of my neck.
“Looking for a little privacy with me, hmmm?” His teeth nip at my nape. Each bite feels like poison.
I spin around to face him. I don’t smile. I don’t pretend. I glare at him with every shred of fury contained in my body.
He chuckles softly and palms my breast. “I like feisty women. You can fight me if you want.”
My nostrils flare. I can’t fuck this up. One chance. One chance is all I have.
I let him crab walk me back onto the mattress. The cheap springs creak as he pushes me onto it.