Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
“Of course we did. Couldn’t let you rot away in a place like this, now could we?” I say, flicking my hair to the side. “I’m going to need to bathe with a million different soaps to get the stench of this disgusting place out of my skin.”
Ares offers his hand, and she makes a distrustful glance. “Trust me.”
And for some reason, despite all the things he’s done, she still takes his hand and lets him pull her up.
Caleb approaches, and it takes her a second to adjust to the situation before she jumps into his arms and hugs him tight. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. We haven’t made it out yet,” he says, chuckling.
“What about me?” I pout from the corner. “Don’t I get a hug?”
She snorts and releases Caleb only to run into my strong arms instead, and I hug her as tightly as I can. She buries her face into my ample chest like I’m a teddy bear.
“I missed you too, darling,” I say, and I grab her hand and place a kiss on top again just like always. Her smile alone makes me want to ravage her here and now. Would it be so terrible? I mean, they gave us twenty minutes alone in this cell, might as well make use of it.
“Wait, where’s Lana?” she suddenly asks, turning around to look at both guys. “We have to save her.”
“The Phantom Society boys have her, don’t worry,” Caleb replies, throwing his knives in the air. “Helped them get her out myself. Thankless job.”
“Good, I was so worried about her when they split us up. I don’t even know why they took us.”
“I do,” Caleb replies. “The Phantoms have beef with the Bonesmen Brotherhood, and Lana was in the middle of it all.”
“Enough small talk,” Ares says, clearing his throat. “Tell the guards we want to take her outside for fresh air.”
“Yes, Sir,” Caleb says, and he turns around and marches off to get the guard. “We’re taking her outside.”
“Fine. Pay up first, and you can take her,” the guard growls.
“We require her phone too,” I say.
“Why?” the guard snaps.
I just slip him more money. “If you don’t ask questions, you get paid. Now bring the phone.”
The guard rolls his eyes and pulls it out of his own damn pocket. That slime was keeping it for himself all this time. I wonder if his supervisor even knew what he was trying to steal.
When he’s handed it over to me, I say, “Good boy.” He seethes with rage.
Ares grabs her hand and pulls her along with him. She cowers as we pass the guard, but Ares fishes a paper from his pocket and smashes it into his chest.
The guard eyeballs the paper and steadies himself so he doesn’t fall from sheer surprise that someone would lay down that amount of money for a girl like her.
“Let’s go,” Ares says, and we all follow him through the long hallway, past a bunch of doors, and up a set of stairs that lead to another door. Behind it, the auction room makes her pause and stare like a deer looking into the headlights.
“They’re not looking at you,” I whisper into her ear, and she nods. “Keep walking. The exit is right in front of you.”
The guards near the exit stop us, but the guard behind us holds up the paper Ares gave him, and they finally move out of our way.
Caleb grabs her shoulder and helps her push through the fear of passing them while Ares opens the door.
When we’re outside, Caleb and Ares release her, and I marvel at the way she gently strolls around the open road while looking up at the sky as raindrops pitter-patter down on her. It doesn’t seem to faze her. In fact, it almost seems as though the rain gives her life.
She spins around in the fresh air, sucking in lungfuls of oxygen like she was terrified she might never have the opportunity again. It even makes me blink away a few tears.
“Are you crying?” Caleb asks.
“It’s the rain,” I reply.
He pats me on the back with a snort. “Sure it is.”
But I can’t stop looking at her.
No wonder Ares calls her his little rose.
She truly looks like a flower spreading its leaves under the pouring rain to catch all the droplets. And all we ever did was tear off her petals one by one.
Ares
She stands in the rain with her arms opened wide, gorging on the freedom of the outside world.
And I think, out of us three watching her, I’m the only one who truly understands.
I take in a breath and revel in her beauty under the pouring rain, letting her soak it all in for a moment longer. Then I walk up to her and place a hand on her shoulder, whispering into her ear, “I will kill them all for you. All you have to do is say yes, and I will be your vessel for slaughter.”