Rebellious (20 page)

I knew I was supposed to be strong, but really all I wanted to do was curl up into a ball and hide behind my hands until all this was over. And believe me, I would. But I could still hear Reb's voice.
You can do this, baby. You're strong. You're the strongest fucking woman I know.

“Ten minutes,” I whispered to myself. “Ten minutes and it'll all be okay. I can do this.”

I crept up the staircase and peered around the door. The room was blessedly empty. In front of me had to be the grungiest room I'd ever seen. And seeing how I'd just come from
that
basement, it was saying something. Between the beer bottles, bongs, candy wrappers, and used condoms littering the floor, I didn't want to step foot into the room.

Popping my head around the corner, I held my breath and listened. Nothing. To be honest, I couldn't remember if I'd heard anything after the shots. Did they leave? Was I all alone? Or were there more guys just waiting out front to tackle me the second I tried to run away?

I took a deep breath and went for it. Taking extra care not to step on anything crunchy or wet—
shudder
—I cautiously made my way through the excuse of a living room and through the kitchen to what I guessed was the back door. I was superstitious about using the front door. Was it possible to successfully sneak out the front door? Somehow the logic didn't mesh with my brain, but that might've been the pain and blood loss frying my brain cells.

Like the living room, the kitchen was also disgusting, and deserted—unless you counted cockroaches as residents. I shuddered at the cluster streaking across the floor. At the back door, I slowly pulled aside the short curtain hanging over the window and peered out. It was dark outside, but judging by the amount of pine trees and lack of neighbors, I was somewhere high in the mountains. The house sat atop an inclined driveway. From my vantage point, I could see at least three outbuildings—garages most likely. And not a single soul. But it was dark, so anyone could be out there in the shadows.

In for a penny…I took another steadying breath, then opened the back door. No one immediately came charging out. I looked around one more time and made my move. I was almost clear of the back door when I heard a car door slam in the distance.

Shit. Someone was here. But I couldn't see anyone. Taking a chance that if I couldn't see them then they couldn't see me, I quietly closed the back door behind me. I stayed close to the side of the house and crept away from the driveway and toward one of the outbuildings.

The moon was almost full; it felt like a spotlight on me. I tossed a look over my shoulder but didn't see any sign of Joker or anyone else. After a steadying and painful breath, I darted across the open part of the yard. I don't think I breathed again until I reached the side of the outbuilding. Practically diving for the shadows, I collapsed in a heap and panted in relief. I was safe. Oh my God. My heart pounded so loud in my ears, I don't think I would've heard someone come up behind me.

But I was wrong.

“I know you're out here,” Joker yelled in a singsong voice.

My heart climbed up my throat and pounded even louder in my ears. Shit. Double shit. Fuckity fuck. What was I going to do? It felt like eons since my phone call with Reb, but I doubted more than five minutes had passed—if that. I had to save myself.

Oh God. Oh God.

Keeping to the shadows, I crept alongside the building. There had to be plenty of hiding places in a garage. Cars, barrels, lots of things to hide behind or in. I'd be okay until Reb got here. I could do this.

“I'll make you a promise,” Joker yelled. “If you give yourself up, I'll go easy on ya. Kill you nice and quick. No suffering, I swear. But you do
not
want to make me find you. 'Cause that'll piss me off. So I'll have to play with you a bit before, to get my humor back.”

I froze in place as I listened to his taunting. I was just as afraid of his words as I was that he could hear me moving and find me. Oh God, what was I going to do?

I calmed a bit after reminding myself that it was doubtful Joker knew what a promise meant. He'd probably made plenty to Rhonda, wherever the fuck she was. Taking a painful breath, I crept along the side of the building until I reached the front of the garage. My heart sunk at the view. There was no way to get inside the garage from this side. The huge rolling door was closed. Even if I could've gotten it open, nothing would scream my location louder than a huge hunk of metal screeching as the door rolled open. Dammit. I continued around the far side of the building and Joker kept up his taunting.

“You know you're bleeding like a son of a bitch. That kinda thing tends to leave a trail. I'm gonna find you, and when I do…” He laughed psychotically.

My stomach dropped and I froze. Oh God, he was going to find me. I bit my lip to keep my whimper inside. I didn't want him to hear me and know where I was hiding. Oh God. I didn't want to die.

My heartbeat thrumming in my ears, I closed my eyes and remembered Reb's words. Ten minutes. I could do ten minutes. After one more shaky breath, I pressed on.

I reached the back of the building and heaved a painful sigh of relief at the normal-sized door that was slightly a jar. Looking around, I still couldn't see any sign of Joker or Rhonda, so I made my way in. I wanted to be careful not to touch the door and leave a bloodstain, so I used my shoulder and bumped the door open.

And immediately wished I hadn't.

Instead of a regular garage with car parts and motorcycles, I must've stumbled onto his psychotic killing grounds. Small game hung from the rafters in varying stages of skinning. Through shafts of moonlight from the windows and the door behind me I could see the grim outlines of raccoons, rabbits, a deer, and even a cow strung up overhead. And the smell. The stench of dead, rotting carcasses was overwhelming. I gagged and about lost it. Only the thought of Joker hearing me puking kept me from heaving my guts out. At least here he wouldn't be able to track my blood. There was so much pooling here and there he wouldn't be able to tell it from mine.

I swallowed my nervous laughter at my twisted thoughts. I had to keep calm and find somewhere to hide. Spying a large wooden crate in the corner, I ducked around the hanging carnage and crept over to the crate. The best place to hide would be inside it, but I was half afraid that what was inside was worse than what hung overhead. Instead I ducked down and crawled into the small space between the crate and the wall. I wedged myself in and waited.

I didn't have to wait long.

The door I had entered through made a huge, ominous creak, then I heard boot treads inside the building.

“I know you're in here,” Joker said in his sickening singsong tone. “I saw the blood outside and it's fresh. Fresh and sweet. I could smell it a mile away. So fucking good. I can't wait to taste it from the source.”

I held my breath as he came closer to me.

“Maybe I'll suck it from your little wounds while I push myself into your tight little cunt. How does that sound, sweetie? Ever had someone lick your blood while they fuck you?”

You mean rape me?
I bit down on my lip and tried to hold my whimper at bay. Oh God, he was so close. I could hear the heavy thuds of his boots on the concrete floor. He had to be only five, ten feet away from me. Oh God, he was going to find me. Then he'd do every sick thing he could think of. I was going to die, but first he'd torture me. Maybe he wanted to hang me up there with his dead animal collection.

Oh God. Oh God.

Just when I thought for sure he must've seen me, given how quiet he'd gotten, the building started to vibrate. A telltale roar rumbled up from the road.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Was it Reb? Or more Saddletramps?

Either way, it got Joker's attention. I heard him run out of the building, and I took a huge, trembling breath. The vibrations continued. There must've been a whole army out there. But were they my guys?

It took everything inside me, but I stayed put. Reb knew I had the phone on me. He'd either find me or call when the coast was clear. The motorcycle engines continued to roar as more and more bikers no doubt showed up. Then shouts, and more engines revving.

Three long, agonizing minutes later, the phone clutched in my hand rang. I answered it with a sob. “Reb?”

“You can come out, baby. I swear everything's okay.”

I didn't even reply. I pushed the crate away and ran. I didn't look up, left, or right. Slamming open the door, I raced through and around the building. The sight waiting for me took my breath away.

The whole driveway heaved with True Brothers and motorcycles. And at the front of the pack was my man. Reb stood looking toward the house, but turned when I cleared the building. I'd never seen Reb move quicker than a slow, rolling walk but today was a day for firsts. He tore up the driveway at a dead run. I met him almost halfway.

He enveloped me in his arms and I wept. Fear. Relief. Nerves. Adrenaline. Love. It all poured out of me. I tried to talk, but I was sobbing so hard I couldn't form a coherent thought let alone a sentence. I was safe. In Reb's arms again. Oh thank you, God. I heard more than felt Reb peppering my head with kisses.

“Christ, baby. I was so fucking scared. Thank God. Thank God, you got away. If they'd—” He broke off and kissed me a few more times. “I don't even want to finish that. You're here. You're safe. That's all that matters.”

He held me by my shoulders and set me back slightly so he could look at me. I couldn't stop the moan of pain that erupted from me. Reb let go of me and took a step back, looking at me from my head to my toes. His gaze lingered on my jaw and his eyes grew steely. His eyes lowered to my arms, and he looked positively murderous.

I'd never seen that look in his eyes before. My body started trembling. I know the look wasn't for me, but I didn't want any more bloodshed today. I just wanted to curl up in bed, let Reb hold me, and forget this day ever happened.

“Tank! Get your ass over here!” Reb barked over his shoulder.

Before I could say anything to Reb, Tank broke through the pack and stood at Reb's side.

“Take my girl to the doctor. Get her checked out and stitched up. And for God's sake would someone get me a clean sweatshirt or bandages or something? She's bleeding all over the fucking place!”

I grabbed hold of his vest. “Reb, please, I don't want—”

“Baby, I'm so sorry they did this to you. They're going to fucking wish their mamas had swallowed instead of spreading their legs. I will make them regret they were ever born. They will bleed every drop of blood they've got in their veins.”

I didn't even have time to respond. Tank took me by the wrist and led me to his truck at the bottom of the driveway. The last time I saw Reb, he was kicking his way through the back door, a huge, gnarly knife in his hand.