37. Tempe

37

Tempe

I pull myself to standing, still feeling a little woozy as I find my balance.

The drugs are still running through my system, but I’m pushing through, knowing I can’t stay here and wait for Dimitri to make good on his threats. If I don’t get out of this basement and find Austin now, I might not get another chance.

But first, I walk over to my mom, crouching down and resting my hand on the blanket. A tear slips from my eyes, and I wish this was like when she was in the kitchen—when she wasn’t really gone. If she could just wake up and tell me they didn’t use and discard her all over again.

She doesn’t.

“I’m sorry, Mom.” Another tear slips out. “I’ll take care of him. I promise. ”

I rub my eyes with the heel of my hands and pull myself together. I don’t like leaving her body here, but I don’t have a choice.

Slowly making my way to the staircase, my flip-flops slap against my heels, so I pause. I’m still wearing my sandals from the beach, and the sound is going to give me away if anyone is up there.

Reaching down, I slip them off and toss them to the side. They won’t help me hide, and they’re terrible for running, so even if it might hurt, I’m going to have to do this barefoot.

Making my way to the staircase, I take the first splintery step and wince. Small slivers of wood dig into the balls of my feet, but I don’t let it slow me down.

When I reach the top step, I press my ear to the door and listen. It’s quiet on the other side, and any voices sound far enough away that I might have a chance as long as no one is guarding the door. Reaching for the handle, I try to turn it, but it’s locked.

It was too much to think it would be that easy.

I crouch down and examine the door handle from this side. There’s a hole in the center that reminds me of the locks that used to be on the doors at an apartment Mom rented when I was in middle school.

I’ve picked this particular lock before, and I say a silent thank you to Mom’s magician ex for teaching me random things I never thought I’d need to know.

I hurry back down the stairs, looking for anything that might fit inside the small hole.

A safety pin, a stick .

Scanning the room, something on the ground catches my attention, and I walk over to find a bobby pin. There are very few reasons the guys would need this, which makes me think I’m not the first female they’ve kept down here.

I pick it up and try to ignore that thought.

Hurrying back up the staircase, I squat down to get another look at the lock. There’s still no sound coming from the other side as I bend the bobby pin and slip the long side into the hole. I can’t see what I’m doing, so I feel around with the pin, searching for a latching mechanism.

The bobby pin catches on something, and I try to tug, but it sticks, which means I’ve found the right spot. Pushing in and down, I twist, and the snapping of metal is followed by a light clicking sound.

It’s either broken or unlocked, so I close my eyes and take a deep breath as I try to turn the handle, hoping for the best. And when it turns, I exhale.

The door creaks as I slowly push it open, and I freeze, listening for movement. I wait for signs of footsteps from the other side, and when I don’t hear any, I push it open more.

Stepping out of the basement, I’m met with a dark hallway. There’s a dim light coming from one end, and from what I can tell, I think it’s the front of the house. The other direction is dark and quiet, with doors on either side.

I quietly close the basement door behind me, and with the final creak of the hinges, I hold my breath and wait until I’m certain no one heard me .

Making my way down the dark end of the hallway, I peek inside each room as I pass. There are mattresses and clothes on the floor. It’s messy, and the entire house reeks of body odor and cat urine.

Glancing in the room at the end, a small body on the mattress catches my attention, and I hurry inside when I realize who it is.

“Austin,” I whisper, dropping my knees to the mattress as I crouch over him.

I brush his sandy-brown hair off his forehead and run my fingers over his cheek.

“Austin, I need you to wake up for me. Please.”

Austin’s blue eyes blink open slowly. “Tempe?”

He rubs his hands over his eyes.

“Careful.” I brush the side of his face when he tries to sit up.

The drugs they used to knock us out kept him asleep longer than me, but his body is fighting it off faster now that he’s awake.

Austin pushes himself to sit but stays right at my side. “Where are we? Where’s the bathroom?”

I’m relieved that’s the last thing he remembers.

He has no idea what’s going on—what his father has done or what’s happened to our mother. And even if I’m not looking forward to explaining this to him later, I’m thankful I can be the one to tell him rather than have him hear these truths from Dimitri’s mouth.

“We aren’t at the bathroom anymore.” I squeeze his hand. “Can you stand? ”

I’m still a little wobbly myself as I lift off the mattress and stand over him, reaching out a hand. He laces his fingers in mine, using me as leverage to pull himself up.

“I feel funny.” He grabs onto my arm.

“I know, me too.”

He looks around again, and his eyebrows pinch. “Where’s the beach? Where’s Jameson?”

“Jameson’s coming to get us right now.”

That might not be true, but even if Jameson doesn’t know where we are, I’m positive he’s doing everything he can to find us. He won’t let us get hurt. I’m sure of it.

“Why isn’t he here?” Austin’s voice cracks. “Is the bad man back?”

I press my lips together and inhale through my nose. I don’t want to scare him, but with all he’s seen, he’s smart enough to be worried.

“Yes, the bad man’s back.” I angle his face up. “But nothing is going to happen to you, okay? We’re going to get out of here, and Jameson will come get us. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise.”

“I won’t let anyone hurt you either.” Austin gives me a hug.

He believes it with all his heart, and it makes my eyes sting as I fight back the tears. No child should have to be this strong. I’m the one who’s supposed to be there for him. And that’s what I’m going to do.

Voices start getting louder as footsteps move down the hall. The men are either coming for me or him, so we need to move.

“Can you walk?” I whisper .

He nods.

“Let me see.” I hold his hand so he doesn’t fall, and I’m happy he doesn’t lose balance when he takes a step, even if it’s slow.

“Good.” I brace against the wall when my head spins, fighting the haze that’s still fogging my senses.

Glancing around the room, I eye the door, knowing we can’t go back the way I came with the men making their way through the house. I look around the room, searching for another way out, and spot a window.

I squeeze Austin’s hand and look down at him. “I need you to be as quiet as you can, okay?”

“I can be super quiet,” he whisper-yells, which isn’t as helpful as he thinks, but I can’t blame him.

“Good.” I pat the back of his hand. “Follow me, and don’t say a word.”

I guide him to the window. Quickly but quietly unlatching it and pulling it up. Luckily, it doesn’t creak like the basement door, and I manage to get Austin through it quickly.

Outside is nothing but a wide stretch of empty desert, meaning we’re in the middle of nowhere.

I don’t know if Jameson will find us out here or if we can survive walking once the sun rises, but we have to try. At least we can put some distance between us and them as long as it’s dark out.

“Wait there.” I set Austin on his feet outside and climb through the window next.

Dropping to the ground, a stone digs into my foot, but I can’t let myself think about that right now .

Pulling Austin out of view from the window, I hold him against the house and look out at the desert. There’s nothing for miles except an empty shed in the distance, and I decide we can head in that direction first to at least provide some cover for us. Past that is the slightest change in elevation and what appears to be a road winding around the property. I don’t know how far away civilization is or where the road leads, but our only chance is to make a run for it.

“You ready?” I grip Austin’s hand.

He bites his lip, nodding.

“We’ve got this.” I force a smile. “Don’t turn back and don’t stop for anything, you understand?”

My temples throb, and my eyes burn. I want to cry or scream, but I can’t. For Austin, I need to be strong.

“Let’s go.”

We hurry across the empty yard, and the ground is rough on my feet, but I try to ignore it. It wouldn’t have been any easier running in flip-flops.

“This way.” I point toward the shed at the back of the property as voices inside the house get louder, and I assume Dimitri figured out we’re gone.

We reach the shed, and I freeze, pulling Austin against the side of the building, when a set of headlights flashes on the road. They turn off before getting to the house, and I can’t tell whether it’s more of Dimitri’s men or someone else.

Austin’s chest heaves with every breath as I hold him against me. Panic swells in my chest no matter how much I fight it off. And just as I’m about to take another step, a bang rings out in the desert.

Men start shouting, and gunfire sounds.

“Jameson.” Austin looks up at me.

I plant my finger over my lips. “Shh. We don’t know.”

We can only hope.

I hold Austin against the side of the shed as more screams are followed by gunshots. It could be Jameson, but it could also be any other rival club.

Pulling Austin’s back to the building, I motion for him to be quiet so I can peek around the corner.

“Where do you think you’re running off to?”

Dimitri’s voice comes from behind me as fingers tangle in the back of my hair. He yanks so hard my scalp burns, and tears sting my eyes. He pulls me back, and just as he does, I get a look at a man running in the distance.

He’s too far away to see who he is, but I spot the skull and wings. I clearly make out the crown and Twisted Kings lettering.

Jameson and his men found us.

I fight with everything I have. Scratching Dimitri and kicking him with my heels. He won’t let go, but I’m no longer scared to fight and yell now that I know Jameson is here. As long as I can keep Dimitri distracted, I can save my brother.

Jameson will find him.

He’ll keep him safe.

“Austin, run!”