Page 99 of Torment
The phone buzzes again on the nightstand. Careful not to wake her, I reach over and grab it.
Kellen.
“Yeah,” I answer groggily.
There’s a brief pause before he speaks.
“He’s ready.”
I glance down at Ashlynn and let out a sigh.
“Got it.” I hang up.
Beside me, Ashlynn shifts. Her eyes blink open slowly, heavy with sleep as she rolls onto her back trying to get comfortable again.
“Who was that?” she asks quietly.
“Kellen.”
Her movements pause, before she turns her head toward me. She studies my face for half a second.
“Okay,” she says, her voice calm and certain. “Let’s go get him.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
An hour later,we pull up to the warehouse and I kill the engine of the Camaro. Ashlynn’s out first, rounding the hood of the vehicle as I step out and close the door behind me.
Placing my hand at the small of her back, we walk in silence through the entrance of the warehouse, and down the long familiar hallway. Entering the room Tristan’s been in, Ashlynn tips her head to the side. Tristan sits still tied to a chair, which at this point is unnecessary. But I can appreciate Kellen and Levi’s commitment. It’s been six weeks since he was brought here. He’s only fed enough to keep him alive, but weak. He couldn’t get out of here if he tried. From Kellen’s last report, they tried to get him up to clean him off after he soiled himself and he collapsed immediately.
He’s lost quite a bit of weight, and is covered in bruises and dried blood. He looks up slowly, struggling to lift his head, and his eyes widen when he sees us standing in the room.
“Ash-” he croaks, his voice rough and groggy.
She steps forward, and I move aside letting her pass. Levi and Kellen glance over at me, but my eyes stay locked on her as she stops at Tristan’s feet. He looks up at her, and shakes his head.
“No.”
Moving behind him, she threads her fingers in his hair, tipping his head to the side. Her other hand slides into her hoodie pocket.
A grin tugs at the corner of my mouth as I watch her.
I could stop her, but I don’t.
This was never mine to finish.
Bitingoff the cap of the syringe, I spit it to the floor as the needle slides into the side of his neck–the same place he chose for me. He doesn’t fight. He can’t.
His head falls forward quickly, the drugs working faster thanks to his weakened state, and I let go of his hair. I tip my head sideways and look at the men across the room.
“Get him in the car.”
Levi and Kellen glance at Karson, who watches me with a lopsided smirk.
“You heard her,” he tells them.
They both move forward and undo Andy’s bindings. Levi grabs his ankles while Kellen hooks his arms under Andy’s shoulders, lifting him from the chair.
They carry him out of the room. Karson and I follow, his hand pressing against the small of my back again. He presses a kiss to the side of my head as we exit the warehouse before he goes to open the trunk.
