Page 108 of Ruthless Protector

I had no idea how long I’d been out each time. I had no sense of time.

He was playing with me. Doing his best to terrify me. The manacles, the drug, all used to make me feel as helpless as I did. He wanted me to know what was coming, and he wanted to make sure I knew there was nothing I could do.

Hot tears streaked down my face as that heavy weight came over me again, when my eyes tried to shut without my say-so.

He stood suddenly and strode toward me. I saw a flash of silver, before it arced down, slicing into my upper arm. I screamed in pain as he retreated, back to that chair, his body again still, his black eyes glittering.

I glanced down at the cut to my arm, blood dripping from the wound, and again, everything went black.

Jude

Several bodies lay around us, writhing, groaning, bleeding.

Donny stood across the room, gun aimed on me.

“You’re outnumbered and outgunned, Morgan. You want out of this alive, you’ll put down that gun and tell me where you took Willa.”

“I can’t do that,” he said. “That’s not the plan.”

I’d taken a shot to my right bicep, and there was no way I could go for my gun quick enough, not with it strapped to my chest, and I couldn’t reach it with my left. Ruby and Zeke had their guns on him, Hunter, Van, and Neco covering the guys on the floor, in case one of them had a death wish and tried to take another shot.

“What plan?” I said.

He smiled. “God’s plan.”

The way his eyes darted around the room, the manic grin on his face… The guy had lost it.

“Where is she, Donny?” I demanded.

“Paying for her sins, like all whores should.” He spat on the floor. “Like they all did. We saved them. We set them free.”

“Who? Who’s helping you?”

He shook his head. “Time to set you free as well.” Then he lifted his gun.

Two shots echoed through the room, Ruby and Zeke both hitting their mark. He dropped to the floor and I ran to him, going down to my knees. “Tell me?” I roared. “Where is she?”

He grinned, blood staining his teeth. “In hell.”

I shook the shit out of him. “Who has her? It’s Jethro? It’s him, isn’t it?”

He collapsed back, and stared blankly up at the ceiling.

“Fuck, he’s dead.” I stood, pacing away. “Now we’ll never find her. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” I scrubbed my hands over my face. “You should have just let him fucking shoot me.”

“Jude?” Zeke said.

“At least then she’d have a chance, we’d get him to talk.” I knew they did what they thought was right, but I didn’t want to be here if Willa wasn’t. I couldn’t lose her. I wouldn’t survive another loss like that. I didn’t want to.

My gaze dropped to the floor, to Donny’s body, lifeless on the floor. Dirt, red tinged in color, it marked the floor where he’d stood, coating the bottom of his shoes. I dropped to my haunches and got a closer look.

Ruby dropped down beside me. “What is it?”

“This dirt, it was at Willa’s house, two sets of prints.” I lifted my head. “Anything like this outside?”

Hunter took off to check.

“What are you thinking?” Van asked.