Queen of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #4) - Caroline Peckham Page 0,124

reasonable that it was hard to remember that we were discussing the fact that he was keeping prisoners in his damn basement.

“A cage is a cage,” I replied firmly and he pursed his lips as he considered that then shrugged lightly.

“Well, you’d best pray I die then so you can go set her free. Oh and if I survive, don’t look at that address and be sure to destroy it. No one gets to know where my home is and live to tell tales about it.” He winked and pulled his T-Rex mask down, leaving me to wonder if that last bit was a joke or not as he turned away, flicking his cigarette towards the fireworks. They went up with a whoosh as the gasoline caught light and my heart hammered as the fireworks started going off with loud bangs and colourful plumes of light.

I tore the night vision goggles off as the whole world lit up in a giant bonfire before me and as fireworks started flying in every direction, I turned and ran the fuck away. I am not gonna die from a Big Banger to the face.

I made it back to the Jeep, getting in and starting the engine, realising Niall hadn’t followed.

He was still in front of the fire, shooting rounds off into the sky from his freshly reloaded pistol to cause as much noise as humanly possible.

“Fucking idiot,” I hissed as bullets were fired in return from the watchtower.

I pressed my foot to the gas, tearing toward him as he darted behind the fire like it was a shield that would protect him from a bullet, but it sure as shit wasn’t. The mud exploded at his feet where bullets hit the ground and I ducked my head lower as more bullets peppered the front of the car, my pulse pounding in my skull.

I turned the wheel hard, pulling up beside Niall and shoving the door open, trying to call him inside. He let out a curse as a bullet hit him and he fell down in the mud as I gasped in horror.

I dove out to help him up, frantic as my hand slid through hot blood on the top of his arm and more cursing came from within his T-Rex mask.

“It’s just a scratch, lass,” he chuckled, letting me help him to his feet and he picked me up with his good arm, tossing me into the driver’s seat before climbing over me into the passenger side, nearly kicking me in the face with his dirty boot and crushing me beneath his huge body.

I pressed my foot to the accelerator before I got the door closed, needing to get out of the light of the fire as I tore away, keeping parallel with the camp as I hunted for my boys in the dark.

“Put pressure on it,” I commanded Niall as he tore his freaking dinosaur mask off and popped the glove compartment.

“Yeah, yeah, I know what I’m doing. I know how to hack off every limb and keep a guy alive for days after, so I can get myself through this.” He tore off his shirt, revealing a fiercely muscular body painted in countless tattoos before taking out a bottle of white rum and pouring it over the wound. He followed that up by drinking a healthy shot of it then he wrapped his shirt around the wound, tying it off and kicking the glove compartment shut.

“Where are they?” I said through my teeth, hunting for signs of my Night Keepers in the direction of the camp. Soldiers were going to be swarming the woods any minute and we didn’t have time to spare.

Come on, come on.

I gripped the steering wheel anxiously, determination coating my heart in steel. I was going to leave here with my Night Keepers. There was no alternative. Not one I would ever submit to. I was their ride or die, so they needed to get here and fucking ride.

M y chest was heaving with the effort of running and hiding and being chased all over this fucking rabbit's warren of a camp and with every step I took, I was terrified that we were about to get caught, dragged away, taken to some lab and used the way Tatum had been. I knew if that happened it would be the end of it. There wouldn't be anyone to come charging in to rescue us. We'd be buried. Locked away in some secret facility that no one