The Butcher of the Bay Part II - J. Bree Page 0,12

her. “Nope, you really don’t want an Eclipse running around. I went through Matteo’s shit. Kinda hoping he’s busy enough not to notice. I wasn’t as careful as I usually am because… well, you know why I’m rushing. Get your ass moving, Butcher.”

I grin and start jogging to my own car, jerking my head at Harbin and Roxas to get them moving too. “I’ve sent him a little ‘Fuck you’ gift, kid. Don’t you worry bout a thing.”

She chuckles under her breath. “I’m sending you the coordinates but make sure you come grab me, yeah? You know I'm coming. You know nothing is stopping me from being there and gutting anyone that's touched her."

I could fucking weep at her conviction but I don't have that sort of shit in me so instead I hang up and get to my car.

Chapter Four

Odie

I know instantly that I have been bought by a different class of man.

None of the men who come to collect me harm me in any way. They don’t attempt to touch me or speak down to me, there are no threats whispered at me or violence directed at me at all.

It’s as if I’m some precious jewel being transported by studious caretakers.

It makes my skin crawl.

None of this is happening because they care about me or think of me as a person, as a human being deserving respect and kindness. No. I'm a commodity and... and fuck am I sick of being a something for men to covet.

I hear that expletive in my head in mon Monstre’s voice and my heart breaks just a little.

But no, I'm not ever going to be a scared little girl again, a chained victim to be raped and toyed with at some disgusting man's whims.

They unchain me and direct me to walk with them out of the safe house and into the waiting cars. Bentleys, three matte black Bentleys and each of them have drivers.

I take stock of what weapons each of the men are wearing. There's no point in trying to run, I don't even know Illi's phone number to call him. The first thing I'm doing when he finds me is memorizing it and making a plan for the next time something like this happens.

I'm not even going to pretend it won't ever happen again.

The men are all carrying a lot of guns, not many knives. Mon Monstre had made me practice on so many different types of guns that if I can get my hands on one I know I'll be okay. I need to keep count of how many of these men there are as well. Le Loup had taught me all about that.

Less chances of being caught unaware.

Nine armed men, three drivers in the Bentleys and me. Okay. So it will depend on what sort of guns they have, but I might be able to kill them all if they have an automatic handgun. I'd have to have a perfect shot though, which will be harder.

I need two or three guns and a steady arm.

I'm helped into the back of the car, a man seated on either side of me, and I don't breathe a word to them. I just watch them all. I watch them and I look for all of the little clues and cues that le Loup had taught me. The way the men hold themselves. The words they use between each other. All of the things their bodies are saying, the way the silence in the car sounds. A million little things that I'd been so confused and overwhelmed with during the lessons, all of them are vital to my survival now.

And I'm going to survive this.

The driver is my best chance of getting a gun.

He's quieter but he's asked a few questions and keeps glancing back at me. He's new to this operation and unsure of what the protocol is. He'll be less likely to have a good grasp on how to interact with me. I don't know if I'll get left with him but that would be my best chance.

He also has a phone.

It's a smartphone and it opens with facial recognition so I could use the GPS to get back to the Bay. I haven't ever driven a car before so I shift my focus over to the mechanics of what the driver is doing. It doesn't seem so hard. The pedals make the car stop and go, and he isn't moving the stick much like Illi had to in his