Rocco?
My head was shoved down as Rogue tried to shield me with his body, and more gunfire went off around us. He pushed me towards his SUV, still blocked by Johnny Jack’s fleet of cars, but we didn’t make it. Someone tackled Rogue to the ground and another ripped me from his arms. I felt like a lifeless doll, being effortlessly jostled around. Time seemed too slow and too fast all at once, and there was so much noise that I couldn’t focus on any one thing. The shock acted like anvils sitting on my response time.
I was still picturing Bonham’s writhing form when I was shoved again. It knocked me out of my stress-induced haze. I landed on the rough concrete and I tried to roll away, but I was too slow. A man grabbed hold of my ankles and pulled me backwards. Scissor kicking, I aimed for his chin but missed.
My own chin scraped against the ground and I clenched my teeth as two men bound my legs together with their strong grip and picked me up. Another man grabbed at my torso, locking his arms around me to keep mine in place. I jerked my hips up and down and twisted in their hold but I couldn’t break free.
No, no, no. I couldn’t let them take me.
I caught a glimpse of Rogue, who was on the ground receiving blow after blow by two other men.
“No!” I screamed, my voice so loud it felt like it would rip my vocal chords.
Both his eyes were already swelling, blood pooled in his mouth as he coughed and fought for consciousness. I saw the struggle in his body, but I couldn’t get to him. I flexed each muscle, using my strength to fight my way out of their grip, but they were too strong. And when I finally saw where they were carrying me, I screamed again. I couldn’t let them take me to their car. If I did, I was as good as dead.
I twisted and jerked, thrusting my body up and down while bending my knees and kicking out to break free. All the while, I was screaming at the top of my lungs.
I tried to look for help, to let someone, anyone, know that I was being taken away. But there was no one to hear my screams.
Twisting to get one last look at my guys, I watched in horror as a bearded man pistol whipped Godfrey, and he went down hard. The men carrying me stepped over Bonham’s body. He was passed out, likely from the pain and blood loss from the gunshot wound to his foot. I couldn’t see Luis.
Oh god. What were we going to do?
I shot my head back, hitting the man behind me in the jaw. I heard his teeth crack at the intensity of my hit, and although my head was ringing and my face was cut up, it made me regain a little bit of the power they’d stolen.
“Fuck you!” I screamed, when one of them tossed me into the back of the town car. I lunged for the door, trying to crawl out before they could shut it, but I wasn’t fast enough. Clutching the door handle, I tried to open it, but the child lock was on, keeping me locked inside.
“You’ll live longer if you sit quietly,” a small, resigned voice said. I whipped my head around to look at who’d said that, and gasped when I saw a skinny blonde around my age wearing a sequined dress sitting on the leather seat beside me. She had black circles under her eyes and track marks trailing her arms. I didn’t have time to assess who she was though. I had no idea if she was dangerous, or if she needed my help. The front door to the car opened and Johnny Jack, who was sporting a black eye and a shredded arm, slid into the passenger seat.
“Fucking knife-wielding bastard,” he seethed, while poking at the meat of his arm where debris and blood clung to the skin that was peeled back. Did Luis do that?
The driver started the car, and I jumped forward to attack Johnny. I knew that if I let them take me away, there would be no hope. Wasn’t that what Mama always heard on the nightly news? Don’t let them take you. Once they take you, your chances of survival nearly disappear.
I plunged my thumb into the wound on his arm, making him scream so