Love You Madly(45)

Trying to still the force of violence that simmered inside, Travis stepped in and slammed his gun into the guy’s skull, feeling little satisfaction as he stilled and then dropped like a stone. Disgusted, Travis pushed the body off the girl, trying to see if she was okay. Her eyes closed, and she moved her head back and forth, almost as if in sleep. She couldn’t walk. But at least she couldn’t be raped again in the time it would take for the police to arrive.

Outside the curtain, he heard the quiet murmuring of two men. The sounds were moving closer, so Travis waited.

“Two johns left. It’s almost twelve, nearly curfew. We’ll give them another fifteen and clear them out. Then I’m going to give the li’l brunette upstairs a ride. Did you see the ass on her? Almost as full and ripe as those tits. You want to join me?”

“If Lance sent her over, I wouldn’t touch her if I were you. She must be saved for something big, probably tomorrow night’s sale. It’s your ass if you mess it up.”

The other man snorted. “Well, it don’t hurt to touch. Wonder why they’re waiting so long. They usually like all the merchandise sold and shipped by nightfall. Seems risky to wait so long.”

“It’s because he’s got some big fancy function tomorrow. Can’t have the auction until after. Then we’ll all get our cut and can haul ass.”

They passed by and Travis barely managed to restrain the urge to put a bullet in both guys’ brains now. But sanity returned, and he waited until their footsteps were on the stairs. He was certain another guard had to be around down here somewhere, though. They wouldn’t leave their “merchandise” unattended. He’d have to be careful.

He checked the girl again. Short blond hair. Maybe nineteen. Twenty.

Not Darcy.
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He stepped over the guy out cold on the floor and pushed the sheets aside to the next room. Another girl. Alone. He crept close and placed his hand to her neck. Warm. She was sleeping. Also not Darcy.

He went through two more rooms before he reached one where soft grunts told him he’d found the other john. This time he must not have been as stealthy, because the guy turned and barked, “Get the hell out, man.”

Travis slammed his hand into the guy’s nose. The guy howled in pain and dropped to the floor, holding his hands over the blood now pouring out, not about to put up a fight.

But it was too late, as there was a shout from upstairs and footsteps barreling back down the stairs just as a guy dived inside headfirst and caught Travis in the gut. They slammed into the wall behind him, and for a moment Travis saw stars as his head hit the cement wall.

Damn. There went his element of surprise.

…

Meredith struggled to remember the address where they were to relay to the 9-1-1 operator and then stayed on the line for what felt like forever as they confirmed her location. All the while, she stared at the still figure on the bed, her heart aching for the girl and whatever she’d been put through. What if it had been Darcy?

The shouting down below sent her heart racing and, despite the responder’s request that she stay on the line, Meredith hung up and went to the door, trying to hear what was happening.

She risked a peek, only to see Cal, the guy who had carried her, racing back up. She quickly hid behind the door, as he bounded into the room where he’d deposited her. Crap. He wasn’t going to stop until he found her. She looked around for somewhere to hide, but other than the bed, there was nothing but a closet. And that would be the first place he’d look.

She dropped to her knees. It would be tight, but she could probably slink under the bed. Slowly, feet first, she inched back until she was flat on her belly, looking out from under the bed. From here she had a clear view of the door.

She waited.

The seconds went by, and she heard the flurry down the hall as he ripped through the remaining rooms. Why didn’t she have a weapon? A knife at least? Something she could use. Her cell phone hardly seemed enough.

Then he was there. His boots were all she could see as he strode in, slamming his hand against a wall as he passed it. At the bed, he stopped, probably looking down at the dead girl. Meredith held her breath, hoping he couldn’t hear the beating of her heart—it felt so loud thrumming in her ears.

He walked a few steps away, pulling the closet door open with such force it careened into the wall and she flinched. He thrashed about inside until, satisfied she wasn’t there, he came back out and flew out of the room.

She breathed out a sigh of relief.

She was safe. The entire house felt silent now, and she wondered what Travis was doing, if he’d found Darcy, if she was safe—