Sabre and Latch are still laughing. Hell, I think Sabre’s laughed so hard, the asshole has tears coming out of his eyes.
“This trip back to Kentucky ought to be fun,” says Latch. I ignore the motherfuckers and jump on my bike.
“Hey, Torch. Before we head back to that spitfire’s house, let’s run by the pharmacy we saw in town.”
“What the fuck for? You know Skull’s waiting for a report.”
“Aye, that I do, brother, but I’m more worried about your dick. Maybe they can find you some little blue pills to help you out with your problem. I’ve never needed them, but I hear they can work wonders for men like—”
I start up my bike to drown the motherfuckers out. I’m going to kill them, then give Katie something to scream about later.
I lie here in shock. I can’t do much else. I hate the feeling of being tied up and having no control. Being abandoned. It’s a feeling I’m more than a little familiar with and I fucking hate it. The fact that Torch is the one to do it this time is just salt in an open wound.
I spend a few minutes trying to calm my breathing. I hate that being confined makes me panic. There’s nothing I can do about it, though. There’s just been too much water under the bridge.
To get my mind off of it, I concentrate on the things I need to accomplish. I need to get a message through to Beth, and that’s not going to be easy. I need her to keep running. She’ll want to come after me, but I can’t risk the fact that Colin might get his hands on her, or worse, Gabby. There’s a phone in the motel room. I could call Beth’s cell. I figure that they may have the number monitored, though, and I have to decide if it’s worth the risk. Can I pretend to fall under Torch’s spell? Maybe if he thinks I’m sewn up over him, he’ll relax his guard enough so I can escape, or at least get a message out. Would that be safer?
I feel panic nipping at my heels. I should have listened to Bethie and fucking ran. No dick, however spectacular it is packaged, is worth it. I let myself forget that with Torch and I fell for his pretty eyes and the promise of fun he offered. It was fun, but at what cost? It sure as hell won’t have been worth it if it destroys the two people I love the most in the process. I don’t know what Torch’s club and Skull’s endgame is. If Colin is to be believed, he wants his child and, in return, he’s going to turn me and Bethie over to him. It pisses me off. Skull pushed Bethie out of his life in the most brutal way possible. What right does he have to come back and destroy her further after all this time? The only thing important here is Bethie.
With that in mind, I reach over and pick up the motel phone. I hope and pray I’m making the right choice.
“Hello?” Bethie’s voice comes over the line.
“Bethie, it’s me. I need you to listen.”
“Katie! Where are you? You were supposed to check in before you reached—”
“Stop. Bethie, this phone isn’t secure. Listen to me because we have to hang up quickly. I don’t know if they can trace you and I’m not taking the chance. Skull’s crew showed up at the house and they have me—”
“I warned you! Okay, Gabby and I will turn around and—”
“No! That’s exactly what they want. You know what the next step in our plan was. Do it. I’ll bide my time and get away from them. I’ll be in touch.”
“Katie, I don’t like this! I could—”
“You could listen to me,” I cut her off. “This isn’t about me—or even you anymore. We have to keep Gabby safe. So go through with our plans, understand? I’ll contact you the minute I can. Destroy this phone like I showed you and switch to your back up. I’ll use that number when I get free. Do it now, Bethie.”
“Katie…”
“Just do it. I have to go now.”
“Okay,” she whispers, and I hate that I can hear the tears in her voice. “I love you bigger than outer space,” she whispers.
“To the moon and back,” I tell her, then hang up, praying I didn’t stay on the line too long.
I stare at the receiver for a while afterwards. I need to figure out what my next step is and I need to know if I’m strong enough to play Torch, because it will take a lot of playing to get out of this mess. I will get out. I don’t have a choice. I will do it…
For Gabby.