Page 98 of My Crazy Killers
“Really?” I ask, my eyes filling with tears of relief.
Elias nods. “Robert and Ivan are dead. We have the list. The FBI has already confirmed the airplane they’re sending for us will land tomorrow at eleven a.m. Once back in the States, it might take a week or so, but they will get all of our names cleared, and we’ll be free to go.”
“I can’t believe it,” I whisper in shock. “We actually did it.”
“You doubted us, baby?” Dex asks with a grin.
“No, it’s just been so long. I can’t believe it’s finally over.”
I ride the rest of the way to the hotel in shock. It’s hardto actually wrap my head around the idea that someone isn’t going to barge into our room in the middle of the night and try to kill us, kidnap us, or arrest us. We’ve been living on the edge of our seats for months, and I don’t even know how to fully relax.
As we approach our hotel room door, Pete keeps grinning at me until I finally ask, “What?”
“Do you know what today is?”
I shake my head, and his smile just grows wider. He pushes open the hotel door with a flourish and gestures inside.
Stepping inside, my eyes widen as I take everything in. Gold and dark blue decorations are hanging from the ceiling, with matching balloons all over the place. I move into the living area and see a bucket in the middle of the table, filled with several bottles and surrounded by ice. Six champagne glasses sit nearby, and across the back wall is a giant banner that reads ‘Happy New Year.’
“It’s New Year’s Eve?” I ask, my mind racing to try and figure out the date. I lost track in there, with no clocks or calendars to help mark the days.
“Yep! And we’ve only got an hour until midnight,” Pete says as he moves to stand beside me. I eye his guard uniform and frown. He looks down at himself, and a look of anger crosses his face.
“I’m gonna go change. Sly?” he calls. “You need to get out of that uniform, stat.”
“Why?” Sly asks, his eyes bouncing between us.
Pete clenches his hands into fists as he grits out, “Because the guards hurt her.”
“Take me back there,” Dex demands. “I’ll kill them all.”
“I already took care of the worst ones,” Pete tells himbefore looking at me. “They were, right?” I nod. “He said they were going to take you to the showers,” he says, stepping closer. “Does that mean what I think it does?”
I nod, and he gently grips my shoulders, his face looking pained as he asks. “Did they— Did they take you there before? Did they touch you?”
I quickly shake my head, not wanting him to think the worst. “No, they never touched me… sexually before. They liked to push me around and hit me a little, especially if I spoke back. So I learned to stay quiet.”
“Well, you don’t have to stay quiet ever again,” he tells me. “Unless we’re in a stakeout or something.”
“What he means,” Elias says, stepping up to his side, “is that you never have to hold your tongue with us.”
“I know,” I tell him with a smile.
“Yeah, we like your fire,” Pete says, the mischievous glint returning to his eyes.
A wave of emotion hits me, and my vision starts to turn blurry.
“Oh fuck, don’t cry, angel! I can’t take it!” Pete says, looking panicked.
“She’s okay,” Elias says, and he gently pulls me in for a hug. “Just a little overwhelmed at everything that’s happened, yeah?”
I nod against his chest, hugging him back, and feeling relieved that he understands without me having to explain.
“Oh,” Pete says, reaching out to stroke my head. “They’re happy tears?” he asks, sounding more relaxed.
“Yeah,” I say as I try to regain control of my emotions.
“Do you guys mind giving me and Wren a moment alone?” Elias asks. “We’ll just be in the bedroom for a minute.” I hear a few of them murmur their agreement asElias leads me with an arm around my shoulder into the bedroom, closing the door behind us.
