Page 30 of Depraved

“My job. Okay, all done. Now, let’s get that stink off you.”

I took a moment, trying to figure this woman out. She had the whole hardcore look pulled off like a pro. Tattoos decorated her inner arms. It looked like Hebrew text inked all the way from her wrists up to her armpits. When she turned around to open the door, I noticed another tattoo at the back of her neck. A skull. The American Street Kings patch.

“How long have you been part of the gang?”

Neon turned and narrowed her eyes at me. “A club. Not a gang. Go around calling it a gang, and you’ll get that tiny ballerina-ass of yours hurt.”

I bit my tongue. The feisty blue-haired bad-girl had me all confused since I didn’t really get the whole dangerous vibe from her…until now.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “Club. How long have you been part of the club?”

“None of your goddamn business.” She walked out, leaving me standing there. The door was wide open, and for a fleeting moment I wondered if this was the kind of place you could just walk out of. Would there be armed bad guys waiting around every corner? Or would it be easy and simple for me to escape? Somehow, I doubted it would be the latter.

I gnawed on my thumb nail, not knowing what to do when Neon’s face popped up at the side of the door. “You coming or what?”

“Yeah.” No matter how scared I was, my need to scrub the filth off me was stronger. The promise of taking a shower was just too damn good for my fear to keep me from following her.

As I reached the door, I hesitated for a moment. I leaned forward, glancing down the unfamiliar hall. Dark wooden floors flanked with cool-gray walls led to what seemed like a kitchen at the end, part of the kitchen table and cabinets visible from where I stood. I couldn’t see more than that, only that there were two more doors between the room where I was and the kitchen.

“Over here.” Neon drew my attention, standing beside the door across the hall. “The bathroom’s in here.”

I stilled. Uncertainty was knocking at the back of my skull.

Neon rolled her eyes. “Get your bony ass over here before I change my mind. Besides, the crew should be back any minute. If Granite knew I let you out of the room, he’d cut my goddamn tongue out.”

I frowned. “You’re kidding, right?”

“You’ve seen the man. You tell me whether I’m kidding or not.” She crossed her arms, pursing her lips. “I’m going to count to⁠—”

“I’m coming.” I hauled ass across the wooden floors and literally stumbled over my own two feet, almost falling my way into the bathroom.

“You know,” Neon started, “for a ballerina, you sure are uncoordinated.”

I glowered her way. “Being kidnapped can do that to a person.”

“Ha,” she winked at me, “funny. Now, hurry up. You have two minutes. I’ll go see if I can find you something clean to wear.” Her gaze swept over me from top to bottom. “You’re a what, size nine to ten-year-old?”

“Funny.”

“Hurry your ass up, Swan Lagoon.”

“It’s Swan Lake.”

“Don’t care.” She closed the door.

A few seconds passed, and I just stood there, glancing from one side to the other. Everything seemed so…clean. With dark and light tones of gray, a corner tub, and double shower, the bathroom didn’t seem like it was used by a bunch of barbaric motorcycle grease junkies.

I turned and spotted a toothbrush, still sealed in its packaging, on the sink. Alongside it, toothpaste, a bottle of shampoo, and a bar of soap. Was Neon trying to be nice, or was this the part where they groomed the live offering right before they slaughtered it in the name of Satan?

I checked the door, but there was no key. Of course, there wasn’t. And I didn’t hear the lock turn when Neon closed the door. Did that mean it was still open?

Slowly, softly, I moved forward. My heart raced, my mind about to explode with a hundred different things I’d do if the door wasn’t locked—the best option being to run as fast I could.

My hand shook as I reached out, gently placing my palm on the doorknob. Sweat beaded at the back of my neck, my legs ready to run. I swallowed then slowly turned the knob. When the door clicked open, my heart stopped.

What the fuck do I do now?

In which direction do I run?