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“The red might look a little…sinister when the colour runs.”
“More sinister than the severed hand?” Zie snorts sarcastically.
We both ignore him.
“What do you recommend?”
Axel takes a moment to consider before he replies. “A wooden box for starters. The cardboard will go flimsy with all the…oozing. And maybe satin. Something in black?”
“That’ll really offset the whiteness of the hand.”
“That’s what I was thinking. Make it really pop.”
“Are you guys fucking with me? You are, aren’t you? This is some sort of joke.”
I smirk at Zie. “Touch it and see.”
“What?! No way! I’m not touching that…thing!”
“But if it’s a prosthetic you have nothing to worry about…”
“You’re fucked up enough it might just be real. I’m not risking it.” He shakes his head and takes a step backwards like he’s afraid I might chase him with it.Actually that’s not such a bad idea.
“Whose is it anyway?”
“Hart’s.”
There’s a sudden intake of breath all around me. Axel looks impressed. Zie…well, he looks about ready to expire. Pussy. Who cares if our school principal has lost a fucking limb? He shouldn’t be reaching under girls’ skirts. Thankfully he helps out on his parents’ farm on the weekends and so he’ll have a convenient excuse to explain the damage, but I don’t really give afuck. He’s lucky to be breathing still. If Axel had caught him with his hand on Odi’s leg last week instead of me, Hart wouldn’t be alive right now.
“What did he do?” Axel growls, the red mist instantly coming down as it always does whenever Peony’s safety is called into question.
“I took care of it,” I tell him curtly.
There’s a beat of a pause and then Axel grinds out, “I. Asked. What. He. Did.”
“Yeah, and I told you, I took care of it.”
I feel like I’m holding Principal Hart’s life in my hands, and I have no idea why I’m trying to protect it.
The door slams open with force, startling someone within. The other body in there barely moves.
“Wh—”
“We’ve got her!” I call out softly to the others.
The girl we’ve been sent to rescue blinks against the harsh light, probably trying to discern what’s going on, but she seems too weak to do much. How long has she been here?
“Zie! Run upstairs and tell Kaiden to let them know we’ve found her,” I call, glancing over my shoulder to give the orders. “Axel, close the door a little until she adjusts to the light.”
I watch as the poor girl blinks repeatedly and attempts to sit up. She moves as if her body’s made of lead. I can’t blame her. I know that feeling well.
Stepping closer to her, I try to appear as calm and as approachable as I can, even though I know we’re on a time-sensitive mission right now.
“Don’t worry, Candy,” I say, reassuringly. “You’re safe now.” Or she will be, once we get out of here. “We’re here to help you.”
She tries to speak but it comes out as a hoarse croak. I grimace and hunt in my bag for the bottle of water I brought with me, handing it to the girl when I locate it.
“Here. I’m O?—”
