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As was planned, so as not to cause any suspicions on where the three of us were heading with all of our belongings in tow, Alex left first. I was to be next, followed closely by Evelyn. Each of us had our own separate route, but the same destination.

  “You know where to go?” Evelyn asked me for what seemed like the hundredth time. “Remember, don’t go through the market place, there’s too many eyes watching. Too many people we can’t trust.”

  Sighing, I nodded. Though I was anxious, I was more determined than anything else. I was stronger than I had been in years.

  “Stop worrying about me,” I said. “I can do this.” To further prove my point, I patted the weapons belt slung low on my hips, heavy with both a handgun and a blade.

  “I’ll always worry about you,” she said, her bloodshot eyes glossing over. “Always, Lei.” She sounded so defeated, and it hurt to see her so broken.

  Biting down on my bottom lip so as not to cry, I reached for her hand and shook my head. “It doesn’t matter what happens. You made good on your promise to Thomas.”

  “But I didn’t,” she whispered. “I didn’t do nearly enough.”

  “I’m still here, aren’t I?” I countered, squeezing her hand. “I’m alive, Eve, and that’s about the best any of us can ask for anymore.”

  Her tears spilled over, and despite knowing I had to get moving, I pulled her in for a quick hug, squeezing her tightly to me. “You made me strong, Eve,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “You made me want to keep going.”

  Before my own tears could fall, I pulled out of our hug and turned away, slipping quickly out the door and into the hallway. While trying to keep from looking in a hurry, I kept an agile, yet energetic pace, hoping I didn’t seem as anxious as I felt. My bag was slung over my shoulder, some of the clothing that Alex had gotten me and some food all thrown in haphazardly. The bag was heavy, but I acted as if it weighed nothing, not wanting to draw attention to it.

  There were only a few people moving about in the building this early in the morning, and those that were around barely gave me a second look as they either entered or exited their own apartments. The stairs were clear as I descended, as was the exit, and then I was outside, making an immediate left, and headed away from the marketplace.

  “Leisel! Sweetheart!”

  I stopped walking, closing my eyes, sucking in a breath of calming air before turning around. Grannie was hurrying down the pathway, her wide hips shaking back and forth as she waved excitedly in my direction.

  “I was hoping to find you before you went to work tonight!” she said breathlessly, coming to a stop before me. Reaching out, she placed her hand on my shoulder and took several deep breaths. “The end of the world isn’t meant for old women. It’s a wonder I’ve made it this long!”

  I tried to smile at her to hide the spike in my nerves, yet my eyes continued darting left and right as I hoped that no one else of importance had spotted me.

  “I have the perfect dress for you to wear tonight,” she continued. Straightening up, she smoothed her hands down the front of her shirt. “An old sequined number from the eighties that I’ve spruced up a bit. Imagine how you’ll look up there dancing, the lights catching the sequins!” Letting out a tiny shriek, she clapped her hands together, obviously pleased with herself.

  I tried again to smile at her, yet could feel nothing but disgust. Despite her having been kind to us, treating us to clean clothing and such, she was no better than anyone else in Purgatory. She was thriving here, her sewing skills a necessity, so she wasn’t subjected to the same sort of cruelty the younger women were. Yet it was that very cruelty she depended on. She enjoyed the fights, made a killing off betting, all while happily supplying ridiculous getups for the dancers and hookers, only ensuring that this ludicrous way of life would continue.

  She was part of the problem.

  “Thank you,” I muttered. “Can’t wait to see it.”

  “No, no!” she exclaimed, reaching for me. “You must come now! I can’t wait to show you!”

  Swallowing hard, I took a step away from her. “I…um…I can’t right now. I have to meet…someone…”

  God, I was the absolute worst liar left alive today. Somehow, even surrounded by them, I still couldn’t manage to pull it off. And Grannie, despite her penchant for seeming carefree, picked up on this immediately.

  “What do you mean?” she asked, her voice hushed, her eyes comically wide. “Someone like…another man?”

  “No,” I said quickly, bringing my backpack forward, showing her the overstuffed bags. “I’m trading is all.”

  “Ah,” she said, sighing in relief. “Good God, sweetheart, you nearly gave me a heart attack! You’ve got a good one, you know. Wouldn’t want to see him cut you loose and have you end up in the Cave…or worse!”

  Yes, I thought dryly, wouldn’t want that.

  “Give me an hour,” I said, slinging my bag back up over my arm. “And I’ll come get the dress.” Smiling as wide as I could manage, I reached out and touched her hand. “I’m sure it’s beautiful.”

  “All right then,” she said, grinning again. Then she lowered her voice to a dramatic whisper. “Happy trading!”

  I waited where I was, watching as she walked back in the direction she’d come, her hips swinging as she hummed an out-of-tune melody that I couldn’t place. When she was little more than a dark outline in the distance, I turned away, a relieved sigh escaping my lungs as I continued on.

  Doing as Evelyn had instructed, I stayed deep within the living quarters, walking between buildings instead of around them, keeping out of the sight line of any of the main buildings. The entire complex was a maze of walkways and buildings, bigger and more labyrinthine than it had seemed when standing on the opposite side of the gates. Several times, I found myself confused and a bit turned around, only to eventually run into old metal signs with arrows directing to the north and south parking lots, from back when the factory had still been in use.

  Eventually the shadows thrown by the buildings surrounding me gave way to sunlight. Beyond a widespread lawn, overgrown with wildflowers, weeds, and grass nearly to my knees, was the south parking lot.

  Looking left and right, seeing no one other than an elderly man strolling leisurely through the tall grass, I headed out across the lawn. He paid me little mind, busying himself with watching the swarms of bugs hovering over the grass, and smiling to himself.

  Once I’d reached the edge of the parking lot, I paused, scanning the rows of vehicles for either Alex or a dark blue Jeep. I found neither, noting that most of the cars in this lot were either missing wheels or windows or both, some having been stripped of their engines and seating compartments. Just as my stomach began to churn with worry, thinking that either I’d gotten myself lost again, or we’d been purposely misled, I thought I spotted someone far off in the distance. Shielding my eyes from the sun, I squinted across the lot, but was unable to be certain who it was without getting closer.

  Shouldering my backpack, I hurried forward, quickly weaving around the metal shells until finally I was able to see clearly. And what I saw stopped me cold in my tracks. The frantic beating of my heart skipped, the world around me now frozen as I looked on at the scene unfolding before me with horror.

  “No!” I screamed, clasping a hand over my mouth. “NO!”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Evelyn

  Leisel’s screams echoed through the maze of buildings, easily reaching me. My heart stuttered as her cries were abruptly cut off. I dropped my backpack and my feet pounded the ground, the surrounding buildings nothing more than a blur as I sped past them.

  Turning the final corner, the dark shadows of the buildings giving way to sunlight and lush grass, I stopped when I saw Leisel off in the distance. This was all my fault, I thought, looking on at the scene before me, my steps now slow and cautious.

  Several armed men stood in a circle around my friends. Alex, his arms wrenched backward and secured behind him was bein
g held by one man, while another held a gun to his temple. Leisel had been shoved belly first up against the hood of the Jeep, while the man holding her there was blatantly groping her, grinding his hips against her backside and grinning. And standing in the center of it all, was E.

  Slowly, he turned toward me, his gaze finding mine, the grin on his face growing wider with every step I took. Anger and hatred burned hot and thick through my veins, causing my blood to pump furiously, the sound of it beating a fast and heavy tempo in my ears. Pulling my gun from my pants, I brought it forward, ready to shoot my way out of there if I had to.

  I stared at E, ignoring Leisel’s whimpers, ignoring the gun held to Alex, ignoring everyone until our surroundings seemed to disappear, leaving only E and me.

  “What are you doing?” I gritted out between clenched teeth, angry at myself for trusting him.

  Chuckling, E spread his arms out wide. “I’ve changed my mind, Wildcat.” He shook his head. “After last night, I know what kind of man you need, and it ain’t that.” He jerked his chin in Alex’s direction.

  My fingers jerked around my weapon, and E’s eyes flickered to my hand. Lifting his gaze, his grin turned menacing. “You won’t be needing that,” he said, holding out his hand. “Not if you want your friends to live.”

  He spoke so nonchalantly, as if he were asking me to share my lunch with him. Not hand over my weapon, the only thing standing between Alex and Leisel either living or dying.

  “You bastard,” I spat, holding the gun out in offering.

  Taking it from me, he shrugged once before tossing it to a man standing behind him. The man caught it with ease and tucked it into his pants.

  “We had a deal,” I said, my breaths coming in quick, short bursts as I struggled to contain my rage.

  “Deals change all the time,” he said, his arrogant tone matter-of-fact. “And I have a much better one in mind.”

  “Fuck him, Eve!” Leisel suddenly screamed, rearing up from beneath her captor. “Fuck him and fuck this whole place!” The man holding her grabbed a fistful of her hair, using it to slam her back down against the hood.

  Ignoring her, E continued to watch me. “I think you’ll like it,” he said. “It benefits everyone. I’ll let your friends go, but you’re staying here with me.” Looking smug, E raised his brow.

  “No!” Leisel screamed, the terror in her voice ripping at my heart.

  “No, Eve!” Alex shouted.

  “And what if I say no?” I asked carefully, keeping my eyes on E.

  “Then I kill your man,” he replied easily. “Let me make it easy for you, Wildcat. You don’t really have a choice here, just the illusion of one. So take my deal—stay with me and your friends can go free.”

  Placing a hand on my arm, E roughly turned me to face the Jeep. Inside, I could make out several stacks of boxes, though I couldn’t see what was in them. “Everything I promised you, they can have,” he said.

  “Eve, no!” Leisel continued to scream. “You promised! You fucking promised me! We do this together, always together!”

  Squeezing my eyes shut, my thoughts drowned out the sound of her cries as I thought back to Thomas—Leisel’s husband—and the night that he died. Lying on the floor of my living room, Leisel gripped tightly to his hand, tears streaking down her face while Shawn and I stood solemnly by. Candles flickered all around us, the warm scents of vanilla floating up from them. But even they couldn’t hide the scent of Thomas’s death that was so close.

  He’d looked up to me and Shawn, his bloodshot eyes pleading with us. “Keep her safe,” he’d whispered hoarsely. “Promise me, you’ll keep her safe for me.”

  I’d sobbed loudly, my tears streaking down my cheeks. Gripping Shawn’s hand tightly, I’d nodded. “I promise,” I’d whispered.

  “No matter what?”

  “No matter what, Thomas, I promise. I’ll protect her with my own life.”

  “It won’t ever come to that,” Shawn had said, his grief palpable. “I’ll protect them both.”

  Seemingly satisfied, Thomas had turned his gaze back to his wife, whispering things to her that I couldn’t make out. Only moments later, his eyes began to cloud over, a gray fog blanketing them. His lungs rattled loudly in his chest as he blinked sluggishly. His grip on Leisel’s hand loosened, and as she gasped, clutching him tighter, his eyes rolled back in his head.

  “No!” Leisel had sobbed, shaking his arm. “No, Thomas, no!”

  While Shawn had pried her off his body, I’d stood there, able to do little more than sob. I had cried for the loss of my friend, for Leisel’s devastating loss, for how bleak our futures seemed in that one moment…and every moment that had followed since.

  Turning back to E, I swallowed back the lump in my throat and looked him squarely in the eyes. “I’ll do it,” I said firmly, thinking only of Leisel and Thomas, and of my promise to them.

  Despite Leisel’s answering sobs, E was smiling, the first genuine smile I’d seen on him, giving me a glimpse of perhaps the man he’d once been. Reaching out to touch my cheek, E ran his fingertips down the side of my face in an almost romantic gesture.

  “One more thing,” he said, and grabbed my neck, using his hold on me to bring my body flush against his. “A lesson, if you will,” he whispered, his breath hot against my ear. Then he tossed me aside, much the same way he’d grabbed me, into the arms of the same man he’d given my gun to.

  Shrugging out of his denim jacket, rolling his neck from side to side, E headed toward Alex, his hands clenched into fists. Still being held at gunpoint, Alex showed no emotion as E approached him, meeting him stare for stare.

  “You make one move to stop me, Wildcat,” E threw over his shoulder. “And I will kill him.”

  “God, please, no!” Leisel screamed, bucking wildly against the man holding her. “Please don’t hurt him!”

  Alex squared his shoulders as best he could considering the way he was being held.

  “This isn’t exactly a fair fight,” Alex ground out, his nostrils flaring.

  E laughed in response, a bitter, twisted laugh. “This isn’t supposed to be fair, boy. This is a lesson to be learned.” And then he sent his fist straight into Alex’s gut.

  Coughing, choking, Alex tried to curl in on himself in an attempt to deflect the barrage of punches E was throwing at him, but it was a useless effort. E continued to hit him like a broken record on repeat, his heavy fist connected with Alex’s face, ribs, and stomach over and over again. Blood poured from wounds on his face, purple bruises appearing almost immediately, one eye swelling almost shut, and through it all Leisel was screaming, beating her hands on the roof of the Jeep, yet unable to move.

  Once Alex had been beaten into near unconsciousness, his shoulders drooping, blood pouring from his mouth and nose, trailing down his shirt, E gripped a handful of his hair and used it to lift his face.

  “You don’t come back for her, you hear me?” he said, his tone venomous, promising only more pain. “She’s mine. All fucking mine.”

  Alex blinked up at him through one eye. “Yes,” he managed to say between coughing gasps.

  Drawing a wad of phlegm from the back of his mouth, E spat in Alex’s face and released his head. It fell forward, blood and saliva spattering.

  “You see, Wildcat,” E said, turning back toward me. “I always protect what’s mine.”

  Taking my face between his bloodied hands, he tipped my head back and pressed a hard kiss on my lips. “Do you see?”

  I nodded numbly. “Yes,” I said softly. I’d seen it quite clearly, exactly what this “lesson” had been. This hadn’t been just a lesson for Alex, or any other man who tried to touch me, this was my lesson. I was owned, body and soul.

  E stared at me a moment longer, watching me intently through those black eyes of his, eyes that held so much and yet seemed so empty. His features were hard, his lips pressed tightly into a thin line, and suddenly time seemed to stop altogether. No heat from the sun touched on my skin, no
breeze moved through my hair, even Leisel’s cries had grown quiet. There was just E, myself, and the soft hum from the electric gates reminding me that that I wouldn’t be leaving this prison, not ever. Trapped forever in Purgatory.

  Releasing my face, he turned away, then put his fingers to his mouth and whistled loudly. From a ways off, a man appeared from behind a small platform near the gate. Waving to E, he nodded and once again disappeared from view. All at once, the fence’s humming ceased.

  “Put them in the Jeep,” E ordered his men. He turned to Leisel and gave her a sickeningly sweet smile. “You need to hurry on out of here,” he told her. “Before anyone gets wind that the gates have been shut down.”

  “Fuck you,” she hissed, struggling against the man dragging her. “I will kill you, I will find a way to kill you, you monster!”

  As she was shoved roughly into the driver’s seat and Alex the passenger seat, E only laughed at her, turning away from her shouts with a dismissive, sickening smile. The doors were slammed closed, then a set of keys was tossed over the open roof and into Leisel’s lap.

  “Start it!” one of the men demanded, aiming his gun through the window at Leisel’s head. Turning away, she did as she was instructed, and the vehicle roared to life with a healthy rumble.

  Slumping back in his seat, Alex attempted picking his head up, his one good eye focusing on me. Placing his hand up against the window, he mouthed the words I’m sorry at me.

  Nodding, I squeezed my eyes shut, willing my gathering tears not to fall. I took a deep breath and reopened them only to find E staring down at me, his upper lip raised in angry snarl. Grumbling something incoherent, he spun away from me and stalked toward the Jeep. As he gripped the knife he had strapped to his belt, a flash of steel glinting off the sun as he drew it out, I realized what was happening. Screaming at the top of my lungs, I rushed him.

  “No!” I screamed, throwing myself at his back, wrapping my hands around his neck, my legs around his waist, trying to force him to stop.

  With an angry grunt, E grabbed my arm, yanking me off of him. He threw me down on the ground, making my head hit painfully against the gravel, then wrapped his hand around my throat, pinning me in place.