Madness Ends by Beth D. Carter Read Free Book Online Page B

tugged on Gabby’s hand and when he turned to her, she signed she had to use it. He gave her a thumbs up, and she finger-waved before heading into the back.
    An overhead fluorescent bulb flickered, on the verge of dying, and it cast odd patterns across the floor. As she passed around the corner to where the restrooms were located, a hand grabbed her arm painfully, jerking her to a halt. Her head cracked against the cement blocks when a man pushed her against the wall. Agony sliced through her brain, and she blinked in terror as he waved a gun in her face. It took her a moment to drag her gaze from the deadly weapon to his face, trying to identify him. But she didn’t know the stranger hurting her. He was skinny, bald and wore glasses. If anyone had surveyed her on what an attacker would look like, this man would’ve been the last person she’d ever describe. It took her a moment to realize he was talking to her. She looked at his mouth. Keys? What keys?
    “You must have found them by now. I need those keys!”
    She shook her head in bewilderment, ignoring the throbbing at the back of her head. Had he mistaken her for someone else? He brought up his fist, as if he meant to backhand her across the face, and her sanity returned. The situation was similar to the one when she’d been kidnapped. Back then, she hadn’t known what to do to save herself. But she’d had special training since then, not wanting to once more be the helpless victim who’d been unable to defend herself. Self-defense was not only about knowing the moves but also about being able to push the fear aside to remember the training. The stranger stood directly in front of her, his legs spread. Swiftly, she brought up her knee and hit him right where it counted most. A tortured expression erupted on his face, his eyes rolled back in his head and he doubled over to protect his dick and balls, releasing her. Kaiya didn’t waste the opportunity. She shoved him, and just as he fell back like a rag doll, she took off running toward the last place she’d seen Gabby. She rounded the corner and smacked into something hard and unyielding. With a frightened cry, she brought her hands up to defend herself before seeing Boone stare down at her in concern. Gabby was next to him.
    She pointed behind her and cried out, not caring the least that her voice was distorted and unattractive. “Help! Man!”
    Gabby didn’t waste a second. He dropped the bucket he held and dashed the way she’d just run from. He grabbed his gun from the back of his jeans.
    “What happened?” Boone signed. He spelled out every word but at least they were able to communicate.
    She took a deep breath and signed, “A man grabbed me.”
    He nodded and took hold of her hand before following after Gabby. He stayed in front of her, protecting her. Their search led outside, where Gabby studied the passing shoppers. His hand was in his jacket pocket so she suspected that’s where his gun resided as well.
    Gabby and Boone talked, but she couldn’t see what they said to each other. Then Gabby turned to her and pulled his hand out of his pocket to sign.
    “What happened?”
    “A man attacked me. He had a gun.”
    The two men exchanged furious glances.
    “What did he look like?” he asked with his hands.
    “Bald. Thin. Glasses.”
    She read his lips when he said Cipher’s name. Bikers did love their gossip, but they knew to keep it in house. Since she could read lips, Kaiya had a knack for learning facts and some of those facts had been about what Romeo had done to the old accountant. The man was supposed to be banished from the state, so why would he come back to the one place he knew could be a death sentence if he was caught?
    She tugged on Gabby’s arm. His eyes were wild, angry, and for a moment, she saw the fierce soldier inside him. “I think I should go to my office.”
    “Why your office?”
    “If that was Cipher, I need to know why he came back for keys,” she signed.
    “What