Three little piggies, p.8
Three Little Piggies, page 8
Chapter 15
Quinn
“You should have knocked their asses out,” I insisted as I escorted the three men to the door.
Keith shrugged. “They’re cops.”
Shock crept across my face as I looked over my shoulder. What a couple of assholes. People like that shouldn’t be allowed to wear a badge. I knew that most of the cops in the city were useless in most cases, only handing out bogus tickets instead of tracking down bad guys, but I never thought they were corrupt.
“You should turn them in.”
Taven laughed, and Keith rolled his eyes. Pulling off his sunglasses, Zane looked at me with those dazzling pinkish eyes. “Sugar, the world sees us as a bunch of hooligans. Even with video proof, nobody would believe we didn’t start it.”
“That’s such bullshit,” I muttered, angry for them.
Zane smiled at me and caressed my cheek with his finger. “Before you hang out with this loser, you should call me. I’ll take you for a ride…” He trailed off, showing off a full, toothy grin. “On the bike and on something else.” Before I could say anything, he locked me into a kiss. I was so shocked I couldn’t pull away. And he was the one to break it.
In a daze, I blinked a few times before I could speak. “I don’t even have your number.”
“I’ll give it to you,” Keith offered.
Taven wrapped his arm tightly around me, squeezing my ass. “Think you can handle all three of us in one night, Cupcake?”
My brain was screaming no, but my lips decided to have a mind of their own. “I’ll try,” I squeaked.
Keith grabbed me, pulling me from his friend’s grip. “You’re going to be sore for a week.” He plastered his lips to mine, holding me there for much longer than Zane had. When he broke free, he winked. “See you tomorrow, Sweet Pea.”
I could do nothing but watch as they mounted their bikes. What the fuck was wrong with me? My brain was telling me this was one of the dumbest things I had ever done, while my pussy was telling me I needed to ride those dicks every chance I got. Was this witchcraft? Because it felt like these men had some sort of crazy sex spell cast on me. The angel on my shoulder was begging me to walk away from them while the devil on the other was telling me to be a good girl and take whatever they threw at me. I felt so dirty while around them, yet so alive at the same time.
When they roared onto the street, I finally re-entered the diner. Cameron and Amree were staring at me. I sat down and shoved a fork full of salad into my mouth.
“What the fuck was that?” demanded Amree.
Taking my time to swallow, I stared at her. “What?”
Leaning over, she dropped her voice to a low whisper. “Are you fucking all of them?”
Shrinking down, I fidgeted with my fork. “Maybe.”
“Jesus Christ, Quinn,” bellowed Cameron.
“What?”
“What do you mean ‘what?’ I told you that you needed to get laid; I didn’t mean ride every dick you trip on.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I snapped.
“I know you needed some dick to get over losing Luke, but three? He wouldn’t want that.”
Standing up, I glared down at him. “How do you know? Luke isn’t here! He’s gone, Cameron, and he’s never coming back! I needed something to help me cope and move on. I found that something. Why is it okay for you to date several men at once, but it isn’t okay for me?” I scowled. “Is it because I’m a woman? Women aren’t supposed to have a body count?”
“I never said that,” he muttered, averting his eyes.
“You know what? Fuck this.”
I stormed off. Who the hell was he to judge? When his last serious relationship ended, he was dating at least ten different men at the same time and sleeping with every one of them. Why the hell was it so horrible for me to do the same? Why was I not allowed to test the waters before I dived into another relationship? And even if I didn’t want to get serious with one of my biker boys, so what? There was nothing wrong with me having a little fun until I decided I wanted something more. I swear, sometimes I hated being a woman.
Hopping into the Jeep, I slammed the door and jammed the key into the ignition. It was a pity Keith and the others were busy; I could use a good lay to get some of this frustration out. Remembering they had plans reminded me that I had a deadline. I needed to get a new story to my boss to collect a paycheck. Groaning, I opened my phone and searched for scary places in my area. Nothing came up except for the two abandoned prisons. Tossing the device in the cup holder, I sighed and thought about what Amree had suggested. I could simply make up a story based around the Imagination Kingdom.
I had only been to that place twice during my childhood, and thinking back to it always gave me a sour reminder of how broke my family was growing up. Like any theme park, it was pricey. One of my childhood memories was from that place, and it wasn’t a good one. I couldn’t have been more than six or seven when I went there for a field trip near the end of the school year. I had no money with me, so I wasn’t able to enjoy a single ride. I ended up stuck with not only snobby little girls but a snob mother as well. My chaperone forced me to sit on a bench with her while her daughter and the rest of the group got to have the time of their lives. After a few hours, I managed to gain the courage to ask if I could go on one of the rides. Twenty-five-plus years later, I could still hear the woman yell, “I am only here to pay for my daughter and her friends. I didn’t ask to get saddled with you.”
As an adult, I knew I wasn’t the woman’s responsibility, but to a child so young, it was heartbreaking. It wasn’t my fault I was so broke. Eventually, I got tired of sitting on the bench watching all the kids have fun, so I snuck off. The amusement park had a free playground and petting zoo, so I ran off to do my own thing. I was gone hours before the woman found me. She lectured me, of course, but I didn’t care. Even years later, I got a warm, fuzzy feeling deep down when I pictured the woman’s pissed-off face.
When Cameron and Amree emerged from the building, I pulled out of the parking spot before they could talk to me. I was just so damned mad.
At home, I sat down at my laptop, intending to write another chapter of fan fiction. But I couldn’t seem to get it right. Every time I wrote a paragraph, I would reread it and change the entire thing. It went on for several hours, and I only got seven paragraphs done.
I looked at the clock, six p.m. It would be getting dark soon. What a perfect opportunity to get some good shots of the Imagination Kingdom. The setting sunlight would offer a spooky feel, and maybe my lens would capture some of those ethereal little dust orbs for good measure.
After packing my best camera, I headed out the door. As I left the city limits, I took in the brilliant orange, red, and yellow hues speckling the treetops. Perhaps I would take Zane up on that ride. How wonderful the view would be with the sun shining overhead and no windshield to distort my view. I chuckled. Maybe I’d take him up on that other offer, too.
Turning up the radio, I bobbed my head to the music for the entire trip. It took roughly fifteen minutes; I had forgotten how well-hidden the place was. It was off an old dirt path about a mile into the surrounding woods. Being so far off the beaten path, it was no wonder the park closed down.
As the gray castle came into view, I smiled. I may not have had good memories of the place, but it still gave me a warm feeling of nostalgia. That only lasted a few moments before a wave of sadness swept over me. It really was wasting away. At the front of the drive, two worn toy soldier statues stood guard, covered in dying ivy. The gray castle walls were peeling, and the pictures of knights, princesses, and dragons were almost completely faded.
I pulled up to the entrance and groaned heavily at the sight of the thick chain and padlock keeping the iron gate locked up tight. I would have to find another way in. Normally, I wouldn’t think about trying such a risky stunt. Since my initial run-in with Keith and his buddies, I started taking a lot of risks. What was one more?
Chapter 16
Quinn
I exited the Jeep and looked around the unkept lawn. There was no other easy way in. I contemplated walking around the perimeter but decided against it. My gaze landed on a large oak tree with a low branch hanging just over the wall. If I drove my Jeep next to it, I could climb across. The wall itself wasn’t that tall, and the fall wouldn’t be that bad.
Following the plan, I parked and slung my camera bag over my shoulder. Luckily, I only had to stand on my bumper to pull myself on the thick branch. Despite my thin frame, I went to the gym often, so my upper body strength was on point. On my belly, I shimmied along the rough bark, gazing down at the ground below. It was maybe a ten or twelve-foot drop at most, and that was if I didn’t dangle my body and then jump.
When I made contact with the hard ground, a stinging sensation flared through my feet, causing me to fall on my butt. After a few long, patient breaths, I stood up, trying to walk off the horrid sensation. It was dark and gloomy, perfect for my mission. The grass was overgrown in most parts, climbing up to my knees. Under overgrown trees, the ground was bare, with random patches of moss. The Ferris wheel was nothing more than a giant circle in the distance, with the pods resting in piles around the base. From where I was standing, I could see the bumper car building overgrown with weeds and caked in years’ worth of filth.
Snapping a few pictures, I wandered near the long-forgotten animal exhibits; the backdrops of the old nursery rhymes were faded and decayed. After taking another shot, I locked onto the old funhouse, and a smile crept across my face. It was one of the few good memories I had in the park. I remembered my parents taking me through it. The entrance had several plastic trees that created a pathway into a dark and spooky mirror maze, transitioning into a wonky hallway that tilted at different angles, making it hard to walk. The only other part about the fun house I remembered was an animatronic dragon that jumped out when I stepped on a plate. My shriek of fear had turned into laughter. Another trigger plate at the end of the room sprung a clown with a glowing, buzzing red nose. That thing terrified me so much that I went running in the opposite direction, slamming directly into my mother’s knees.
I walked up to the building with a chuckle, wondering if the old clown was still inside. I frowned when I noticed the trees at the entrance had been pulled down, leaving a gaping hole. The inside was altered, too. All the mirrors had been removed, revealing a more open floor plan.
Unwilling to brave the old, uneven metal of the path, I stepped over the mirror tracks and began walking on the outer wooden planks. It was probably a maintenance hall for when things needed to be worked on and repaired.
Darkness engulfed me for a long while. I had to hold out my hands to make sure I was still going in the right direction. Just as I was considering pulling out my phone to use as a flashlight, a dull red light caught my attention, drawing me forward.
Creeping closer, I froze when I heard indistinct voices. If I got caught, I could get arrested for trespassing, and that was not a charge I needed in my life. Swallowing hard, I started to turn around until I heard the voices speak again. It sounded strangely familiar. Against my better judgment, I continued down the wooden walkway.
“We need to hurry up,” insisted one voice. “If you’re not going to call her tonight, I wanna see if she’ll come hang out with me.”
Butterflies flew through my stomach. That voice belonged to Zane. Dare I hope he was referring to me? Maybe I should make my presence known and take them up on that offer of a foursome. They said that they were busy, so should I really bother them? A wave of worry washed over me. My biker boys had frequently called themselves “outlaws.” What if they were doing something illegal? Like cooking meth or holding women for a sex trafficking ring?
The acid in my stomach churned, and I knew I couldn’t simply walk away. I would never be able to live with myself if I found out later that I had the opportunity to shut down a kiddy porn ring. Holding my breath, I crouched low, taking baby steps towards the voices. If they weren’t doing anything super illegal, I would make my presence known and just explain why I was there. If what they were doing was horrible, I’d bolt.
It took ages to reach the end of the hallway.
“Give me the apple,” Taven said.
My eyebrows scrunched. What an odd thing to request in a place like this. Then again, maybe they were having dinner. Keith was a contractor, so it was possible they were fixing the place up to get it running again. It wouldn’t be weird to bring food along while they took a break.
I peeked around the corner cautiously, and my blood ran cold. Taven stood in front of a dentist’s chair, forcing an apple into the gaping mouth of some poor guy. Zane and Keith stood nearby, wearing thick rubber gloves, goggles, and black butcher aprons. Three pig masks were lying on a side table with several butcher tools. When Taven stepped back, I could fully see the man who lay naked in the chair. He had a gaping wound in his midsection, and Keith moved forward to pull out his innards and dump them into a bucket.
My mind raced as cold shivers shook my body, forcing my teeth to chatter uncontrollably. I brought my hands to my mouth to muffle any noise. It was time to leave. Backing up, I tried to take cover in the shadows when my back hit a wall. I froze until I heard a loud clank and Keith asked about the noise. That was my cue to bolt.
Throwing caution to the wind, I raced back down the hallway as loud footsteps chased me towards freedom. A burning pain shot through my ankle as I tumbled to the uneven ground. Turning my head as I stood up, my eyes locked on Keith.
He stopped short. “Quinn?”
Ignoring the pain, I ran as Keith continued to yell, “Quinn, stop!”
The hell with that. I reached the front gate, slamming my body against the metal, but it didn’t budge. The chain was too thick, and the bars wouldn’t give. A squeal escaped my lips as arms wrapped around my waist. In a panic, I threw my head back, but all it caught was a chest. In a frantic attempt to escape, I strained my arms to where I believed the crotch would be, grabbed a handful, and squeezed hard. Zane’s voice shrieked, and he instantly let go. As I darted away, I looked back in time to see him fall to his knees, holding his family jewels. My eyes darted forward, and I nearly came to a complete halt as Taven cut across my path, arms open and ready to catch me if I collided with him. I bolted to the right.
“Quinn! Enough of this. Be a good little girl, and stop running,” Keith called loudly.
No way in hell that was happening; that was a line used way too often in horror movies. I witnessed them killing a man in a very brutal way. If I let them capture me, there was no way I was making it out alive. The only problem: I was getting winded, and they had much longer strides than I did. A cramp shot through my side, making it hard to catch my breath.
“Quinn, you have nowhere to go!”
I headed for the bumper cars, darting around the broken vehicles. Taven flanked my left, while Zane flanked my right. I didn’t know where Keith was. Spotting an open doorway, I went headlong towards it. My foot caught a loose board only feet away from the opening, and I went tumbling to the ground. Desperate, I forced myself back up, feeling warm blood seep from a new wound on my knee. My thoughts seemed to fracture with panic. A strong set of arms wrapped around me. Tattoos of ghosts and women. I struggled and screamed until I felt cold steel press against my temple.
“Calm down, or I’ll blow your pretty little head off,” Keith whispered in my ear, his voice seductive yet cruel.
I couldn’t fight the tears, but the rest of my body was frozen, unable to move freely. “Please don’t kill me,” I begged in a shaky, frightened voice.
He pressed his body against mine, running his tongue along my cheek to catch a tear. “Salty.”
I cringed and tried to pull away, but he only pressed the gun harder.
“Start walking. Do as we say, and you’ll make it out of this alive.”
Chapter 17
Keith
Keeping one arm wrapped around her tiny body, I guided Quinn back towards the fun house. Such a disaster. What was she doing at the park? I was sure we hadn’t been followed. Instead of interrogating her at that moment, we would get her settled in until we could figure out what to do. I didn’t want to kill her; I actually liked the chick. But I was having difficulty thinking of a way out of the situation. How in the fuck were we supposed to ask Quinn to keep her mouth shut?
I forced her into the old animal enclosure. It was meant to contain our victims until we could do them in, but it would work to hold her. Zane attached a chain around her ankle. It was long enough for her to walk a little but short enough to keep her away from the door. She cried and begged, pulling at my heartstrings. Why the fuck did she have to come to the park, of all places?
I looked at the body on the table, deciding it may be a good idea to keep it where Quinn could see it. If the reality of what she found sank in, keeping her in line would be easier. The guys followed me outside, and Taven gripped his locs tightly in stress. “What the fuck are we going to do?” He looked me directly in the eye and held out his hand. “Give me the gun. I know you like her, so I won’t make you do it. Give me the gun, and I’ll end this.”
Shoving the pistol in my pocket, I took a step towards him. “Calm down, Tav. We aren’t going to kill her.” Both men stared at me like I had grown a second head.
“What are we supposed to do with her?” Taven was in a damn near full-blown panic attack. Part of me acknowledged he was right; Quinn would have to be dealt with. But my lover would never forgive himself if he hurt her. Taven talked frequently about telling Quinn the truth about us and seeing if she would be our third.
I ran my fingers gently along his jawline and gave him a peck on the lips. His body still didn’t relax, so I wrapped my arms tightly around him, nuzzling my face in the crook of his neck. “We don’t have to kill her. We can keep her here.”
