The room was dark. Every inch of his body burned. The metallic stench of blood filled his nose, but he had no idea if it was actual blood in his nose or just blood near him. It was likely both; he had faint memories of a fuzzy form hovering over him and drawing back a fist as if to strike him, but there was something more important nagging him from the back of his mind.
“Ryan, you awake yet?” someone croaked from behind him.
“Yeah,” he said, he flinched at both the pain in his throat and the hoarse tone of his own voice. “I’m awake, Kiel.”
“You think you’re okay enough to help get out of here?” Kiel asked. “These assholes have four girls, and who knows what sick things these guys are doing to them?”
Ryan frowned at that, and he felt something brush against his eyebrows and cheeks. He realized for the first time that he was blindfolded. That was the last thing on his mind as he struggled to comprehend his friend’s words.
Four girls? Which girls—
Ryan gasped as he remembered. The princesses had been having a bachelorette party, and he had been posted as one of their many bodyguards. Something had obviously gone to shit.
His heart pounded in his chest, and he forgot for a moment to breathe. He licked his lips, but every inch of his mouth felt like sandpaper.
“What the hell happened?” he said in that hoarse whisper.
“We were drugged, I think,” Boss said, “and when we woke up, we were in this room. They beat the shit out of you. Do you remember that?”
“Sort of.”
“Okay, I need to that trick where I dislocate my arm and get out of the ropes. You think you can help me, buddy?”
“Yeah, but I can’t see anything.”
Ryan felt something—cool fingers—brush against his hands, and he jumped, gasping.
“I’m just right behind you. You think you can help me wiggle out of this?”
Ryan stretched out his own fingers, wincing at that burning in his arms, but all he could feel were the other man’s fingers.
“I can’t feel anything.”
“That’s okay. That’s okay. I can do this.”
It occurred to him to try to wriggle free, too, but every movement he made felt like someone was pressing him too close to a fire. He listened to Kiel grunt and groan, and after what felt like an eternity, he heard the man whisper his triumph.
“You should leave me,” Ryan said.
“Huh? Why would do that?”
“I’ll just slow you down.”
“Not happening, buddy. We have two princesses to rescue.”
“One of whom could kick both our asses.”
Kiel chuckled.
“True, and she’d kick mine if I left you here. Come on. Let’s go.”
Kiel had an easier time with Ryan’s binding, and with him now free, he hooked an arm under Ryan’s, and they stumbled around the room to find an exit together.
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