Bonus Scene: “Unhinged”, a Dirty Devil alternate PoV
The following is an alternate PoV from a scene that takes place in Chapter 30 of Dirty Devil. The original scene takes place in Emersyn’s PoV, this takes us into Freddie’s head. If you haven’t read Dirty Devil, this scene will clearly contain spoilers for the book.
Savage Vandal is Book 1 in the 82nd Street Vandals series. To read more, Vicious Rebel is Book 2.
Note: This scene is brought to you because of a Review Challenge. What is that? And also, please be aware that spoilers may lie ahead.
“Unhinged”
Freddie
“Come.”
I glanced up at the imperious command. It was the middle of the day. Still early, I was waiting on Boo-Boo to get here but she was late from whatever appointment she’d had.
“Come,” Bodhi repeated and I glanced to where the staff disappeared. No one was even looking at us. I pushed up from the table and went right behind him. “Grab clothes from your room.”
“My…”
“Your pretty pussy girl needs you.”
I stopped asking questions. I stopped worrying about anything. We left the day room and I slid into my room grabbed an extra shirt and then I was back out again. Where was Boo-Boo? Bodhi had picked up a bag, I had no idea where he’d gotten it from and I didn’t ask.
“She needs to leave here,” Bodhi said as he strode down the hall toward a wing I hadn’t made it into before. “Today.”
“How?” We needed a plan. I wasn’t “ready” to get us out of here, but I was beyond ready to make it fucking happen no matter how we had to do it.
“Leave,” Bodhi said as he used a keycard that opened the heavy doors to the medical ward. Where—you know, I didn’t care where he got it. He had it. “Past the cells, there’s a way out down there.”
Past his room.
Okay, I could get us down there. It didn’t require secure cards.
“Do you know where they store our shit?” I swallowed the next question as we passed a nurse. She didn’t even glance in our direction. Bypassing one open door, I caught sight of a table with restraints. Nothing in that room looked—friendly.
Or safe.
Most of the doors were closed and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad. A flickering light in one corner seemed an ominous sign.
“Yes,” Bodhi said and I dragged my gaze back to him. Yes—oh, our shit.
“They took all my stuff, including phone. Can you get it and the bag I had?”
Bodhi looked thoughtful. “Maybe.”
Better than no.
Not once on this whole trip had he even slowed his pace. The door he opened this time went into an office… My gaze went to the bloodied body on the floor even as movement pulled my attention across the room. Pale and shaky, she leaned against the door jamb like it was the only thing keeping her up.
Blood was all over her.
“Holy shit, Boo-Boo,” I headed straight for her. “Fuck me. What happened?”
“He touched me.”
I froze mid-step, then glared down at the body on the floor.
“He’s dead?” I needed to know.
“Definitely dead,” Bodhi confirmed. “We can do it again, though. Maybe cut the head off. I did that once. It’s messy. But not as messy since he’s already dead. Shouldn’t gush too bad.”
I almost wished he wasn’t dead. I wanted to make him hurt.
“I killed him.” Boo-Boo’s broken voice wrenched my attention back to her.
“Well,” Bodhi said. “Maybe. You weren’t sure. I definitely killed him.”
He’d found her in here. He’d found her. He’d helped her. Then he came to get me.
That was all that mattered.
‘“It doesn’t matter right now, Boo-Boo. Are you hurt?” I studied her. “Is any of that blood yours?”
Next, we needed to get out of here. Bodhi brought her pants, I had a second shirt. I nudged her back into the bathroom more for her privacy. The words “he touched me” kept circling in my head. Bodhi was a friend, but Boo-Boo was everything.
Get the blood off her.
Get her changed.
Get her out of here.
Then I wanted to kill everyone that had anything to do with this place.
“I want to go home.” Those soft words dug into my soul.
“Home—home or…”
“The clubhouse. Liam’s. Home.”
I couldn’t help but smile. We’d never wanted her to leave. I never wanted her to leave. “Good. That’s where you belong. Okay. Let’s get you changed.”
Everything in the bathroom stayed clinical. That was what she needed from me. No jokes or stupid comments. We’d do that later. Her bare feet worried me.
“It’s time,” Bodhi said.
“Yeah, we need to go. We’ll get you shoes out there.” I didn’t want her to get hurt.
Bodhi was already on the move. He was right. If we strode out of here like we belonged, we could do this. He’d come through on everything else. The guy was unhinged but he was my kind of people.
I clasped her hand. “Stay with me, okay, Boo-Boo? No running off. Trust me.”
She grabbed a stapler of all things. “I promise.” But I didn’t ask. If she wanted it, then we were taking it.
The alarms started screaming.
Yep, Bodhi was definitely unhinged.
Thanks, man.
Now to get Boo-Boo the fuck out of here.
©2023 Heather Long
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