Out of the Zoo

Published by: eXtasy Books

ISBN :978-1-4874-3789-3

Page :184

Word Count :49428

Publication Date :2023-04-28

Series : #

Heat Level :

Available Formats : Out of the Zoo (epub) , Out of the Zoo (mobi) , Out of the Zoo (pdf) , Out of the Zoo (prc)

Category : Contemporary Romance , Romantic Suspense and Mystery

Product Code: 978-1-4874-3789-3

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A courageous woman. A valiant mercenary. Two hearts, one love—set out to take down a human trafficking ring.

On the run.

Lilah knows only one thing—suffering. Born into modern-day slavery where women are a commodity at the hands of depraved men, she manages to escape before her fate is permanently sealed. Through an underground network, and a mysterious angel, help arrives, and Lilah is determined to free those she left behind.

Beyond the law.

Dalton Shade is a stone-cold killer with a heart for women. When a covert missionary group requests his service, he’s reluctant to get involved. The situation reeks of potential snares. However, he cannot resist the stunning blonde who pleads for his help. Complications arise when Lilah insists on going with him, and Shade faces a world of trouble as their plan backfires. He has twenty-four hours to rescue her before she’s taken into hiding again.

Can a tiny tracking device known as Eye Candy help Shade rescue Lilah before she is forever lost to The Zoo?

Crouched on the ground, hunkered against the wall in the shadows of the compound, Lilah barely drew breath. Her muscles tensed with each circle of the spotlight. She mouthed a silent prayer that the light wouldn’t find her.

One building away was the dining hall where she’d hidden a backpack with some vital supplies. Since the master’s soldiers searched private dwellings often and without notice, she’d chosen to hide her EDC pack in the far back corner of the cooler under crates of lettuce. It was the safest place she could think of.

The master favored her and allowed her more privileges than most of the women. Her position as head cook allowed her to designate who did what in the kitchen, and for the past several months, she’d successfully remained in charge of the cooler. However, yesterday was a close call. The master had called a surprise inspection, and had he looked in that bottom crate, Master Gregory would’ve found a black leather bag full of everyday carry essentials buried under heads of lettuce. She realized then that the time had come to make her move.

She’d felt his ever-watchful eyes hovering over her, especially lately, as if he could read her mind. Maybe my body language was setting off red flags. Or perhaps he was wondering why she hadn’t yet conceived. Maybe he suspected she’d acquired birth control and that was the reason for the increased searches of late. Her mind raced over the possibilities that could’ve raised scrutiny among the elders. She hoped her escape, if successful, didn’t rain more hell on the others, but she couldn’t bear the thought of another breeding.

A shiver trickled over her as a rat scurried past on its way to the dumpster for a night feed. She hated this place. Hated the filth, the violence, and the degradation. Sucking in a calming breath, she watched the guarding light pass by and circle away. She ran as swiftly and quietly as she could toward the next building, ignoring the pain of rocks and sharp twigs on her bare feet. With her back pressed against cold brick, she panted for breath. I made it to step one.

She inched alongside the building, one hand feeling her way in the dark. She manipulated the key with trembling fingers to unlock the rear door to the kitchen. Silently, she crept inside and ever so carefully pulled the door shut behind her.

Wasting no time, Lilah went to the cooler and positioned the steel door just right, leaving it open a crack so she could find her way back out. Pitch-black closed around her even with the door ajar. She pushed several wooden crates aside in search of her bag, praying that nobody had found it buried under heads of lettuce where she’d left it. She couldn’t risk light, not even a flashlight. Fortunately, she knew the area well. The thought of soldiers waiting outside with her backpack in hand flashed through her mind. If anyone had found her bag and turned it in, the soldiers would wait to trap the guilty party. She hoped this wasn’t the case as she rooted through heads of—cabbage? This isn’t right!

Everything felt different in the dark, it seemed. The crates felt as if they’d shifted or rearranged. Panic threatened to overtake her. She swallowed hard and continued tearing at the produce, each movement more frantic than the last. Where is it? She paused briefly to calm herself. Someone reorganized the cooler. She struggled to see through the consuming darkness, wondering who had done this and whether they’d discovered what she’d been slowly putting together for months. Voices echoed outside, then quickly drew closer until they were right outside the cooler door. Lilah panicked and literally threw herself behind the tallest stack of crates she could find.

The heavy door squeaked open. “This is a mess.” Master Gregory’s voice sent chills down her spine.

“I heard some rustling while making last rounds,” Sub-master Paul said. “I noticed the door ajar as well. Think the vagrants from the tracks have been stealing in at night for food?”

“Maybe.”

The light flicked on. Lilah flattened herself to the floor and didn’t dare breathe. She heard Master Gregory sigh then make a puzzled-sounding grunt. She could hear them breathing, feel their eyes scanning the area. She prayed they’d not search further.

“I’m not digging into this mess,” Master Gregory growled. “Get Lilah up early and have her clean it up.”

“I can have her do it now. She doesn’t deserve sleep for her carelessness.”

“Stay out of her quarters,” Master Gregory snapped, then paused. “On second thought, Lilah’s kitchen duties are permanently suspended as of now. I have better plans for her.”

“You taking her into your house?”

“She’s twenty-one, the only adult female here without a child. I suspect she’s found a way to trick go. I’ve tried repeatedly. Either sweet little Lilah is barren, or she’s managed to get her hands on birth control. She won’t be sneaking anything into my house, and I’m sure as hell capable of impregnating her.”

“What will you do if she actually is barren?”

Master Gregory let out a malevolent laugh. “Keep trying.”

Lilah cringed as bile rose in her throat. Her suspicions were right. He’d caught on to her deception and was closing in. If she didn’t escape tonight, there’d be no second chance. The two men shuffled around the cooler but didn’t move anything around. She heard them mumbling and could tell they were lingering in hopes of finding a clue.

“Bring Lilah to my quarters at first light. Put someone else in charge of kitchen duty right away.”

“What’s on your mind?” Paul asked.