I shake my head, pressing my lips together and fighting tears. Why wouldn’t he come himself? Hasn’t he been worried about me? It’s so disrespectful of him to send some random security guys to fetch me.
“Fine,” I huff. “Let’s go before the others notice I’m missing.”
The short guy nods, smiling. His eyes are weird. Shifty. It makes me uncomfortable. I follow them along the walkway past the entrance to the pier. My stomach knots as I walk. Something seems off.
“Where is Misha?” I ask casually.
“Back home. He had things he couldn’t leave at such short notice.”
The answer is pretty straightforward. And it was very short notice.
But still, I can’t shake this uneasy sensation rippling over my skin. Like bugs crawling on me.
Your mind is trying to warn you, Maria. Something is off.
“Where is the flight taking me?” I ask, trying to ask more specific questions. The short guy’s phone beeps, and he pauses to read the message.
“Sorry, one moment,” he says politely.
I wait, following them, wondering where the hell they parked.
“What is it, Ivan?” one of the other guys asks.
Ivan smiles tightly, shooting a look of warning at his colleague.
Then his smile shifts, changes when he looks at me. My stomach twists and flips.
Something isn’t right!
“That was your brother. He said he’s sorry and he’ll meet you at the airport. He’ll be there when you get off the plane,” he smiles.
But he won’t. Because you’re not part of my brother’s team and you have no intention of taking me home to him.
Act casual. Keep moving. Don’t let them know you know.
I want to scream and run, but instead I maintain my calm veneer. However, when I see a dark van ahead of us, and the guy pulls a set of keys from his pocket, the van door opens, and three more men get out. I realize it’s now or never, and I run.
I run like my life depends on it, because it literally might.
“What the fuck!” Ivan snarls. “Get her!”
The first two men and two from the van bolt after me.
I’m already across the street by the time they spring into action, and I’m convinced the head start will save me. But they are much faster and catch up quickly.
The bulky man grabs me, and when I try to kick him, he slaps me hard across the face. I yelp in surprise as pain shoots through my jaw.
He slaps me again, even harder.
“Stupid bitch, do as you’re told!” he growls.
I kick him as hard as I can. Unfortunately, it hurts me more than it hurts him, and it aggravates him.
He lifts me right off the ground and throws me against the brick wall behind me.
Air is punched from my lungs, and I collapse to the ground, gasping, desperate to take a breath in but unable to, badly winded. My body is aching everywhere.
The bulky man leans over me and grabs my arm, yanking me to my feet as tears well in my eyes and spill over my cheeks.
