“Stay still, you stupid bitch.”The voice was rough and throaty; the face covered with sunglasses, but the smell of something acidic teased her nostrils.
She grunted and slammed her uninjured elbow backward, but the man’s grip only tightened, his breath hot against her ear, the sound of his voice a low growl.
The crunch of dead leaves underfoot was deafening in the silence of the moment.
Her pulse hammered in her throat.
“Let me go!”Ella yelled, forcing the words out of her frozen state.
The man just laughed and pulled her, dragging her along the path.She knew she couldn’t let him take her from their property.
Ella grabbed the clippers and thumped them down on the arm around her waist.
She tried to kick him, but the firm grip held her before being lifted over his shoulder with a grunt.Ella pounded the stranger’s back with all her might, her injured side burning and pulling, but she kept wailing on him as hard as she could.
Panic surged as she fought to escape, her body straining against his hold.
She stopped trying to get out of his hold and tried to get her phone from her pocket ignoring the sharp throb in her shoulder as she fumbled to pull it out.
The moment she did, the phone buzzed and then it was pulled out of her hand and she watched her phone tumble onto the ground.
Her injured arm dangled uselessly, and she didn’t have the strength to force herself out of the man’s grip.
She started coughing and choking, rage bursting through herthat she was in this situation, that she couldn’t fight to get out.
The man stumbled through a patch of overgrown bush, but he quickly regained his footing and pulled her forward.
“Keep moving or I’ll hurt you.”
Her skin went clammy as he spun her toward the van, throwing her inside with brutal force.
Ella tried the door, but it was locked, and as the van started driving, the tires crunched over woodland.The van stalled, and hope lifted through her but vanished quickly as it moved forward again, tossing Ella to the opposite side.
Sobs heaved from her chest, tears furiously fell down her cheeks.
Take care of my property…
She failed, and the crushing weight of that had her curling into herself as she lost consciousness.
18 ZEE
“Canyoubelievewecame in first?”Coach Redding slapped Zee on the back, shouting over the noise in the hotel bar.
The man wobbled and Zee shot out a hand to steady him.
“Yep, I had complete confidence.”Zee flashed the man a grin.
“Can I talk you into having another beer?”
“That’s it for me, Coach.I told the guys if they placed in the top three, I’d swim with them at morning practice.Gotta get my beauty sleep before I embarrass myself.”
“I’ll have one for you, pal!”Coach Redding guffawed, his face bright red.
Zee shook the man’s hand, waved to the rest of the coaching staff and grabbed the elevator up to his room.
He’d always believed in this team, and watching them seize the top spot was a rush of pride.
The hours he’d spent with these athletes—some of whom had doubted themselves—paid off.
