Glancing over my shoulder, I see the four men nodding to each other, discussing me, no doubt. I close my eyes and rest my head against the cool glass window. Deciding to relish what little bit of peace I have right now.
Only a few seconds pass before he strides back and drops into the driver’s seat. Another man that I hadn’t seen slides into the passenger seat. They’re both rather good-looking. Both are muscular but in a lean way. Both have sharp, clean-shaven jawlines, with jet-black hair that’s side-swept on the top. They look like they could be twins, and in any other situation, I probably would have been drawn to them.
We’ve been driving for almost ten hours. I watch as the minutes tick by on the clock on the dashboard. We’ve passed two state line signs, making us currently in Missouri. I’m totally fucked, not a chance in Hell I’ll be found. I need to accept my fate as their new pet orwhatever they plan with me, but fuck if that doesn’t feel like I’m giving up, and I cannot do that. I’m a fighter, and I will fight till I win with or without anyone’s help.
At some point, I fell asleep, and it doesn’t feel like I have been out very long. The sun has vanished, and darkness envelopes me. I wish I had some pain relievers, but highly doubt any of these assholes would have any kindness in their black ass hearts to give me something. The gravel road crunches beneath the car, and I swear this dipshit hits every pothole, which feels like a relentless fist pounding on my head.
My head swivels as I take in my surroundings. The overgrown grass and bushes that are so tall they could be trees, and a large black house that appears abandoned. It’s only missing a condemned sign on the front door. My heart sinks.
“Welcome to Hell, sweetheart.” The driver says, chuckling grimly, and it takes an immeasurable amount of self-restraint not to roll my eyes.
Every cell in my body is demanding I jump out of the car and hightail it as fast as I can through the woods. I’ve been digging my nails into the loops on the zipties for hours, trying to loosen them to break free. Clearly, I’ve not succeeded. The closer we get to that godsforsaken derelict house, the more motivated I become to break free from these damn restraints. Blood smears from my abused nails, but I hardly notice the sting of pain thanks to the surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins.
The car slows to a stop before he shifts to park.
Fuck. It’s now or never. What’s the worst they could do to me? Shoot me dead?
The driver and his buddy exchange a few words in Spanish, then his buddy exits, walking around the back of the car to open my door. He pulls the key for the cuffs out of his suit jacket, and I lean forward to give him access. As soon as I’m unlocked, I have to run. I breathe in through my nose before exhaling slowly. Steadily.
He chuckles when he sees my bloodied fingers, “Thought you could escape us, love?” He smiles widely, flashing those gleaming white teeth.
I glare at him, clenching my teeth painfully to keep from spewing the venom that lingers on the tip of my tongue.
“Cute.” He replies with a tilt of his head, as if he’s trying to read me. I school my features and return my gaze to the intimidatingly dark house. The ghosts that linger here. I feel them.Just a few more seconds.
“Don’t do anything stupid. I promise you’ll regret it.” He warns, gripping my arm.
My mouth dries, but I keep my eyes pinned ahead, giving nothing away. He’s reading me, and that doesn’t settle well. I nod once in response, and that must’ve been enough to appease him, because he removes the cuffs and pulls me from the seat.
Half a breath. That’s all it took for me to hitch my knee up where it connected with his crotch. He grunts, dropping to his knees as he mutters something, but I’m already sprinting towards the treeline like a bat outta Hell. Bloodrushes in my ears, and my lungs are on fire, but I don’t slow. Breaking through the trees, I hurdle over roots and branches. My arms are still bound behind my back, making it harder to keep balance. I chance a look behind me, but I wish I hadn’t. My breath catches in my lungs when I see both men running after me, guns aimed at my back.
“I warned you, dumb bitch!”
Threaten all you want, bastard. Shoot me. Kill me. Put me out of my misery, because I’d rather die than go with you. Leaves and limbs crunch under my bare feet, but my pace doesn’t falter.
The sound of a gun firing echoes through the woods, and my heart palpitates in my chest. This is it. This is the end. A new hope blossoms in my chest. A sort of hope and freedom that I never thought I would crave.
More shots fire off, and my head whips side to side searching for the best direction to go. Nothing but endless dark forest for as far as I can see on either side. The trees are so thick that not even the moonlight can penetrate the canopy. Heat and a biting sting penetrate my bicep, and I scream out. I’ve been shot.Just keep running. You can escape.”I chant over and over to myself as hot blood flows down my cold, clammy skin.
Where did I go so utterly wrong in my life to end up in this situation? The lump in my throat returns, and I can’t force it down. Hot tears threaten to flow from my eyes, and I don’t fight to hold them back any longer. Tears blur my vision, and I’m no longer paying attention to my steps. I never had a chance to dodge the thick root protrudingfrom the ground. My foot hooks under it, and I’m catapulted to the ground. The breath is knocked from my lungs at the direct blow to my chest and face.
Get up. Run.
Getting to my knees is a challenge without my hands to help, but I managed to do it. The sound of many footsteps charging for me and the whipping glow of flashlights behind me sends an extra boost of adrenaline through my veins. Fueling me to keep going.
I run and run until I come to a dead stop at a metal fence ahead of me that’s line with razor wire.
No. No, no, no.
Leaves crunch to my right, my head snapping towards the sound, but I see nothing. It’s too dark. A twig snaps, and that’s the last thing I heard before a loudcrackslammed into me, sending me back to the ground.
The world goes silent.
15
RYDER
“Calm down, man. We’re gonna find her and paint the tracks with their blood. Nobody’s gonna fuck with your girl after this.”
