Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 61169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
White sandy beaches, crystal clear water, thick jungle like trees and a shining blue sky. It’s breathtaking, and it almost catches you off guard.
Mick pulls me down the ramp, towards the sparkling ocean, and forces my legs to move. Sharleen is walking beside him and every now and then she gives me a look and a smile that makes my blood boil. One that tells me I might have gotten a hit in, but what will happen to me here will be far worse. It’s terrifying and yet at the same time, I give her a look that almost dares her to try something. I hate her with a passion that runs deep. It could be linked to what happened between her and Jagger, or it could just be because I love him so much, I couldn’t imagine doing that to him.
She did it without thought.
We walk past many people as we get closer to the small structures of the town. It would almost seem normal if you didn’t know what went on here. Mick doesn’t speak to anyone as he guides me directly to wherever it is he wants me, which happens to be a large stone house. There is a man standing at the door, and when we stop, he simply nods and steps aside so Mick can lead me in. When we step inside, I look around and my eyes widen.
These all look like manmade structures that have been done with people’s hands from this island, with no help from builders or trades people. As if they’ve gotten very item they needed shipped over and built this themselves. The walls are slapped together, with little measuring and accuracy, and the finishings are flimsy and clearly done by someone who is just going with what they know. Still, they clearly stand the test of time because I imagine this island has had some wild weather.
The house itself is huge, with stone walls, high ceilings and cement floors. It’s not fancy in any sense, but it certainly has some size about it. There is basic furniture filling the living room most of it well worn, but nothing spectacular that stands out. Mick walks past two men with another nod of his head and leads me down a long hall, stopping at a door. He punches some numbers on a keypad that sits on the outside, and I try my hardest to see what those numbers are, but he covers the keypad by standing in front of it.
We step into a secured room and what I see in that room has a fear I haven’t felt before creeping into my chest, almost a reality check that I really didn’t need.
There are six people in this room. Four men and two women. As my eyes go to the women, my stomach twists into knots. They are on their hands and knees, their heads bowed so you can’t see their faces. Two of the men are leaning back on the couch, puffing cigars and resting their feet on the women...as though they’re footrests. I swallow, horror filling my senses as I stare in shock. Mick pulls me closer to the men and his fingers tighten around my arms.
“Finally got her here,” he says simply, his voice no longer the almost teasing, taunting one he has used up until this point.
Now he’s serious, and it’s scary.
The four men scour me with their gazes, two continue to puff on cigars as they rake their gazes over me, pondering every inch of my body and making me so uneasy I struggle to bite my tongue. I want to tell them to stop, tell them to get their filthy eyes off me, but right now...my only focus is to survive so I can get out of this mess.
One of the men puffing a cigar looks to Mick. “You’re certain he’ll come for her?”
Mick nods. “Yes, I’m very sure he’ll come for her.”
The men nod, but I can’t take my eyes off the women on the floor. I can’t help the desperate need inside me that wants to go to them, and pull them to their feet, and tell them everything will be okay. It breaks my heart to know that anyone in this world could be treated like that.
“Like what you see, darling girl?”
One of the men’s lusty voices fills my ears and I snap my head up, meeting his evil slitted gaze.
“You’re all fucking monsters,” I say, my voice barely a whisper.
They throw their heads back and laugh.
They think it’s hilarious. They think all of this is a god damned joke.
“Mick, it seems you need to teach your guest some new manners.”
“Seems so,” Mick growls, giving me a look that promises retribution if I don’t sit down and shut the hell up.
“Is she going to join us then?”