Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 52338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
"I don't know!" I whimper. This must be what Trent meant when he'd said anyone close to him would be in danger. Granted, I was already in danger because of the hit, but this kidnapping seems to be in retaliation to whatever Trent had done.
"I'm sure I can think of a few things to do with you to recoup my money. Matter of fact, let's get you ready first."
"No!" I exclaim. He tightens his hold on my hair and forces me to my feet. I fall against his chest as I stumble. He smells of disgusting aftershave, cigar smoke, and old sweat, the clash of scents making me nauseous. He pulls me over to the stairs, where the two guards still stand.
"Cyrus, take our premium merchandise here upstairs and give her the special treatment," the man said before roughly thrusting me into the guard closest to me. Cyrus wastes no time tossing me over his shoulder and heading to the main level of the building. I pummel his back as hard as I can muster and kick my legs. I just need to knock him off balance just a little to give myself a fighting chance of trying to get out of here. If his plans were to take us out of the window, my escape window is tiny. If I don't try to at least find a way out of here while I'm on the main level, I'm at risk of being lost forever, just like so many other young girls before me.
Cyrus tightens his grip on me and gives me a slap on the ass that feels as if pure fire has kissed my skin.
"Knock it the fuck off, or it won't be my hand next time," he growls, his warning crystal clear. I don't even want to think about all the things he can possibly do to me if I choose to continue fighting him. The farther we move away from the cellar, the more real this situation becomes. Any plans of escape fall apart as more guards materialize around me. Each heavily muscled man we pass is equipped with an assault rifle and a scowl that can invoke fear into any person they cross paths with. But even as we make our way down a maze of corridors, I've yet to see a single exit or window. If I'm lucky enough to get out of the building, I still don't even know where I am to know where I'm able to go from here. For all I know, I can be in the middle of nowhere with nothing around for a few miles, which will do nothing but make it easy for them to catch me again anyway.
It's no use, I think with a defeated whimper. A part of me wants to be mad at Trent. He always talked so much about keeping me safe, but now he's nowhere to be found. Why did he leave my care to other people who didn't care about me the way he did? Why did he leave me alone? Why isn't he here to get me?
Cyrus rounds a corner and walks into a room set up like one of those photo studios you'd see in the mall. He sets me on my feet, his dark eyes casing my body and leaving a slick film of disgust in its wake.
"Clothes off," he orders in a gruff voice.
Panic seizes my chest. I know he's only going to take pictures, but I also know the pictures will solidify my grim future. I want to hold on to the hope that Trent will somehow come for me, that he'll save me and the other women here, and all of this will just be another bad moment in time that I made it through. But these photos will do nothing but emphasize that I'm now someone else's property, that my previous life is over, and my future will be at the discretion of my new owner.
"If it's money you want, I can pay you," I bargain. With all the deals I've done, I'm sure I have more than enough to cover whatever it is they think Trent has cost them. Even if I don’t have it, I'm sure my dad does. "And if I don't have it—"
"Clothes off," he repeats, a little impatient this time.
Tears blur my vision, my mouth going dry as I slowly shake my head. "Please don't make me do this," I plead in a whisper.
He removes a pistol from his hip and points it at me. "If I have to undress you, I promise you won't like it," he growls. "Take your fucking clothes off."
Salty tears slip down my heated cheeks as I slowly peel my clothes off until I'm standing in nothing but my bra and panties. I try to cover myself as best as I can with my arms, shame weighing on my shoulders. Cyrus raises a brow as he stares at me.