Текст книги "Addiction"

Автор книги: Shantel Tessier

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Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 27 страниц)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

 

TAYLOR

I make my way down to the club floor and back to the locker room. I shove the door open and march over to my locker. After throwing my purse and phone in it, I slam it shut. He is such an ass! There had to have been something in the beginning in order for it to be over, Taylor. Well, I got that message loud and clear!

“Whoa. Someone has her bitch attitude on tonight.”

I spin around to see Rachel leaning up against her locker. “I’m not in the mood for your shit tonight, Rachel,” I spit.

“Someone needs to get laid,” she says placing her arms over her chest and pushing her hip out.

“No, the problem is that I let him fuck me in the first place,” I mumble.

She laughs and the action makes her perfect fake tits bounce. “Not good?”

I stare at her and snort. “Too good. The man knows it and thinks he’s fucking god.” Why am I telling her this? I don’t like her.

She throws her head back and lets out another laugh. “Sounds like you’re talking about Case.”

I just stare at her. Her laughing cuts off immediately, and she frowns as her dark brown eyes stare at me for a very long minute. “You are talking about Case.” It wasn’t a question. And I don’t say anything to her. I know Case doesn’t sleep with people who work for him, but I don’t know if that is club policy or just his personal choice. I don’t trust Rachel enough not to go and run her mouth about it to everyone. As long as I don’t answer, it’s just her speculating. “Well … you have more balls than I thought you did.” She looks me up and down with a frown on her face. Almost as if she’s thinking what did he see in her? ‘Cause I don’t see it. “Here I thought you were this goodie goodie. Next thing you tell me will be that you wanna get high.” She smiles brightly, and I wish I could slap it off her face.

“I don’t do drugs,” I snap.

She smirks as if she doesn’t believe me¸ and I don’t care to even talk to her. So I just grab my tray out of my locker, slam the door, and walk out into the club to get ready for a long fucking night.

I walk out to the bar as the lights shut off in the club and the music starts to play. “You didn’t expect more from him, did you?”

My eyes slide over to the left to see Rachel now standing beside me with that smirk still on her face. “Stop it, Rachel.”

She laughs and I take in a deep breath as I look down at my tray. I could totally use it as a bat to her face. But that would just get me fired and I’m sort of addicted to the money I make here. As long as Case doesn’t fire me¸ I will continue to work here. I don’t even see him very often when I’m working. He stays in his office unless there’s a problem on the floor.

“Aww.” She spins around placing her back against the bar and props her elbows on it as she leans on it. “Did little Miss Priss fall in love with the big bad wolf?” I can hear her amusement in her voice. You would think the music would drown it out but nope.

I turn to face her, and she arches a drawn on eyebrow in question. I want to tell her that we never made it that far. That it never really started, as Case had so nicely put it. Instead, I take a deep breath. Don’t give her any information for her to go run her mouth about. “You’re such a bitch, Rachel, and no one here likes you.” Geez, that sounded like I was in high school.

She shrugs carelessly as she looks down at her black nails, examining them. Then looks back at me. “The men don’t need to like me in order to want to fuck me.” I look her up and down with disgust. “Remember that.” She turns around and grabs her tray. “Maybe it will keep you from getting too attached to men who only think of you as a toy.” Then she walks off.

***

The night went by as well as I expected it to. Shitty! And my mood has just gotten worse by the second. I’ve had several drinks spilled on me, and I cussed out two customers who both grabbed my ass. About an hour into my shift, I got pissed off at Case all over again for not taking him up on his offer of a bubble bath. It’s exactly what I’m gonna do as soon as I get home. The bright side is I haven’t thought about what my life will be like once I go to jail. Case has kept his word about several things, and I’m hoping that is just one more he can keep.

I’m cleaning off a table my customers just left when a strong hand lands on my shoulder. It starts to tug me backward, and I turn around about to let them have it when I see it’s Blane. “What are you doing here?”

He frowns. “Bad night?” he yells as he looks over the club. It’s packed and I’m tired of sweating my ass off.

I reach down, grab his hand, and pull him down the hallway by the private rooms. The music isn’t as loud in this hallway. “What are you doing here?” I ask again.

“Savannah said you were upset about something that you saw on TV. I just thought I would come and check on you.”

I haven’t seen much of Blane lately. I have spoken to Savannah about him, and she said Blane hasn’t even mentioned Case in over a week. I’m praying that means Case no longer has him working for him. But I also still haven’t told him about Case and me, and I’m glad considering we ended whatever the hell it was just hours ago. “It was nothing,” I say blowing it off. If I told Blane that I thought we were all going to go to jail, he’d probably kill Case. And then he would be in jail. A lose-lose situation.

He goes to say something when Rachel comes walking down the hallway. She throws me a fuck-you smile and then looks at my brother. Her face instantly transforms to seductive. Her dark brown eyes soften, and she pushes her tits out more as she pulls her shoulders back. “Hi, Taylor,” she says cheerfully not even bothering to look over at me. “Who is your friend?” She looks my brother up and down.

“I’m Blane.” He reaches his hand out other. “Taylor’s brother.”

Her eyes widen for the briefest second. “Brother? Why have you been hiding him?” she purrs.

“He’s taken,” I announce almost rolling my eyes.

“They always are,” Rachel responds throwing him a flirty smile. I hate that she is pretty. I wish people could see how much of a bitch she really is. “But they don’t have to know,” she adds, placing her hand on his chest.

I slap her hand off his chest. “Rachel,” I snap getting pissed. Then I turn to face Blane. “What the hell, Blane?”

To my surprise, they both throw me a frustrated look. “What did you say your name was?” she asks because she was too busy devouring him with her eyes rather than listening to what he had to say.

“Blane. Blane Williams,” he says with a warm smile, and I roll my eyes.

Rachel actually looks taken aback for a brief second before she hides her features. “How do you know Taylor again?” Was she truly not listening to a thing he said?

“I’m her brother,” he repeats. “I’m also a friend of Case’s.”

She looks back and forth between Blane and me with a look of confusion. She also looks a bit terrified. I arch a brow in question to why she’s acting like such an idiot. I’ve never seen her act like this before, and let me just say, it’s not a good look for her. I smile at that.

“It was nice to meet you, Blane.” And with that, she walks past us and to the end of the hallway where our locker room is.

“That was weird,” Blane says looking down the hall to the door she just entered

I sigh. “Yeah. Where’s Savannah? You know, your girlfriend,” I ask looking around myself.

“She is at home in bed. I just wanted to come and check on you.”

“I’m fine. And you could have texted me,” I say defensively.

“I have several times, but I got worried when you didn’t respond,” he says with worry in his voice.

“I’m at work. My phone is in my locker. Go home, Blane. Go home to Savannah. I’m fine.”

“What is wrong with you? You are being very snappy. If you don’t like working here, then you should quit.”

I run a hand through my hair. “I love working here. And I’m snappy because I just saw you flirting with someone who is not your girlfriend.” And said someone just so happened to be someone that I don’t like.

“I did nothing wrong,” he says defensively. “I was just being nice to a woman who was being nice to me,” he huffs. “You should try it.”

“Try what?” I demand.

“Being nice.”

“Good-bye, Blane!” I growl as I turn giving him my back and make my way back to the locker room myself. As soon as I walk in, Rachel pulls her cell phone away from her ear and hangs it up. I ignore her as she stares at me and walk to my locker. I unlock it and pull my phone out. I quickly skim over the four texts my brother sent me and roll my eyes at how concerned they sounded.

“I understand why you’re mad,” Rachel says from behind me.

“Oh, yeah? Why is that?” I ask barely paying attention to her.

“Well, Case is a great fuck! But once he’s done with you, he’s done. He doesn’t go back,” she says matter-of-factly.

I set my phone down on top of my purse and very slowly turn to face her. Her usual bitch smile is plastered on her face. “Excuse me?” I must have heard her wrong.

“He’s done with you.” She gives me a fake frown. “And I know it must suck knowing that he doesn’t feel the same way about you like you did him. You were just a fuck to him.”

“How do you …?”

“You didn’t think you were the only one he’s slept with up here at the club, have you?”

Has he slept with her? What about his rules? She laughs. “Oh, you did. That’s sweet. Honey …” she says with pity. “He can have his pick of any woman here every night. Why would he pick you?” She looks me up and down with that same pity look. “I’m not saying he won’t fuck you more than once. But when he’s done, he’s done.”

I fist my hands by my side. “I don’t think …” I sigh, what do I say? “How do you know when he’s done?” I place my hand on my hips. “Were you one of those girls he quit fucking?” I hate to even ask the question, but I wanna rub in the fact he dumped her.

“Not quite.” She pushes off the wall and takes a step toward me. “See, it has been a few weeks since he’s fucked me, but he’ll come back to me. He always does.” She runs her hands over her large breasts and down her stomach. “Him and Brecken.” She licks her lips, and my eyes widen. “Did he share you with Brecken?” she asks, and I don’t move or make a sound. I can’t. I’m in shock and pissed. “He likes to share his women. He likes to watch another man fuck them.” She smiles. “Believe me. You’ve never been properly fucked until you’ve had them both at the same time.” She looks me up and down with a scowl on her face. “But I guess that isn’t going to happen to you. I can see why he didn’t stay with you for long. You’re not what he needs, and you’re sure as hell not what he wants.” And with that, she turns and walks out of the locker room.

“Fuck!” I yell out as I slam my locker door shut!

CASE

I stand by the bar in my office as I fill another tumbler of bourbon. It’s my fourth tonight, and I don’t feel an ounce of the effects like I wish I could. I’ve been pacing this office for over three hours. Since the moment Taylor and my boss, Jones, both left me to myself. I’ve walked to the door, opened, and closed it over twenty times to go down and talk to her. To tell her that I’m sorry for what I said and that it was just a lie. That I was pissed at her and didn’t think before I spoke. But I keep stopping myself. She was pissed at me, and I’m afraid if I approach her while she’s working, it will cause a scene. Brecken is the only one who knows what we’ve done, and I prefer to keep it that way. So I will talk to her after we close.

I look up at my door when it opens and sigh to myself when I see Rachel walk in. “Why are you up here in my office and not down on the floor working?” I ask before lifting the tumbler in my hand and taking a gulp.

She smiles sweetly as she makes her way over to me. “Do I have to have a reason?”

“Yes,” I say flatly. “You’re here to work not be up here in my office.”

She frowns. “I can remember plenty of times when you and I were up here when I should have been down there working.” She takes the drink from my hand and knocks it back, swallowing what was left. Normally, that would turn me on, but right now, I just want her to leave me alone.

I grab the empty cup from her hand, refill it, and then walk over to my desk and sit behind it. “Yeah, well, things have changed.”

She saunters over to my desk like a cat in heat. Her tits pushed out and hands on her hips. She wants something! “What do you need?”

She comes to a stop beside me and jumps up on my desk where she’s sitting on it with her legs dangling over the side. She bends over to grab the armrest of my chair and pulls me over to her so I’m between her legs. “I need you,” she purrs. Bent over, her tits are inches from my face.

“I’m not in the mood,” I say taking a drink of my bourbon.

I expect her to look shocked. I’ve never turned her down before, but instead, her soft smile just grows. “When have you ever seen me back down from a challenge?”

I place my free hand on the desk and push away from her. “Not now, Rachel. Get back to work,” I order.

She jumps off the desk and makes her way to stand behind my chair. She leans over, wrapping her arms around my neck and her very hard tits rest on the back of my head. Her hands spread out on my chest and she speaks into my ear. “Is this because of Taylor?”

“Rachel …” I growl.

“I know you haven’t slept with her,” she says remembering the last conversation I had with her about Taylor “But I know you want to,” she whispers. Her hands slide further down to my chest to my stomach and my muscles flex as my cock starts to harden. “You can pretend I’m her.” Her tongue licks up my neck, and I close my eyes. I want to tell her I’ve done it before, back before I slept with Taylor, but since I’ve had the real deal, she could never compare to her. “Come on, Case. Make me swallow your cock while you call me Taylor.” Her hands reach my cock, and she chuckles in my ear.

I shove the chair back, and it pushes her backward. “Stop, Rachael!” I shout as I turn to face her. “I told you no.”

She huffs. “Well, I never thought I’d see the day when Cason became a pussy.” She steps up to me. “You think you can be good for her? Huh? Are you trying to show her that you can be the man she will want?” she demands. “We are just alike, Case. Damaged. Fucked up. And let me guess, you think she can save you?” She shakes her head with disgust. “Nothing can save you! You are a lying piece of shit who will get nothing but what you deserve, and Taylor is sure as hell not it.”

My right hand shakes, and I have the urge to wrap my hand around her throat and squeeze until she passes out. But she would like it. And the only reason I want to is because she is telling the truth and the truth hurts. And she is right! I don’t deserve Taylor. I deserve someone like Rachel. A heartless bitch who uses people. Just like I do.

“Get your ass back downstairs and do what I’m paying you to do,” I order.

TAYLOR

The last half of the night went just as bad as the first half. I am so fucking pissed at Case that I could slap him across his face. She said they had slept together three weeks ago. That’s been since I met him. Not since I have been with him sexually, but for sure since I met him. He lied to me. He said he had rules, yet he has been sleeping with Rachel? It doesn’t make any sense.

The club lights come on and I thank the Lord it’s closing time. This day just needs to be over.

I hear his voice as he calls out to Brecken, and I can’t help but look over at him on the stairs. Brecken meets him halfway and they talk for a few minutes. I sit down at the table I was cleaning off and just stare at them. I don’t look away when Case looks my way. I just hold his hard stare with narrowed, hateful eyes.

Once they finish talking, he pats Brecken on the back and then finishes coming down the stairs. I realize he is coming straight for me, and I stand, needing to get away from him. I take off down the hallway, but as I go to enter the locker room, he grabs me from behind me and spins me around.

“I would ask if your night got any better, but the fuck-you look you have already answered that question,” he says flatly.

“You lied to me,” I blurt out not wanting to waste any time

His face tightens as he places his mask on. The one that closes off all of his emotions from me. He’s too good at this.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about …”

“Don’t lie to me again,” I interrupt him. “Why would you sleep with Rachel?” I demand.

He just stares down at me, and I feel my heart pound in my chest. He’s not gonna even try to deny it? “What makes you think …?”

“She told me!” I shout furiously. “She told me that you and her fuck! Well, you and Brecken fuck her!” I cross my arms over my chest.

“That bitch!” he growls as he looks down the long hallway. “She was playing me earlier.”

“Playing you?” What is he talking about?

He quits searching and looks back at me. “Yes!” he hisses. “She was in my office earlier.”

My eyes widen. “What was she doing in your office, Case?” He opens his mouth, but I raise my hand. “Never mind. I already know what you do with women in your office.” I hate how much it hurts to know he had done the same thing with Rachel just hours ago.

“It’s not what you think.” He lets out a cuss as he runs his hand through his dark hair.

“You told me that you don’t sleep with your employees. Yet you slept with

me, and obviously, Rachel. Or do you not really have that as a rule?” I demand.

“It is a rule. I don’t fuck my employees,” he growls.

“You fucked me!” I remind him in case he forgot. “And you fucked Rachel,” I snap.

“Rachel is different,” he snaps back.

My mouth falls open as I suck in a breath. “So what? She’s the exception to the rule. What was I? Just an opportunity?” My eyes start to sting, and I beg myself not to cry. Not like this. It’s just been sex. You know that! Don’t let it hurt so much.

“You know that’s not the truth,” he says softer.

He reaches out to touch me, but I take a step back. “I know you’ve lied. And I can’t believe anything you say.”

Before he can say another word, I spin around and shove the back door open before slamming it shut. I just need some fresh air. Just need to get away from him. The alley is dark and somewhat cold for being the middle of summer. The wind whips my hair around and I push it behind my ear, but that doesn’t really work. I start to walk down the narrow alleyway, kicking a few rocks as I walk. Wishing they were Case’s head at the moment. Why did I let it get this far? Why did I think I could have sex without letting my emotions get in the way? I’m mad at him, but it’s my fault. I put myself in this situation. My eyes start to sting and a lump forms in my throat.

And now that Rachel knows what Case and I have done, she is going to try her hardest to make it worse on me. She knows I like Case. Hell, I don’t know anyone who would sleep with someone they don’t like. I was just stupid enough to feel more for him and think he would open up to me.

A cold chill rolls over my body, and I wrap my arms around myself. He can be such an ass at times. I continue to walk down the alleyway muttering to myself when I hear something behind me. I stop and turn around to look. It’s just me. I shiver as I feel a coldness creep up my spine. Turning back around, I start to walk again.

How could he …?

I hear something again. I turn back around. Nothing. “Case?” I call out. Still nothing. Uncrossing my arms, I place my hands on my hips, as my patience is getting thinner. “Cut it out, Case,” I snap. “This isn’t funny.” I reach up and wipe the single tear that runs down my cheek.

A man steps out from behind a dumpster, and my heart starts to pound in my chest. “Case?” I ask hoping he’s playing some stupid game with me. I can’t tell if it’s him or not. It’s too dark where the man in standing and all I can see is a silhouette. “Case, stop,” I shout, my pulse racing.

He just stands there, hands down to his side, hiding in the shadows. I let out a growl and decide to go to him. As soon as I take a step, another guy steps out from the other side of the alleyway.

I come to a halt. Not Case. This isn’t Case at all.

My hands start to shake and my breathing becomes ragged. I frantically start to try to think of an escape plan, but I have nothing. They are standing closer to the back door of the club than I am. And I’m never back here so I don’t really know where I could go. What else could I do? I could lie. “Stay back,” I yell, and my voice cracks. “I have mace.” I can barely see them, so they can’t see if I’m telling the truth or not. I hope.

They both chuckle. A low and malicious chuckle that tells me either they don’t believe me or even if I did have it, it wouldn’t stop them. “You’re gonna need more than that, bitch.” He confirms my worse thoughts.

The one on the right, who I think was the one who spoke, the silhouette of his hand disappears into the darkness. When it returns, there’s a knife in his hand. I can make out the outline from the old buzzing light behind him.

For a second, I stop breathing and I’m frozen in place. I can’t beat them. Even from fifty yards away, I can see their huge size. Plus two against one is never fair if you ask me.

So I do the only thing I can think to do. I spin around and run.

Do you ever have those dreams where someone is chasing you and you’re running but you’re not getting anywhere? Your legs feel sluggish and heavy and you just wanna scream in frustration? Real life is nothing like that.

I ran faster than I knew I was capable. The sound of my heart beating fills my own ears so loudly that I can’t hear anything else. I suck in breath after breath causing my throat to burn and an ache in my side. But I push through it, not wanting to face the consequences of giving up.

I come up to the end of the club and there’s another alleyway; I can either continue on forward or turn right. A quick decision makes me turn right. I can see what is ahead and there is nothing there but more alley. Maybe if I go right, I can hide behind something or escape behind a door.

But that hope is shattered the second I turn the corner and see nothing but alley. Damn Case for having his club in the middle of an industrial run-down part of town. I see a few dumpsters up ahead that sit outside of the abandoned warehouses, but they would find me if I stopped to hide in one of them. And then I would be easy prey.

I refuse to look back to where they are. The only thing I can do is pray their size will slow them down, but they looked tall, meaning that one step probably equals two of mine. They’ve gotta be gaining on me. I suck in another breath and my hair whips in my face. I can see a street up ahead, and I pray to God that he lets me make it. I just need to be around people. Then the realization that it’s past two in the morning has my chest tightening.

Just as I make it to the end of the alleyway, I’m hit from behind; my head snaps back as two arms wrap around my upper chest, preventing me from using my hands to catch my fall.

I land on my side, scraping my skin on the concrete. I scream as I feel my bones ache and skin on my arm tear.

I roll a couple of times from the momentum before I come to a stop on my stomach.

I try to breathe, but the weight of the guy who landed on top of me from the fall is making it hard. I scream out a cry of help when I’m yanked to stand by my hair. Once on my shaky feet, I’m spun around. One of the guys grabs my arms and yanks them behind my back. He places his arm in the crease of my elbows to hold them in place behind my back. The other comes to stand in front of me.

I try to shove the guy off me who has my arms, but his vise-like grip just pulls them farther back. And I cry out from the soreness in my body.

The guy in front of me slaps his hand over my mouth, pushing my head into the chest of the guy who is holding me in place. The thought alone of his hand on my mouth makes me want to puke, forget the fact that they both smell like cigarettes and bourbon. I try to get a good look at him, but my eyes sting with unshed tears and he’s wearing a black mask.

My chest rises and falls quickly as my heart continues to pound so hard I fear it may explode. The man in front of me raises the knife and I tense. Holding my breath, I close my eyes as the tears spill over my cheeks and I say a little prayer.

“Let’s see what she has to offer,” the man in front of me says in excitement as if he’s about to open a present on Christmas morning. The man holding me chuckles, and I let out a muffled sob due to the man’s hand over my mouth.

I feel cold steel on my exposed shoulder and another sob wracks my body. I can’t stop shaking as the knife runs down my shoulder and across my chest. I try to shake my head, to free my mouth from his hand, but he just digs his fingers into my cheeks causing more pain.

God, please help me.

He places the knife between my breasts above where my corset starts. I stop breathing as I prepare for him to stab me. But instead of piercing my skin, he pushes it downward. More tears run down my face at the sound of my corset tearing. I feel the night breeze on my exposed chest seconds before he removes his hand away from my mouth. I suck in air and then the man behind me releases my arms and shoves me forward and I lose my balance, falling down.

I lie on the uneven, rocky concrete, topless and shaking to death as tears fall from my eyes as they laugh behind me. And I realize they’re not gonna kill me. Yet. They’re gonna play with me as if I’m a toy. And I have no way of fighting them off. My body is already shutting down on me. I’m desperate to survive. So I scream. I fill my lungs with everything I have and my chest hurts as if they just stabbed me. Then I let it all out.

It’s cut off when what feels like a steel toe boot lands in my ribs, and I’m knocked to my back. Air. Gasping for air, I try to suck in but nothing. I need air. I try to breathe in again. Nothing. I roll back over and make my way up to my hands and knees. Frantically, I push up onto my knees as I hunch over, both hands now wrapped around my bare stomach. I’m shaking so hard my teeth are chattering.

Please, Lord. Help me.

I’m finally able to suck in a breath, but my lungs burn so bad I tremble as I try to take another one.

As I sit hunched over on the concrete, I watch through tear filled eyes as their black boots move for them to stand in front of me.

The one still holding the knife possessively grabs my chin so hard I’ll be surprised if I don’t have a bruise. If I live through this. He forces me to look up at

them, and they are nothing but blurry blobs through my tears. Before I can even take another breath, he slaps me across my face with his free hand. The sting I feel is as if a hundred bees just stung me. I place my hands flat on the ground and spit several times, as the blood fills my mouth. The cold air that hits my face makes it burn.

And just as if I’m back in one of those dreams, that you can’t seem to escape, my body starts to shut down. My arms go limp, my eyes grow heavy, and my mind turns foggy.

I fall to the concrete, face first and lie there spread out in front of them. My shorts ripped and my corset is gone. My lungs burning and my face stinging. My chest aches and my head throbs. I just want the pain to go away. I have given up the fight; it’s not as if I was winning anyway. I close my eyes and welcome the coolness from the concrete to my aching body. The only part that feels warm is my right thigh and that’s only because of the blood that runs down it from when they tackled me to the ground while I was running. I shake uncontrollably as I just lie there.

I whimper when my limp arm is lifted from the street and I’m hauled to my feet. When my legs give out, the man supports me as he shoves my back into a brick wall.

He wraps his hand around my throat and I arch my back as he steals my breath. He lowers his head to mine. I cringe when he licks the tears off my face. “Tastes so good,” he mutters. “Gonna give up on us already?” he questions as his free hand slaps my outer thigh where it’s cut. “Come on, Taylor.” How does he know my name? “The best part is the fight. Watching you struggle.” He breathes on my face through the hole in his black mask. And I swallow down the bile that rises in my throat. I refuse to give them any more satisfaction.

He loosens his hold on my throat, but still holds me in place by it. “Go to hell,” I rasp. There was no venom in my voice as I had hoped. It sounded more like acceptance. I am going to die in this alleyway. Topless. God, I hope no one tells my brother that part.

He smiles. A cold and nasty smile as he runs his tongue over his nasty, crooked teeth.

“I wanna know if you’re worth the risk …” He pushes his body into mine, and I feel his hardness against my stomach. My body shudders as I cry out. “A risk of losing everything.” He goes to lick my face again, but I turn my head. His hand tightens around my neck, cutting off my air. I try to kick him, but he just presses his body further into mine to prevent any movement.

“I know we said you could go first … but I changed my mind,” he growls as he looks over his shoulder. He lets go of me all of a sudden and I drop to my knees as I take in a deep breath. The force from the drop shoots pain up my legs.

“… Where did you go?” he demands.

I look up through tears and notice the other guy is no longer with us. And I feel the first bit of relief. Maybe he got bored with me. Maybe he prefers blondes. Either way, I’m thankful I’m down to one.

The man grabs me and yanks me to my feet. He pulls my back to his front and wraps his arm around my waist, pinning my arms to my side. “Don’t worry,” He whispers in my ear his voice a growl. “He’ll return. And when he does, we’ll start the fun stuff.”

I moan in pain as he tightens his arm around my stomach, pressing on my ribs where one of them kicked me. I try to breathe in and out, but it’s hard. I try to scream out but there’s nothing there. He chuckles in my ear, and I shudder.

He doesn’t speak again as he watches the alleyway. The only noise is the wind, and there’s very little light. I close my heavy eyes. I’m so tired; my body just wants to sleep.