Tank (Iron Reapers MC #3)

Chapter 1

ONE

SOPHIE

“See you at home, Soph.” Keelie calls from the back of some football player’s jeep. “Yeah, don’t tell Mom or we’ll all get in trouble,” Kamie sneers. Keelie and Kamie, my stepsisters, should be walking home with me, but instead they’re off doing whatever it is they do after school while I’m left to do all of the chores.

One more year, that’s what I keep telling myself. Then I’ll be away at university beginning my journey to fulfilling my lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. I love my father, but he doesn’t see Veronica and her daughters the way I do. Every time I try talking to him about it, he brushes me off. He thinks I’m upset that it’s no longer just the two of us. Mom died when I was too little to remember, except for a handful of memories. What I do remember is how beautiful and kind she was, and that she always made me feel safe.

I’m making a list in my head of everything I need to do when I get home when I hear someone behind me. "Hey, sweetie," a gravelly voice calls out. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Before I can react, a rough hand clamps over my mouth, stifling my scream. The world tilts, and suddenly, I'm being dragged toward a waiting vehicle.

"Let go of me!" I try and shout through the tightening grip on my face. Panic rises in my chest, threatening to swallow me whole.

"Shut up, you little bitch," the man growls into my ear, his breath hot and rancid. I kick and thrash, desperation fueling my every move, but it's useless - I'm caught in his vice-like grip.

"Get her in the van!" another voice barks, and I'm thrown inside like a ragdoll. The doors slam shut, and the engine roars to life as we speed away from everything I've ever known. I know I should fight back, but the terror constricts around my heart, leaving me paralyzed.

"Please, let me go," I whisper, tears streaming down my face, but the men don't seem to care. They laugh, their voices cold and cruel, echoing in the cramped space.

"Welcome to your new life," one of them sneers, and I know, deep down, that nothing will ever be the same again.

The darkness inside the van swallows me whole, its suffocating embrace a stark contrast to the bright sun outside. I squirm and kick, desperately trying to free myself from my captors' grips. Their fingers dig into my skin, leaving bruises that will soon form.

"Get off me!" I scream, my voice cracking with fear. My heart hammers against my chest. "Please, just let me go."

"Shut the fuck up," one of them growls, his breath hot on my neck. The van lurches forward, sending me crashing against the cold metal floor. Pain shoots through my body, but I refuse to give in to it. I need to escape, to find a way out of this nightmare.

"Please," I whisper, tears streaming down my cheeks, "I won't tell anyone, I swear. My dad has money, he’ll pay you whatever you want.”

"Not as much as you’ll make for us on your back," another voice sneers. "We own you and there's nothing you can do about it."

My stomach twists into knots as I process their words. What do they want with me? Why did they take me? Panic rises like bile in my throat, choking me, making it impossible to breathe. They can't do this to me - I won't let them.

But as the van speeds further away from my old life and deeper into the unknown, I can't help but feel the crushing weight of despair settling over me.

The door to the dingy room slams shut, reverberating through the space like thunder. I'm left alone, my sobs echoing off the crumbling walls. The room is small, barely larger than a closet, and it reeks of must and decay. A single, flickering bulb casts eerie shadows across the peeling wallpaper.

"Damnit," I mutter under my breath, wiping away my tears with the back of my hand. Despite the terror clawing at my insides, I force myself to move, to explore the confines of my prison. There's nothing in here but a filthy mattress and a bucket in the corner - no windows, no way out.

"Please," I whisper, pressing my palms against the cold metal door, "someone help me."

But the only response is the distant laughter of my captors, their voices a chilling reminder of my new reality. Despair settles over me like a shroud, and I sink to the floor, my head in my hands.

"What now?" I choke out, tears streaming down my face.

The door to my cell creaks open, and the harsh light from the hallway floods inside. I squint against the sudden brightness, my heart pounding in my chest. Two men step into the room – their cold, calculating eyes sending shivers down my spine.

"Get up, slut," the taller man sneers, his voice dripping with menace. I push myself off the floor, trembling, as they close in around me.

"Who are you?" I demand, trying to sound braver than I feel.

"Names ain't important," the shorter man grunts, grabbing my arm with a vice-like grip. "What's important is that your life belongs to us now."

"Wh-what do you mean?" I stammer, fear clawing at the edges of my mind.

"You're ours," the taller man says, his grin predatory. "Your body, your mind, everything."

"Fuck you," I spit, defiance flaring. But it's no use. They laugh, cruel and cold, stripping away any shred of hope I had left. One of them jabs a thick needle into my neck and within seconds I slump to the side. They push me away as I curl into myself on the dirty mattress.

"Get used to it, sweetheart," the shorter man smirks. "You're not going anywhere."

Seven years. Seven long, brutal years trapped in this hell, surviving by grit and sheer determination. I bear scars from the beatings, cigarette burns from the nights when they wanted something more than just my body. My spirit, once fiery and bright, has been smothered under the weight of despair.

"Another day, another dollar," one of the men chuckles as he throws me back into my cell. I collapse onto the mattress, my body aching and bruised, as the door slams shut behind him.

"Fuck you," I whisper, though I know he can't hear me. My voice is raw, my throat sore from screaming and begging for mercy. I've learned that mercy doesn't exist in this world, not for girls like me.

Each night, I stare at the peeling wallpaper and dream of escape, of a life free from their control. But as the days blend into months and the months into years, the hope that once burned within me dims, flickering like the dying light bulb overhead.

"Please," I whisper to nobody in particular, tears streaming down my face, "please let this end."

The door creaks open, and a small, fragile-looking girl is shoved inside. She stumbles, catching herself on the grimy wall. My heart aches at the sight of her – so young, so innocent, yet already consumed by this darkness.

"Hey," I whisper as she looks up at me, fear evident in her eyes. "I'm Sophie."

"Chloe," she murmurs, barely audible. The vulnerability in her voice draws me towards her despite my own weariness.

"Come here, honey," I say, offering her the corner of my thin blanket. Chloe hesitates but eventually moves closer, curling up beside me. We huddle together for warmth in the frigid room, our breaths mingling in the stale air.

As the days go by, we form an unbreakable bond. In whispered conversations while the captors sleep, Chloe tells me about her family, her dreams to become a veterinarian, and the favorite stuffed animal she left behind. I share my stories too, letting out the memories that have been festering within me for so long, poisoning my soul.

We find solace in the smallest acts of kindness - sharing a scrap of bread when one of us is hungrier than the other, or gently braiding each other's hair, a tiny gesture to remind ourselves that we are still human amidst this depravity.

"Promise me something, Soph," Chloe says one night, her voice trembling. "If you ever get the chance to leave this hellhole...promise me you'll come back for me."

"I swear on my life, Chloe," I reply, my voice thick with emotion. "And not just for you, but for all of us. I won't forget."

A new shipment of drugs arrives, and our captors are distracted, greed and excitement clouding their judgment. Chloe, sensing the rare moment of chaos, seizes it with a fierce determination.

"Fuck you!" she screams, hurling a makeshift weapon at one of the men. The room erupts into disarray as she charges forward, her small frame a whirlwind of fury.

"Go, Sophie! Now!" Chloe shouts, and my heart pounds in my chest. Adrenaline courses through me as I bolt for the door, my legs carrying me faster than I ever thought possible.

As I sprint down the grimy hallway, I can't help but think of Chloe – the girl who became my sister in this hell, the girl whose bravery gave me a chance to escape. And I know, deep in my soul, that I will do whatever it takes to keep my promise and bring us all to freedom.

I stand at the threshold of freedom, my heart pounding in my chest like a caged beast. The door looms before me, cracked open just enough to reveal the dark night beyond. It's a fucking miracle I've made it this far. But fear grips me, freezing me in place.

"Go, Sophie! Now!" Chloe's voice echoes in my mind, her last words before I slipped away. How can I leave her behind? How can I abandon the girl who saved my life?

"Fuck!" I hiss under my breath, forcing myself into motion. My legs are shaking, but there's no time for hesitation. I shove the door open and step out into the cold night air.

"Get it together," I mutter to myself as I sprint down the dimly lit street. My breath comes in ragged gasps, each inhale tasting like sweet freedom after years of suffocating captivity. I can't let them catch me now. Not when I'm so close to escaping this nightmare.

"Please, please, please," I whisper, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my footsteps on the pavement. Each step takes me further from the hell I once called home, but I can't shake the feeling that danger still lurks around every corner.

"Shit!" I curse as I spot the shadowy figure of a man up ahead. Is he one of them? Have they found me already? My heart threatens to burst from my chest as panic sets in.

"Keep going, keep going," I chant in my mind, willing my body to move faster. I dart down an alleyway, praying that I can lose him in the maze of narrow streets and dead ends.

"Almost there, almost free," I repeat like a mantra, my vision blurred by unshed tears. The weight of my past bears down on me, threatening to drag me back into the darkness. But I can't let it. I made a promise to Chloe–to all of them.

"Fuck this," I growl, pushing myself harder than I ever thought possible. If I can survive what they did to me, I can survive anything. For Chloe. For all of us.

As I round another corner, my legs threatening to give out on me, I know that there's no turning back. It's now or never. And as the night swallows me whole, I disappear into the shadows, determined to keep my promise and find the help we so desperately need.

My lungs burn, my legs ache with each pounding step, but I force myself to keep running. The cold air stings my cheeks, the only reminder that I'm still alive in this godforsaken place. It's been hours since my escape, since the promise I made to Chloe and the others echoed in my ears.

"Fuck!" I gasp as a sharp pain shoots through my side, making me stumble. My vision blurs, the world around me spinning, but I grit my teeth and press on. Just a little further, a little longer. I can't let them find me, not after everything I've risked.

As I round a corner, I spot a small, darkened alcove between two buildings. My desperation pushes me towards it, seeking a brief refuge from the relentless pursuit that haunts my every step.

"Get it together, Sophie," I whisper harshly to myself, trying to catch my breath. Leaning against the damp brick wall, I let myself slide down until I'm sitting on the cold ground. This is the first moment of relative safety I've had since my escape began, and the fear that's been clawing at my chest threatens to overwhelm me.

I wrap my arms around my knees, my body trembling uncontrollably. My mind races with thoughts of Chloe, her terrified face etched into my memory. "I'll come back for you," I'd promised her, my voice barely audible over the chaos that surrounded us. How am I supposed to keep that promise now? How can I save her when I can barely save myself?

"Failure's not an option," I mutter, my voice choked by tears. "I won't leave her behind."

The enormity of what I've done – what I still need to do – crushes me like a vise, but I refuse to succumb to despair. I wipe the tears from my face, my resolve hardening. I'll find help, I'll find a way to free Chloe and the others, even if it kills me.

"Never going back," I hiss through clenched teeth, forcing myself to stand on shaky legs. The pain in my body is nothing compared to the agony of leaving them behind, but I can't let that stop me. They're counting on me, and I won't let them down.

With one last glance at the fleeting sanctuary of the alcove, I step back into the shadows, my heart pounding in my chest. I may be running on fumes, but the fire in my soul burns brighter than ever. I will keep moving forward, for Chloe, for all the girls still trapped in that hellhole, and for myself.

"Watch out, you bastards," I growl under my breath as I vanish into the night. "I'm coming for you."

The moon's pale glow filters through the twisted branches overhead, casting eerie shadows on the cracked pavement beneath my feet. I stumble forward, every step a battle against the searing pain that shoots through my battered body.

"Fuck," I gasp, clutching a stitch in my side as I lean against a graffiti-covered wall for support. My breath comes in ragged gasps, hot and desperate in the cool night air. The fear of being caught by those monsters is a constant drumbeat in my head, pushing me to keep moving even when it feels like I'm about to collapse.

"Can't stop now, Sophie," I mutter to myself between gritted teeth. "You owe it to Chloe...and all the other girls."

With renewed determination, I peel myself from the wall and stagger onward, my heart pounding in my chest like a caged animal. Goddamn it, I need help. Real help. But who can I turn to? Who would even believe the horrors I've endured? Still, I have no choice but to try.