Chapter 23
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H ANDS SHAKING, AVERY pulled a key from her pocket and slid it into the lock. The hallway was dimly lit and quiet, but she could hear footsteps and conversations from above in the dining area. She glanced left and right, half expecting someone to jump out at her.
The area was silent. Still. She and Luciana were all alone.
Avery turned the key, pushing open the heavy door. It swung open, and the big, dusty room felt ominous. Dark. Silent as a tomb.
Avery felt for the light switch on the wall, flicking it on. Dim florescent lights buzzed to life, and she breathed a sigh of relief that the space was empty, save for the items stored there. No one was inside.
“No one’s here,” Luciana said quietly, her words echoing Avery’s thoughts.
“No. Let’s look around. This place is bigger than I remembered.” The women walked into the storage room, tall shelves filled with supplies and boxes lining the walls. It would take forever to find everything Walters wanted, and Avery doubted most of it was even here. But they would be able to snoop around for their own purposes.
“Why is that area empty?” Luciana asked, pointing to a bottom row on the left side of the room.
“Good question,” Avery murmured.
She began crossing to the shelving, and the heavy door swung shut behind them, causing her to jolt in surprise. Luciana screamed as someone jumped out from behind the door, hitting her over the head.
Avery looked on in shock as her roommate crumpled to the ground, blood pooling beneath her head from where she’d been hit by a heavy object. The scream died on Avery’s lips as she saw Dr. Walters standing there, his face red and eyes bulging with rage.
A weird sense of calm suddenly washed over her. It almost felt like everything was happening in slow motion. Walters was blocking the door, and she was trapped in here unless she could get around him. Or convince him that she was on his side. She desperately wanted to get to Luciana and render medical aid, but she had the presence of mind to know she needed to not agitate the doctor further. If he harmed Avery as well, she wasn’t sure either of the women would make it out of here alive.
“What happened to the missing supplies?” she asked calmly.
No sense in beating around the bush. He had her trapped here and knew they were already suspicious of him. Avery needed answers.
Walters smirked, moving toward her aggressively. “I don’t want to talk about the supplies. Let’s discuss the sexy pictures you showed me.”
“What?”
“You tempted me, Avery,” he said, stepping closer and reaching out to touch a strand of her hair.
Her heart pounded wildly as she pressed back against the shelving. What was he talking about? She’d expected him to be angry about her questions regarding the mysterious boxes, not staring at her with a weird look of crazed lust in his eyes.
“No! I have a boyfriend. None of those photos were for you.”
“Yet you showed me those pictures anyway,” he said mildly. “You handed me your phone, and there was a picture of you blowing me a kiss. I’ve been imagining those pouty pink lips wrapped around my cock, sucking me off. Taking me like the naughty little nurse you are. Begging me.”
“No,” she whimpered as he moved closer.
He was bigger than her. Stronger. Walters wasn’t muscular in the way that Ryan and his teammates were, but the man kept in shape. She didn’t think she could overpower him. Frantically, her gaze landed on her friend. If she could distract him, maybe they could both escape. “We have to help Luciana,” she said. “She’s bleeding. Please,” she added. “Please let me help her.
“You shouldn’t have brought her down here,” he sneered. “You’re the one that I need.”
Avery held her hands up to ward him off, and he chuckled. “You can’t fight me, Nurse Nielsen. We’re all alone here. Well—” His gaze landed on Luciana. “We will be. She’ll bleed out, unconscious on the supply room floor. And we’ll be long gone, enjoying ourselves.”
“No!” she said more forcefully.
He hesitated for a beat, assessing her. “You were snooping around the tents this morning,” he said, still standing far too close. “You thought I didn’t know? Nurse Nielsen, I’m aware of everything going on here. You want to see what’s in those boxes I’ve been receiving?” he asked, his eyes lighting up.
She swallowed, confused by the sudden change of topic. This guy really was crazy. “Yes. Show me what’s inside them. Are there more here now? There’s an entire row missing from the bottom shelf.”
He laughed, reaching out to touch her hair again. She swatted his hand away as he chuckled. “There’s nothing you can do to stop me, little nurse. Let’s go look in the boxes,” he added. “I’m looking forward to your...reaction.” His hand shot out, wrapping around her upper arm in a tight grip.
She startled but moved with him toward the back of the supply room, her gaze sweeping the area. Walters had dropped whatever he’d hit Luciana with, but there had to be something else she could grab to fight back. If not, she’d knee him in the balls. Scratch his eyes out. Rip his entire dick off. There was no way she was letting him assault her.
It was ironic that Ryan had been worried about her because of the cartels in the region and vast numbers of desperate migrants. The only danger to her right now was an American doctor.
“You must have questions,” he mused, his grip on her upper arm too tight.
She didn’t respond, and Avery cried out as he suddenly shoved her forward against the shelves, pressing up behind her. She could feel his erection against her bottom, feel his hot breath on her neck, and tears smarted her eyes. He had her pinned in place, and she struggled against him, too frightened to even scream. Walters chuckled as his hands roamed, and he squeezed one of her breasts, letting out a low moan of approval. “You’re perfect,” he told her. “It will be a shame when you’re gone.”
“No,” she choked out.
“Tell me what you want to know, and maybe I’ll release you,” he said, clearly enjoying her fear. “What do you want, Nurse Nielsen?”
She gasped out her next words. “Yes. The boxes. I want to see what’s inside.”
“Ask nicely,” he said, fondling her breasts.
Avery wanted to vomit, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. At least he couldn’t see her face. See her fear. She struggled against him, and he laughed some more. “The missing boxes,” she said. “What’s inside? What are you storing in the tents?”
“Say please,” he taunted, pressing his face into her hair and breathing in. “You smell so good, Avery. Floral and sexy. Do you wear this perfume every day to tempt me?” He pushed closer, forcing her to turn her head so that the side of her face pressed up against a dusty cardboard box. The corner of another large box cut into her ribs, and her hips were pressed against a metal shelf. She sucked in a breath, finally letting out a scream.
Walters yelled, “No!” and yanked her head back, covering her mouth with one hand. “I didn’t want to do this Nurse Nielsen,” he sneered. “You’ve left me no choice.” Suddenly, her hands were zip tied behind her back, a gag covering her mouth. Tears streamed down her face as he shoved her to the ground, restraining her legs as well.
The doctor disappeared further into the room, coming back with a large cardboard box. It landed with a thud beside Avery, and fear coursed through her as he pulled out a large knife. Walters neatly sliced the box open, and she gaped in shock at the syringes and vials inside, each filled with a clear liquid.
Drugs. She strained to see the labels on the vials but couldn’t from her position on the floor.
Excitement filled his eyes. “You’ll do whatever I want now, my pretty nurse,” he said, grabbing one of the vials from the box. “None of the women are very coherent after we drug them, but that’s how the clients like it. It keeps the girls willing. Pretty girls just like you. You’ll sell for a nice price, Avery. There aren’t many blondes around here. Tell me. How many men do you think will bid for a chance to fuck a pretty white American female?”
His laughter was maniacal as he grabbed a vial and syringe, and Avery struggled, trying to scoot away on the floor.
“You’re so pretty when you’re flustered,” he said. “I can’t use that mouth with you gagged though. You’ll be a good girl and suck me off as soon as I drug you. Then I’ll test out the rest of that gorgeous body for myself, see how tight that pussy is. How sweet it tastes. Maybe I’ll send a picture to your boyfriend,” he taunted. “See what he thinks of sharing his girl. I bet he’ll want one last picture before you disappear forever.”
Avery gagged, choking back her own bile as she watched in horror. Walters filled the syringe with whatever drug was in the vial, smiling. Shock washed over her as she realized the vast quantities he was moving. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the horror of what he was involved in.
“A fair number of our clients like to keep their girls drugged and submissive. Makes it more fun with a woman who’s always willing. Maybe your buyer will like a fighter though,” he added with a dark laugh. “I bet you’re a wildcat when you want to be. You just need to be tamed.”
Walters ducked down beside her, and Avery whimpered, trying to talk through the gag.
His hands roamed freely over her body, watching her panic with a flare of excitement on his face. “Good girl, Nurse Nielsen,” he said as he injected her upper arm with the drug. “You’ll do whatever I want now.”
As the sedative hit her bloodstream, she immediately began to feel groggy. Panicking, she blinked, trying to stay awake. Trying to fight it. She was sleepy though. So sleepy.
Her eyelids fluttered, and the last thing she saw was Walters’ face hovering above her, a look of crazed excitement in his eyes.