29. Taylor
Chapter twenty-nine
Taylor
My muscles feel weak and deeply sore when I come to, but I can’t move.
Not because of the effects of the stun gun, but because now my hands are tied behind my back and there’s tape over my mouth.
I’m still in darkness and from the uncomfortable position I’m in, I’m pretty sure I’m still in Molly’s trunk.
Or maybe I’ve been moved to some other vehicle.
Panic floods me, and my heart pounds. The car is not moving. What if they just leave me locked in here to die?
I try to struggle, wondering if I can get the tape around my wrists off somehow.
Voices carry to me and get closer.
The trunk pops open.
It’s still nighttime.
Molly and a man peer in at me. He’s wearing a leather cut. I can only assume he’s with the enemy club of the Kings of Anarchy, but my thoughts are fuzzy and I can’t remember their name.
There’s a diamond patch with a 1% in the middle.
My eyes hit the SFFS patch along his ribs.
I know what it means. Player wears one that says KFFK. His means Kings Forever, Forever Kings.
What does his S stand for?
Sinners. Depraved Sinners.
There’s a patch with a rifle and one below it with a dagger. Player once told me when we were young that they mean they’ve killed with a gun or a knife.
I spot the three military style stripes that I know mean this guy is his club’s Sergeant-at-Arms.
“I thought she was younger.”
“This is her. She’s Gage’s daughter,” Molly lies.
I frown and try to talk, but with the tape over my mouth, it’s just moaning sounds vibrating from my nose and throat. I try to shake my head, but I’m lying face down.
“Have your club call her father. He’ll make the deal. Are we good now?” Molly asks.
The man grabs her by the neck. “If you’re trying to pull something, I’ll slit your damn throat.”
“I’m not,” Molly gasps. “It’s his daughter. I swear.”
He releases her with a shove and stalks away.
Molly rubs her throat, then glances down at me with a smirk. “I’ll be long gone before he figures out the truth. You didn’t think I’d let you come between me and Player, did you? Stupid bitch.” She shrugs. “Two birds. One stone. Easy-peasy.”
I moan and thrash, begging her with pleading eyes.
“When Gage gives them what they want, Duck will be done with me. And when Gage signs over his land, Duck will dispose of you.” She laughs.
“You don’t think the fucking Depraved Sinners play fair, do you?
You’ll be a liability. Can’t have that, honey.
Then poor Player will need a shoulder to cry on, and I’ll be there to console him. ”
She’s lost her damn mind. Doesn’t she see Gage would never sign over his land without getting his daughter’s freedom first? And where is Cici? Is she being held somewhere?
Duck returns with two men, and they carry me into what looks like a decrepit old warehouse. I’m carried into what appears to be an office. They sit me in an ancient wooden swivel chair and tape me to it with a roll of silver duct tape.
Duck steps back, lifts his phone, and snaps a photo of me. I can only imagine he’ll be sending it to Gage.
I moan and twist, trying to get Duck to remove the tape from my mouth, but he just gives the chair a spin and leaves without taking it off me. I drag my foot to stop the spinning before I get dizzier than I already am.
Scanning the room, I try to figure out where I am. There’s a dusty old calendar on the wall from years ago. It says Good Ride Tire Co. A thick layer of dust coats everything.
I hear a heavy set of metal doors slam shut and then what sounds like a chain being dragged through something. Are they chaining the door shut? Are they leaving me here in this building alone?
What if they don’t come back?
Perhaps even scarier than that thought is what happens if and when they do come back.
They bound my ankles, but I can still scoot across the floor by pushing my toes against the concrete. I only move a few inches, but it’s something. I don’t know how I’ll get the door open, but I inch my way toward it.