Chapter Fifty-Three
Lainey
I blinked my eyes open but didn’t lift my head off what felt like wood beneath my face as I surveyed my surroundings.
It was as if my limbs were made of lead, and while my fingers quietly explored my arms, I was able to deduce my wrists were manacled with shackles connected to a heavy metal chain that would make noise if I moved. So, I stayed as still as possible.
I remembered Earl came into the bakery after Paulina left and acted surprised when I said I wasn’t paying him anything. Then he threatened to evict me, citing his wife’s actions had nothing to do with our lease.
I decided it wasn’t worth the fight and relented. I’d get my money back in court. He followed me upstairs to where my purse was and as I opened my pocketbook and counted out his hundred dollars, he pulled a gun and threatened if I wanted my son to live, I’d do what he said.
That’s all that needed to be said to make me comply, and he marched down the outside stairs and up the alley about twenty yards to where a white van was waiting.
I’d wanted to admonish him on how cliché that was but thought better of it.
The side door opened and a younger man around my age felt me up as he dragged me inside. A few seconds later, I felt a prick on my skin and everything went dark.
My stomach turned as I thought about what had probably occurred while I’d been blacked out. My only consolation was that, as far as I could tell, I was still dressed at least.
But for how long?
My thoughts went to Conor, and I knew I needed to do whatever was necessary in order to stay alive for him. My son was not going to be orphaned by both his parents.
“I know you’re awake,” the younger man sneered. “It’s time to get up, princess , so Uncle Earl and I can have some fun.”