Chapter 35 #2
I know what this is. I just don’t want to admit it to myself. I’m not sure I’d be able to keep my facade up if I let myself fall into a spiral about where I am. About the eyes I’ve seen as I pass each room. About the cries. About the men who are holding me captive.
It feels as though the hallways go on forever. The further we go, the more I realize how many people they’re planning for, and my stomach turns.
“You should see it when it’s full.” Matthews laughs behind me. “The sobs make their own kind of music…”
“You’re sick.”
“Scared yet?” He laughs again, the barrel pressing against my spine as his breath dances along my neck.
Fuck him.
The large door opens in front of me, and I’m shoved through. Asshole #2 steps forward with me in tow until we’re standing in front of a table. A man, who’s the epitome of what one thinks when imagining someone living on the lam, sits behind it.
“Who the fuck are you?” I question the man who sits behind it.
“Consider me a family friend,” the old man leans back in his chair, taking me in. “Which one is this?” he says to #2.
“The sister.”
“Oh,” the old man gleams, the chair creaking as he sits forward. “Caroline’s daughter.” His grin widens, and I can’t take my eyes off his rotting teeth. “I met your mother once,” I hear a chuckle from the distance before he starts again. “And in a way, I kind of met you too.”
Glancing around, I can feel all the sets of eyes on me.
“What do you want?”
“I want to make them pay,” he slowly stands up.
“Well, you’re about nine years too late for that… they’re dead.” Crossing my arms to conceal the pain shooting through me.
“I know.” He laughs again, stands up, and walks over.
“But your brother inherited their debt when he took over the club. And you, my dear…” raising his hand, he turns it, making me instantly flinch.
I don’t expect his knuckles to run across my cheek.
“You’re collateral. I told them not to hurt you, but I hear you put up quite a fight.
” I would have had less of an internal recoil if he had just hit me.
“Say that to your man’s pinky.”
His laughter echoes throughout the cement walls. “We’re gonna get along just fine.” He continues to touch my face.
I can feel the panic rising in my chest as I look at him. Shoving it all down, “eat shit.”
The stinging starts across my cheek as his knuckles connect.
“I see you have your mother’s mouth.” He laughs, nodding towards the men guarding a door on the opposite side of the room, and I don’t know what to expect.
“I assumed you’d be just as much of a problem and just as difficult as your mother and Ella.
So, I brought a sort of insurance. Let’s just say to make you a little more reasonable. ”
“What?” I breathe out as I hear the door shut. Snapping my head around, I gasp. “Low.” Pushing the men away, but they ground me into place.
“Drew!” she looks at me terrified as she stands in the room with me. “Where are we?”
I want to comfort her, but I can’t lie to her.
“I’m sorry.” I whisper as I try to move, but the hand tightens its grip on my shoulder, stilling me. “Why?” I look back at whoever this man is.
“I told you.” He chuckles. “Your mother was a problem. Hell, all the women associated with this club have always been problems.” He walks closer.
“Had I not underestimated your mother, she wouldn’t have gotten away, and they would never have found us.
” An evil grin spread across his face. “You would have had a completely different life.”
“What?”
“Did they never tell you?” he nods his head. “It was a few weeks before you were born. Ella and Caroline ended up in… well, my care.”
“You kidnapped them?” I stand stunned. “You kidnapped a pregnant woman?”
He doesn’t answer, but his sneer grows.
“You’re sick.” I snap out as I move towards him. Low’s cries echoing off the surrounding walls and permeating through me.
“Don’t do that.” He shakes his head.
“My brother’s coming for us.” Shouting back at him.
“Oh, I’m planning on it.” He laughs again. Saying the same thing as I heard before.
“Then you’re gonna have to fucking kill me.” I scoff at him.
“Nah, won’t have to do that.” He laughs, nodding his head to the side.
The gunfire halts my entire body as I turn, looking to my side. “Low!” I shout, rushing over. I’m almost surprised when they let me go, but I shouldn’t be. I should’ve known as soon as they brought her out that this was their plan.
“No!” I cry, covering the bullet hole in her stomach with my hands, as if in any world that alone would stop the bleeding.
Her eyes shake with fear as she stares back at me. “What… what…” she can’t finish her thought because I’m sure she’s spiraling into shock. “Drew?”
“Shhh,” I whisper as my hands shake against her skin, her eyes flickering underneath the lids as they threaten to close. “No, Low, look at me.”
But she doesn’t.
“Now, Drew,” his footsteps grow closer to us before they stops.
Low’s eyes roll backwards, and I want to shake her awake, make her stay with me, but he pulls me away quickly. I bury the scream that will give them all such joy deep down, but I can’t stop the tears streaming down my face.
“If you cooperate, we’ll keep her alive.” The guard from earlier scolds me, forcing me back to my feet, gripping hard onto me, making sure I don’t make a break for the door when they take her out.
Staring down at her limp body as two guards walk over, plucking her up as if she isn’t human and dragging her backwards out.
“No...” I cry out, my eyes continuing to stare at the door, hoping they’ll come back in. “Where are they taking her?”
“They’ll keep her alive.” I can hear his footsteps moving closer, his hand on my shoulder, forcing me sideways until I’m looking up at him. “As long as you behave.”
I want to lash out. I want to attack. I want to rip his fucking eyeballs from his skull.
The only thing stopping me is knowing Low’s back there, counting on me. He got exactly what he wanted.
My hands still shake as I look down. The lights reflecting off the still wet blood trailing through the room.
“How do I know you’re not lying?”
He smirks at me before nodding to the guards behind me and moving in the direction the men just drug Low out of.
A rifle’s back in my back, propelling me forward after him. The door remains open until we’re through.
The hallway is just like the one my room is down. Same cement walls, same creepy feeling; the only difference is that next to each door is a large window looking in.
The window the older man is stopped at has a light on. The rifle pushes me closer to him until I’m standing next to him.
Glancing at me once before nodding towards the window.
Turning my head, I can see the men putting Low into the bed. A man walks over, hesitating. I can tell by the way he looks at her and then at the men in the room with him; I’m pretty sure he’s some sort of doctor, but I can’t see his face.
“Please don’t do this. Just take her to the hospital. I’ll take her place.”
“Such a noble —”
“She has nothing to do with this. She’s innocent!” I scream as the tears slide down my cheeks.
“Do we have an understanding?” he puts his arm around my shoulders, and I have to force down a reaction to revolt from him.
Slowly, I nod my head.
“Good.” He laughs. “You cooperate, she lives. It’s as easy as that.”
“You never told me your name.” I want it to come out strong and demanding, but it betrays me in a sheepish whisper.
He smiles at me, nodding his head to the man whose grip is digging into my arm, before I’m pulled back down the hallway.
Knowing by the creeping feeling across my body that his eyes never leave me until I’m back behind the door.