Chapter Forty Four Willow
Chapter Forty Four
Willow
We’re in the back of some fancy limo with Tommy and Finn and the tension could be cut with a knife.
None of us speak while the two men pass a bottle of whiskey between them and puff on a cigar each, laughing and joking as if this is all just a normal day for them.
Ella is sat beside Tommy and barely moves as if one wrong tiny twitch from her would set him off.
The smoke from their cigars fills the air in the limo making it even harder to breathe than it already is.
When Tommy brought me back into the living room after the phone call with Dragna, he told us we had a couple of hours to get ready because we were going out tonight and he wasn’t taking no for an answer.
He said they had men at the exits of the hotel and the only way we were leaving was if we left with him.
None of us argued back while he held the gun in our faces and had a look in his eye that clarified he really didn’t care if he killed one of us.
We got ready in silence, none of us able to even ask Ella what the hell was going on and all she could do was cry silently. The girls also didn’t ask any questions about why Dragna was of interest to Tommy. I think we are all in shock.
Alina also has bruises covering her entire throat from Finn choking her that I had to help her cover with makeup and between that and my own cuts all over my legs and the palms of my hands that Lev helped take care of a couple of nights ago, mixed with the trauma of last night and having a gun waved in our faces by a deranged man, we look and feel like we need a month of bedrest rather than going out tonight.
It’s definitely different from how we envisioned this weekend being, especially when Tommy arrived to collect us, Finn in tow with him and the two of them forcing us into the limo with no information on where they were taking us.
Finn took one look at me before he shoved me by the back of my head into the limo and the smile he gave me made me want to peel my own skin off.
It was like a promise of something sick and I’ve been so terrified that the only movement I’ve made the entire car journey has been scanning my eyes across the limo at the girls and the occasional glance at what Tommy and Finn are doing.
We’ve been driving for what seems like a lifetime when we finally come to a stop outside what looks like a huge, old building. I can feel sweat beading on the back of my neck, unsure of what’s going to happen when we get inside the place.
“If you thought last night was a good time, tonight is going to blow your fuckin’ minds ladies.” Tommy says while laughing and Finn hides a snicker behind the whiskey bottle as he takes a final swig from it.
The door opens from the outside and Finn steps out before Tommy tells us ‘ladies first’ and gestures for us to get out before him.
Gigi gets out, then Mia and Alina. I look at Ella and she nods towards the door telling me to go without making any move to get up herself.
She looks back to me and tears fill her eyes when Tommy pulls her onto his lap.
They aren’t getting out and coming into this place with us.
“You’re a stubborn wee bitch, would ya hurry the fuck up and get out!” Tommy shouts at me and I wince at the volume of his voice before a pair of hands land in my hair, pulling me from the Limo. I scream as Finn drags me out of the Limo and pushes me against the brick wall outside.
“Just do as I say and maybe you’ll get off lightly tonight sweetheart.
” He says as he grabs my face with his disgusting meaty hand and squeezes me to the point tears well up in my eyes.
He lets me go with a shove and a merciless laugh before stalking to Alina and grabbing her hand, leading her to the door of the building.
We follow in line behind them and Finn knocks the door in what must be some kind of code before it’s opened up to us.
When the door swings open there’s a faint bass lingering from somewhere deep inside and I realise it’s some kind of club.
That does nothing to ease my anxiety because if anything, after last nights experience, I’ve learned it doesn’t matter if we are in a crowd of people, if these guys want to hurt us in any way, everyone else will turn a blind eye.
I bring a hand up to touch the necklace I’m wearing finding some comfort and thinking of Dragna.
He told me to wear it to remind me he’s always there for me and even if he can’t be here in person, holding this necklace between my fingers and wearing it around my neck makes me focus on getting back home tomorrow and seeing him again.
I’m still angry. I’m still hurt because he lied to me, but after being with Tommy and his friends this weekend, it’s put into perspective what real bad people are like and exactly who they are. Dragna would never do anything like this. He would definitely never treat women like this.
Finn drags Alina by the hand into the building and we continue to follow them like obedient dogs.
“Where’s Ella and Tommy, when are they coming in?” Gigi asks and Finn’s laughter bounces off the old brick walls with an eerie echo.
“He’s having some fun, they’ll be in soon, stop worrying so much darlin’, you’s are here to have fun too aren’t ya?” He says with a vile smirk on his face.
All of us stay quiet and I know we’re all thinking the same thing about getting Ella away from Tommy somehow.
We make our way down three sets of stairs and the bass gets louder and louder the deeper underground we go.
If I wasn’t brought here by two psychopaths, I’d think the place was amazing, but unfortunately it’s tinged with seedy energy and all I feel is uncomfortable and sick at the thought of being here.
We make it to another door that Finn knocks and the music blasts out towards us when it’s opened.
The room is huge, dark and mysterious. The only light illuminating the place is a faint red hue from tube lights around the DJ booth.
I can hear moans coming from around us as we walk past dark corners and dark booths and I feel bile rising in my throat.
I have no idea where they have brought us or what kind of club this is and I’m terrified something is going to happen to us, or that we’ll be forced into something none of us want.
I touch my necklace again as my heart begins to beat faster and faster when we approach a booth at the very back of the club.
There are several men sitting around it and Finn sits on the edge of the seat while pulling Alina on his lap.
I can see how uncomfortable she is and how unsettled the other girls are.
“Don’t be shy girls, plenty of seats to go around.” One of the men says patting his thigh while dark laughter erupts from the others sitting in the booth.
There’s no way out of this.
We’re all fucked, and I have never been more terrified in my entire life.