Chapter 16 Lincoln
Iwatched her face as I laid next to her. She looked content with her brown hair splayed around my pillow beneath her. The guilt in my chest arose from the fact that I had done to her what all the men had done. I hoped she didn’t view it the same. I wanted her to know pleasure instead of pain. Pain could be pleasurable, but that’s not what she needed right now. I didn’t want to scare her or hurt her. She wasn’t ready for either of those things, but one day she would be. I pushed her hair back from her face and she smiled at me with those cute, plump lips. First, I kissed them and then I gently sucked on her lower lip. I heard a moan escape her throat. I couldn’t get over how beautiful she was. She was perfect. I moved from on top and laid next to her, scooting her naked body against mine. She clung to my arm that was draped over her.
The next morning, things were better. She seemed happy and carefree. She helped J.C. make pancakes in the kitchen. Despite J.C.’s awful jokes, she smiled so much that morning. After breakfast, J.C. and I taught her how to play Call of Duty. We laughed for hours as she got panicked when aiming her gun and ended up killing herself off. I wasn’t into video games like J.C. was, but I still played occasionally. Laynie’s laugh was contagious. It was loud and big, and filled the entire room. For lunch we had sushi and Laynie would only eat the california roll, claiming she only eats cooked animals. I loved everything about this girl. I couldn’t imagine her going back to being someone’s sex slave. She was so full of life and energy. I would make sure that she could live whatever lifestyle she chose after this. I would take care of her, if even from the background of her life. She didn’t want to leave the apartment again, and she also didn’t want me to leave the apartment. I tried several times, and she refused. I understood. She was afraid to be seen again. I hated that she didn’t feel safe with me in public. One day, I will change that, but I needed to check on business and speak to Alek.
* * *
I woke to a loud bang in the kitchen. What the fuck? I thought. Then I heard a scream. J.C.
I flew out of bed, throwing some pants on as I rushed to the kitchen.
“J.C?” I called out in the dark.
No answer, but something hard hit me in the back of my head. It took me a moment to collect myself and I could feel blood dripping down my back.
“What the fuck?” I said, while reaching for the back of my head to feel the wound.
Someone turned the lights on, and my eyes struggled to focus. I saw Eddie with a gun to J.C.’s head. She was crying. Her blonde hair stained with blood. It was unusual to see J.C. in such a position. I was always her protector, and most people knew not to mess with my sister. The fact that these disgusting pigs had their hands on her made me want to commit murder.
“You motherfucker. Let her go.” I stumbled towards them, still dizzy from the blow a few seconds prior. Two men held me back, one of them aiming his gun at the back of my head. The gun didn’t scare me. I wasn’t afraid to die, but if I died, who would be left to save Laynie?
“I’m here to collect my merchandise,” Eddie smiled. He spoke while holding the gun to J.C.’s head nonchalantly. “You see, my merchandise is precious. You can use it however you like, but when you start to act like the merchandise is yours and take it places to show it off to people, I don’t like that. So, I will take your merchandise until I can get mine back. Unless you’re ready to hand over mine?”
I felt my jaw clench and before I could answer; I heard a small voice approach behind me.
“Let her go Eddie, I am here,” her voice was small and weak. She was wearing the llama pajamas with those stupid fucking sombreros. She must have thrown them on in a panic.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
She didn’t answer, but she walked forward with her head down. She was back to being submissive. Everything that I had seen in her, the giggles, the attitude, the smart mouth, it was gone. It was replaced by the zombie that had been delivered here 6 days ago. I hadn’t listened to her. She told me he was going to fucking come for her and I blew her off. I could have protected her, and I didn’t. Now she was going back to hell and there was nothing I could do about it.
Eddie grinned, and I saw two gold teeth on his canines. I planned to rip his fucking teeth out, starting with those.
He tossed J.C. so hard she slammed into the ground. I watched her crawl away from him, scrambling under the dining room table. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this fucking guy. The things I was going to do to him. Unfortunately, my gun and knives were in my drawer and I was outnumbered 3 to 1. I was useless.
“Laynie!” I yelled, but she refused to look at me. She didn’t stop until she was in front of Eddie. He took the end of his gun and hit her in the head with it. She immediately fell to the floor, and he kicked her in the face. I ripped out of the men holding me and ran towards Eddie. He turned his gun on me and shot me in my shoulder and another bullet from the men behind hit the back of my thigh.
I heard her scream as I fell to the floor on my knees, a few feet short of her. She scrambled to me, probably out of pure instinct. Right when I felt her tiny hands touch me, he dragged her up by her hair.
“You’ll pay for that little lamb,” he sneered in her face. “Lets get the fuck out of here.”
The men departed the apartment before I could even blink. I felt J.C.’s hands on me, wrapping something around my arm and leg to stop the bleeding.
“Are you okay?” I said.
“I’m fine. We need to get you to a hospital, Linc. This doesn’t look good.”
“No, they will ask too many questions. Call George.” George was the doctor for the streets. He had his license taken years ago but still practices under the table. He got caught writing fake prescriptions and selling them. The FDA sent him to prison for 5 years. He’s 75, but you’d never know it. He was the youngest 75-year-old I had ever met.
“We have to get her back, Jamie.” J.C. stared at me with sad eyes. Eyes that didn’t believe in my mission anymore, eyes that betrayed my hope.
“Worry about you right now. Your mom is going to freak out if she finds out about this.” J.C. was always worried about my mother. She was dramatic and overbearing, but I wouldn’t let her find out about this. I would probably miss out monthly dinner and say something came up. It annoyed me that this was J.C’s first thought. I was worried about Laynie and what the hell she was going to be going through…because of me. What had I done? Trying to save her didn’t work, and I ended up making things much worse. I had no choice but to get her out. Worst-case scenario, I would go to the police and risk myself. She deserved to live a life of freedom and I would give up mine to make sure that happened.