Page 10 of Saddles

“Why am I here?” I hate to ask the question. But there’s a part of me that knows that as long as he’s talking, he isn’t doing anythingelse.

“It’s your own fault.” His tongue runs over his cracked lower lip. “We were just there to pick up some extra cash and supplies when you came in.”

Fuck. They were robbing the place?

“Shut up, Doug!” Another deep voice calls from behind the wall.

That must be the country boy.

Except he doesn’t seem quite as charming now. Like admitting to theft is less thankidnapping.

“So, I was an afterthought? You know you can just let me go. I don’t care that you took some snacks.” I don’t know if there’s much hope trying to reason with him.

I have to try.

“More like a bonus.” Doug’s eyes squint. “We gotta be stuck up here for a few weeks while we finish a job.”

Weeks.

“Doug?” I try to keep my voice calm when all I really want to do is scream. “My dad is a lawyer. I bet if you called him, you could get money? He’s totally loaded.”

Do I think he’d pay? Probably not. But at least then he’d know I was captured and being held against my will.

Dealing with his psycho wife doesn’t sound so bad all of the sudden.

“I gotta ask Davey.” His palm works down over his crotch and he readjusts himself before he leaves.

This isn’t looking good.

What the fuck do I do?

Frantically, I try to look for anything I can use as a weapon or a key.

Nothing. Unless I want to try and hold them off with a dented aluminum can and a sheet.

With a loud thump, the handle of the door bounces off the wall when Davey pushes into the tiny room. He pushes his hat back onto his head, revealing the same dark hair that Doug has.

“Tell me about how much money I can get from him.” His wiry arms cross over his chest.

“He is a partner in his firm. His house is huge. I bet ten or twenty thousand right off, easy.” I have no idea how much Dad makes.

The way his wife spends it, he’s probably into the millions.

Davey’s lip curls as his eyes boldly drop to my chest. “Pretty girl like you, blond, big ol’ titties, and that tight little ass?” His arms drop to lean forward, pinching a lock of my hair between his rough fingers. “Nah. I’d say you’re worth a lot more than that. Maybe in a few weeks when I’m done with you.”

A knot forms in my gut. I fight my chin from trembling at his touch. “When you’re done with your job?” I don’t think Davey is quite as easy to work as his brother.

By the glint of lust in his gaze, I’d say he’s very one track minded.

“Yep. Then you’ll be here all alone.” His thumb works down my jaw to tilt my face up.

Damn fucking tears falling down my cheeks.

He leans over close enough to smell the beer on his breath. “Believe me, it gets mighty cold up in these mountains. You’ll be wishing I was here to keep you warm at night.”

Mustering every drop of saliva in the desert of my mouth, I spit at him.

Stars split in my vision when he backhands me. The sting hits a moment later with the taste of blood exploding into my mouth.

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