Page 67 of Exposed

Cars bustled down the streets and a long line of vehicles wedged together at the side of the road. Good god, how would anyone be able to back out of their spots?

“This way, it’s at the end of the street,” Carlos said, gesturing ahead. Hector walked several paces in front, and Carlos picked up his speed.

A middle-aged woman slammed into Maddie’s shoulder, reeling her back. Maddie turned around and opened her mouth to say something, but the woman was gone. Her dark hair fanned out behind her.

Maddie scoffed and shook her head. She turned back in the direction she’d been walking. Carlos’s ebony head bounced down the sidewalk.

She held her shoulder bag close to her side and jogged after them. The sidewalks were busy, with merchant tables cluttering the walkway and people clustered everywhere.

If she didn’t hurry, she’d lose him. The door of a white van opened next to her as she sidled around a small boy. Carlos was getting farther. She turned to lift the flap of her purse. Maybe she could try Nate again and—An arm closed around her biceps and a rag slammed roughly over her mouth. Panic blasted through her senses. She jammed her elbow backward but the assailant secured her arm and a sickly sweet scent filled her nostrils.

He towed her backward, dragging her toward the open van door. Terror spiked her blood pressure and fear bit its ferocious teeth into her.

Her instincts took over. She dove her body as far forward as his arm would allow, and then snapped her head back sharply. The back of her skull connected with his nose. A curse spat in her ear, but she shook her head and twisted against the tight hold.

Determination locked her joints, and he struggled to move her. She wouldn’t go down without a fight.

She repeated the movement for another blow at his face, but this time her vision waned and her eyelids fluttered. White latex gloves covered his hands and thick, black material adorned his arms.

White covered hands—more gloves—reached out from the van and grabbed her feet. She let out a scream, but the hand with the rag tightened and only a squeak escaped.

They dropped her on the floor of the van and her head slammed against something hard. The other pair of hands snagged her wrists. She kicked her foot out, catching the second man in the jaw and skewing the black mask over his face.

“Fucking cunt,” he snarled. His fingertips dug into her wrists and she winced. A patch of dark skin flashed beneath his mask but he didn’t let go. He leaned forward and secured a zip-tie around her wrists.

The door rattled shut and the rag pressed harder into her face. A dark fog misted over her eyes and she let her lids flutter shut. Maybe she could fake it…

“Vámonos!” he yelled at the driver.

The vehicle bumped over the road and her body jostled against a sharp turn. Her eyelids lifted and closed, lifted and closed…

Her body sank into the floor and her face went numb. Darkness washed over her, sucking her away from consciousness.

She couldn’t pass out. She had to stay alert. She’d be completely at their mercy if she didn’t fight against it. Nate’s laughing green eyes filled her vision and her heart constricted.

Nate, where are you?

Tears stung the backs of her eyes and her body went lax. She imagined Nate’s warmth surrounding her as she fell deep into oblivion.

***

Vomit hit Maddie’spalate. She retched, but it slid back down her throat, burning her esophagus. Her eyes filled with water, spilling over her cheeks. She gagged again, but nothing came up. Her shoulders ached and her fingers tingled with loss of blood flow. She sat in a chair, her hands tied behind her back, and her feet stretched out in front of her. Her chin rested on her chest, and the muscles in the back of her neck screamed.

A soft buzzing rattled through the chair legs, vibrating her teeth with the familiarity of a dentist’s drill. She squeezed her eyelids closed. Deep muffled voices carried to her ears. What the hell had happened? How long had she been out? With the force of a tidal wave, memories of gloved hands dragging her into a van washed over her. This wasn’t good. If she was still here, that meant Nate hadn’t found her. Did he know she was missing? As upset as he was with her, he wouldn’t just drop the case. Without lifting her head, she took in her surroundings.

Laminate flooring sat beneath her chair, a large oriental rug covering most of it. A huge picture window with the blinds drawn shut took up the wall next to her. Strobe lights flickered beyond it, licking the white slats.

Where were her attackers? She strained her ears again, but the voices were softer than before. She wiggled her fingers, trying to get blood flow back to them, but they remained numb. They must have adjusted her hands behind her back while she’d been out, because in the van they’d secured them in front. Her fingers stretched to the inside of her wrist—they’d changed the restraint to rope instead of the zip-tie.

It wasn’t tight. If she could get the feeling back in her fingers, she might be able to work it off. But she’d have to straighten up and take some of the weight off her shoulders. Carefully, she lifted her head. The muscles in her neck tightened like guitar strings. Her breath sucked in and pain shot through her chest.

Lord, what had they done to her? Her clothes were still intact, offering a sliver of reassurance.

Now that she was awake, her time was limited. She had to get out. She stretched her neck from side-to-side, taking in her surroundings. The wide-open room was empty, thank God. Cords and wires hung down from the unfinished ceiling, and beer bottles and plates with dried food littered the tables near the sofa beneath the window. With her brain less scrambled, she could focus on the noise beneath her. The constant rhythm of bass and Spanish lyrics settled over her.

She was in a nightclub.

Slowly, life returned to her choked fingers. She made two tight fists, and released them. She repeated the action until strength returned to her muscles. She grasped the rope in her fingers and worked at loosening it. They’d only wrapped it around twice with one simple knot. Hope surged through her. She might be able to get out of it. All she needed was the use of her hands and she’d be able to escape.

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