Page 111 of Knot The Only Onee
I popped my headphones in, then hit play on one of the many playlists I used to try and help calm my nerves. My heart was in my throat, bile sloshing around in my stomach as I had to fight tooth and nail to keep the panic at bay.
My eyes fluttered shut as I let the soothing music wash over me. It wouldn't do a bit of good to go into a full-fledged panic attack right now. I had things to do. Omegas to save. A mission to fulfill.
Now was not the time for panic.
Or at least, that's what I was repeating over and over to myself like a mantra inside my head.
The app alerted me to the arrival of my driver, and I popped outside. The driver confirmed the code on my screen, and I climbed into the backseat, my headphones still in my ears and the music on low so I could still hear the sounds around me.
Thankfully, the driver didn't make any small talk. She smiled at me in the rearview mirror, confirmed the address, and we set off towards what was probably my ultimate demise.
I sucked in a harsh breath as the warehouse came into view. It was an area of the suburb that had been converted to various industrial buildings, obviously trying to revitalize the area and create jobs.
Mike could easily hide his nefarious activities beneath the surface and behind smoke and mirrors.
As we pulled up to the building, my driver bid me a polite farewell as I exited the back seat. A shiver raced down my spine, one having nothing to do with the chill in the air and everything to do with the nervous energy bouncing around within my cells.
The car sped off, and I moved closer to the nondescript door with a sign above it that read AOE in big, block letters.
My hands shook as I tried to open the door, but it was locked. I knocked, the sound hollow on the dark glass.
I gazed down at my phone, seeing I was still within the allotted time, and debated about texting my brother when the door opened, and a hand dragged me inside.
A cloth covered my mouth, and I immediately felt woozy as the smell of chemicals invaded my senses. My nostrils burned. My lungs strained for fresh air as I tried to fight off the arm holding me still.
"Stay quiet, you bitch, or I'll make you pay," the voice snarled.
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. How cliche was that? No talking “or else.”
If I weren't so completely and utterly terrified, or you know, had my mouth covered with a chemical-laced cloth, I would have probably laughed out loud.
My vision grew blurry, and I tripped over my own feet before I was dragged away. The covering over my mouth fell away, but I was too weak to speak. The only sound that escaped me was a squeak.
"Dear sister," Mike said as I was dumped into a metal chair. A bright light shone overhead, blinding me further as I blinked rapidly to try and clear my sight. "It's good of you to join us. Don't try to escape, not that you could. I'm sure your vision is blurring by now, and it's difficult to catch your breath."
A chorus of chuckles echoed in the space around me, and I grew dizzy as I tried to look for the source of the voices.
A vicious hand clamped down on my shoulder, squeezing me so tightly I whimpered in pain. They jerked my arms behind my back, and rough ropes were wrapped around them, binding me together.
"Don't worry about your friend either. I'm sure my colleagues have taken care of him already." Mike clapped his hands, his voice practically gleeful as he spoke. "Have to thank you for that one, he's been a tricky son of a bitch. Been after him for a long time. Or rather, Father was."
No, no, no, not Xavier. A silent scream burst from my chest. Everything around me blurred, and I stopped fighting back the darkness, wanting to take me under.
But that would be too much of a reprieve.
Cold water cascaded over my face from above, followed by a harsh slap across my right cheek.
Awareness jolted through me as I sputtered and coughed against the water.
"You don't get to pass out on me," Mike snarled and slapped me across the other cheek. "You're gonna watch as I?—"
A commotion from the front of the warehouse cut Mike off mid-sentence. He cursed and pulled the gun from his waistband as several large men swarmed around him. Must be his hired bodyguards.
Gunfire sounded around us, and I fought in earnest against my bindings. Whoever this was causing a commotion, I would take advantage of the chaos and try to escape.
Except the knots were too tight.
The ropes burned the sensitive flesh of my wrists, and blood trickled from the wounds as I kept fighting to loosen the bonds.
