Page 88 of Charming the Dragon
“We might be able to do that sooner now, thanks to our head researcher. Besides, Bourne’s sister ordered us to watch over the woman. Are you going to fucking disobey her?”
“That chit is barely an adult. Why the hell do we need to listen to her?”
“Do you want to deal with her older brother? You know what he did to Harry.”
“Fair point. I like my bollocks where they are.”
“Then we need to take care of this bitch until told otherwise. She’ll fight it at first, so we need to keep her drugged until she loses her spirit.”
As they debated hiding the drugs in food or simply shooting her up, Hayley tried to process their words. They wanted her child. For their blood, or something else sinister.
No bloody way.She’d die before she let that happen.
But to even have a chance, she needed information. She couldn’t fight them off physically, but she was clever. Maybe clever enough to trick them, if she could learn enough about them.
As the doorknob twisted, Hayley closed her eyes and feigned sleep. She wasn’t quite ready to talk with them. No, she wanted them to keep chatting and sharing more than they should.
And while she was determined to try and save herself, she also hoped Nathan and the others knew she’d been kidnapped and were looking for her. Because otherwise it could be a very long time until she had a decent chance of escaping.
Once they saw she was still asleep, they cut off her zip-tie cuffs, positioned her so she laid on the floor, and tossed a blanket over her. Apparently, she was going to be treated better until her child was born.
Man One said, “Right, we’ll have to check on her later. The doctor said not to give her more drugs until these wore off. Let’s make sure there’s nothing in the room she can use to hurt us or herself.”
“I checked it earlier.”
“Yes, but you overlook things. Remember what happened a few months ago?”
“Are you ever going to fucking let that drop?”
“Since she managed to get out of her room, down the stairs, and nearly out the front door, no.”
“Well, now all she does is sit on her bed and mumble to herself. Her baby is due anytime now, and then we can get rid of her.”
“Or keep her to pass around the men.”
They both laughed and anger churned in Hayley’s stomach. Wherever this other woman was, she would find a way to rescue her, too.
The men continue to chat about her prison. Apparently, it was an old, grand house that had fallen into disrepair, like so many others. It still looked to be crumbling from the outside, but the inside had been fixed up.
They even mentioned the name once—Fairfields. Hayley had heard that name before, and it wasn’t more than a few hours from Manchester. In fact, it was closer to the Lake District than Manchester.
Which meant it wasn’t too far from Stonefire.
Had Stonefire managed to overlook such a close threat, though?
Remember, the hunters have been working in silence for a few years. Anything is possible.
Once they left her alone again, she slowly peeked an eye open and saw that there was a window on the far side, but it was boarded up. It must’ve been dark outside earlier, but a little light came through now.
That helped calm her a fraction. It also gave her an idea. They’d left her hands unbound. And after listening for a few minutes, she ascertained the men were gone. For the moment.
She slowly stood, toddled, and used the wall to keep her upright. After inching along the wall, she made it to the window and spied between the cracks of two boards.
There wasn’t much to see that would help her—just endless farmland and forests. However, judging by the height of the window, she was probably on the first or second floor and notthe ground floor, meaning it would be difficult to sneak out and try to get away.
No, that wouldn’t work. What she needed was a mobile phone to send a quick message to Stonefire.
Maybe if she pretended to faint, she could fall against one of the men and take his phone. She was no sleight-of-hand expert, but if she cried or acted hysterically, it might be enough of a distraction.
