Page 41 of Hostile Secret
If I even whisper his name, I’d betray his confidence.
When I go to scream, nicotine-stained fingers slam over my mouth. I’m roughly manhandled and hauled around a couple of parked vehicles, moving even further away from Elysian.
Ruthlessly secured against his chest, one hand suppresses my screams, and the other holds tightly to my belly.
Survival tactics rush through my mind, but when I see where he’s dragging me, my stomach sinks.
The only guy wearing a baseball cap shunts open the side door of a brown van parked at the farthest point from the bar. There’s no signage or distinctive markings on it, and there aren't any rear windows. Once the sliding door shuts, I’d be completely hidden from the world.
I know these men wouldn’t barter with a girl like me. Except I need a fraction of time to think—to figure out how the hell I’m going to get out of this impossible nightmare.
André had said someone would come for me. The only problem is how far away they are and how long it would take them to get here. I could be dead by then.
When David finally releases me, he allows me a beat of time to stand unaided. The atmosphere feels colder in the shadows, the thick darkness creating a cloak of evil around his looming form.
While he rolls his neck and runs his leering gaze all over me, I try to settle my breathing and scrape the hair away from my mouth, elevating my chin in defiance.
“Wait… my friends will come out here… they’ll look for me…”
“Do you think I’m the sort of guy who’d get distracted by a bunch of teens?”
He grabs his handgun from the waistband of his jeans, fully expecting me to flinch, and stabs the air with it. When I don’t, he steps into me.
“I think you’d enjoy a little rough play, Baby Doll.”
“And I think you have a big gun to compensate for your tiny dick, motherfucker.” I strike out, my reactions somewhat delayed, but still determined.
Grappling with the hand holding his gun, I shove my knee into his balls. When his mouth contorts to expel a blood curdling snarl, my stomach churns.
Adrenaline pumps in my veins. In a blur of panting breaths and racing heartbeats, he aims the firearm at my forehead.
“I was right about you.” He smirks.
David’s expression turns blank, as if he’s erasing his conscience in preparation to carry out more despicable deeds. Eerie moonlight casts shade over his features and the whites of his roaming eyes shine brightly.
“I’ve found a sweet assed canary who needs her fucking wings clipped.”
He lunges forward. Merciless fingers dive into my hair, forcing me downward. I helplessly crash onto my knees, the skin grazing gritty tarmac.
From this position I witness the other men move behind me and hear them jump into the van.
David releases my hair, but shoves the tip of his gun against my lips.
“Open up,” he hisses.
I refuse to unlock my jaw, especially when the waspish sound of his zipper lowering sends waves of panic through me.
“The best part about being a guy in my position is having the authority to do whatever the fuck I want.” Hard steel clatters over my clenched teeth. “Let’s see those big blue eyes, Baby Doll.”
My lashes flick up on his command, my eyes narrowing to project a lethal dose of venom.
“I can fuck your mouth out here in the open, even if your friends come outside. No one can save you fromme.” He chuckles, the rasp of it hideous.
A menacing laugh from within the van joins his like an opening melody to a horror show.
I’m so foolish.
Even though my brother was the head of André’s security team, death had still caught up with him. All my life, he’d tried to protect me from evil—from situations like this one.
