Page 50 of Stolen

I wasn’t sure where the sudden surge of bravery came from, but soon the rest of the caged girls around me started quietly singing with us, joining in on the distraction with small smiles on their lips. It was quiet at first, but as the song came to the chorus, we all started shouting, “don’t stop believing,” at the top of our lungs, jamming out to the guitar solo and dancing in our cages.

It was an exhilarating feeling; the chorus of a bunch of slave girls echoing throughout the hall brought a small light of laughter back into our lives. The tension was lifting, and it felt so good to raise my voice to bring about a little fun, if that were even possible. But it was short-lived. Before the song was even over, three of the guards smashed through the door.

“Shut up! Shut your fucking mouths!” screamed one of the guards as he rushed through the doors.

“Fucking buzzkills,” Kayla murmured under her breath.

At first, I thought Jared had entered, but the man who stormed down the hall only just looked like him. Maybe he was related? He was a little shorter but just as rough-looking, same hair color, too. Other than that, I had never seen him before.

I felt pure rage as he thundered his way past the cages, eyeing all the girls. The other two guards started slamming the butts of their rifles against the cages as they prowled down the hall screaming at everyone to shut up. The voices of the girls immediately went from singing to whimpering in fear.

“If I hear one more fucking word from anyone, they’ll receive the ass beating of their lives!” shouted the new guard as he continued down the hall.

Everyone was silent then as he continued his way down, finally stopping in front of my cage.

“Your presence is requested,” he sneered.

I felt my stomach drop.

No – no fucking way. Over this? Singing?

He unlocked my cage before stepping aside and pointing at Kayla. “Her, too,” he said, nodding to the other guard.

“What?” I asked, panic rising in my blood as I stood outside of my cage.

Kayla looked confused and scared as the guard pulled her out of her cage and lined her up with me. Suddenly, the memory of the owner’s last threat had me choking on my own breath.

How could I have been so careless?

“I wouldn’t open your mouth again anytime soon. It’s gotten you in enough trouble as it is,” the new lead guard said to me bitterly.

Because of singing?

“Move,” he ordered as he pushed us along to follow the guard ahead of us.

Kayla was so terrified behind me that I could practically feel her fear like a blanket across my shoulders. It was bad enough I had my own nerves to battle just wondering how much we both would have to suffer over a little choir practice. God, I was so fucking stupid.

After we made our way up to the destined third floor, we stopped in front of the owner’s double oak doors and waited for permission to enter. I took a quick look back at Kayla, nodding at her to let her know everything would be okay. I wouldn’t let them hurt her if I could do something about it. I didn’t know what kind of promises I had the authority to make, but I would try with everything I had to keep them if I could.

We were pulled into the office, forced to kneel on the floor like usual, and kept our eyes down, but my peripherals were engaged on a single target. I heard the squeak of the leather chair as the owner rose from it slowly before walking over to stand in front of Kayla and me. He was wearing another expensive black suit with a burgundy tie, the scent of his cologne filling my lungs as I tried to focus on keeping myself calm.

Kayla’s breath had picked up, but I tried to keep mine slow and even. I hated myself for putting her in this position. There was no need for her to be here. I was the one who started singing, for fuck’s sake. Why the fuck was she here?

The owner then squatted down in front of me and took my chin in his hand, raising my face to look at him. Deep blue penetrated me, digging deep into my bones to anchor the sharp chill that always followed.

Placing his mouth next to my ear, he whispered to me, causing my entire body to shiver with dread. “Apparently, someone needs a lesson in what it means to be invisible.”

He then stood back to his full height, his lips curved into a wicked grin that made my stomach clench.

“Let’s have some fun.” And then he charged at Kayla, grabbing her by the hair and tossing her onto the floor over by the guards that stood behind us. “Have at it, boys.” He waved his hands at her, offering her up like a prime cut of beef to a pack of hungry wolves.

I didn’t even bother holding my protest back as I watched the men launch themselves on top of Kayla, her screams coming from beneath them.

“No!” I shouted, throwing myself forward in an attempt to stop them, but the owner stepped in front of me, blocking my advance like a goddamn wall.

He grabbed my throat and dragged me back to a chair stationed next to the fireplace.

“Sit,” he commanded as he plopped himself into the chair and threw me down on the floor between his legs. My back was turned to him as he had me face the horrific scene that played out before me.

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