Briella

I wish I had taken Lindsay up on that offer. Robert's friends were nasty but at least they weren't kidnappers.

A blindfold was tied over my eyes so I had no clue where I was being taken. A strong pair of arms had held me tightly and flung me in the backseat of the car. My hands were bound too, but my legs were free so I tried to kick and scream to no avail.

The vehicle was moving, and the way I was being tossed back and forth, I could feel the leather of the car seat underneath me and it wasn't too spacious so I knew that it wasn't a van. I was being kidnapped in a car. I needed to remember the smallest of details if the police found me. 'If' was the operative word. I could also be raped and my body could be thrown into a ditch before the police even made it.

Panic settled in my gut as I reached in the general direction of the door handle and tried to unlock it but the bastard had put a child's lock.

I began hyperventilating.

I was stuck and there was no way out of here. I couldn't even try to get any help if I wanted to. The thick rope around my wrists was biting into my skin, stinging as I tried to struggle free.

God knew what was going to happen to me.

"Please please let me go!" I begged. "If you want money, you can have everything I have!"

Someone in the front seat chuckled, and in a slurred voice said, "It's not the money we need; it's what's between your legs that's more valuable to us."

Another man sniggered.

There wasn't one man. There were two of them.

My blood ran cold and sweat broke over my arms.

"LET ME OUT!" I kicked the door, "LET ME OUT OF HERE YOU SICK BASTARDS!" I shrieked and continued to kick the door. I'd rather fall out of a speeding car and die than be subjected to the mental and physical abuse these men had planned for me.

I continued to pound my hands on the windows of the glass and hit in several directions.

"Shut the bitch up!" The drunk guy said.

A smack landed straight into my face, and the worst part is that I hadn't seen it coming because of the blindfold. My head buzzed as the pain surged through me.

"Don't hit her, asshole!" The one in the driving seat yelled at his partner, "She's merchandise—the finest we could find, and if there's even a slight scar on her body, we wouldn't have any use of her. That's a hundred thousand dollars going down the drain."

"You think they'd believe she's a virgin? I mean what if she's not? Then we're going to have to settle for forty."

"No way, I'm sure she is. It's been months we've been keeping tabs on her. Did you see any guy walk in or out of her apartment?"

"Nope, but who knows."

The guy sighed, "We deliver her to the buyer, collect the damn check, split the money, and bounce. If she doesn't turn out to be a virgin, hell, it wouldn't be our problem anymore."

"If Scar finds out, and gets hold of us, you already know what happens."

"Let's juzzz asss the girl." The drunk guy said.

"Hey, pretty girl. You been fucked before?"

I cringed at the use of such crude language.

I realized they'd let me go if I lied.

"Yes." I said a little too enthusiastically, "I had several boyfriends so I'm not a virgin. I'm far from it."

I hated how being a virgin was now going to be my ultimate downfall. I wish I'd found time from studying and bartending to meet some random guy and lose my virginity.

"She's lyin'." The drunk one said.

"I'm telling the truth! I had regular sex with my boyfriend." It was mortifying to admit these things to complete strangers, ones who were about to sell me but this could possibly save my life.

They could assume I wasn't worth all the trouble and let me go. I hoped they would!

There was a suffocating silence in the car, the only sound I heard was the bumps in the road and the soft music drifting from the radio.

"You think we could push for two-hundred thousand?" The driver asked his partner.

"We could try. I mean she'zz preeettyy like a fresh flowerrr..." I heard the sound of a bottle being guzzled. "And she seems smart, that should get us more money, right?"

"Right." The guy agreed. "She'll make a good slave or even a wife."

They sniggered at the last part.

I refused to show these bastards that I was scared. I needed to think clearly, I was starting to imagine all these scenarios in my head where I would be sold to some perverted old man who would keep me locked up in a dungeon and use me for sex whenever he wanted to, and the thought only made matters worse.

The drive went on forever, I estimated that I'd spent two or three hours in the car. The two ignored me in the backseat while they laughed and chatted like they hadn't just kidnapped a woman but were going to enjoy a picnic soon. I guess they were excited about the money they were about to receive for selling me.

Bile rose in my throat.

The car stopped a while later, and my heart jumped into my throat as I anticipated the worst. I couldn't even see anything because of the blindfold so I was at a disadvantage. They were making sure I wouldn't know the location or the route if I managed to escape.

I heard the car door open, and I resisted when I felt arms grab me forcefully. I fought hard, trying to punch this person with my tied hands until I was backhanded by the drunkard as he spewed a few choice words in my direction.

My head buzzed and before I knew what was happening, there was a sharp piercing in my neck.

The last thing I remember is being hauled out of the car and being carried into a boat waiting on the pier.

* * *

When I woke up, I found myself in a warehouse. A dirty, dingy place that smelled like cheap liquor and depravity.

Sounds of men laughing and chatting surrounded me, but I was in no mood to pay them any attention. My stomach growled and I realized I hadn't eaten in a while. I didn't even remember how long I was out and where this place was.

I sat up to find a plate of food kept in front of me. A sandwich and an apple.

I raised my hands towards the food to find them chained to the wall.

Someone chuckled near me. I looked up to find a man who I didn't recognize crouched a few feet away. He pulled the plate away from my reach and grinned at me, you'd think the smile was friendly, it was anything but. You could see the evil that lurked behind those dark eyes. "Hey, little kitty. If you want the food, come get it."

I reached towards it again but he shook his head, and commanded, "crawl."

My face burned with embarrassment.

"Let it go, Neon. Stop playing with her." Someone yelled from the background.

"You want the food, kitty, you have to crawl here to get it." He cooed like I was a lazy feline who refused to eat.

I stayed rooted to the spot.

"I SAID CRAWL!" He growled.

I flinched and went down on my fours, crawling on the floor towards him.

He grinned, "That's more like it."

When I reached close to him, he said, "Kneel."

I kneeled on the concrete floor, and he fed me a sandwich through his hands, running his hands through my long hair, petting me like I was a dog. He reached lower and squeezed my breast.

I closed my eyes with revulsion. Before he could do further damage, someone slapped him hard on the head. "How many times am I supposed to tell you not to play with the merchandise?" A voice bellowed.

A tall man stood in front of me, this man had dark hair and charcoal black eyes that matched with Neon. He was good-looking with a sculpted face and a strong jawline, wearing a gray shirt that highlighted his well-built body and slacks. There was a warm smile on his face when he looked down on me, "what's your name, love?"

* * *