Chapter 28
Abigail
The first thing I felt when I woke up was pain. The coarse rope binding my wrists had rubbed the skin rew, and every movement sent a sharp, burning sting shooting open arms. My head pounded in a way that made it hard to piece together what had happened. The hands carrying me roughly dropped me to the ground, deliberately brushing up against the side of my body, and I shuddered in disgust.
I groaned in agony as 1 landed on my shoulder, forcing my eyes open. I was in a dimly lit, grimy room, and the air heavy with the stench of sweaty bodies and cigarette smoke. A low murmur of voices reached my ears, followed by gruff laughter. Panic cut through me like the sting of low water as the pieces fell into place I had been kidnapped I struggled to sit up, my breathing rapped.
A low, pitiful sob broke through the fog clouding my mind, Susanna sat a few feet avery from me, huddled on the floor. Tears streamed down her face as she whimpered pitifully, the sound raw and broken. For once, they weren’t the calculated sobs she used to manipulate Conrad. These tears were genuine and gut–wrenching
One of the men, tall and broad–shouldered with a face that looked like it had been through a hundred wars, stepped forward, smirking as he looked down at her. “Relax, sweetheart,” he drawled, his tone dripping with mockery. “No need to cry. Nobody’s gonna hurt you. Not if you… help us out.”
His grin was vile as he said the words. It was obvious from his gaze that he was mentally undressing her. There was no mistake as to what he wanted.
Susanna gasped, her hands flying to her stomach. “Please,” she begged, her voice breaking “I’m pregnant. I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt my baby.”
The man’s smirk widened, and he crouched in front of her, his face inches from hers. “That’s good to hear,” he said, reaching out to stroke her neck and letting his hand go down her shoulders. Susanna flinched, tears streaming down her face. “Because we’ve got some ideas about how you can help.”
A sickening wave of disgust rolled over me, and before I could stop myself, I spoke. “Leave her alone.”
The man’s gaze snapped to me, his eyes narrowing. He stood slowly, turning his full attention to me. “And what’s this?” he said, his smirk returning. “You volunteering, sweetheart?”
I glared at him, refusing to show how afraid I was. My heart felt like it was going to burst. “Go to hell.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Feisty. I like that.”
I clenched my teeth, disgust turning in my stomach. Pregnant or not, I knew Susanna’s survival instincts were sharp enough to rival that of any predator. She would sell anyone out if it meant saving her own skin. And as if to prove my point, her tear–filled eyes snapped to me.
“Abigail,” she whispered, crawling closer to me. Her desperation was shining in her trembling voice, easy enough for anyone to see. “You have to do it. Please.”
I stared at her, incredulous although this was exactly the kind of thing she would say. “Are you serious?”
“Just… just make them happy so they’ll let me go.” Her lip shook, and more tears spilled down her cheeks. can’t… I can’t do this,” she stammered. “Please, Abigail. Just do what they want. For my baby.”
The audacity of her request left me speechless. I recoiled, my body stiff with rage. “Absolutely not,” I spat, my voice angry despite the way my hands were shaking. I was pregnant too, and I would never ask her to do such a thing. “I’m not doing anything for them.”
Susanna’s face twisted, and without warning, she lashed out. Her foot connected with my side, sending a sharp
Chapter 20
burst of pain through my ribs. I screamed as pain exploded
+25 BONUS
“What the hell are you doing?” I shouted, trying to twist away from her. I thrashed and kicked, trying to shake her off, but she had the upper hand. My hands were tightly bound, and hers weren’t. I was at a disadvantage. She didn’t stop there. Like a wild animal, Susanna pounced on the, clawing at my clothes.
She tore at my blouse, the fabric ripping under her hands. Stop it!” I screamed, twisting as I tried to get away from her.
The sound of cheers and laughter from the men filled the room, making my skin crawl.
“Looks like the show’s starting carly,” one of them said, his voice thick with amusement. A cigarette dangled from his lips.
I fought harder, fueled by anger and humiliation burning in my mind as these men watched, but it was useless. Half my blouse was shredded, exposing the strap and top of the black bra I’d tossed on this morning. Tears were already filling my eyes.
The kidnappers cheered, their eyes gleaming with sick anticipation. “That’s the spirit,” one of them laughed, stepping closer to us, his eyes roaming all over my body. “Don’t stop on our account.‘
I wanted to cry, scream, anything to release the boiling anger and helplessness in my chest. Instead, I glared at Susanna, who had crawled away and curled into a comer once the man had stepped towards me. She wasn’t even looking at me anymore. Her crocodile tears were gone, replaced by a cold indifference as she wiped away at the streaks her tears had made.
The leader of the group loomed over me, his shadow swallowing me whole. His filthy hand reached out, and I felt terror tighten its grip around my throat. My body stiffened, and I braced myself for the worst.
Boom!
A deafening gunshot rang out. It echoed through the room like a thunderclap, and for a moment, everything froze. The leader staggered, a look of shock frozen on his face as he collapsed to the ground. Blood pooled beneath him, staining the floor.
Chaos erupted. The remaining men shouted, scrambling for cover as more gunshots rang out. The lights above shattered, plunging the room into total darkness. Curses filled the air as glass rained down, only to be replaced with the sound of screams and gunfire.
In the confusion, I felt a pair of hands grip my shoulders, steadily pulling me upright. I was yanked backward, and my body fell against something solid and warm. Arms wrapped around me, securing me tightly. My heart raced as I struggled to make sense of what was happening.
“Hold on,” a deep voice murmured in my ear, low and commanding.
