d some

a desolate industrial area, a shortcut Houston's driver had taken to avoid the main road congestion. Th

the corner," Jocelyn said in a t

uffocating luxury of the car and the cold presence of the man be

d to be weighing her request, his eyes revealing her hidden mot

burly build like a professional boxer. He

oo quickly, "please. I just w

f calculating her possible escape route. "Alright," he said, lowering his voice by an octave, "

the sidewalk. The air was damp, smelling of car exhaust, but it felt like the freshest, sweetest air she had e

d not

tore on the street corner, perfectly positioned in Rocco's blind spot from the driver's seat of the Bentley. Vince had clearly scouted the location beforehan

sideways, blocking the entire pedestrian walkway. The passenger door practically swung open, and the inst

e," he sneered, his breath

scream, but a thick arm coiled around her waist like a snake and lifted her up. R

ck's greasy voice whispered in her ear. Hi

to look back-Rocco had jumped out of the car and was charging towards them, but he was still at least fifty meters away. The Bentley, blocking the narrow alleyway, was slowing

t was silent, flanked by two large

e pickup truck roared off. Through the narrowing gap in the window, she saw Roc c

when he saw the photo she had taken of their marriage c

ou actually went to see o

he face, a burning pain instantly spreading across her cheek.

ely unpleasant. "Married? That's even better. Married to Ma

r duct tape. Before Jocelyn could scream again, he tore off a piece of tape a

blurring the filthy interior of the truck. Th

he truck away from the side of the road, a figure

as her

ruck window. She ran to the truck, her face streaked with t

o! You can't trea

head sharply, her eyes wide with

Sharon open a crack. She stumbled and fell heavily onto the

up on the ground, her small frame exposed. Jocelyn watched through the rear window as her moth

ut, preventing her from

t and heavy, landed on her thigh. "Well, Mrs. Matthews," he said

rough her. She struggled with all her might, kicking, biting at duct tape, a

and utter. She closed her eyes, preparing to bit

pact threw them all out of the truck. Rick groaned as his

from the driver's seat. "Which

denly opene

Bentley suddenly lurched into a forking alley,

eeching sound of tires behind him made him stop. Two black

ened. But it wasn't Houston who stepped

a beat. It was Houston

r bravado vanishing instantly, repl

UV behind him. They were all dressed in identical black suits, moving silently yet in perfect unison, with an

espair, a faint and fragile ray