a's

k to consciousness, a dull ac

gh to catch sight of a man standing ove

g around the room. There were more men, rough, brutal-looki

the others, he didn't look at us with hostility. Instead, he seemed

bing my arm and yanking me to my feet. My hea

eak but a stinging slap to

r a sound unless you are asked." He said

e commanded, his ton

the other women lay unconscious. They shook each of them roug

ered again, his voice slicing

y moved slowly, as though they feared any sudden motion might bring even worse conseq

d, his expression unreadable as he watched, almost as if he we

attention back to the man in front of

's money you're after, you're wasting your time with

igar from his mouth, "Do I look li

t a gun, and my

onsidering whether I was worth his time.

he commanded, his voi

ned, glancing at each othe

to bore him. A sharp

rowing. He tilted his head slightly, h

at the girl beside me, sen

. She crumpled to the floor, lifele

stifled th

outh to hold b

peat myself

en, trembling,

mirked with hungry eyes a

his lips, whistling in amusem

?" he sneered, waving the

ed off my Jacket, exposing just

napped, "I'd rather die than str

ed, folding their arms a

anger and he snarled

and I squeezed my eyes sh

ut. I flinched,

and another. Gasp

he brutal man who'd held

thers wer

lently in the chair earl

ed me? Is he a

ds us, his gaze

opped in front of me, tilting his

" His voice was calm, but somet

kid," I replied, wondering wh

eyes, and for a second, th

led his gaze toward the other l

h one grabbed her clothes

ammered in my chest, torn between fear

e terrified of, calmly holdi

pulled me in, like the calm after a sto

nal thought screamed for me to run, but somet

me?" I asked,

e back to me, I fe

eyes that seemed to look right through me

's you

barely above a whisp

said, that smooth tone of

. "I'm not going anywhere

clearly unamused. "Don

rs, lifting my chin.

other word, he lifted

ing against his grip. "I'm not so

, ignoring my pleas as though they wer

luxurious black car, heads bowed and

and before I could twist free, they wound thick tape around my wris

I was lowered onto

cries as he injected me with a tranquilizer. "Not