Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Dax laughs. "She is hot-tempered, isn't she?"
He takes a seat next to Lilian and leans in close, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She flinches, and I want to launch out of my chair and beat the ever-loving shit out of him. "Get your hands off her!" I snap, glaring at him.
"Do you need me to give you another reminder to shut your mouth, Zariah?" Steven growls, his voice a low whip.
"Make him take his fucking hands off her, or I'll make a scene that'll ensure nobody purchases me. You want me to sit down and shut up? Then you get that filthy slime ball away from that little girl."
Steven looks to Dax and nods his head. Dax removes his arm, and Lilian drops her head, staring at her plate of untouched food.
"Thank you," I grind out.
Steven laughs and holds up a glass of wine. "Let's get this party started, shall we?"
I sit in absolute horror as Steven parades around the girls he had stuffed into those horrible cages. They walk around, some of them more willing than others. It's like a god damned cattle auction, and my stomach turns as I watch them, knowing I can't do a damned thing about it.
"Your turn, cop," Steven says, shoving me until I stand up.
Two men take me by my arms and walk me around in a circle. I don't fight; only because I know he'll take it out on Lilian if I do. He announces me like some sort of prized bull, telling them all I'm a police officer. Some men growl, others cheer, others throw out bids already. My stomach turns, and I drop my head.
Please, Kendric.
Hurry.
Hurry.
I'M AWOKEN IN THE MIDDLE of the night to scuffling of people.
My eyelids flutter open, and a few seconds later, the sensor light flicks on. I see Dax, Steven, and Lilian moving towards me. Dax is holding Lilian tightly, his fingers curled around her arm, a gun in his hands. Steven is moving with purpose, and without making eye contact with me, he walks to the electrical panel and shuts the electricity to our cages down. As they die off, the other girls stir awake and look around, slowly sitting up.
"What's going on?" I ask, rubbing my eyes and looking to Lilian, who has tears running down her face. "What are you doing?"
"We're leaving," Steven mutters, pulling out cuffs and going into each girl's cage and grabbing them out. "You move, I shoot the fucking lot of you."
They do as he asks.
He leaves me in my cage.
I stand up and rush over, curling my fingers around the bars. "What are you doing?"
"Your little friends found us, Samson squealed. We're leaving. Dax, get everything out of these cages."
Steven points his gun towards the girls and takes Lilian, as Dax takes the foam beds out of all the cages and stuffs it into a large bag that he pulls from the pack he has on his back. It looks like nobody has been here now. The only thing left on the floor is a bowl each.
No.
No.
This can't be happening.
I had no doubt Samson would come through, but the fact that they're leaving means we'll be back to square fucking one. They're taking Lilian. The stakes are even higher now.
"You can't take her," I say, shaking the cage. "Please, what do you want? I'll do anything. Take me and leave her."
Steven laughs. "Do you honestly think I'm that stupid? That I'd take you, and leave what he wants? No, the only way to get what I want is to have something he wants. You can tell him, while you're at it, that I'm going to make her life hell on earth."
No.
"They'll find you," I argue. "You're leaving this island. We know where it is now. We'll go to the police..."
"And what?" he mutters. "What will you tell them, Zariah? They know I own this island. Everything that can connect me to all of this is coming with me. There will be no security, no papers, no nothing for them. Even if you convince them to come out here, they're going to find absolutely nothing."
"These cages!" I scream. "They'll find these cages."
"And?" he laughs. "A bunch of dog cages?"
"They're suspicious."
"I'm sure they are," he chuckles. "Good luck on your adventure. I've no doubt we'll see each other again soon, Zariah. Thank your lucky stars this is over for you."
"Please," I cry, pressing my face to the cage. "Please, leave her here. She's your niece. She has to matter."
Steven drags Lilian to the cage and presses her face into it. She cries out in pain. "Look at her face," he growls. "Remember that because of your fuckin' club, because Samson turned on me, she'll suffer."
"I'm sorry," I say softly to her. "I will get you out of this. I will find you. I promise you, Lilian."