Almost, Always

11. How Could you?

No amount of begging and screaming stopped them from taking me. I was screaming for Mateo, but I know it's no use. He won't come and there's no way for him to find out where I am. I felt the car moving.

They are really taking me somewhere.

All I can do is sit and wait. I can't do much since I'm tightly tied. Two buff guys are sitting next to me.

Where is my bodyguard when you need one?

I don't know how long it has been since they took me away. I'm still lucky since they weren't really violent and rough with me, which I find really surprising. They must have taken me for ransom.

I've had so many scenarios play in my head. What if my face appears in the news?

Is that really how I want Anthony and Elizabeth to see me for the first time? As a missing person?

Fuck my life.

The car finally stopped moving. One of them took the tape gently away from my mouth.

"Are you okay?" the man asked.

"What do you think, mister?" I asked back. No, this isn't the time to be bitchy, but fuck what do I do now? I just got taken away. I should be livid, but at the same time, I can't be stupid. They can kill me right now if they wanted to.

"The boss is here." the man with a deep voice said.

Someone opened the door and they slowly guided me to get out of the car while I'm still blindfolded.

"How's everything?" I heard a woman say.

  That voice.

I've heard that voice before. I just don't remember where.

"We handled everything with care. She's okay and unharmed." the man answered while he was holding me as we walked somewhere else. I can tell that we are going inside a building.

"Well...she better be. You know it's bad news if something bad happened to her." the woman said. By the sound of the footsteps, I can tell that about 5-6 people are walking with me.

Just where on Earth could I be?

I was still tied up and blindfolded. Someone help me to sit down.

What's happening now?

"Hello, Ms.Emi. I promise this will be quick. It won't hurt at all." Another man said.

"W-what? What do you mean? Where am I??" I said. The man didn't answer.

"Please, I'm begging you! Someone took me here. Please. Call Mateo!"

"Hello? Hello? Are you there?" I said again, but no one answered.

"Mateo! Mateo! Mat-!" Someone put the tape on my mouth again to prevent me from talking.

I tried making sounds, but I just couldn't yell out loud. Someone started touching my hair. Another one pushed me back to lay in bed.

What the hell???

Someone started removing my clothes. I tried my best to move and push them away. They took off my clothes and put something else on me.

What exactly are they doing? Did they kidnap me for sexual exploitation?

Mateo! Mateo saved me, please!

Who could have done this to me? Was it Anthony? Did he find out we were stalking him? Was it Elizabeth? Did she find out about me? Does she want to get rid of me for good?

There are so many questions in my head right now.

"And for the final touch..." the man said.

Oh no! What does he mean by that?

My eyes were tightly shut, scared for what will be happening next. Waiting for something sharp and painful to hit me.

"Done," he said.

Huh?

Someone helped me get up and took me somewhere else, guiding me as I walked. I can tell that we entered a different room. I heard a knock on the door.

"Here she is." the woman with the familiar voice said. They left me standing inside a room. I felt someone untie me, remove my blindfold, and the tape from my mouth.

I'm finally free!

It's so bright. There's a lot of lights in the room.

Where am I?

All I can see are shadows and figures. I'm surrounded by a lot of people. It took a few seconds before my vision became clear and my eyes adjusted to the light. My eyes widened in disbelief, as I stared at the most familiar faces in the room.

"What the hell?!" I said loudly.  My knees felt weak. I slowly sit on the ground. I didn't know how to react. Should I be fuming mad? Or what?

"What are you doing here?? You're behind all of this?? Why??" I waited for the answer to all of my questions.

"You are vile!" I yelled.

***