crave | 16+

XXIV

JOSIE

I'M A HYPOCRITE. I'D told Zakaria earlier that I wasn't a damsel in distress, that I didn't need saving from anyone, yet I lay awake not moving an inch, awaiting exactly that. Someone to come and rescue me. I've lost all sense of time, since I've been kidnapped by Zakaria. The room I'm stuck in doesn't provide a clock nor windows. Also, the drugs I was given before keep making me pass out and wake up, probably due to me not eating anything the doctor comes in with. I refuse to give Zakaria that satisfaction.

But the drugs seem to have left my system, because I've been lying awake for what seems like hours, just staring out into the nothingness. No, that's a lie. Waiting. That's what I was doing. Waiting. Waiting for someone to come in and save me, to kick the door open, and carry me out of here, my prince charming if you may. I recoil, scooch up the bed, so I'm now in a sitting position. I surprise myself, when my body doesn't betray me, and my eyelids don't flutter shut. The drugs are completely out of my system, I think. I change my look to the IV and see it being empty, nothing but a few droplets left.

A smile comes onto my lips. Idiots. Can't even drug me correctly. Suddenly the smile drops, and my heartbeat races against my skin. I swing my feet over the edge of the bed, not giving my mind a chance to think this through and stop me, not giving my body the chance to register the dangers and stop me so I don't get myself killed.

I have no idea how long I've been held captive, but I know it's too long. I'm not some fragile woman that needs saving, for fuck sake, I will save myself.

I stagger toward the door, holding my breath, scared my body will betray me and make a sound. Whatever sound, that may alert Zakaria's reptile ears that I'm not passed out, drugged in the bed. I reach out toward the cold handle, and wrap my fingers around it, twisting it, and I stifle a gasp when a small gap comes between the door and the doorframe. Unlocked. I don't waste a breath; before I know it, I'm running.

I've no idea where to, or how far I have to keep running, but all I know is that I run. I run like hell. When the hallway seems to be coming to an end, I make a sharp turn to the right, and find myself in front of something that looks like a pure maze. Three doors. All three locked. A cry fights its way out of me, as I attempt to rip open one of the doors, despite them being locked.

Defeat overtakes my body, and I stop trying to rip the door open, letting my shoulders slump, as a few tears roll down my cheeks. I don't know what I'd expected to happen. I stand like that for a few heartbeats, and ready myself to find another way out of here, but I'm robbed of the opportunity when someone's arm snakes around my waist in a familiar way, another hand coming up to my mouth.

My heartbeat skips multiple beats, and a scream attempts to hack its way out of me. I fight, punch, scratch, even bite the hand, but the person doesn't budge. With no second thought, I'm whirled around and pushed up against the locked door.

A familiar set of blue eyes meet my brown ones, and ease settles in the pit of my stomach. He removes the hand he used to hold me against the door, and brings it up to his mouth making a "shhh" motion. "Not a sound," he whispers, his voice barely audible.

He removes his hand from my mouth, and despite his warning, I still utter, "Aaron?" in a tiny whisper. He nods and turns his head, to look over his shoulder. I can't believe he's here. I allow my eyes to swipe down across his body in a quick movement, and I gasp when I see all the guns strapped to him. He's wearing a gun holster on the outside of his clothes, a knife holster close to his crotch, and that is only what was visible.

The sound of boots nearing us, make my heartbeat race beneath my skin, and my eyes go wide, but Aaron doesn't seem to be concerned. Two men, both holding machine guns close to their chests, incline their heads at Aaron, and Aaron gives a nod back. Aaron turns to me again, and a small smile tugs at the end of his lips.