Kidnapped

Chapter 16 - Brothers.

At first, there’s only silence, broken only by the sound of my frantic, ragged breaths.

And then—a low, unfamiliar laugh. Dark and hearty, it reverberates in the quiet, drawing chills down my spine. I can’t help it; my eyes open just a sliver, peeking up through my tear-soaked hair, which clings to my face. A small, broken sound escapes me as I catch sight of the two figures standing at the open car door.

The unfamiliar man is taller than my captor, but only by an inch or two. His hair is dark and cut shorter, his face rugged, lined with age and experience. There’s a shadow of stubble on his jaw, accentuating the hard lines of his expression. But what strikes me most are the similarities—their sharp eyes, the same angular features. They must be brothers.

The stranger lets out a scoff, tipping his head back as his hands slide up to his forehead, raking through his hair in disbelief. “No fuckin’ way,” he says, amusement woven through his tone as his eyes fix on me, unblinking, taking in every trembling inch of my bound figure. There’s something unnervingly predatory in his gaze, something that prickles under my skin. And then I catch it—my captor’s face, lighting up with pride, as though I’m some prize he’s eager to show off.

A wave of nausea twists through me, my stomach churning as my heart pounds painfully fast. My vision blurs, and each shallow breath feels harder to pull in through the tape pressed tightly over my mouth. My entire body trembles as I shrink further against the car door, desperate to be anywhere but here, with these two strangers standing over me.

The stranger’s smirk widens, and he finally speaks again, his voice edged with something sinister. “Make yourself at home. I’ll grab her,” he says, giving my captor a dismissive wave.

To my utter disbelief, my captor just nods, casually reaching into the car to pull out the Walmart bags and rummaging through the glove box for a few items. Then, without sparing me a second glance, he turns and strides toward the farmhouse, leaving me alone with his brother. The farmhouse itself looks like something out of a nightmare—its paint peeling, windows dark and hollow. Scraggly trees frame its broken-down porch, their bare branches clawing at the sky. It’s the kind of place you’d expect to see abandoned, left for squatters or ghosts, a place where people disappear.

I hear the screen door scrape and slam as my captor steps inside, and then… silence. I’m left in the growing dusk, under the heavy gaze of his brother, who hasn’t moved an inch. He’s just standing there, staring at me with a strange mix of curiosity and hunger, as if savoring the moment.

A pitiful whimper escapes me, unintentional and humiliating, and I hate myself for it. I can see the way his eyes gleam, a dangerous light flaring up at the sound, like a wolf catching the scent of blood. He tilts his head, studying me with a slow, unsettling intensity.

Then, without warning, he steps forward, climbing partially into the backseat. His knee hits the floorboard as he reaches for me, his fingers curling around my bound ankles. Before I can brace myself, he yanks me forward, hard and fast, making my head smack against the floor as I try to scream, the sound muffled under the tape.

I thrash my legs instinctively, fighting against his grip, but the rope around my ankles holds tight, leaving me helpless. His grip tightens, iron-like and unyielding, and a twisted smile spreads across his face as he leans closer, pulling my body aggressively towards the open door.

I twist, my body straining against his grip, but he only laughs—a low, sinister sound that reverberates through me, chilling me to the core. He leans in, his face so close that I can feel his breath, each word slipping from his lips like venom. “Don’t waste your energy, sweetheart,” he murmurs with a dark grin.