Tell Me a Story

Chapter 35

Anton was flanked by the two men, but there were no weapons drawn. He wasn't bound. 

My stomach fluttered in time with my now erratic heartbeat.

"What's going on, Anton?

"Get her in the van, Eli."

"Wait, what?"

Eli set a hand on my shoulder. "Do as he says, Kate."

Confused and in too much pain to consider any other option, I got in the back of the van. Eli followed me, Anton climbing in last, the door slamming behind him. Meera's men climbed up front and took off quickly, jerking me to the floor.

Eli grabbed my arm and pulled me back into a seated position on the box next to him. He held on to my arm as he looked over at Anton. "So?"

Anton nodded toward the cab. "It was good money."

"It always is."

"And Kate will be safe."

"What are you talking about?" My voice went up, cracking at the end. "Anton, you aren't part of this, are you?"

"Quiet, Kate."

"Why? What are you going to do? You've already sold us out."

Anton looked at his watch, then up at Eli. "Almost there."

"Where?"

Eli's grip on my arm tightened and he leaned close, speaking just above a whisper. "It's important that you do exactly what I say when I say it, Kate."

I froze. What did that mean? Eli must have sensed me tensing up. "It's going to be ok. Trust me."

"Running a bit low in that department right this second."

Anton's stare was fixed on the two men sitting up front, separated from us by a mesh partition. I followed his gaze just as the driver's head started to drop. The car began to veer and Eli and Anton jumped up.

"Hold on to something, Kate!"

"Hold on to wha—" Before I could finish I was being thrown against the partition and then across the floor of the van.