The Key To My Heart

Chapter Five

Leah's POV
I trudged down a street in LA, shifting my backpack every now and then. It had been nine months since I'd left the Key household, and it killed me. I had gotten an iPhone, and I watched the videos Collins would post, and he continued asking the Keypers to keep an eye out for me. I stood on the side of the road, my thumb out. A semi truck pulled up, and the driver opened the door.

"Where are you headed, miss?" I climbed in, setting my other backpack on the floor.
"Anywhere away from here. I just need to get away from here." He nodded, starting the truck again. I dozed off, and woke up a few hours later. I thought it had just gotten dark, but I didn't feel my seat belt.

"Hey! Hey, where did you go? Where am I?" I couldn't see anything, and my hands were numb. I tried to move them, but I couldn't. My legs wouldn't move either. Suddenly, the truck's door opened. I saw two older men standing there, along with a younger man, who was maybe 20.

"What's going on here?" I croaked, and the younger man smirked, climbing in beside me.
"Well? How does she look?" One of them barked at him, starting to climb in.
"Easy! You don't have to come up here. I'll check." Then he yanked me up to a sitting position. His hands slipped under my top, exploring. I tried to pull away from him, but I couldn't.

"She's good. She'll need to be broken in first, though. Feisty. Mind if I do it?" He said, looking back at the two men. The one who had driven me here chuckled.

"Go for it. And we're gonna put her in the LA district. We'll see you two later." Those two men left, and I was left with the younger one. He cut the ropes on my ankles, switching the ones on my wrists for handcuffs. Then, he took me to a car, opened the back door, and shoved me to the floor of it. Then he went to the front, pulled put a bag with a cloth, and came back, pressing it to my face. Then everything went black.

When I woke up, I was still handcuffed and lying on a bed. I saw that young man standing nearby, watching me intently. When he saw that I'd woken, he smirked.

"Ah, good. You're awake. Your name is Lily, isn't it? No....I've heard it...hang on....Leah! Yes, Leah. See, my little brother is obsessed with Collins Key's videos. He's showed your picture and asked fans to keep and eye out for you. Well, looks like I found you first. Oh, how rude of me. I didn't introduce myself. Mason Jacobi. Now, time to have a little...fun." I tried to stand and get away, but he grabbed my arm, pulling me beside him.

"You are a little skinny, but no matter. You'll fetch a good price. But as I said, you need to be broken in. And I know just how to do it." He removed the cuffs, and grabbed my wrists with one hand, slamming me against a wall. He started kissing me, his other hand exploring under my shirt, near my chest. I squirmed, trying to get away, but he was too strong. He moved down to my neck, kissing and biting, and I know what he meant now. A good price. Broken in. It was human trafficking. He was going to sell me to other guys, so they could do the same thing. He released my wrists, yanking my top over my head. I only had a tank top on under it, so he could get to me easily. He ripped it off, and slammed me down onto the bed, cuffing my hands to the headboard, and then to each other. I closed my eyes, trying to block out what he was doing. But I couldn't. I screamed and cried, not caring anymore. I couldn't let him do this. But he did. He succeeded, and left pleased. The next night, he sent me out in the freezing winter weather, and told me to not come back until I had a certain amount of money. Suddenly, I heard two familiar voices, but I couldn't quite place them. I ran in the direction I thought was the other way, and crashed into them.

"Whoa! Sorry, are you okay?" One asked, and I looked up to see Devan kneeling beside me. Collins stood beside him, a hand out to help me.
"Devan? Collins?" I whispered, and Devan looked at me, shocked.
"L-Leah? It's you! It's really you!" He tackles me in a hug, and I start to cry again. This just didn't seem real. Suddenly Mason appeared, a gun in his hand. I stood slowly, Devan doing the same. He and Collins turned around, and saw him there.

"Run!" I screeched, kicking the heels off and running as fast as I could. We turned a corner, nearly crashing into two police officers.

"Hey! What's going on?" I tried to catch my breath and explain at the same time.
"Chasing us.....Mason Jacobi.....trafficker....." They'd heard enough. He rounded the corner, and within minutes, he was arrested.

"Thank you, young lady. We've been trying to get him for awhile. You going to be alright?" I nodded, and Devan slipped his hand into mine.
"Yes ma'am. I'll be alright. I'm with these boys and their parents. We just have to get back to them." She nodded, and the car screamed off. Both boys turned to me, squashing me in the biggest and best bear hug ever. Now I knew the truth. Home is the place that when you leave it....you just miss it. Home for me was going to be with Devan and Collins. That was the only place I had ever missed in my whole entire life. The Key household was home. And I didn't ever want to leave it again.