FAKE

twenty

The car suddenly comes to a stop. 

Oh God, what do I do now?

I listen to heavy footsteps draw nearer to me, and suddenly I'm blinded by the sun. Had it been day when I woke up in the truck? Had we driven that long?

"Alright, sweetheart. We can do this the easy or the hard way." A gruff man stands over the trunk.

Something about him looks familiar, but I can't put my finger on it just yet. There are more important things to worry about.

I don't answer him, instead, I just glare with a hard expression. 

He pulls me out of the trunk. I decide this is my only chance and I immediately sock him in the jaw as hard as I can. He turns his head to the side with the force of my blow, taking a moment to realize what happened. 

I take a step back and look for somewhere to run, but I don't act in time. 

"Hard way it is," He decides and grabs me by the arm. He drags me inside the old building that he'd parked in front of.  I try my best to pull away from him, but besides that there's nothing I can do. 

We seem to be in the middle of no where, so screaming bloody murder is only going to make my throat raw. I lean back against his grip to raise my foot and stomp on his nearest toe. He flinches and glares back at me.

"It's in your best interest to cooperate, babe." He snaps. I lean back again to try kicking him, but he seems to anticipate it and lets go of my arm. I fall and hit the floor with a yelp. My tail bone is screaming, and before I can crawl away, he picks me up again. 

"Let go of me!" I demand in a strained voice. My back is aching now. I kick him in the shin, and he bends over, wincing at my actions. While he's bent over, I knee him in the chest, nearly losing my balance while doing so. 

I step backwards and turn my head, looking for a door or window to get out. 

Something grabs my legs and I fall on the hard floor again. I'm queen of hesitation and bad timing today.

I scramble to get up, but he's already kneeling next to me with his fingers closed on one of my arms. 

With his free hand, he grabs me by the chin and pulls me forward to look at him. 

"Don't push me, bitch." He snarls and tightens his grip around my face as a warning. He throws my head down and lets go, then lifts me up and over his shoulder. Now my neck hurts from whiplash. I try to lift my head to see where we're going, but it's no use. 

He carries me down a set of stairs and into a room with concrete floors. He drops me on the ground spontaneously. Before I can attempt another escape, he takes my hands and binds my wrists with a zip tie. 

Damn, I think bitterly to myself. 

He sits me down in a creaky metal chair and ties a rope around me and the back of the chair. 

I roll my eyes at that. It really wasn't necessary when I'm virtually helpless while my hands are zip-tied. He left the room and shut the door when he was satisfied with the knot he tied. I sit in frustrated silence as I try to draw up some escape plan.

***

What felt like hours passed before I could finally hear footsteps outside the door. 

The door swings opens and three men enter the room. The first is the tallest and most intimidating. His arms are folded across his chest and he wears a frown.

Behind him is the same man that wrestled me into the building. He watches me carefully.

The man behind him looks familiar, like a face you only see once in a crowded room and somehow remember. Then it hits me.

Tyler, the waiter from the restaurant last night.

I stare at him, completely dumbfounded.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him, which has to be the stupidest question ever. Tyler shrugs.

"Oh, I'm just a friend doing a favor for an old pal."

The first man nods thoughtfully.

"If it hadn't been for Tyler here, you wouldn't be here."

"How did you..?" I look back at Tyler in disbelief. I'm so confused.

"Slipped a little something in your drink." He shrugs again and smiles innocently.

I remember the exhaustion that had taken over me after getting home. That had been the effects of whatever drug he gave me?

The first man smirks and nods back at the guy that had brought me here.

"My buddy Judas couldn't help noticing you running away with Ross from a house a while ago. Lucky for us, it was your house. I guess it was just fate because we saw you again at Steve's."

Steve's bar. That's where I had seen Judas before.

"We saw him a few miles away from Houston. I've got someone on his tail now to let him know you're here. Once our main man gets his ass here, we'll let go of you. Until then, sit tight, princess."

Do they have a thing for degrading nicknames?

I let out a frustrated sigh.

"And what if I'm impatient?" I ask sharply.

"Then I could keep you occupied," He smiles, but it's tainted with something dirty and seducing.

"You're disgusting." I growl.

"And you're gorgeous." He laughs at me.

I regard him with disdain. Without really thinking it through, I spit at him and it hits his chest.

His eyes darken.

"Why you little-" He starts forward but Judas pulls him back by the shoulders.

"Clovis- don't- if Ross finds her roughed up there'll be hell to pay. You know what happened last time we pushed him."

Clovis backs away and rests his hand over the side of his lower stomach for some reason.

"Fine." He huffs at Judas and spins around, leaving the room briskly. Judas and Tyler follow him, and the door is closed again.

But how long would I be stuck here if Ross is running from the messenger?

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6 chapter and an epilogue left. uh oh.