Woman

17

After our talk things were pretty much normal. Harry had to go out of town for work and I had work here. One night before Harry got back Luke had asked me to come out to the bar with him and his friends. I asked Liz to come and was thankful she agreed. She must've been stir crazy because she was currently anti-Luke.

"His friends seem nice but I'm still pissed at him. And who is that weirdo guy who keeps looking over here at us?"

I looked over at the pool table and saw a guy I'd never met who was with the group and he was looking at us frequently. I shrugged and drank my beer. "Who knows. Maybe he has the hots for you?" I wiggled my eyebrows.

Liz laughed and shook her head. "Doubtful. I'm engaged and not on the market. You however he keeps looking at obviously. And Luke doesn't act like he even cares."

"Luke and I aren't together. We are friends. Why would he?"

"Well you and Harry are too but I doubt he'd let that fly. He'd be cussing the guy out and coming over here to talk to you and mark his territory. And if you all are friends then why didn't you tell him you were hanging with Luke tonight?"

"Because I didn't want to hear a lecture about being safe. I mean he freaks out and I'd like to have a good time with some good drinks. Technically I am with you. Luke is over there. It's not like I'm with Luke by myself."

"Is Harry by himself? Or have there been any paparazzi photos?"

"Yes he's been with work friends and that's the only photos I have seen. I don't know why I even look. He has a right to do whoever he wants. I just don't want him with other people if he's with me-"

"I knew it!! You're fucking him! Hate to tell ya but you all aren't just friends then. Especially knowing Harry would be mad you were here."

I rolled my eyes and talked Liz into playing a game of pool with me. The weirdo guy never said much but kept looking at us all night. I asked Luke who he was and he said his name was Remy. He never tried to talk to us but kept looking at us. It started to creep me out.

Liz decided to go home and I stayed longer. I felt anxious without her and she told me to call her if I needed her. But the more I drank the more open I became so I texted Harry.

"You should come home. I'm needing some assistance.."

"Assistance with what?"

I laughed. He was so blunt. "Myself."

"What are you doing?"

"Having drinks like I said."

"Who are you with and where?"

I hated to lie to him. So I decided to go with the truth. "Liz and I came out to Sportys to have drinks. Luke and some of his friends are here. There's a creepy guy named Remy who keeps looking. I think he has the hots for Liz."

I didn't see any dots and before I know it my phone was ringing. I stepped into the back knowing if I didn't answer he'd just keep calling me. "What yeh fuck Sailor? Why are you hanging out with him? I told you the guys a fucking piece of shit."

"Whoa there! I'm not hanging with him by myself I told you who was here-"

"Yeah. Luke and fucking Remy. Remy is one of Jose's guys. You need to leave and go home. He isn't safe. He deals shit Sailor."

I got nervous and didn't want to seem obvious. Harry said he'd have a driver come and pick me up in fifteen minutes so I played nice with Luke and his friends and told him I was heading out. Harry told me not to tell them where I was going to and the car would be out front and he would text me when it arrived.

As I gathered my things and told everyone goodbye, Luke walked me out to my "Uber" That was parked to the front and side of the building. It felt odd the car wasn't exactly in front but it was a crowded place. "Thanks for having me and walking me out. I'm sure I'll catch you at another time." I smiled and leaned in for a hug from Luke.

"Thanks for coming. Talk to you later." I slid into the car and smiled at him as I closed my door. Before I could turn my head watching him walk back into the bar two men upfront greeted me by name and one looked scary. I smiled at them and was in the middle of sending Harry a text I was in the car and how he didn't need to send two men when one climbed into the back, grabbed my hair and whispered "finally."

****

When I woke up I didn't remember much of anything. I was in a dark room that had no windows and a door that I could see a light shine underneath. Gathering my wits I tried to stand, feeling the rooms four walls with no windows. I noticed there was a toilet in the ground with a sink and a bare mattress on the floor. "What the hell?"

I tried to scramble my thoughts together and the last I remembered was Harry sending a car and driver but the two men inside the car were scary and one jumped into the back as soon as the door closed and Luke walked back into the bar. I had to have been drugged because I don't remember getting here and sure didn't know where I was.

I was still in my clothes from last night thank god. I felt around for my purse which wasn't there nor was my cell phone. I sat and tried not to cry, tried to figure out where I was and what was going on when a tap on the door knocked and opened.

Remy walked in carrying a lamp that looked like it ran from batteries and was indestructible while carrying a plate of food. He sat down in a metal chair I didn't notice and looked down at me with that weird smile.

"Rise and shine princess. It's breakfast...or should I say lunch time? You've slept a lot."

I looked down at the paper plate that had a sandwich and bottle of water on it, clueless of what to say.

"Not very smart of you. If I were you I would eat when I got fed. Who knows when and how often that will be."

"Ho-how long have I been here? Where am I?!" I shouted.

He laughed and leaned back setting the food down. "Sorry can't tell you that. What I can tell you is that if you're boyfriend pays what he owes you will be unharmed and let go." And shrugged.

"I don't have a boyfriend! Where the fuck am I?"

"You should've asked Luke about his habits and you wouldn't have been drawn into this. I'm not one to pry on women but boss said you were the new girlfriend and meant a lot so until he pays him what he owes him we keep you as our, let's say, prize?"

"I'm not a prize or possession! I don't even know what money you're taking about. Luke never told me anything and he isn't my boyfriend."

"He may not have told you but paraded you around enough to be proud of you. Something of worth value to him. So until we get the value he owes us we take something of value to him since he hasn't paid his fucking money."

He stood and left the lamp and food. "I have your cell phone and I will be bringing it down. You will text Liz and whoever noticed your absence and act like everything is fine."

"How long do I have to do this!?"

That slime ball looked at me again and shrugged. "Until the boss says and we get our money. Now eat and drink. Wasn't kidding when who knows when you'll get to eat around here."

With that he closed and locked the door from the outside. It sounded like he walked back up stairs so I gathered I was in a basement so no one could see or hear me. What was I going to do? I wondered if Harry or Luke had noticed yet? I know Liz would be suspicious by now.