Page 32 of Captivated with Them

Chapter Fourteen

Rue

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I’D BARELY SLEPT ALLnight.

My thoughts had been filled with images of Dillon with the gun pressed to his head, and Ryan in the wheelchair. The men I loved were suffering, and I hated that I’d played my part in that.

Time was running out.

Every day that ticked past brought me closer to the day I’d have to stand in court and tell everyone what I’d seen Joe Nettie do to Cisco King. If one of Nettie’s friends didn’t manage to kill me before that, they’d most likely do it afterward, for revenge.

I went to my bedroom door, but, unsurprisingly, it was locked.

The boredom was one of the worst things, just sitting around, waiting for others to decide my fate. I took a shower, and when I came out, a tray of food was sitting on the bed for me. Someone had come into the room and left again, and I hadn’t even noticed. The thought gave me the creeps.

I was hungry, though, my stomach rumbling. At least Frankie was treating me better then Joe Nettie had. Nettie had often locked us girls away with nothing to eat for a day or more, and then would laugh when he threw it in to us and watched us fight among each other for the scraps. The only times we’d be given access to a shower and a change of clothes was when we were wanted for sex, so any relief we might have experienced at being clean and dressed was quickly wiped away.

Joe Nettie definitely wasn’t a good man, and I was happy to be able to play my part in getting him sent away for a very long time. I just wished I wasn’t dragging everyone else down with him.

A knock came at the door, and it opened. Frankie Capello’s familiar shape filled the doorway, and I drew my knees up to my chest, instinctively protecting myself.

“Rue,” he said, “I have someone I would like you to meet, and I want you to be on your best behavior.”

I didn’t like the sound of this. “Who?”

“He’s a very wealthy man who’s looking to make a purchase.”

My stomach felt as though it had dropped out of my body. “A purchase. Do you mean sex?”

God, he was prostituting me out now.

“No, not exactly. I mean you. This man is looking for companionship, as well as everything else that comes with it. He’s seen your photographs, and he’s extremely interested.”

“But—but what about the court case?”

“Don’t worry. You’ll still testify—nothing will get in the way of that happening—but the sale will happen after.”

My mouth hung open, hardly able to believe what I was hearing.

“You’re going to let me testify, and then you’re going to sell me on.” I was horrified.

“Of course.” He seemed genuinely perplexed that I would find this unthinkable. “What else did you think was going to happen? The moment you walk out of that courtroom and everyone knows you went ahead with the testimony, you’ll have a target on your back. I’m actually doing you a favor here, Rue. You’re going to be whisked away to some far-off land and will be allowed to live. What more could you possibly ask for?”

“To be allowed to go back to Kodee and Ryan, and for Dillon to be freed.”

He chuckled. “Come on, now, Rue. You can’t actually think I’m going to allow that to happen, not after what those men did.”

“So, what’s the point in me testifying, if you’re not going to let us get back together?”

His tone grew hard. “I’m letting your friends live, that’s what. I could have shot every one of you when we were out in the forest, but I didn’t. I was kind. I was merciful. And this is the thanks I get? I can change this around quickly enough, Rue. Just say the word, and I’ll put out an order for each one of those men to receive a bullet in the head.”

I leaped to my feet. “No, no! Please, don’t do that!”

“Then I suggest you do as I ask. There is a man here who will pay a lot of money for you, and I want you to make sure he is happy about the price. Don’t worry, you’re not expected to give him the full goods just yet—not until after the trial, when he’ll have paid in full—but I do expect you to leave him longing for it. I don’t want him backing out of this deal. Do you understand me?”

Tears filled my eyes. What choice did I have? If I didn’t do what he wanted, the others would end up dead.

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