Page 41 of Claimed By the Boss

“Hey, careful,” Tony protests. “Don’t ruin his pretty face.”

“I doubt it’s his face that has Mr. Rockford’s interest.” Hard fingers grab my chin. “How much do you think Nolan will pay to get you back?”

“Help!” I scream, fighting Tony’s hold. “Call the police!”

“Quit making so much noise!” someone shouts, followed by the slam of a window.

“No one’s going to rush to your aid here, Leo. It’s not that kind of neighborhood.” Mr. Bugrov hurries to a black sedan parked at the curb. “Get him in the car.”

“No!” My heels beat against Tony’s shins and knees. “Let me go!”

He grunts as he shoves me kicking and screaming into the trunk.

17

Igroan as the world swims back into focus, and I blink away the haze clouding my vision.

The throbbing in my head makes it hard to think, and panic surges through me as I remember being kidnapped.

They had driven for a while before stopping to open the trunk. The blinding return of light had disoriented me long enough for them to cover my nose and mouth with a bitter-smelling cloth.

After that, everything went dark.

When I try to lift a hand to my aching head, my arm refuses to move, and I realize rough ropes bind my wrists to a wooden chair.

Fear spikes through me, and my heart hammers, each beat echoing in my ears.

“Wha… Where am I?” I squint at my surroundings.

The dimly lit warehouse comes into focus. A metal grate in the floor sits under me, and bile rises as I consider why that would be necessary.

I look away from it to take in the rows of crates stacked along the walls and the grimy windows near the ceiling that let in daylight. I wasn’t out for long. My nose itches, decay hanging in the damp air. The mustiness clings to my lungs with every frantic breath.

Terror tightens its icy grip on my throat.

What do they want from me? Why did they bring me here?

Panic and adrenaline shoot through me, and I struggle against the ropes to break free. My wrists burn, raw and red, as I twist them frantically, trying to loosen the tight knots. The chair creaks beneath me, but the legs are wedged into the grate, sticking it in place.

“Look who’s awake,” a voice drawls from somewhere behind me.

Gino emerges from the shadows, his bulky figure lumbering closer with each heavy step. The dim light illuminates his crooked nose and the cruel glint in his eyes, making him appear even more menacing than usual.

“Wh-what do you want?” My body trembles with fear. “My payment isn’t due until the fifteenth. Why did you bring me here?”

“We are so far past your measly payments, kid.” He stops in front of where I sit, towering over my smaller form. “We’re on to bigger fish now.”

“I promise I wasn’t planning to run, Gino.” My tongue sweeps over my dry lips, tasting chemicals from the knockout drug. “I’ll get you your money. Just let me go.”

Cruel amusement twists his features. “There was never any loan, Leo. Fuck, kids like you are so gullible.”

My mouth drops open, the fog in my brain making it hard to focus. “What? But the gang…”

“They don’t know you from the kid down the street.” He grins at me, revealing blocky teeth stained brown. “We played you, and you fell for it.”

The revelation leaves me lightheaded. All those months of starving, living in that shithole, and it was all a scam. “But…why? Why me? We’ve never even met.”

“Are you sure about that?” Gino taps his chin. “Maybe you were an easy mark. One that’s about to pay off big time.”

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