Page 4 of Free

“Stand up!” The man snaps at me. I stand straighter as the van comes to a stop in front of us. “I’m gonna miss you,” he says, biting into my neck. The sting hurts as I cringe and try to pull away from him. I don’t want him touching me. He grabs a hold of me and jerks me back, leading me to the back of the van. When the doors open, another man is waiting. He reaches for me and pulls me into the van, not bothering to wait for me to climb in. My shins hit the edge of the van, and they begin to scream in pain.

I’m dragged into the back of the van and shoved to the floor. I do my best to catch myself, but my face slams into the side anyway. I swivel around and sit on my ass as I glare at the asshole who manhandled me. He sneers at me but doesn’t say a word.

“She’s all yours now. Cocky little bitch,” the yellow teeth man tells him. I’m glad he didn’t see me break. I would never let them see me break.

The man nods his head before the back doors are slammed shut.

“There are rules about touching the product. Did they touch you?” The man asks. I don’t shake my head. I don’t nod. I don’t do anything but stare ahead of me at the other side of the van. He chuckles before sliding closer to me. “This would be a lot easier if you talk. If you don’t, we’ll just check for ourselves.”

I turn my head to look at him and think about spitting in his face. I can’t believe this is what my life has come down to. Either answering this asshole or letting them violate me.

“No one touched me,” I almost growl through my grinding jaw.

“I think you’re lying, and judging by the bruises, I’d say they touched you,” he adds.

“They hit me.” He nods his head and shifts back into his original position, ignoring me as the van jostles me around.

I don’t know how long we sit like this when he starts asking questions again. I ignore most of them because I think he’s a fucking idiot. I don’t answer him, and I don’t plan to.

“This would be a lot easier on you later.” He nods toward the little clipboard in his hand. Is he seriously writing down the answers, checking things off like a to-do list? I was kidnapped, for fucks sake, and now they want to question me? What kind of fucked up system is this?

I ignore the questions, and he finally gives up as the van keeps moving. I’m jostled around but do the best I can to stay in one place with my hands bound.

When the van finally comes to a stop, I’m thankful. I was getting motion sick from all the bouncing around we did, but at the same time, I know we’d arrived at my final destination. My stomach churns as I try to picture who the hell would have bought me. Who buys another person? What kind of fucked up person would do that? I guess I’m about to find out.

The back doors open as the engine dies, and there stands a man eyeing me up and down. He isn’t what I thought he’d be. He’s actually good-looking. Maybe he isn’t the one who bought me. I was picturing some sick-looking overweight asshole, and that’s not what he looks like at all.

“You can get out,” he says, nodding toward the edge of the van. I scoot over, and he immediately grabs my wrists and cuts the binds free. I rub at my wrists as I glance around and try to get an idea of where I am but I have no clue.

“It’s a parkin’ garage,” he informs me when he notices me looking. I snap my eyes back to his and hold them there. I don’t want to get hit anymore for looking around. I’ve suffered enough abuse as it is.

“She wouldn’t answer the question.” The guy who was in the back with me reports as he passes off the clipboard. The man who now has it has a vest on that says Free. I wonder what that means.

“It’s fine. I’ll take care of it,” he says as he looks at the paper in his hands. None of the questions have been answered because I refused to say two words to that asshole, and I still don’t plan on talking.

“Everythin’ went smoothly?” Free asks.

“Yeah, Free. Everything was fine. Your brother tried to put in a last-minute bid on her,” the man says as I look at Free. He smirks, and damn, does it light up the night. He shouldn’t be allowed to look that good. Monsters are supposed to be ugly, like the ones who held me in the cage.

“I bet he did. He wasn’t very happy I chose her first,” Free tells the man. The man nods his head before extending his hand and shaking Free’s.

“She’s all yours.” Free nods and grabs my wrist, tugging me gently along with him to another waiting vehicle. He opens the front door and ushers me inside. I climb in and sit when he closes the door. I’d be an idiot not to try the door, which I do. It’s locked. There’s no way to get out of here.

“Doors locked from the outside,” Free states as he climbs in the driver’s seat. He shifts, getting himself comfortable before he pulls a gun from the back of his jeans and sets it on his lap, one hand holding it. “Don’t try anything stupid.” It’s a warning I take. I’m not trying to be shot.

He starts up the truck and puts it in drive before taking off out of the parking garage. I glance around, but I have no idea where we are.

“Shouldn’t I be blindfolded?”

“Why?”

“So I don’t see where I’m going?”

“That would make sense, wouldn’t it? But after you’re there, you won’t want to leave,” he tells me. I don’t know what the hell that means but I sure as hell do want to leave. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be wherever it is he’s taking me.

“You didn’t answer his questions. Why?”

“I don’t have to.”

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