Page 19 of Music City Diaries

Some anxiety left me when I pulled up to the house and saw several cars there with lights on. Leaning the bike against a tree, I made my way up to the window, peeking in to see what was going on. It looked like a party was underway. Girls and guyswere scattered throughout the room, red cups in their hands. I leaned forward, trying to find Maddox.

A body pressed me into the glass, and everything in me went into overdrive. All my training came rushing back, and I reached around, elbowing the person in the gut. Using the hand that had landed on me, I spun underneath them, stomping on their foot.

“What in the Sam Hill?” Bill cursed, looking at me like I’d lost my mind. He wheezed, rubbing the area I’d hit. “Dammit, Darcie. I was coming to ask you if you wanted to come inside. Maddox’s there.”

Sucking in air, I bent at the waist, trying to compose myself. “Sorry, you scared me.”

He gave me an evil look, giving me a wide berth as he made his way inside. I avoided looking at the others as I followed him, afraid they could see the crazy on me. He stepped into a room, holding the door open, motioning me in. I hesitated, not wanting to follow him in.

“He’s inside.”

He didn’t step in, but stayed in the doorway. Making myself small, I stepped into the room slowly, apprehension filling me with each step. When the door shut behind me, the lock sounding, I knew I was in trouble. Instinct had me running for an exit, but a hand wrenched me back, pulling at my hair, dragging me to them. An arm wrapped around my throat, cutting off my oxygen.

Slowing my breaths, I tried not to panic as the body behind me held me close. Making my body a dead weight, I stopped pulling against him even though every instinct in me wanted to. Bill rubbed his groin into me, making me want to throw up.

No, this wasn’t fair. Everything had been going so well. I was healing, and Maddox and I were creating something.

“Be a good little whore now, and we won’t have a problem. You shake your booty all over town, so now it’s time to paythe toll. Your boyfriend wasn’t willing to take the discount, so instead of just me, you’re going to lay there and take it for all my men. Understand?”

I stayed silent, not wanting to answer him as my plan of escape started to form in my mind. He kept talking, but I didn’t give him anything back.

“The more you struggle, the more I’ll enjoy it. Got it, darling?”

I waited for my moment. I wouldn’t let another man take something from me. Not this time.

“No, I don’t ‘got it,’ Bill.”

Using every ounce of strength I had, I leaned forward and flipped him over me. His body went sprawling, and I used the moment of surprise to get away. It was all I had as I staggered to my feet to escape.

“You, bitch,” he grunted, but I was already running toward the door.

I grasped the doorknob and was so close to freedom when something hit me over the head and it was lights out for me.

Waking with a splitting headache,it took me a minute to orient myself to where I was. I tried to move my arms but found them bound above me.

“Good, you’re awake. I was getting bored.”

The moment I heard his voice, everything came flying back to me. I tugged on the ropes, but it was to no avail. He’d secured them well.

The man climbed on the bed, straddling me. It was then I realized I was naked. Fear welled up in me, and I just wanted it to be over with. I was so tired of this.

Closing my eyes, I accepted my fate.

The door crashed against the wall and caused me to jump. I barely had time to open my eyes before I felt the body over me leave.

“Maddox.” His name had never sounded so good.

His face was covered in rage, and I could spot some cuts and bruises on him. Had they tied him up to keep him from me? He kept punching the man, and I was suddenly worried we’d have a bigger problem on our hands if he killed him.

“We have to go, Maddox. We have to go now.”

My voice pulled his attention, and he looked at me, sweat dripping from his brow. His eyes were wild, his breathing ragged. When I pulled at the bindings, he snapped and rushed toward me, taking a knife from his boot to cut them. Once I had one arm free, I felt better, not even caring I was naked in front of him right then. Maddox cut the last one, pulling me into his arms. I clung to him for a moment, needing to feel his solid presence.

“Come on, we need to get out of here.”

He took off his shirt and pulled it over my head, helping to hide my nakedness. I didn’t know where my clothes were, but I didn’t particularly want to look at the floor either. When we walked around the bed, a moan snagged my attention, and my eyes fell to the man I’d wanted to avoid.

Before thinking about it, I reared my foot back and kicked him. It hurt since I didn’t have a shoe on, but it felt worth it to hear him groan as my foot collided with his chin. Pulling my leg back one more time, I landed another kick to his groin, and he doubled over, moaning more.

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