Page 41 of Loyalties & Longings

No, it’s not completely out of the ordinary for a neighbor to have something delivered to their house, but I feel in my bones that something is amiss.

Whenever I feel like this, my instincts are often on point, but there are also times when I’m just paranoid. I have a quick look as I jog past, but I don’t see anyone in the front of the van. Although something feels off, I need to get moving and run off all of this energy and anxiety. Picking up my pace, I let my mind and body get lost in the rhythm of my feet pounding the pavement with “Last Resort” by Papa Roach blasting in my ears. I love running. It allows me to let go of everything and clear my head—some might say it’s cathartic. Looking down at my smartwatch, I realize I’ve already been running for fifteen minutes, even though it feels like I’ve only been out for maybe five.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and something in my head screams for me to turn around. As I do, the black van I saw earlier turns down a side street.

Was it following me?

Was it even the van from before?

No, it couldn’t have been. They were way too far back, and they’ve turned off. I still feel like it’s a little off, so I decide to head home, holding my steady pace.

Wiping the sweat from my brow, I turn onto the street that crosses at the end of mine, and “Saints and Sinners” by Godsmack starts blaring through my earbuds. This street is basically just a back road. There are no street-facing houses onit, and I know I shouldn’t be running along here, especially when my Spidey-senses are going crazy. But this was the shorter route, and I’m not far from home now.

I’m about to round the corner onto our street when I feel the impact of something forcefully hit me in the back of my head. An arm wraps around my torso and encases me in a stronghold while a gloved hand comes up to cover my mouth before I have a chance to scream or call out for help. My attacker pins me flush to their body, and my adrenaline spikes. I struggle to free myself from the vise-like grip.

I cannot for the life of me scream to alert anyone that might be close by, as the hand that’s clamped over my mouth is pressing so hard into my face, I’m sure I’ll be left with bruises on my cheeks.

If I survive, I think.

I have no idea who my attacker is, and the thought has me panicking.

I kick and stamp my foot down, trying to stomp on their toes, but my efforts are useless. I adopt a different tactic and try to kick my legs back. Knowing I can kick my butt from a standing position. If I focus on the right spot, I might connect with their crotch.

Then my earbuds fall out, and I hear more than one voice.

“Hurry up and get her in the van,” a deep yet calm voice hisses.

“Jayse, help me out, man. Grab her legs. Bitch is trying to fucking kick me in the balls.” The man struggling to keep me still grunts under my thrashing.

I hear heavy booted footsteps draw closer, and another figure appears in front of me. There’s no way I will let these men take me without a fight. I continue to struggle.

Using the guy who is holding me as my support, I kick up at the guy trying to grab my legs. He’s fast and manages to catchthem as I kick them both out at him, holding them tight under his arms. They drag me into the van and sit down while still holding me tight.

There’s a third man waiting in the van. He slides the door shut, and I feel the vehicle pull away from the curb. I’m still trying my hardest to scream, but the man who was already here in the van holds up his hand, motioning for me to be silent.

“We’re not going to hurt you, Lake. Not yet anyway. We’re here to give you a message to take back to your dad,” he says calmly. This fucker has some balls. I calm for a moment, knowing they’re at least not going to kill me yet. He said he had a message for my dad, so I try to take in as much as I can about my three abductors. Well, two, since I still can’t see the one who has me now seated on his lap. He’s still holding me tight to his body, not relenting with that painful hand over my mouth.

They are all wearing full black, head to toe—black combat boots, black jeans, and black hoodies with the hoods pulled up and strings pulled closed tight around their faces, which are covered by masks. The masks are semi-transparent with ridiculous makeup painted on the inside, so they look like creepy dolls. And they both have brown eyes.

Of course, they do.

The most generic of appearances. I wouldn’t even be able to pick these guys out of a lineup.

“Lake.” The man already in the van snaps me out of my thoughts with a click of his fingers. “I want you to give this message to your dad, Lorenzo Morelli.” He pauses briefly.

It feels as though the van turns a corner as we all lean to the side.

“He’s about to lose all of his dealings and suppliers. Tell him there is a new guy in town, and he’s going to takeeverythingfrom Enzo. Eventually, even his precious little daughter. Enzo’s empire is about to come crumbling down,” he says with a laugh.

“Hhmmp, hhmm.”Fuck you.I try to scream at him.

These shitheads have just signed their own death warrants.

The van screeches to a halt, and he yanks the door open enough for the two brutes to literally throw me out. I can’t even catch myself and land on the pavement, grazing my hands, knees, and hip. That will sting for a while—gravel rash is the worst.

Before I can comprehend what has happened, they take off, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and the smell of rubber.

As I stand and gather my bearings, I realize they’ve dropped me back off practically right where they snatched me from. I hobble back home, which thankfully isn’t far away.

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