Page 42 of Ruthless Angel

On the right I caught a glimpse of a living room. An empty couch facing a TV. A large blanket with a running horse hung on the wall behind the couch like a tapestry.

The men took me straight up a staircase that creaked with every step. At the top of the stairs were three bedrooms, all with the doors closed. Two of them were locked from the outside. What the fuck?

Brady’s accomplice pulled a keyring from his pocket and unlocked a door at one end of the hall. He shoved inside first, barking at someone in the room to sit down and not move a muscle. Waving a hand, he motioned Brady inside.

The door closed immediately behind us. I squinted in an effort to adjust my eyes to the dim lighting. A small lamp on a bedside table sat between two twin beds. A young woman sat on one bed, her hands placed carefully in her lap. She eyed me curiously as Brady dumped me on the bed across from her.

“Try anything and you’ll never leave this place alive,” Brady snarled. “Got it?”

I vigorously nodded. Terror filled me, making my heart pound so hard I could barely hear. I didn’t want to give him a reason to hurt me.

Brady tugged the gag out of my mouth. Then he got to work untying my hands and feet. That’s when I realized my ankle monitor was gone. Only a few scratches remained where it had been. He must have removed it after knocking me out earlier.

“This is where you’ll stay until I find a solid buyer or we can get you into the auction,” he explained. “Don’t even think about trying to escape. You’ll never make it. Also, the woman who runs the house is to be obeyed at all times. Piss her off and she’ll make you sorry. Any questions?”

I had a thousand questions ready to roll off my tongue. I asked none of them. For some reason, my brain refused to communicate at all. I stared straight at Brady and said nothing.

That seemed to annoy him. With a frown, he asked, “Do you understand?”

Again I said nothing. My voice seemed to have failed me. I struggled to comprehend the gravity of my situation. I knew it was bad. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it. Being here was too surreal.

When I still didn’t speak, Brady shook me until my teeth banged together. He smacked me with a heavy hand upside the head, making my ears ring.

“I asked you a question, bitch. This is not a good time to test me. Did you see what I did to Blaze? I can’t do that with you. Buyers don’t like broken girls. That doesn’t mean I won’t find other ways to hurt you.”

“Okay,” I forced myself to say, my voice quivering. “I understand.”

He patted the side of my face where he’d hit me. “That’s a good girl. Follow the rules, don’t try anything, and your time here won’t be so bad.”

Brady nodded to his friend who produced a syringe and a vial from a pocket. My heart leapt into my throat, choking me with fear.

“This is just a little something to keep you weak and compliant. Hold still for Pete.”

As the man approached with the syringe, I freaked out. Unable to sit there and let him stab me with the needle, I tried to shove off the bed. There was no sense to my efforts. I wasn’t getting out of that room.

Brady caught me easily, shoving me back onto the bed. Grabbing me by the throat, he slammed me down on the squeaky mattress.

“A fighter, huh?” He glared down into my face. “So was Blaze. He didn’t fight for long though. How is Blaze anyway?”

Tears filled my eyes, spilling down my cheeks. Despite my efforts to fight hard, Brady pinned me down with his body atop mine. Pete jabbed the needle into the vein on the inner curve of my elbow.

There was a cool rush through my vein. It didn’t take long for the drugs to hit. My head swam and the room turned. While all of this happened, the woman on the other bed sat there and watched, her expression blank, her eyes dull.

Brady got off me then, leaving me lying there staring at the ceiling. “I’ll give you some time to adjust. Might as well accept your new reality, Clover. It’s not about to change any time soon.”

As Pete and Brady headed for the door, the woman on the other bed spoke up. Her voice was low and tentative.

“Please, I need some more,” she said softly, like she feared raising her voice in any way. “Is it time yet?”

“Turning into quite the little drug addict, aren’t you, Daphne?” Brady mocked with a wicked smirk. “Sorry, babe. Can’t have you getting too strung out now. We can’t sell a junkie. Well, not for top dollar. You get as much as you need. That’s it.”

He opened the door to leave. Daphne leapt off the bed, lunging toward him.

“I need it. I can’t be here without it. Please.” Her voice rose to a shout now. Desperation made her crazy enough to grab Brady’s arm.

He shoved her hard enough to send her sprawling on her ass. That wasn’t enough for him. Taking a step toward her, he kicked her hard in the back.

“Try that again and I’ll have you on your knees swallowing my cock for the rest of the night. Get your shit together. Nobody wants to buy a crazy bitch.”

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