Page 33 of Lexi, Property of Rhyder

I look around, and the first thing I notice is a large staircase that leads up to different levels of the house. Marble tiles are on the floor, and the walls have many tapestries hanging on them.

Mario grasps both my hands and places them behind my back pushing me forward toward the right of the house. We walk down a corridor and come face to face with a wooden door.

I turn to him and ask, “Where are we? Where are you taking me?” Because fear has now well and truly taken over.

He doesn’t respond.

I guess I expect that.

Mario knocks on the door, and it’s suddenly pulled opened by another man with a shotgun. Swallowing hard, we walk past him. The floor is now a dark concrete leading to stairs which trail down. I look behind me as I take one step at a time and still see Paige in Pepe’s arms fast asleep. It’s probably a good thing because if she were awake, she would be panicking.

Once we take our final step, it turns darker, cold, and damp.

Where the hell are they taking us?

What are they going to do with us?

All these questions keep repeating inside my head.

It’s so cold down here, and the entire area is made of rock. Fire on sticks sits on either side of the long walkway. A creak sounds of gates being pulled open, and I notice we’re being thrown into a dungeon.

First, Paige is placed on the floor, and then I’m thrown beside her. I wriggle over to try and get as close to Paige as I can. She stirs out of her sleep, her eyes fluttering open.

Mario leans down to untie her feet and arms, and when she’s finally awake, her eyes widen, and she quickly wraps her arms around me and attempts to say something.

I undo the gag at the back of her head, and she instantly cries out, “Lexi… oh… Lexi, I’m so scared.” Paige starts to sob, and Mario clears his throat gaining our attention.

I snap my head up him. “You fuckin’ asshole. You lying son of a bitch.” I try to get up to hit him, but my legs are too damn weak—an obvious aftereffect of the shit they injected us with. God only knows what that was.

“I’m sorry it had to come to this, but business is business, and we must do what’s expected. You two are going to bring Mr. Clemente good money.”

“Good money?” I growl. “You can’t do this. Let us go, I beg you.” I slowly crawl toward him.

Mario steps closer and pulls my bag from around my body. “You won’t be needing this.”

“No…” I cry, knowing my phone is in there.

“If you’re smart, you will shut up and do as we say.” He looks from me then to Paige. “Both of you.”

Mario kneels before us and runs his finger down my cheek. I flinch and go to bite his finger, but he’s too quick to remove it.

Making a ‘tsk tsk’ sound, he shows his disapproval while shaking his head. “Don’t make this hard, Lexi. If you fetch good money, you will have a good life. You will have an owner.”

“An owner,” I shout. “You can’t be serious. Please. We need to go back to the hotel, our parents will be worried.” Then realization comes to me—we’re rich. “Is it money you want? A ransom? I’m sure my parents will pay you.”

He smiles, but then he straightens. “Sorry, ladies, but there’s no amount of money that could pay off Mr. Clemente.”

I drop my head as dread fills every inch of my soul.

Mario stands and walks toward the door. “I’ll be back later tonight. Till then, be good.” He turns and locks the door behind him.

I hear Paige begin to cry again, and I crawl over to her and pull her to me. “Shh, it will be okay,” I say.

The only problem is I’m crying as well, and trying to convince not only Paige but myself that we will get out of here, seems an unenviable task right now.

Not one I am capable of.

RHYDER

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