Page 67 of Wicked Arrangement

The SUV behind us overtakes and then begins driving slowly in front, causing Marta to have to slam on her brakes. “Well, it’s not one of my brother’s men, but it is an asshole,” Marta mutters, “Learn how to drive!”

She glances in her rearview mirror as a second SUV pulls up to the side of us, revealing a third behind. “Shit,” Marta hisses.

“What? What’s happening?” I ask, feeling panicked by the strange behavior of the cars.

“Nothing good,” Marta replies through gritted teeth.

Suddenly, the cars close in on us, ramming Marta’s car from all directions and forcing her to come to a sudden stop. Three armed men in balaclavas pile out of each vehicle, all armed with guns.

“Get out of the car, now!” one of the men shouts, firing a warning shot into the air that makes me yelp in surprise.

“What should we do?” I ask Marta, a wave of terror courses through my veins as I realize the danger we’re in.

“Siri, call Yaroslav,” Marta orders her phone, and the car system automatically begins to dial on speakerphone.

She quickly moves to lock the car doors as a man approaches the window. I sit there, frozen in panic and unable to go anywhere. One of the men, realizing the car is locked, smashes the window next to Marta with the back of his machine gun. Glass flies everywhere and Marta screams as the man drags her like a ragdoll out of the car by her hair.

“I told you to get out of the fucking car!” he snarls, roughly passing her to another man.

Marta snarls and fights against her captor trying to get away. “Let me fucking go! My brother will kill you for this, you’ve no idea who you’re messing with!”

One of the men backhands her with his gun and she falls down, a bright red welt on her face appears where he struck her.

“Marta!” I cry out, worried for my friend.

The man who broke the window calmly looks at me, pointing the gun at my head. “Are you going to comply? Or do we have to do this the hard way?” he asks me.

All I can think of is the life inside of me, the desperate need to protect my unborn child, I don’t want them to hurt her, so I agree. “I’ll come with you,” I say, crawling across the car and getting out of Marta’s side.

“Good choice,” he says.

Meanwhile, Marta has gotten up and tried to run, the men easily catch her, and I see them hold a rag over her face. She quickly goes limp, falling unconscious. “What did you do to her?” I cry out, agonized as they then proceed to tie her arms and legs.

“It’s just a sedative, she’ll be fine,” the man says as they bundle Marta’s unconscious body into the trunk of one of the SUVs.

The man grabs me by the wrist, “Hands behind your back,” he orders and I comply, wincing as he duct-tapes my wrists together tightly.

He starts to lead me toward another of the cars. “No, please, let me go with her,” I beg, not wanting to be separated from Marta.

He shrugs but seems to concede to my request, turning and marching me toward the same trunk as Marta. “Get in,” he barks.

I do as I’m told, leaning close to Marta as I do. To my relief, she’s still breathing. The man proceeds to tape my legstightly together. He then pulls out a bottle and a rag, pouring liquid onto it.

“Please, no. There’s no need to use that on me, I’m doing as you ask. I’ll be quiet I swear,” I beg, fearful of what an unknown drug could do to the precious life inside my womb.

“No can do,” the man says, reaching to press it to my face.

I struggle and wriggle away, trying to turn away from him. “Please, don’t! I’m pregnant!” I beg, hoping he will show mercy on my unborn child.

“We know,” the man says as he finally presses the stinking rag against my face.

I hyperventilate panicking and reaching out with my bound hands for Marta, I feel woozy, and my vision starts to blur. I hear the sound of the trunk closing with a slam.

And then everything goes dark.

Chapter 33

Yaroslav

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