Page 28 of The Trap

Interesting.

“Of course not. I was planning on dealing with him after I got to her, but this…this could work.”

“Where should I have them dropped off? Separately, I assume?”

“Separate? Why?” I ask.

“Well, you can’t expect to get the answers we need if they are too busy-”

“Fucking?” I interrupt. “Please, a little sexual tension only makes things more entertaining.”

“Yeah, yeah. Where should I have them dropped off?”

“Laberinto de Venganza,” I announce.

“Really? Are you sure? We haven’t tested it out yet.”

“Exactly, it’ll make things more entertaining,” I shout gleefully. “Oh, and add Colson Cromwell to the list.”

Looking at the brother, I first spit on him. “Well, Mr. Cromwell, it’s your lucky day. Your death is delayed.”

“Thank you,” he pathetically whimpers.

Shaking my head, I approach him once more, lowering my eyes to his. “Not so fast. I’m still going to kill you. Except now, your brother and your ex-girlfriend will get a front row seat.”

FOURTEEN

My eyes jolt open as a surge of consciousness overtakes my body. I gasp, blinking vigorously in the hopes that they adjust quickly to the darkness that feels like it’s suffocating me, but it’s no use. I can’t see a damn thing. A violent chill runs down my spine, sending a current of prickled bumps to my flesh. Soreness forms at my jaw as my teeth chatter uncontrollably. I lift my hands and legs at the same time, thrashing them, expecting shackles to clink in response, but to my surprise my limbs are free of restraints. My hands rush to my hips, the lace of my booty shorts brushing against my palms. Skimming my hand closer to the apex of my thighs, the delicate fabric is still damp with the remnants of my arousal, causing the vision from before of Colson trapped between the chokehold of my thighs to invade my mind.

A conflicting sensation overwhelms me as my mind races, trying to recall exactly what happened after I thrashed against Colson’s face, but it all feels so fuzzy. The last thing I remember before the chemical-soaked fabric assaulted my mouth was Colson being dragged off the bed. I couldn’t get a good look atwho did it. All I could make out was that their face was covered by a ski mask and their voice sounded almost robotic.

Panic strikes me, contorting my stomach into knots, tempting me to give in and shut down. But I can’t. I’ve been trained to push through my anxieties, ignore my emotions, like Carmine taught me. It’s how I succeed. It’s how I’m able to survive. But this is different. Out of all the scary situations I’ve been put into, I’ve never been kidnapped or unable to discern my surroundings… without a phone or weapons or anything. Fuck, this is so bad. Still, I can’t allow myself to be riddled by the very real fear that makes my breathing feel shallow and my throat dry. If I give in to the fear, then I’ll never get out of here. Wherever the fuck here even is.

Slowly, I straighten my back against what feels like exposed brick. The silk of my robe catches to the rough, uneven wall as I sit up. I part my lips to scream, but my jaw is too strained from the incessant chatteringdue to the cold. Desperate for an ounce of warmth, I cup my hands in front of my mouth, expelling jagged gusts of air onto them before I attempt to shout again.

“Hello!” I shriek, but all my ears are met with is the deafening echo of my own voice bouncing back at me.

Clearing my throat, I try to dig deeper, screaming louder. “Hello?” I call out, louder than before. “Hel–” I begin to scream just as a cold calloused palm clamps down, covering my mouth and nose.

I growl and squirm, trying to fight off the overpowering palm, but the hold won’t budge. Flustered, I contort my mouth open as much as I can, trying to chomp at the flesh pressed over my mouth. But there’s not enough give, so I opt to stick my tongue out enough to startle the stronghold off me.

“Ew,” the familiar voice rasps.

Colson.

“What the fuck,” he mutters, retracting his hand. “Did you just lick me?” His question is an accusation with a little too much disgust for my liking.

My breath catches in my mouth as I push out a dramatic scoff. “Oh please, don’t pretend you didn’t like my tongue on you. You’re lucky I didn’t bite it and break the skin, since you so rudely interrupted me.”

“Well, you were being so fucking loud, someone could have heard you,” he warns, clearly oblivious to how stupid he sounds. I swear, he’s lucky that he’s hot, because he truly is a grade-A jackass half the time.

“That’s the fucking point, genius. I want whoever the fuck brought us here to hear us so we can get some fucking answers!”

“Holy shit, you really are stubborn, aren’t you?” He attempts to insult me, but it only adds to the annoyance boiling in my veins.

I straighten my arm, grasping at the air until I catch hold of something. His arm? Face? I don’t know, but wherever I’ve landed, I stay there, capturing my middle finger with the pad of my thumb and flicking him as hard as I can.

“Hey!” he snaps. “That wasn’t nice.”

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