Page 26 of Vendetta

We finished our rounds, the girls taking a moment to stop and pet each and every animal as I offered brief introductions. It was a warm feeling, watching some of the most important things in my life come together and mesh so well.

I locked up behind us, making my way to the passenger seat of Olivia’s G-Class and plugging in my phone in as she started it up. I heard Bexley’s door slam shut, mine being yanked open directly after.

“What the—” I started, but before my head was even fully turned, it was violently yanked back by the hair. Before I could process what was happening, I was being hauled out of the car and thrown onto the ground, the concrete shredding my bare knees and forearms as I tried to catch myself. I could hear Olivia and Bexley’s shouts coming from behind me, my mind spinning as panic laced my veins.

I tried to push myself up but a boot stomped down onto my spine, shoving me back down to the ground on my stomach as my arms were violently yanked back. I fought as I felt zip ties securing my wrists together and something was thrown over my head, rendering me blind and disoriented.

I heard my name being yelled, the sounds of a scuffle taking place around us as I was picked up and hauled into what I assumed to be a trunk right as it was shut and everything went quiet.

Tires squealed as the vehicle took off, throwing me from side to side as I was unable to brace myself with my arms tied in this position. Adrenaline raced through every inch of me, my survival instincts going into overdrive. I think I had just been abducted.

Son of a bitch.

—

They had put me in a fucking dog crate. I thought hostages were supposed to actually be treated decently? This was borderline barbaric and downright degrading. I couldn’t even sit up straight all the way, the top of my head hitting the top of thecage. And no pillow or even dog bed to sit on? Rude. My butt was going to go numb.

They had taken me to what I assumed to be a penthouse apartment in the city, my cage in the corner of the massive modern living room, locks on both latches keeping me in. I assumed there were at least a handful of bedrooms, though I hadn’t exactly been given a grand tour so I couldn’t be sure.

My location gave me a direct view of the living room to my left and the open-concept kitchen directly in front of me, with what seemed to be some sort of entrance hall around the wall to my right. Hallways stretched in both directions of the living room, the space large enough to fit a large leather sectional and marble fireplace. The place was classy, I would give them that, the entirety of it clean and free of clutter. I wouldn’t have thought anybody actually lived here if it weren’t for the few kitchen appliances on the counter and large pieces of modern artwork adorning the cream walls.

Thankfully, my zip ties had been removed so I could at least move my arms, my wrists raw and shoulders sore from the position I had been kept in. My cotton sleep shorts and strappy silk tank top hadn’t done anything to protect me as I had been thrown across the ground, the scrapes across my knees and down my forearms burning now that the adrenaline had worn off. So much for the excessive force rule, I guess.

But possibly worst of all, I hadn’t been wearing a bra. Note to self—always wear a bra if there’s a possible chance of being abducted.

I kept my arms wrapped around myself, trying to hide the fact that my nipples were visibly peeking through my white sleep top thanks to the slight chill in the apartment.

I had finally gotten a good look at my kidnappers once the bag had been removed from my head—One of the two guys was well-built, his size comparable to that of Kaptan’s, and he wore a backwards cap over his blond hair with jeans and work boots that I assumed had been the same ones that had pressed me down into the concrete earlier tonight. The other had a lankier build, his dark hair shaggy and nearly as disheveled as his slacks and dress shirt.

There were two girls accompanying them, and my best guess was that they had helped hold Olivia and Bexley back while I had been loaded into the trunk. One appeared to be of Hispanic descent, while the other was slightly shorter and had long ashy blonde hair a few shades darker than mine.

They hadn’t given me much attention after shoving me into the cage, congregating in the kitchen and celebrating their victory with shots and toasts. I sincerely hoped that they didn’t plan on keeping me in here for the next two days.

I heard the private elevator ding from the hallway to the right, the group hooting and hollering as who I assumed to be their fifth team member walked into the room.

I immediately recognized the head of dark hair and the tall frame beneath the black hoodie. Cashton’s green eyes met mine, and he didn’t seem the slightest bit surprised to see me. A cruel smirk pulled at the corner of his lips as he walked over to my crate and squatted down to my eye level. The sight had me scooting backwards as I tried to get as far from him as I could, feeling like a mouse caught in his trap. The malicious look in his stare was downright predatory.

“Fancy seeing you here, Princess.”

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

CHAPTER 13

LANDRY

The universe must have a vendetta against me today because Cashton Astor was on the team targeting mine. I felt so small and demeaned sitting under his scrutinizing gaze in nothing but my tiny sleep set in a fucking dog crate. My cheeks heated with embarrassment, wishing I could be anywhere but here at this moment. My heart beat wildly as he seemed to assess me, his presence sucking the air from my lungs.

“You sure look cozy.”

I wanted to slap the smug look off his face. He knew that he had me trapped, and there was nowhere for me to hide as he surveyed every inch me as if I was his next meal.

One of the other guys—The blond one with the backwards ball cap—squatted down on the side of my crate, reaching through the bars to grab a lock of my loose hair and curl it around his finger.

“Such a pretty little thing, ain’t she?” He mused, the look on his face nauseating. I slapped his hand away, backing myself as far back as I could go into the back corner and curling my legs into me. I wanted to cry. Not only was this the most humiliated I had ever felt in my life, but the inability to escape this situation had me painfully on edge and panicked. I wasn’t about to let them laugh at my tears, so I just forced myself to toughen up and shot them both murderous gazes, reminding myself that this was all a game and they couldn’t actually hurt me.

Cashton took his time looking me over for what felt like forever before he finally spoke, his voice deep and gravely.

“You guys put those scratches on her?”

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