Page 18 of Protected By the SEAL

This isnotwhat I want right now. Or ever. Max is too late. The gang have caught up with us. We’re screwed.

“You were right.” The man throws the woman on the floor, who howls out in agony and tears. “They are here.”

Cassie glances at me, and I stare right back at her with terrified, wide eyes. I don’t know what the fuck we’re going to do now. The man slides into our room with a few others behind, and they head straight for Cassie. I might as well not be here.

“You need to come with us, little lady,” one of the guys growls at Cassie. “You might think that you’ve fucked up our plans, but don’t worry. We can work shit out. We can get the money from your father even if you’re here.”

“No,” she screams as they lift her off her feet. “No, don’t do this. Don’t do this to me, no, please, stop!”

There isn’t much that I can do with so many guys, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. We have been through too much forher to go now. And not just because we got out of the jungle, but because there’s something between us as well. I leap on the men and fight as much as I can. I’m tough as shit, Navy SEALs always are, but there’s only so much I can do alone.

I’m slammed backward onto the floor. I hit my head hard. Then a foot slams into my head, which causes my vision to blur. But the determination still surges through me. I try to get up, but then I’m hit again. And again. I even try to call out to Cassie, but my windpipe is attacked. I think we might both be fucked here.

16

CASSIE

“Where’s Benji?” I cry out to no avail. The gang members are being too loud to hear anything I say. I don’t think they would give a shit even if they could. Their rough treatment of me, of my body, is proof of that. I can already feel the bruises forming already, and we’re still moving. They’re taking me outside the hotel, and I hate it. “Take me back, I need Benji. I can’t do this.”

I think they’re taking me back to the jungle, back to where I fought so hard to escape from, and honestly, I don’t know what I’ll do if that happens. If I see that jungle once more, I might give up more than I want to. I don’t know if I’ll be able to escape. I don’t know if I have the inner strength to get away from that nightmare once more, especially alone. I can’t fathom that idea.

But we don’t actually get too far at all. Just outside the motel, with nothing in the background, the men toss me down onto the ground hard. I cry out as my arm gets cut, as the rough ground hurts me, but of course, they don’t care. It means nothing to them if I’m injured. Since they are probably going to kill me anyway, I don’t suppose any more pain matters.

“Now, little Cassie Jones,” the guy with the nastiest smile declares with a delighted smile. “I know that you haven’t been in front of the camera for a little while, but you’re going to have to have another little debut here. Your own little movie, okay?”

“No,” I whisper with a sob. “No, I don’t want to be filmed. Please, don’t film whatever this is. Please, don’t do this to me.”

I’ve never seen some of the horrific murder videos posted online. That’s the sort of thing I would always actively avoid, but now it seems like I’m about to star in one. I can’t stand the idea of my family having to watch me being killed. IknowNick won’t be able to stop himself, and it will destroy him. His mental health will deteriorate for sure. I don’t want that. If Benji survives this, he will see it as well, and he’ll blame himself for the rest of his life. He won’t think that he did enough to save me.

“Here’s a newspaper.” The man throws a brand-new paper at me with today’s headlines on it. “And here’s what I want you to say. I’ll stand over here next to Ted, who’s going to be filming you, and show you on these cards what to say.”

I try to look at what he’s talking about, but I’m too emotional to really see it. My eyes are blurry with pain and tears. “Huh?”

“Are you thick, Cassie?” he growls angrily. “Did you not hear what I told you to do? It’s quite fucking simple.”

Oh, my God. It isn’t a killer video, it’s a kidnapping video. A ransom request. I would love to think that means I might live, but I’ve been told Ted’s name and I’ve seen one too many faces as well. I’m fucked now, either way. The hope that Benji has given me has been dashedagain. I’m back on yet another damn dip of this rollercoaster ride.

“Fucking hell.” He rolls his eyes as he sees the pathetic state of me. “Pick up that newspaper. We need proof that it’s been filmed today. Otherwise, your asshole father won’t pay up. If he thinks you’re already dead, he won’t pay up.”

“He… he won’t pay up if you’re going to kill me,” I stammer out anxiously. “He will need to see me alive.”

“Don’t you worry about what will or won’t happen after this video is recorded. Leave that to me.” His lopsided smirk makes me feel ill. I clutch onto my stomach wondering what will happen if I throw up everywhere. “Now, we also need your family to know that you’re in real danger, which means I’m going to cut you in the video.” I shrink away as he produces a knife. “But I’m not going to kill you, so I don’t want you howling or anything like that. This needs to run smoothly. Do you get that?”

Holy shit, this is a horrible state of affairs. It’s only sheer fear which has me nodding vigorously. Honestly, I don’t know what words of his are sinking in and what’s washing over me. All I need to do is try and not fuck this up or that knife might meet my heart. It’s really freaking challenging to keep my desperate sobs inside, but I do my best so as not to anger him.

“Do you need to go through all of the script before we film this?” he asks me in an exaggerated manner. “Or can we get on with it?”

“Where are you going to take me once I’ve stopped filming?” I ask bravely, knowing this might get me hurt, but I need to know. I have to know if it’s worth going through all of this to get back to Benji. “Do I die right away, or can I go back to the room?”

“You seem to think that I’m a monster,” he sneers. “Of course you can go back to the room. I’m not going to kill you unless yourfather fucks up. If I end up taking your head off, it will be his fault. Don’t forget that.”

Oh, great, that isn’t exactly reassuring, is it? That means I might well die anyway, but at least I’m going to be able to see whether Benji survived the attack the men put upon him. I need to know if he’s lived and to let him know everything is okay.

“Okay.” I nod slowly. “I’ll do it. I don’t need to have any run-through. I would rather get it done quickly.”

My heart pounds as Ted begins the recording. The other man indicates for me to pick up the newspaper to show the date, which I do. As I try to lift up my hands, I realize that I’m shaking really hard. I don’t know if my dad will be able to see the date.

“Er, my name is Cassie Jones,” I stammer, reading the cards being held up next to the camera. Being filmed is triggering. It brings back horrible memories and layers on top of it as well because this is a million times worse. “Here’s today’s newspaper. I… I’ve been kidnapped and my life is in… in danger.” I gulp back the thick ball of emotion that lodges in my throat. This is heart-wrenching. “I might be killed unless money is paid to keep me alive. Dad, I need you to pay so I can live.”

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