Page 9 of Playing For Keeps
“Nothing you haven’t had before.” She smiles as she nudges me with the container.
I fidget with my hands, but Isabella jams the pistol into my ribs.
“Do what she asks or else.”
They could be poisoning me. The hard metal of the gun reminds me I’m in no position to fight this. I take the bottle as thoughts of sabotage grip me.
I force myself to take a drink. Crisp white wine shocks my tastebuds. It’s delicious, so it flows down my throat too easily.
“Well? How is it?” Joan asks.
“It tastes good.” I try to hand the thermos back to her.
“No, thanks. This one’s for you. It’s your favorite.” Her evil tone coats her words.
I nod and take another drink, praying I’m not being killed. My erratic breathing has no intention of slowing down, so I take a bigger gulp. Maybe it will help me somehow.
Joan and Isabella stare at me as I try in vain not to cry, but tears well in my eyes and trickle down my cheeks as the SUV skids out into traffic. I swat at the traitorous liquid streaming down my face.
Jami’s words echo in my head.I’m serious, Dori. Don’t take any chances.
Why didn’t I listen to him?
I didn’t think something like doing my last walkthrough of my loft would be dangerous, but I should’ve known. I can’t believe I didn’t think it would.
Buildings blur as we speed down the road, swerving in and out of traffic. A strange softness creeps up the back of myneck and up my spine. It loosens the knotted muscles in my neck. My vision goes unfocused. Within seconds, my memory hooks onto the time I was roofied.
Shit.
I’ve been drugged.
Jami’s face comes into focus. “Dori, are you okay?”
I blink as my eyelids tick down. “Jami, is that you?”
He doesn’t answer. My head grows heavy, and I start to nod off but jerk back up. I pry my eyes open. I’ve got to stay awake because I need to know where we’re going or else no one will be able to find me.
His panicked voice rings in my ears. “Do not fall asleep.”
“I’m so tired, Jami.” I rest my head back against the leather seat.
My eyes close as I begin to fade into the ether.
A muffled woman’s voice invades the quiet. “Do you think he’ll join forces with you?”
“If she means anything to him, he’ll do whatever I need him to do,” another woman says.
“And if he doesn’t?”
“Then I’ll hand her over to the men he’s been protecting all these years.”
A breeze moves my hair over my face. I reach up to swipe it away and scratch the tickling of my nose, but a heavy cuff squeezes my wrist. I open my eyes and find myself bound by thick metal chains.
The pounding of my head takes center stage. My memory is fuzzy.
I gaze around the room. I’m lying on a dirty mattress on the floor. The walls of my room are made up of dark-bluedrapes. They flutter in the wind and expose an opening in the material. I peek out, but all I can see is more material swaying in the draft.
The chains clank as I push myself upright and scan the brick wall behind me. I trail my gaze up to the top. There’s an open window way up high. The sunlight streams in, but not enough to brighten the space I’m in.
