Page 67 of Devil's Bargain

ELEVEN

Sneaking into a teacher’s car undetected is surprisingly easy. I’ve been lying here on the back seat for the last twenty minutes, unable to shake the feeling that I’m playing right into their hands. I don’t even understand their games. Why are they doing this?

The car rocks as the door opens.

Jared gets behind the wheel, and I go to sit up but freeze when Scott slides into the passenger seat. I look between them. Neither of them has acknowledged me yet, but they know I’m here.

“How long is the drive?” Scott asks.

Jared starts the engine, reversing out of the parking spot. He gives me a glance before straightening in the seat and spinning the wheel. “Twenty minutes.”

“Can I sit up yet?” I ask.

Neither of them replies.

“He is going to fucking love the work we’ve done with her!”

I sit up and look around. We’re no longer on the school grounds. “Who’s he? Where are you taking me?”

“He’s already offered double the original price.”

Jared laughs. “That’s because he’s a sick fucker!”

I try the door. Right now, I think I would prefer to throw myself out of a moving vehicle than stay here.

It’s locked.

“Child lock. Surprisingly effective.” Scott taunts from the passenger seat.

Panic sets in. “What is this?”

“Did her mom use the money for drugs?”

Jared nods. “Yeah. She burned it all in less than half an hour.”

Scott whistles. “Impressive.”

“Oh god!” I whimper, fighting with the door handle. “Please, let me out!”

“I’m afraid we can’t do that, April. We have a party to go to.”

“A party?”

Scott hands me a small bag. “Change into this.”

I hold the crinkling paper bag in my hands. “Why?”

He groans. “Just do what we fucking ask for once.”

I carefully look inside the bag. Lace and more lace. “What’s this?”

Jared’s eyes are on me in the review mirror. “Lingerie.”

I pull out the string of fabric. “Why am I changing into lingerie?”

“Shut the fuck up!” Scott growls, banging the back of his head on the headrest. “Just do as you’re fucking told, or we’ll pull over right here and teach you a fucking lesson!”

I slip my top over my head, and my hands tremble as I reach for the buttons on my jeans. After shimmying out of my trousers, I throw them down in the footwell.

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