Page 5 of Seducing Selena

CHAPTER THREE

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SELENA

My head felt like there was a railroad spike going through it.

What the hell?

I groaned. God, I didn’t drink nearly enough to make my head pound like this. Was this some kind of new heat symptom because I skipped one? Whatever it was, I needed some pain meds, and fast.

Opening my eyes, I wasn’t in my bedroom. It was dark, and there were metal bars inches from my face.

Everything came slamming back into my head. The sounds, and my attacker. Fading into unconsciousness. Oh, fuck, where was I?

I sat up, looking down at myself. A deep green baby doll nightgown was on my body, and I hadn’t been the one to put it there. Now it wasn’t just my head that was in pain. Nausea clawed at my stomach. I was in a cage.

A fucking cage.

A curtain draped around one side, shrouding me in shadows, but I heard murmurs of other voices. I couldn’t make this reality fit into my brain. This was something that happened to other people in books and movies. It didn’t happen toyou.

On the other side of the curtain, a man’s voice cut through the air. “Time to go. You will serve until it is time for the auction. Your eyes will remain on the ground, and the only words you are permitted to speak are ‘yes, Master,’ or ‘thank you, Master.’ Am I clear?”

There was a tiny break in the curtain where I could see him. In a suit, built and handsome, as were the men standing next to him. Why were evil people all so beautiful?

I heard people—women—say yes, followed by the padding of feet.

If they were all being ushered somewhere, why was I still in a cage? More importantly, how could that scare me more than being in the cage itself? Why was I singled out?

Vibration startled me.

I whipped around, eyes locking on a phone in the corner of the cage behind me. The screen lit up, and there was a message on it.

What the actualfuckwas happening?

HelloSelena Martin,

Welcome to the Underground Omega Syndicate.

You’ve been selected for a task of great importance, given your profession, skills, and crimes. You have been relocated to the criminal portion of theCatenaclub, which will be your new home, and the starting point for your new role within our organization.

There are three rules you must abide by:

1. Maintain access to this phone. Given your assignment, this will be difficult. But you will find a loose floorboard within your cage where you can hide it. It is your sole point of contact with The Syndicate.

2. Follow any orders we give you, or you are given within your role. If an issue arises, reach out to this number immediately.

3. Never discuss the Syndicate or your affiliation with the Syndicate.

Follow these instructions, and you will be able to earn your freedom. Ignore or deviate from these rules, and the penalties will be swift and severe. Any attempt to expose our organization will immediately activateTermination Protocolwhich includes (but is not limited to): revoking and permanently canceling all treatment forAnna Martin.There will be no reinstatement or other avenues available anywhere in the world. While you remain on assignment and in good standing, her care will continue. Other consequences may be immediate termination of funding, available resources, and execution.

Due to the nature of your assignment, all instructions must be given now. It is your task to find the manufacturer and distributor of Omega hormones. The same ones you have been using to cause overdoses in Betas.

The harvesting of Omega hormones is not only harmful, but using them to cause death is inexcusable, which is why you are here now.

Once you discover the origin and party responsible, respond to this message. You will be retrieved and returned to your life. In the meantime, actions have been taken to make sure your absence is appropriate and does not alarm anyone.

You have one month.

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