Page 26 of Deceiver

“The choice is yours,” I say, calmly, even though inside I’m screaming. “You can either believe me or not. If you choose not to, you’re giving up the possible chance of getting what you want. Are you willing to take that risk?”

A cold smile stretches across his face. “Very well, if that’s the case, we’ll drop you off there right now. Oh, and Bonnie, my friend here is going to give you just a small taste of what will happen if you double cross us.”

Bill steps back with a sharp nod to the other man.

Stepping forward, he lashes out, catching me off guard. His fist hits my stomach so hard the wind is knocked out of me. A loud gasp escapes my throat as I tumble backward, clutching my belly as pain shoots through my sides. Another hit follows quickly after the first, bringing me to my knees. Agony shoots through my body, and I cry out, begging him to stop.

“I get it,” I gasp. “I get it.”

“One more, just for luck,” Bill murmurs.

A booted foot hits me in the ribs, sending me tumbling backward into the closet supplies. Containers and bottles fall on my head as I roll to my side, coughing and gasping, the air refusing to enter my lungs. My head spins and tears run down my cheeks as I try to fight through the pain. The unbearable pain.

A moment later, a hand curls around my arm and hauls me up. I cry out as my body refuses to straighten the way it should.

It hurts.

God, it hurts.

“Time to go.”

Bill is cheerful as they pull me out of the closet and toward the back entrance. Each step sends sharp stabbing pains through my ribs and stomach, but they’re not allowing me to stop. My phone in my pocket begins to ring, over and over, and I know it’s Leo. He’ll be looking for me, and if he doesn’t find me, he is going to cause a scene.

“If I don’t answer him,” I grind out, “he is going to flip.”

“You tell him you’re at the club and to go home,” Bill says as his friends drags me toward a truck that is idling in the deserted back parking lot.

I shakily reach for my phone, taking a deep breath.

“If he suspects anything is wrong,” Bill warns, “I’ll make it hurt more.”

Gritting my teeth, I answer the phone when Leo’s name flashes across the screen again.

“Bonnie,” he says down the phone, the moment I click answer. “Sorry, somehow I was unable to get into the parking lot. I had to circle around the block and I didn’t hear my phone. I’m here now, are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” I say, making my voice sound as normal as I possibly can. “So sorry, I tried to call to let you know you didn’t need to wait for me. Western came to get me, he wants to talk. I’m just at the club. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

Leo pauses. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“I need to talk to him, Leo.”

Exhaling, Leo grunts. “I think he deserves nothing from you, but as long as you’re safe, I’m happy. What time will you be done? I’ll come and get you.”

“I’ll message.”

I finish up the call, confident that Leo isn’t suspicious.

I’m shoved into the truck, and the big guy gets in next to me, ensuring I can’t jump out. As we drive away, I desperately try to think of a way out of this. What am I going to say when I go into that club? How exactly am I going to get them to trust me? How will I get information when they don’t want anything to do with me?

Then, an idea hits.

Like a lightbulb moment in my mind.

Why didn’t I think of this earlier?

Through the haze and pain, a plan formulates in my mind, a plan that didn’t click until now.

By the time we arrive at the club, I know what I have to do.

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