Page 9 of Stolen

“Have a seat,” he said, plopping his hand down on the table. It was not an easy feat with my hands still tied behind my back and what felt like an iron plate in my chest, but somehow, I managed. “The doctor will just do a regular physical exam, take some blood, and we’ll be out of here.”

I didn’t acknowledge him, just kept my eyes on the door and focused on my breathing. A few moments later, a short older man with white hair wearing jeans and a bowling shirt walked into the room.

“Jared.” He nodded toward him. “What have we got today?” he asked, looking me up and down.

“Newbie needs the routine exam, Sid.”

“No problem. Let me wash up.”

Oh, like it was no big deal. Just another naked girl needing a physical before she’s sold to who-the fuck-ever. Better make sure she’s up to snuff.

I knew what this exam meant. He was going to poke and prod me in my most private of places, and I wasn’t about to have any of that. As the doctor turned toward me, drying his hands off, he gave my arms a good once-over.

“You know I can’t examine her bound like that,” he said, turning to Jared.

“I don’t know, Sid. This is a wild one. Can’t be too careful,” Jared replied.

As his words left his lips, they echoed in my ear like ripples from a pond, giving light to a memory that had been buried by drugs.

Can’t be too careful…

It came back to me then, in small scenes, but I could see Jared’s face clear as day. It was from a day ago. I had met my best friend, Jordan, at a bar in downtown Detroit, had a few drinks with her, and had a pretty damn good time. But when we were ready to leave, she decided to use the bathroom one last time before heading out. I waited for her at the bar. That was when I remembered Jared…drunk as shit and attempting to hit on me as I waited. Of course, I shot him down, and he took it like the asshole he was. When Jordan finally returned, I stood from the barstool…and then I remembered him grabbing my ass and telling me that I should “learn how to take a compliment.” That was when I grabbed his pinky finger, twisted it painfully along with his wrist, and jerked his arm into his back, forcing his face down to the bar as he grunted in pain.

“And you should learn to take a hint, asshole. Keep your fucking hands to yourself,” I snarled into his ear and released him, heading for the door with Jordan.

“You better watch yourself!” he slurred after me, and I turned my head to glare at him from over my shoulder. “Can’t be too careful out there with such a pretty little thinglike you!” He then raised his glass to me and winked before taking a sip of his beer.

Son of a bitch!

This motherfucker was trying to get back at me for turning him down at a fucking bar!? How in the hell could one person do that to another? To completely rip them from their lives and toss them into hell all because they couldn’t deal with a little female rejection? I swear to God, some men were seriously patheticly fragile sometimes.

“Well, you’ll just have to be extra alert then, won’t you?” Sid’s voice broke me from the memory.

Jared stood and turned toward me then, flipping a switchblade out from his pocket. It wasn’t very big, but if I could get my hands on it, it would do just enough damage.

“You try anything,” he said, pointing the knife at my face. “And I’ll cut that pretty little face to shreds.”

“Yes, sir,” I lied, anxiously waiting for my chance to strike. I might have looked calm and collected, but inside, I was seething like a volcano ready to explode.

As soon as he leaned behind me to cut the ties and released my hands, I took my opportunity. Rules and threats went out the window as I went for my biggest threat first. I instantly grabbed his arm and shoulder, locking him in place behind me, keeping a close eye on the knife. Quickly, my knee struck him right in the balls, and as I felt his body slacken, my elbow slammed into his Adam’s apple and sent him gasping for air. When his grip on the knife loosened, I twisted it out of his hands and stabbed him in the abdomen, causing him to groan aloud. Digging the knife deep into his flesh, I practically spat in his ear, “I remember.”

Ripping the blade from his torso, I sliced open the back of his thigh and shoved him until he fell back on the floor with a loud cry. After hearing his grunts and seeing the doctor cower in the corner, I took off for the door, remembering the two guards who waited outside.

Wrenching the door open, I held the doorframe and kicked the guard to my left right in the face with a hard round kick, forcing his head to slam back into the wall and nearly knocking him out. I then turned my foot back into a hook kick and slammed my heel into the eye of the guard to my right. I then blasted both my fists backward into their groins as they tumbled over and finally took off, knife still in hand. I should have grabbed their guns, probably should have stabbed them, too, but I didn’t have time to struggle with them. The knife would have to do.

I ran down the hallway as fast as I could, ignoring the protest of my muscles as I forced them to work harder than they ever had. I was determined to make it to the elevator and get myself the fuck out of here.

Abandoning the pain in my chest, I couldhear the yelling of the guards behind me as my legs pounded away, driving me faster and faster away from this fucked-up nightmare. My heart was hammering inside my chest as adrenaline pumped through my veins, giving me the drive I needed to make my escape.

Just as I was about to turn the corner to the elevators, a long, large arm stuck out from behind the wall, slamming into my already sore chest, effectively clotheslining me. My feet flew up in the air, and I landed hard on my back with the wind knocked out of my lungs…again.

Coughing and panting, I looked up to find that stunning son of a bitch staring down at me. He was wearing a slight grin in the corner of his lips. My heart froze, and my stomach twisted into one giant knot.

Fuck.

“I’m confused,” he said, reaching down to grab the knife out of my hand and crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Didn’t I just tell you not to fight?”

I coughed, trying to breathe, and attempted to roll onto my side. “It was worth a shot,” I groaned.

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