There was no paper trail of Lila or Sienna, zero clues, and it was pretty likely Carson was involved, no matter what she tried to tell herself.
Lila kept her face down but started to take her clothes off, accepting whatever was about to happen.
She had no other choice.
THE LAST thirty-six hours had been hell, and Carson felt the weight of the world on his shoulders while he waited. He needed to make sure Lila was safe, and then figure out how to tell her who he was and why he was really out west. And he hoped to do all this without severing his chances with the beautiful woman.
Did she feel the same about him? Or was he just a badly needed fling?
He didn’t have to time to question himself or Lila’s feelings. He knew how he felt and what he had to do. Unfortunately, time was standing still outside the warehouse. Inside it was a much different story, but he continued to wait outside with the rest of the ground team after Elon dragged Lila inside.
He could tell the asshole was manhandling her, and that severely strained the little patience he had left. Come on already, he thought. Clear the way for them to enter the building. Carson continued to pace the small interior of the van, desperate for some clue as to what was going on inside. This was the problem with getting emotionally involved in a case; you became a liability, and that was what he was. A big fucking liability who needed his woman back safe and sound.
Lila was in that building, and what the fuck were they doing with her?
The ground team, now multiplied by ten, was hidden and scattered all around the warehouse with a slight sight line into what was happening inside. Carson and Ray were running command from the van. Over the secure line, the team kept the two of them apprised of what was happening.
“Leading subject through building.”
“Webcam scenes still running. Confirmed, both women actors definitely appear to be minors.”
“Main subject looks to be fine. Walking on her own. Clearly absorbing all around her, confused but alert.”
“Finder and Charles now guiding subject beyond quiet movie sets to an office.”
“In office, door closed, sight line dark.”
LILA TOOK her clothes off as slowly as possible while silently counting backward from a hundred in an effort to remain calm. Despite already resolving herself to a very bad ending, a small part of Lila hoped someone would find her. For some reason, she couldn’t extinguish the little spark of hope.
Mike, Asher, Carson. Any one of them would be fine.
“Good girl. Now get down on your knees,” Elon commanded as she finished removing her clothes.
It was ironic to think that only a few days before, she had found some sort of strength in stripping, taking her clothes off and dancing for a crowd. Now all Lila felt was naked, alone, and scared.
She had no other choice but to do as Elon said, so she lowered herself to a submissive position on her knees, surrendering any control she had left. She didn’t move fast enough, and Elon shoved her down the final few inches. The cold, hard floor sent a chill through her spine and her knees ached, but not nearly as much as her heart.
Elon tied her hands behind her and then blindfolded her, making the room go black for Lila. Perhaps this was for the best; she wanted to witness as little as possible. Lila tried to listen to what was happening, but only the worst, most evil and sordid thoughts ran through her mind, distracting her from the sounds in the room.
She took in a deep breath, but all she smelled was stale cologne and dirty, raunchy sweat. Then the door opened and she prayed Elon was leaving her alone, but that was only a pipe dream.
Lila heard what sounded like the footsteps of two more men enter the room. One smelled like he was greased up in coconut oil, and she couldn’t even allow herself to think why.
“Stan, take your camera to the far corner. Peter, position yourself in front of the whore,” Elon instructed.
Lila’s blood coursed through her veins at rapid speed. What was he going to make her do? On camera? With oil-slicked “Peter?” She shivered from the top of her head all the way down to her toes, an ice-cold sensation running through her spine, coating her insides and seeping out to her extremities, overwhelming her with dread.
Bile started to rise up her throat. Tears filled her eyes, and she pinched her eyelids tighter even though she was wearing a blindfold. She wanted, needed to close out whatever was happening, even more than the blindfold already did. The darkness of the blindfold wasn’t enough.
She started thinking about holding her breath in hopes of passing out, when she felt something making a path along her neck, stroking as it trailed down to her cleavage and back.
That isn’t a hand.
There was no longer any need to force holding her breath, Lila was on the verge of passing out all on her own when she realized it was a penis making its way around her neck and face. She felt the tip of Peter’s penis dripping with fluid, rubbing all over her.