Ride With The Devil(24)

Mistake. Big mistake.

It had been drugged, sending her into a stupor yet again. She'd spent half the day in a dream state, with images from her past and present intertwining.

When she woke up her purse was gone. Not that she had anything in it. Her parents had taken her phone and her wallet.

She knew she couldn't blame them for this mess though. This was all her. Stupid and impulsive as usual. And now look at the situation she was in.

She would not give in. She would not let them force her to do one damn thing!

She wiped tears off her cheeks. At least they hadn't tried to turn her out yet. Soon though. She knew it was coming soon. She'd overheard them saying something about breaking her in before shipping her overseas.

They put girls as far away from the people they knew as possible. Foreign girls came here, American girls went- well, everywhere from what she had overheard.

She knew if that happened she'd disappear forever. She'd never see Kaylie again.

Or Jack.

The thought sent a spiral of pain through her chest. Even if he didn't want her, she'd still like to see him now and then. Even if they didn't speak. Just his presence made her feel safe. Just his existence.

The world was a better place with Jack in it.

She conjured up an image of him. She'd been doing this for almost a week now, ever since she'd been locked in her room and then this hole. It gave her plenty of time to think… to fantasize.

Mostly about Jack.

She imagined what he would do if he found her in this situation. As usual, he was staring at her disapprovingly. He'd be the first one to tell her she was an idiot for getting herself in this situation.

Of course, he wouldn't actually say it. He'd just project it with those steely dark eyes of his. And then he'd smile the teeniest bit, letting her know he was glad she was okay.

Janet moved back into the corner and held a shoe in each hand.

She knew what Jack would expect her to do.

She was going to fight.





Chapter Thirty-One





Jack





Jack didn't even bother with the first two names on the list. It was getting to be late at night already and he knew the legitimate businesses would be closed.

But not the Body Work Special.

Christ, if she was in there, God knew what they'd done to her.

He would kill them if they hurt her. He'd kill them if they even touched her. He was pretty much ready to kill anyone who touched her.

She was his. They both knew it. And he was done fighting it.

Now he was just fighting to get her back. And once he did, he was keeping her. Didn’t matter that she was too good for him. He would just have to learn to be good enough for her.

He texted Dev on the way. He told him to bring some guys in as few words as possible. He might need the backup. He didn't care if he made it out of there alive, but if anything happened to Janet, he'd lose his mind. Maybe permanently.

This was going to take some finessing. The Rub N' Tug was run by a rival gang. Nowhere as big as the SOS but twice as mean.

The Viper's Disciples.

He couldn't wait for the guys. If there was a chance he could stop them before they… he gritted his teeth, trying not to imagine Janet lying helpless underneath a paying customer.

He pushed open the glass door and walked in.





Chapter Thirty-Two





Janet





THUNK

Janet's eyes fluttered open, only to close again. Was someone here? No… she'd dropped her shoe.

Her weapon.

She struggled to wake up as the realization sunk in: they'd must have drugged the water too. How could she fight them when they kept her drugged constantly?

She felt as if she were moving through molasses as she reached for her stiletto heel. She nearly tipped over but after three tries she had it firmly gripped in her palm.

Fight Janet. No matter what. You fight.

There was something happening outside the dark room, the 5 by 8 foot cage that had become her world. Loud voices, a gunshot, screams. Through her haze she merely acknowledged that there was a new development.

The question was, could she use it to her advantage?

She forced her wayward mind to focus briefly. Maybe… maybe she could use the diversion to escape. Get out. Run.

The darkest part of her asked where she would go… there wasn't anyone who wanted her around. Kaylie was her true friend but she still lived at home. Janet tried to think of a place to run to.

The only place she could think of was the clubhouse.

That's where Jack would be. Maybe he would know a place for her to hide. If he could pull himself off of the sleazy blond he'd been with.

But he would help her anyway. He had to. He cared, at least a little bit.

Didn’t he?

But he was with her. The faceless girl he’d wrapped his arm around. She shook her head. That bastard had literally tossed her aside without a second thought.

The fury that thought engendered snapped her out of her stupor. She still felt slow, she still felt weak, but she was fighting it.