The Billionaire's Bet 3, A Risky Raise(17)

“I guess so,” she said.

I could feel someone jerk my neck, and I cowered in fear. Someone ripped off the thing that was on my head. Air.

I gasped. My lunges filled with oxygen, and I could feel my body shudder from the release. I groaned. The sunlight in my eyes was blinding me. If it were sunlight. I couldn’t make out the difference between what was what yet. The only thing I saw was dark and light, and her eyes staring down upon me.

Her face was hidden behind a mask. Only her eyes and lips were visible. A mouth which showed a cunning smile. A smile that instilled fear in my heart.

“Well, hello there,” she said with the most cutesy voice. “I hope your ride wasn’t too rough.”

My blurry vision started to get better, my eyes getting used to the light again. I coughed, trying to get my vocal cords to work properly again. “What do you want from me?”

She laughed. “I don’t want anything from you, my dear.”

Her voice sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place it.

She flicked her fingers, and a man stepped forward, carrying a bottle of water. He gave it to her, and she opened the cap. Just looking at that flowing water made my mouth dry up.

She pressed the bottle against my lips and forced them open. “Drink.”

I didn’t have a choice. I was practically drowning in the fluid. I gagged and spit half of it back up again.

“Don’t want you to die on me,” she said. “I still need you for something, and since you’re my guarantee that I’ll get it, you have to stay fit.”

“To get what? Who are you people?” I said, my voice hoarse and painful. “I don’t have any money, I’m not important, let me go!”

“You’re not important to us, you’re important to him.” I could hear the tone of her voice crackle. It was full of rage. “Sorry, darling, but mister Fury hasn’t been quite honest with you, has he?”

My eyes widened and my heartbeat rose. “Dominic?” I muttered.

She laughed. “He has you calling him by his full name already? Oh, isn’t that lovely.”

“Who are you? How do you know him?”

“I’ve known him far longer than you have, so don’t go thinking you’re all that.” I could hear contempt coming from her. What was she talking about? Why did she sound jealous? It didn’t make any sense. I’d been taken from the apartment, tied up, had been blinded by a sack over my head, had been drugged and was now afraid for my life, and she was talking to me like she was jealous?

What the fuck is going on here?

“Boss, it’s time.” Another voice. I couldn’t see who it was because of the blinding light, but I could hear it was a man.

“Take her with you. I’ll make the trade,” the woman said.

Someone stepped forward out of the shadows, and I could see it was the same man that had grabbed me in the loft. Fear struck me down, and I couldn’t help whimper as he picked me up like a sack of potatoes and put me over his shoulder.

I was still woozy, unable to resist as the put me in the back of a truck. My arms and legs were tied, and I had no way of escaping. When the trunk was closed, I screamed.

No sound penetrated the thick armor of this car. I was all alone again, in the darkness, kidnapped by people who wanted something, and Dominic was involved. Dominic.

Shit, this is what he meant.

I should’ve listened. I shouldn’t have opened the door, should’ve stayed put and kept quiet. Why was I so stupid? I risked my own life, and now I wasn’t certain I would survive.

After a half an hour, the car came to a halt. My body rolled back and forth because of all the sudden turning and twisting and brakes being pulled. When light shone into the trunk again, I was happy to see it. Happy to know I wouldn’t be in this tiny space anymore. At the same time, I was terrified of what would happen to me.

The man grabbed me and put me down. I quickly glanced around and saw we were in a parking lot. The man untied my legs and held my arms so tight that I could feel my veins pulse underneath. My tears had slathered my entire face and my hair was stuck against it. I felt miserable and sick to my stomach.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” The woman said. I could hear her voice only faintly, as she was in the distance. She probably wasn’t talking to me.

“Come to take your sweet girl home? Are you finally man enough to honor your agreement? I’m surprised you came alone.”

I couldn’t see what was happening, because I was still kept behind the truck by the man that had abducted me, but my other senses were on sharp. I could hear something being thrown and slide across the floor. A zipper being opened. Someone muffling through it.