Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Lazarus laughs, loud and roughly. “I heard you were feisty.”
Morris steps up behind Lazarus, crossing his arms. His gaze flicks between me and Sophia. “Did I not say Dean would pay for messing with us?” he remarks to Lazarus. “Now we have the perfect leverage.”
I glare at Morris, chest tight with loathing. “You want money? We can get you anything—just let us go.”
Vera laughs, a shrill, mocking sound. “Money? Oh, sweet girl, this isn’t about money. It’s about vengeance.” She tosses her hair. “And Lazarus has a far more interesting plan.”
Sophia chokes back a sob, her hand finding mine in the gloom. I grip it, sweaty palm against sweaty palm. I see the terror in her eyes, and I know mine mirrors it.
Lazarus paces in front of the cage. “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard that line: ‘You won’t get away with this, Lazarus.’ But somehow, I always do.” He leans forward, peering through the bars. “You two are going on a little trip. Back to the old country.”
The finality in his tone makes my stomach drop. “What do you mean?”
He smirks. “I have connections in Italy—let’s just say I traffic certain… goods. People are always in the market for new merchandise.” He fixes a cold gaze on me. “You’ll be loaded onto a cargo ship soon. And if, by some miracle, you survive the journey in a cramped container with scarce food and water, you’ll be sold. Over and over, in fact.”
The bottom falls out of my world. My throat constricts, the edges of my vision going blurry. Sex slavery, I realize with a jolt of nauseating horror. The threat is so staggering it nearly steals my breath.
Sophia shakes quietly beside me. I wrap an arm around her, best as I can with my wrists still bound, blinking back tears of my own. No. This can’t be happening. Dean, Lincoln, please find us, my mind screams.
“You’re insane,” I whisper, fury and despair clashing in my chest. “Dean will hunt you to the ends of the earth. He’ll never stop.”
Lazarus gives a dramatic sigh. “That’s the idea, my dear. He’ll kill half his men searching for you, and by the time he realizes you’re gone forever, it’ll already be too late.” He straightens, smoothing down his suit lapels. “And if you somehow live through the shipping container’s journey, well… enjoy your new life abroad.”
A sick, choking sound leaves my mouth. Stay strong, I remind myself, even as dread threatens to swallow me whole.
“I’ll kill you myself,” Sophia says with determination.
Lazarus laughs again, a sinister sound which causes chills to scurry up my spine. “I might buy you myself. You’re fun.” He steps closer, and Sophia tries to attack him but obviously can’t make it anywhere near him.
“Buy me and watch what happens.” Sophia’s anger rolls off her in waves.
Lazarus only smiles as Morris steps forward, rolling his shoulders. “We can always expedite the process if they prove too troublesome,” he says, flicking a disdainful glance our way. “Wouldn’t be the first time we parted with cargo early.”
My blood boils, and for a split second, I lunge at the bars, ignoring the pain in my bound wrists. “You monsters,” I spit, voice ragged. “Lincoln will tear this place apart. And Dean—he won’t rest until you’re all six feet under.”
Lazarus chuckles, genuinely amused. “Such spirit. Shame it’ll be wasted on some foreign buyer who doesn’t appreciate your fire.” He gestures to Vera and Trey. “Ensure they’re locked in. We’ll move the container soon.”
Vera nods, her gaze sliding across me with cold superiority. “Of course,” she murmurs, stepping toward the container door. She fiddles with a heavy padlock, securing the cage door from the outside.
Trey smirks, trailing a finger along the metal bars. “Such a pity,” he says softly. “I thought we might have had some fun with you two, but Lazarus’s plan is more… profitable.”
Sophia releases a shuddering breath. “Fuck you,” she spits out.
They ignore her, turning to file out of the container. Morris’s men remain near the threshold, big arms crossed, eyes cold. Lazarus turns once more, offering a mocking bow. “Arrivederci,” he says, then vanishes through the door with a scrape of metal, leaving behind only the oppressive stench of diesel and the clang of our desperate hopes caving in.
I slump onto the floor, the ridged metal biting into my knees. My body shakes uncontrollably, rage and terror battling for space in my head. Sophia half-collapses against me, crying softly.
“Iz,” she mumbles between breaths. “What do we do? We have to do something.”
Gently, I rest my forehead against hers. “I don’t think there’s anything we can do,” I say, though my voice wavers. “Dean, Lincoln… they’ll find us. They have to.”
She squeezes me tighter. “There’s always something we can do.” But her gaze flicks to the towering walls of the container, the heavy bars, the locked steel door. “I just… don’t know what.”