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Hitting the key fob, he unlocks the car, and we quickly walk across the garage. He glances over his shoulder like he expects someone to be there.
Once in the car, he starts the vehicle, and the engine purrs to life. He drives out of the garage and out onto the busy city street. I don’t bother asking where we’re going, not when I know he won’t tell me, but also because I don’t really care.
I need this reprieve, a drive to wherever to clear my head. Thankfully, that’s exactly what I get. We drive through the city, and I stare out my window with my face glued to the glass. Turning in my seat, I glance over at Markus and find him white-knuckling the steering wheel.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, trying not to sound concerned for him.
“I’m fine.” He slams his foot against the gas pedal, causing the car to exhilarate faster. Moving into the next lane, he darts around cars like he’s in a Nascar race.
The rational part of me knows I should be scared, afraid we will slam into a barrier and explode into a raging inferno, but I’m not.
Using his turn signal, he takes the next exit off the interstate. My stomach tightens as we slow and turn left at the stop sign. I have this really bad feeling for some reason, and it only seems to intensify as we continue driving.
I’m struck with fear when Markus parks the vehicle at the back of a building. Something tells me this is going to end badly.
“Where are we?”
Putting the car in park, he kills the engine and turns to me. “The auction.”
I freeze. “N-no. I’m not going in there.”
Markus grits his teeth. “Come willingly, or I’ll drag you inside. The option is yours.”
I knew this was going to be bad. I had hoped we were going to get out of the house, not go back to the place that he bought me. With a cringe, I look up at the building and weigh my options, which are none. One way or another, I have to go inside.
“I’m scared,” I admit, turning to face Markus.
His face is a pane of glass, emotionless and cold. “Fear is normal. When we get inside, I need you to keep your eyes down on the ground and be quiet. I can’t guarantee your protection in this place, not by myself.”
I gulp. “That doesn’t really help, but okay.” That only scares me more.
“I just need you to know what to expect.”
“Why are we here? Why bring me somewhere that you know I’m not going to be safe?”
“You’ll see. Just do as I say, and everything is going to be all right.”
“Okay. I’ll listen.”
Markus nods, and together we get out of the car and walk up to a door. My knees knock together with each step I take. Raising his closed fist, he knocks three times against the heavy wood, and then a little pocket hole slides open.
“It’s Markus,” Markus growls impatiently, his demeanor changing instantly.
The pocket hole closes. And a second later, the door is being pulled open.
Markus gives my hand a hard squeeze, and I do just as he instructs. With my eyes trained on the floor, we cross over the threshold.
“Take me to Tony,” Markus orders harshly.
A man chuckles. “The boss sees who he wants to see.”
Coldness whips through me when Markus releases my hand and steps away from me. I’m compelled to lift my eyes to see what he’s doing, but in a way, I already know. The sound of a body hitting the wall meets my ears, followed by a gurgling sound.
I peek up through my lashes out of pure curiosity and find that Markus has the man pinned to the nearest wall, his hand wrapped around his throat.
The man’s eyes bulge in his skull. “I said I want to see Tony. Do you think that’s going to be a problem, or should I rearrange your fucking face before I find someone else to show me to his office?” The man’s features fill with panic, and his lips start to turn blue. I should step in and put a stop to this, but I don’t care enough to.
As if he realizes the seriousness of the situation, he shakes his head. Markus releases him like he’s disgusted, and the man gasps, sucking greedy air into his deflated lungs.
“Past the bar, all the way down the hall,” he gasps, “last door on the right.”
Markus nods and grabs my hand, tugging me behind him as he trudges forward. Nausea builds with each step I take.
Why are we here? What’s going to happen? The sound of our feet echo around me. I try to focus on anything but the bile rising in my throat.
Oh god, I think I’m going to puke.
Markus stops, and I nearly crash into him, stopping just short of burying my face in his back. He lifts his closed fist and pounds it against the closed door in front of us.
