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“Then you should’ve thought of another plan,” I reply.
“You know those men,” he says, tilting my chin so he can gaze into my eyes. “You know the violence they’d use to silence the people. To keep the women subdued. But together, we can make a difference.”
Suddenly, someone bangs on the door, and I immediately get up in panic. “What was that?” I whisper.
Noah turns around and listens with his ear against the wood.
Another loud bang pulls him away.
The door swings open.
Men burst inside, one of them … the president himself.
My eyes widen as adrenaline courses through my veins, fear igniting my heart.
“Finally,” the president says, his voice bringing chills to my spine.
“What … what’s happening?” I mutter, as he grabs ahold of my arm. “Why are you here?”
“To get you, of course …” he scoffs, as though he finds it odd I’d even ask that question. “And to get my unborn grandchild.”
My lips quiver. He knows. How? I never said a word. Did he find the stick? Or was Noah the one to tell him?
“It took some time to find where you were staying, but I’m glad we figured it out on time,” he says, turning his head toward Noah, who’s being held by two other elders. “Thanks for keeping her safe, Noah.”
My jaw drops as I focus on Noah. “You did this? You told him where I was?”
“I didn’t, I swear,” Noah says.
“Shut your mouth!” the president barks. “You’ve already done enough damage.” He nods at the elders. “Go.”
They drag Noah out of the apartment, who fights them tooth and nail. “Natalie! I swear, I didn’t say a word! You have to believe me! I don’t know how he found out!”
His words fade into the hallway as they take him away, and they fall on deaf ears.
He lied to me. He told me I would be safe, and that he wouldn’t take me away unless I said yes, but now the president himself has come to my apartment. How else would he have known about my address if it wasn’t for Noah?
My hands turn into fists as rage consumes me.
But when the president turns his head to face me, I feel weak again. Powerless, just like when I was still in the community, fighting for the same freedom I’m about to lose.
I look around, but there’s nothing—no knife, no scissors—that I can quickly snatch off the counter to use as a weapon.
“Don’t try anything,” the president warns. His tone alone makes me shiver. “You’re outnumbered. You’re not going to win this.” He holds out his hand. “Now come with me.”
When I don’t respond or give him my hand, he grabs my arm and gently tugs. It’s not much, but it still sways me to move. Not because of the way he pulls, but because of his penetrative stare that tells me everything I need to know.
I have no choice.
No options.
No way out.
And a cruel smile spreads on his lips. “We’re going home … daughter.”
Chapter 10
Natalie
With a bag over my head and a rope around my wrists, I’m thrown into a van. I scream, but the gag they stuffed in my mouth prevents the sound from traveling anywhere. No one can hear me. No one will come and save me. It’s happening all over again, and I can’t stop it.
Tears well up in my eyes, but I push them back, as crying won’t help me now.
More noise follows. Someone’s thrown into the back of the van with me. “Hello?” I say, but I doubt it sounds like anything more than random gurgles.
“It’s me,” Noah whispers. “Don’t scream. Keep your head down.”
“Fuck you!” I hiss through the gag, but it’s no use since anything I say gets distorted.
I try to spit it out, but it won’t budge either.
“They’re taking us back,” Noah says.
“Be quiet!” someone barks. It sounds like the president, but I can’t see a thing through this
hood. “You’ve already wasted enough of my time. Let’s go.”
The car begins to drive, and I scream, to no avail.
I’m going back there to that hellhole, to that place I vowed never to go back to.
Adrenaline rushes through my veins, and I immediately start kicking and fighting, trying to get out.
“Calm down!” Noah says.
I keep kicking the doors and the windows, hoping they might break so I can jump out. Even though the car is driving and it might kill me, the need to control the situation consumes me.
I can’t handle knowing that I’m going back there … and that I’m now pregnant too.
This baby deserves better.
And it’s all because Noah dared to come and find me.
Because he’s so obsessed with me that he can’t let me live in peace.
And if he orchestrated this, I’ll never forgive him.
As he tries to hold me down, I punch him in the gut with what little strength I have.
