Page 40 of Kiwi

"Piper?" Jia rasps.

"Yeah?"

"What do you think is going to happen to us?"

Her question causes the new girls to whimper. Lelani has yet to say another word, and I briefly wonder who that Derrick guy is to Lelani and how Lelani fell into the same trap as the rest of us.

I continue to stroke Jia's hair in hopes to keep her calm. "My family will come for me," I say with conviction.

The moment the words leave my mouth, a truck engine roars to life, and the walls begin to vibrate. A few seconds later, we're moving.

Minutes tick by and I don't know how long we have been on the road, but it feels like it takes an eternity for the sobs of the four other women in here with myself, Jia, and Lelani to turn into light whimpers. Jia is awake, but like me, she hasn't said a word. As for Lelani, she too, hasn't made a sound.

"Lelani?" I call out.

"Yeah?" she croaks.

"The guy, those men were talking about, Derrick. Who is he?" I don't know why I ask her such a random question.

I hear Lelani's deep exhaled breath, almost like it pains her to answer.

"Derrick is my brother."

My stomach knots. "Your brother did this to you?"

"Yes."

"Well, don't worry, Lelani. We'll be getting out of here soon."

"What makes you so sure?" one of the other girls asks.

Jia is the one to answer her. "Because Piper's badass biker family will find us. Won't they Piper?"

"They will. I know they will."

"How will they know where to find you?" This question comes from Lelani.

"They just will. Trust me."

"I pray you're right."

Me too. I just don't say that out loud.

I wakewith a jolt at the sound of tires squealing and the truck coming to a stop. The tin box we are in has become almost unbearable. It's so hot my shirt is drenched in sweat and sticking to my body. The sweltering heat makes me feel like I am suffocating.

Jia sits up beside me and clutches my hand. "We stopped. What do you think is happening?"

I shake my head even though I know she can't see me. The sound of two truck doors slamming shut has my nerves picking up. The other women begin to whimper at the sound of the lock disengaging. The door opens, and sunlight filters inside. The balding guy from earlier appears. "Rise and shine," he sing songs as he tosses a five-gallon bucket inside. "You have five minutes."

"For what?" I eye the bucket then him.

"To piss," he gestures toward the bucket.

I turn my lip up in disgust. "We're not peeing in a bucket."

"Suit yourself," he shrugs. "What about you?" the prick puts his hand on Lelani's thigh. "Since you can't see, I'd be willing to make an exception for you and lend a hand."

Lelani swats at the creeps' hand and shrinks away. I have had enough.

I move fast as I get up and lunge for him, knocking his hand away from Lelani. "Keep your disgusting hands off her."

The pig sneers and grabs hold of my arm, jerking me toward him until he's in my face. The smell of his rancid breath makes me want to gag.

"Listen here, you little whore!" he yells, spittle flying from his mouth.

"I'm not a whore," I seethe, gritting my teeth.

A sinister smile takes over his ugly face. "You will be. In fact, maybe I should be the one to break you in." He grabs at his crotch.

He doesn't see me reach into the band of my jeans for my pepper spray. Too bad for him. "Over my dead body, asshole." Bringing the tube up in front of his face, I make the douchebag regret ever putting his hands on me or Lelani.

"Ahh! You fucking bitch!" he squeals like a pig as he tumbles backward, falling in a heap to the gravel below. Out of nowhere, a fist comes flying at my face, connecting with my eye, knocking me backward onto Lelani, who takes me into her arms. I lose my grip on the pepper spray, and it falls to the ground, landing at the feet of the man who just hit me, Boz. He looks at me then at the pathetic excuse of a man lying on the ground. "Get your ass up," Boz kicks him.

The creep climbs to his feet, and I take satisfaction at the look of the tears and snot running down his red face, and I smirk. That only further pisses him off, causing him to lunge for me. Boz stops him. "No. Go get cleaned up so we can get back on the road."

Boz turns his attention back to me. "The next time you pull a stunt like that, I'm going to kill your friend." Boz makes a show of pointing his gun at Jia.

With his parting threat, the door slams shut, and the world around me becomes dark once again.