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She opened her eyes and met his gaze, pleading with him. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips together, then blew out a breath.
He knelt next to the bed and stroked her hair.
She cried out as if he’d hit her. He jumped up and stared.
“What did you do?” Seth asked.
Mark shook his head. “I just touched her.”
Seth frowned and ran a gentle finger over her cheek.
She whimpered and pulled away.
Seth’s gaze turned furious and he grabbed Rafael by the hair and pulled him to his feet. “What did you give her?”
Rafael laughed. “I don’t know what you—”
Seth grabbed his balls and squeezed.
Rafael screeched.
“What did you give her?”
Rafael opened his mouth to talk and squealed as Seth squeezed harder.
“Ecstasy plus,” he squeaked. “She’s on the last phase.”
Seth growled and shoved him back to the ground. “Find a phone and call the cops, Dani. And an ambulance.” He crouched next to Emily. Dani hurried out of the room. “Emily you’re gonna be in pain for a while but it’ll wear off.”
She gave a jerky nod. “I... know.” She winced and squeezed her eyes closed, tears streaming down her face.
“What did he give her?” Mark asked, reaching out for Emily as his heart squeezed in his chest.
Seth grabbed his hand. “Don’t touch her. Anything will feel like knives on her skin.”
“What?”
Seth blew out a breath. “It’s a drug.” He shook his head. “First it acts like the best ecstasy you’ve ever had—an uncontrollable need for sex but you don’t know what you’re doing. You wake up later and know what’s going on, but you have no control over it. Then everything turns to pain.” He grimaced. “It’s popular with sex traffickers and I saw an early iteration of it many years ago. Well, the pain part.” He ran his hand over his short hair. “It’s wicked. Any movement, any touch, registers as pain. There’s no antidote. Even if we put a blanket on her, it would hurt. The only thing you can do is try not to move.” He gave Emily a sad look. “You’re familiar with it?”
“Yes,” she whispered and winced. “Gave me lots... years ago...”
Mark’s eyes burned with tears as Emily’s face twisted in pain.
“What you saw with her earlier...” Seth shook his head. “I could tell something wasn’t right, but I couldn’t figure it out quick enough. That wasn’t her enjoying herself, Mark. That was the drugs. Don’t hold it against her.”
Mark knelt and peered into Emily’s pain-filled face. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered. Her jaw trembled and tears tumbled over her cheeks, causing more pain in her eyes. “What can I do to help?” he asked Seth, not looking away from Emily.
“Sit with her. It’ll be about thirty minutes to an hour before it wears off.” Seth glanced at his watch. “I’m going to drag these guys downstairs for the cops to deal with and give Emily some privacy. Text me when she’s out of pain and I’ll let the cops come to talk to her. I’ll keep them away until then.”
Fifty-Five
Emily closedher eyes while Mark talked with the big man above her. Everything hurt. Even breathing hurt. She couldn’t stop crying but the tears on her cheeks were like a knife slicing her face open.
Someone jostled the bed and she cried out.
Soon the room grew quiet. She could sense Mark nearby, though, and opened her eyes. He was sitting on the floor next to the bed, watching her.
She remembered the look of betrayal in his eyes when he walked in the first time and wondered why he was still here. Did he believe the other man about the drugs?
