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I’ve read enough true crime books. I’ve watched countless hours of documentaries. I know what I’m supposed to do: Make noise. Fight back. Never allow yourself to be taken to a second location. Instead, I’m completely immobilized by shock and fear. What happened to fight or flight? I never knew that frozen was one of those options.
The back doors of the black work van pop open and the vehicle’s interior lights turn on. I let out a choked gasp when I take in the sight of the mussed golden hair tumbling down to his shoulders, and eyes as brilliant a blue as a tropical ocean. The Adonis smiles at me, but there’s something wild in his eyes that the beauty concealed before.
“Come on in, darlin’,” He says with a smile. I’m afraid of him, but I still think that he’s gorgeous. I can’t help myself.
I brace myself to be tossed, but I’m lowered gently into the back of the van. When my seat presses against the cool metal, I jerkaway from my captor. This is my chance to get away and I’m going to take it.
I lunge, attempting to propel my body out of the back door while it’s still open, but I’m too slow. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome catches me against his chest easily and steps into the van as if I weigh exactly nothing.
I’m reminded that I drank too much when my vision sways again. Before I can become oriented, the rear doors of the van slam closed and the interior lights automatically turn off. There’s a lurch, a squealing of tires, and the van takes off down the street.
My head is swimming, but I manage to turn towards the driver’s seat. All it takes is one glimpse of the strong, square jaw and I realize that the boss guy is in the driver’s seat.
The three biker guys. First, I see them at church. Then, they spot me out on the street by a bar.Frantic thoughts race through my mind.This is what my father always warned me about. The evil men I’m supposed to stay away from…
The back of the van is empty, save for the lumbering male bodies crowded back here with me. I glance over at the Adonis, who is still staring at me with a small smile playing on his lips. If it were anywhere but this scenario, I’d find this flattering instead of frightening.
I turn my head down, averting my gaze. In my peripheral vision, I notice Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is folding and refolding his long legs. He lets out a sigh. It’s obvious he’s too tall to become comfortable back here, sitting cross-legged in this cramped space. Finally, he folds one leg and stretches out the other, inadvertently brushing against my foot.
I jerk away, reacting as if I've just been burned, and I curl my body up in a tight ball against the back of the driver's seat.
“Don’t touch me,” I snap, finally finding the strength to use my voice.
The Adonis raises both eyebrows and lets out a melodic chuckle.
“I love it when they have spirit,” He whispers, and I spot a flash of metal. When he licks his lips, I see the metal stud piercing the tip of the Adonis’s tongue.
I flash him a scowl at the same time Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome lets out another long sigh.
“My apologies, miss,” The tall man retorts, with a smirk, and my head swivels to glare in his direction.
“You have a lot more than that to apologize for!” I’m trying my best to sound as tough as I possibly can, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dangerously Handsome turns the corners of his lips up into a smile. It’s a sincere smile, not one of those smirks or sneers I saw earlier, and I notice that his green eyes crinkle at the corners.
“For fuck’s sake,” The boss grunts from the front seat. “I didn’t think she’d be this much trouble,” He grumbles.
I feel myself bristle at this common complaint and my spine straightens despite my awkward position on the hard metal floor of the moving van.
“Excuse me?” I retort, turning around to glare at the auburn hair on the back of his head. “I think y’all are the ones who interruptedmyevening.”
My temper has gotten away from me again. I always end up saying too much or going too far. I swallow hard and wonder if my mouth is finally going to get me killed, but then a sound escapes from the boss. It’s a low rumble from deep within his chest. I realize that it’s the sound of the big man’s laughter.
Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is snickering, and the Adonis is still gazing at me with the same adoring, wide-eyed stare.
“It’s official. I’m in love,” The blonde bronzed god cocks his head and looks at me with an expression of wonder.
I scowl and shake my head. They don’t take me seriously and none of this makes sense. I’m the preacher’s daughter. Why is this happening to me? I feel my eyes well with tears.
“Like you have no idea,” The big man speaks up from the front seat. “You’re completely innocent, I guess,” He snaps, his voice rough like gravel and dripping with sarcasm.
I can’t control my jaw and my mouth gapes open.What?I think, feeling my heart race in my state of desperation.I don’t have any idea. What in God’s name is going on?
Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome shoots me a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” He says quietly, offering me a half-smile and a half-hearted shrug. “It’s nothing personal.”
I nod my head slightly, not trusting myself to speak without bursting into tears or the panicked breaths of an anxiety attack. I ignore the Adonis, still staring at me with awe, and try to stare directly into space. I can’t look at anyone. I have tothink.I’ve got to figure something out.
But I’ve run out of time. The van slows and rolls to a stop. I can hear the boss man roll down his window and beeping noises, as if he’s pushing buttons on a keypad. There’s metallic creaking; a gate is opening. The giant man rolls the window back up and his enormous hands dwarf the steering wheel he is gripping. We move again, winding this way and that, before coming to a complete stop.
My heart is beating in my ears and my entire body jumps when I hear the driver’s side door opening. I turn towards the rear and Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome winks at me before pulling down on the handle.
