Rough hands that feel nothing like Tristian’s hold my arms as I kick.
“Shh, Isa it’s me Briggs. Tristian told me to come get you.”
I stop fighting, maybe Tris did send him.
“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he apologizes but he is still holding me.
“Where is Tristian?” I demand.
“Sorry Isa, you’ve been sold.” Suddenly he shoves a rag in my mouth and pulls my arms behind me, securing them with a plastic zip-tie.
Tristian wouldn’t. I know deep down he isn’t behind this.
I am too shocked by what is happening to react as he drags me out the side door and throws me into a van. It smells terrible in here, and I am terrified I will never get the chance to tell Tristian I’m sorry. I hear his words echoing in my mind. “You can’t remember and I can’t forget.”
A tear slips down my cheek, I’m so sorry Tristian. I think to myself all the things I wanted to say. I wish I could have been the friend he needed. I wish I could have spent the years we’ve lost by his side. My eyes are bugging out of my head as I struggle to breathe. My panic reaches an all-time high and I can feel the hives as they spread across my chest.
I feel faint and try to gasp for air without swallowing the cloth gagging me. Tristian’s face flashes in my mind, and I concentrate on our last conversation. Is this his idea of drastic measures?
I shake my head as my breathing regulates.
The van crawls to a stop and I strain to hear what Briggs says into the intercom he is speaking in to. “Let Goldoni know I am here with his beauty.”
Goldoni? The man from the helicopter. This can’t be happening.
The gate opens and the van moves again, traveling a short distance, before shutting off.
The driver’s side door opens and a gunshot fires. Terror hits me, spreading over my skin in the form of goosebumps. I watch as Briggs slumps against the steering wheel. I think I am going to be sick. His blood is splattered across the windshield. I
stare in horror as his brain matter runs down the glass.
The side door where I am strapped in slides open.
The short grease ball from the greenhouse jerks me out of the vehicle and to my feet. He pulls the gag from my mouth.
“Do as you are told sweet thing or you’ll end up like your friend.” He holds me tight against him. His breath reeks of liquor and cigar smoke. My stomach rolls and I fall to my knees and vomit.
“He’s no friend of mine.”
“Not him the other girl.”
“Other girl?” I question and he takes the gag and wipes my mouth for me.
He says nothing after cleaning me off, shoving me through a door that leads into a warehouse of some sort. I scan my surroundings trying to pick up on any clues that might tell me where I am, but there is nothing telling. Oddly there is a large stage in the center of the room, it’s set up like a fashion show with chairs lining the sides.
As I am pushed into a small room it hits me. I’m going to be auctioned off. Grease ball pulls out a chair and tells me to have a seat.
I do as he says. It isn’t as if I have much of a choice at the moment. His grubby fingers run along my jaw and extend to touch my hair as he sniffs me. I shrink back away from him.
“Too bad Goldoni wants to move on you fast or we could have had some real fun.” He grins at me, exposing a gold tooth in his top front teeth.
“I think you and I have different ideas of fun,” I tell him trying to keep him talking.
“Oh, yeah. What do you like?”
“Reading.” I smirk as he looks at me confused.
His face falls, he is dumbstruck for a response.