Banging on it, I screamed for them to bring her back. I screamed until my voice couldn’t any longer and I was basically croaking out as loud as I could.
I didn’t give up though, I shuffled down the wall and kept banging on the door. I couldn’t cope knowing that they hadn’t only taken Lindsey, but now Ava as well.
I drifted in and out of sleep, not being able to keep my eyes open as the throbbing in my head was getting worse and worse. I desperately needed water, the one small paper cup they provided us with each day just wasn’t enough.
I stumbled against the wall at the sound of footsteps. Stepping back, I faced the door, ready to confront whoever was about to open it. The window in the door was too high for me to see out of so when they opened the door and threw Ava inside, I wasn’t prepared. I barely caught her as we both fell down on the floor.
The brute winked at me, then slammed the door shut. “Dick.” I croaked, my throat burning with using my voice.
I looked down at Ava, checking her for injuries. Her bra was ripped, the straps barely holding it on.
“Ava, sweetie? What did they do to you?”
Her answering sobs racked her whole body so I stayed silent and wrapped my arms around her, rocking her back and forth until she buried her head into my shoulder.
After her sobs started to slow down, I pulled back and smiled softly. “Let’s sit,” I said. Tilting my head over at the wall.
“Th…they…” she stammered.
“Oh, sweetie,” I whispered. I had to stay strong, I couldn’t let her see how much my heart was breaking for her. I hated to think what they had done to her.
“Did they…” I asked, letting the question hang in the air between us.
“No.” She sniffled and shook her head. “They took me to a man who wants to buy me.”
“They’re selling you?” I pulled back, my head swimming. We needed to get out of here. Now.
Did that mean that Lindsey had been sold? Would I ever see her again? Was she even still in this building?
I was starting to piece things together in my head. These girls were being taken off the streets, not just because they were there or for convenience, but because their parents had sold them to clear their own debts, their own mistakes. Once they were here, it looked like they were then being sold off to the highest bidder.
How many girls had been sold already? Were there more girls in here? I hadn’t been outside of this square room and I really needed to. I needed to scope the place out. Look for possible escape routes.
Just as I was trying to think of a way to get out of this room, the door flung open again, only this time, we hadn’t heard any footsteps coming. I didn’t know whether that was because I was inside my own head or because he didn’t want me to know that he was coming this time.
Ava lifted up off me and I stood up, using the wall as support. “You dick,” I spat at Max. His eyes widened in surprise, yeah, I’d shocked him with never having spoken to him like that before.
“Watch your mouth,” he growled, stepping closer to me. I matched him, step for step, meeting him in the middle of the room.
I wouldn’t back down from him, I was stronger than I’d ever been. I knew how to protect myself and I wasn’t afraid to use it to get us out of here. To get back to Eli and Ty.
“I won’t watch my mouth you piece of shit!” I smiled when I saw his hands clench into fists. That’s what I wanted, I wanted him to be distracted. To lose his cool.
“You’re pushing it,” he gritted out through clenched teeth.
“Awww, am I?” I pointed my finger, jabbing him in the chest. “What you gonna do about it?”
His hand flew up, grabbing my finger and twisting it. I squealed as I felt the snap of bone.
“Kay?” Ava said from behind me.
Yanking me forward, I fell into his chest, the force making me bite my tongue.
“I’m trying my fuckin’ hardest here and you’re pushing my fuckin’ limits.”
Pulling back just slightly, I smiled, blood flowing out of my mouth.
“Yeah?” I mumbled, though it didn’t quite sound like that with my tongue swelling.