As we rode toward Knoxville, I prayed that she and the baby would be okay. I could recall her face when she spoke of the two guys who had snatched her last time. She had been terrified of them. Before we left, Bull had told us Terror and his guys were headed our way. Hopefully, we could trap them between us.
We were forty minutes into our drive which was about halfway to Knoxville when my Bluetooth rang. I answered it immediately.
“Listen, Outlaw said they turned off before Knoxville. They’re headed toward the Oak Ridge area. He called and told Terror. He sent the tracking map to him as well. We need to make sure we move in slowly and not give away the element of surprise. I know you’re anxious. Just keep it under wraps. We will get her back. Do you understand?” I knew he was just trying to reassure me. But I wouldn’t be alright until she was safely back home.
“I understand. But, Bull, I get the final kill on those bastards, and her stepsister and stepmom aren’t walking free either. Those bitches will never stop. I’ll do it. I know no one likes to hurt women.”
“Ajax, we’ll do what needs to be done, even if they are women. I agree they can’t be trusted not to keep coming after her. In their case, I don’t think the law will be the answer. Just try and stay calm.” He hung up. I took deep breaths as we raced along. I had the map up on my phone. As we drew closer, I tried not to lose it.
Jessica:
I woke up to a pounding head and a mouth that felt like it was full of cotton. My body swayed. I realized I was tied up in the back of a car of some kind. I kept my eyes closed and listened. From up front, I could hear two voices. They were ones I’d hoped to never hear again. It was the two guys who had kidnapped me in Colorado.
“We get to the meeting place. We’ll keep her there for a week. No one knows about this place. We got in and out and the only person who saw us was that other woman. Man, I wish we could have taken her with us. She was hot. What I wouldn’t pay to get a chance to play with her,” the one I had dubbed Gorilla One said.
“We couldn’t risk it. We had to get this one out of there. May will kill us if we fail again. As soon as she signs over the money, we’ll get our chance to have a fill of this one. I can’t wait. I’ve been dreaming of it ever since we took her that first time,” Gorilla Two growled. A shudder went through me. The thought of either one of them touching me made my stomach roll.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. If May and Melody weren’t such bitches, we could have been getting our rocks off with them. But no way would I touch those vipers. I could almost feel sorry for this one. She had to live with those bitches growing up.”
Gorilla One chuckled. “Me too. Hey, we’re coming up to our turn off. Take the next off-ramp and head north. The place is about twenty miles that way, according to the directions they gave me. No idea why they picked this place, but May said no one would find it. It has no ties to either of them.”
“I can’t wait to be done with this job. I know they’re paying us well, but it’s been a drag. How soon do you think she’ll wake up?”
“Hell, if I know. You’re the one who hit her on the head. I took care of the other one. I bet she has one helluva headache now. No more chat, let’s get to where we’re going and get this job over and done.”
I fought not to change my breathing and not to make any noise. I would pretend for as long as I could that I was still out. I wished I was able to see outside, but it was impossible. I could only see the trees passing by through the passenger window in the backseat from my position lying flat on it.
My hands were tied in front of me, which was good. I wiggled a little and found they hadn’t tied my legs. I guess after last time, they didn’t think I would be much of a threat. Well, this time, I’d show them. No way was I going down. Hopefully Ajax and the others could find me using that tracker I had implanted. But if not, I’d rescue myself again. And this time, I planned to take out a few when I did.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, the car came to a jerking halt and my eyes flew open. I looked toward the front to find Gorilla One leering over the front seat at me.
“Hello, sleepyhead. Welcome to your new home.” He got out and opened the back door. I kept myself limp. I wasn’t ready to fight them—not with my hands tied. But I’d bide my time. He roughly hauled me out of the car. As he carried me to the house, I looked around.
We were out in the country. The house was an older farmhouse. It looked like it had seen better days. All around was nothing but trees and brush plus an unkempt yard. As we got closer to the house, the front door opened and out stepped Melody and May. Both of them had satisfied smiles. Wait until I wiped those fucking looks off their faces.
I made a vow to myself. If I had to go down, I’d take those two bitches with me. No way I’d leave the world at their mercies. Their days of beating me down were over. Ajax had taught me my self-worth. I was worth ten of them on a bad day. God willing, I’d make it back to him.
“Well, if it isn’t Jessica,” Melody cooed.
I sneered at her. “Well, if it isn’t the two bitches,” I snapped back. Her smile faded. She came toward me, but May stopped her.
“We can’t touch her until after her birthday and she signs the paperwork. Then you can do anything you want to her. For right now, why don’t you guys put her in the bedroom on the right at the top of the stairs. It’s been prepared for her. No way she can get out of it. Not unless she wants to die,” May said with an evil smile on her face and a chuckle in her voice.
I had no idea what my dad had seen in her. Yes, she was beautiful on the outside, even at her age, but how had she covered it up for so many years and him not know? I’d asked myself that question a million times. Gorilla One took me up the stairs and dropped me on the bed in the room. He grinned as he left, and I heard the lock engage. I scooted my ass to the edge of the bed. They hadn’t released my hands; however, I had an idea if I could just reach it.
Wiggling around, I got myself sitting up on the edge of the mattress. I twisted my arms until I could snake a hand down into my left sweater pocket. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I found it was still there. I had been afraid it had fallen out.
Contorting my hands, I was able to pull it out and then open it. The knife I’d slipped into my sweater shined in the dim light as I held it awkwardly up between my wrists and sawed on the ties. They had used zip ties. It took a bit of time, but eventually they gave away.
Shaking to get the feeling back in my hands, I held onto the knife as I got up and explored the room. There was a small bathroom attached. When I looked out the windows, I saw they had bars on them. They had gotten smarter this time.
Though I knew it was a waste of time, I checked out both rooms to be sure there was nothing I could use as a weapon. I found nothing. The rooms were bare except for the bed and a few towels in the bathroom. I sat down on the bed to think about what my next move would be.
I could sit here and wait to be rescued, but I wasn’t sure if they would leave me alone that long. And what if no one had realized I was even gone yet? What if they decided to hurt me to get me to sign now? Or let those guys touch me? That thought made me shake. I rubbed my hand over my belly. The baby was flipping and kicking. She could feel my anxiety.
“It’s okay, baby girl. I won’t let them hurt you. Give daddy just a little time and he’ll be busting through those doors before you know it,” I whispered. I was telling her what I wanted to hear. I settled back to wait for my opportunity.
I think it might have been an hour when I heard footsteps outside the door. I had my hands together like they had been when I was tied. I didn’t want to give away the fact I was loose. The door opened and there stood Gorilla Two. He walked in and licked his lips. His eyes greedily looked me over. His eyes landed on my stomach.