“Jesus fucking Christ,” Ross yelled. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“I will shoot you if you move again,” Leroy said.
Ella was shaking so hard she was afraid she’d bump into something, so she lay down and curled herself into a tight ball. God, it sounded like they were tearing the place apart. She wouldn’t be surprised if one of them gave her up, but she never heard any of them say anything. She bit down hard on her knuckles to keep from screaming when one of the men started throwing out the things in the closet.
“Fuck, Boss, she isn’t here either,” Westin said.
“She couldn’t have gotten far,” Teddy said.
“I hate to say this, but if she’s a witch, could she make herself invisible or disappear?” Micky said.
“Shut the fuck up,” Teddy said.
She heard the front door slam, and then the younger men sounded like they started cleaning up the mess Teddy and his men left behind. She heard someone in the closet.
“Be very quiet, Chica. I think they’re watching us, so you stay there.”
She heard him hanging up clothes, then heard the men in the living room laughing and watching something on TV. The drone of their voices settled her enough that she fell asleep.
Chapter Seven
Someone touched her arm, making her jerk out of sleep and start to scream.
“Hey, Chica, it’s only me. I think it’s safe, so you can come out.”
Ella struggled to get out of the small hidey-hole. She would cringe when he reached for her.
Ross sighed. “I called some friends of mine. They’re coming to get you out of here and protect you. They’re your best chance.”
Ella returned to the corner and slid down onto her ass, ensuring the blanket covered her. The men kept coming in to check on her and try to give her clothes and put bandages on her, but all she wanted to do was sleep. She must have dozed because the next time she looked up, a huge man was standing in front of her. She almost screamed until Ross waved his hands at her.
“Lady, this is the friend I was telling you about,” Ross said.
“Give us a minute,” the man said.
She cringed when the man squatted a few feet from her. He was the biggest and scariest man she’d ever been around. He made Teddy look like a child. He told her his name was Ax. That didn’t help soften his persona at all.
She bit down on her swollen lip. “You’re a pimp, too?” she asked.
She relaxed when she saw the disgust he had for people like Teddy. It helped calm her nerves. She started to feel nauseous because of her anxiety when he talked about him taking her away.
She shook her head. “I can’t.”
“You can and you will. I will take responsibility for you and guarantee no one will hurt you again.”
“Even you? You’ll not hurt me?”
He asked her to trust him, and she almost laughed. Look what happened the last time she trusted someone. Her stomach tightened when he held out a hand and told her to go to him. She knew her legs wouldn’t hold her up even if she wanted to.
“Come on,” he said. “We have to go.”
She took a deep breath and then held out her hand.
“That’s it. Good girl. Can you get up and walk to me, or do you need help?”
“I think I’ll need help.” She knew her legs wouldn’t hold her at that moment.
“Then, is it okay if I pick you up and carry you?”