His monotone voice sounded like this was a casual conversation. I opened my mouth to ask about his other victims when I saw his jaw tighten and remembered what he’d said. I gritted my teeth together instead and let the betrayal fester.
“You’ll eat, drink, and even piss when I tell you.” His words ground out as if he was having trouble speaking, and his face was hard, eyes watching the road. “One mistake, Emily—one. And the guy at the farmhouse—Raul—he will break you and sell you to the highest bidder. If you want to remain with me …” He accentuated the word want, “you do exactly as I say. Any questions?”
“Yeah. How many women have you fucked over? Let me guess, since you took your sweet ass time making me fall for you first, I’m guessing four girls a year. Do your bandmates know what you do in your spare time? What about your mother? Does she approve of your extracurricular activities?” My head was yanked back and the edge of a blade held to my throat.
Logan took in a long drawn in breath. “You see Jacob back there? The one who can easily slit your throat? Well, he doesn’t listen to me. He is Raul’s right-hand man and does exactly as Raul wants. And if Raul has told him to keep an eye on you and kill you for being a bitch then that’s what he’ll do, and I can’t stop him.” He paused then said, “Or, rather, I won’t.”
I felt the coldness of the blade slice into my skin. A trickle of blood dripped down my neck then slid onto my T-shirt and absorbed into a big red blotch. The creak of leather sounded as Jacob released me and sat back.
I wanted to fight, scream and rake my nails down Logan’s face until he bled like I was. I even considered jumping out of the car and taking my chances with my injuries, but instead I sat quietly and stared at the highway ahead. After ten minutes of silence Logan shoved a water bottle into my hand and two pills. “Swallow them.”
I considered throwing them back at him for about one second, and I think he knew it, because his frown deepened. Then I thought of hiding them under my tongue, but whatever the pills were they weren’t going to kill me; they could’ve easily done that by now.
I tossed the pills in my mouth then chugged every last drop of water. I was so damn thirsty that my skin felt like it was shriveling up like a dead animal left in the desert sun.
“Check her.”
Before I knew what was happening Jacob grabbed my chin and pressed—hard. I had no choice but to open my mouth. His finger slid inside, and I gagged and coughed as he crudely searched my mouth to make sure I’d swallowed the pills. I tasted cigarettes and wished I kept some water to wash out my mouth after he finished.
“Clean.”
Logan nodded. “We’re crossing the border.” He pulled out a passport from his back jean pocket, and I gasped when he flipped it open and I saw my picture. Then I saw with it the round circular plastic case—my birth control. He tossed it on my lap. God, he’d thought of everything. I did wonder why he cared if I was taking my pills or not. “You’re going to feel sleepy. If we’re lucky they won’t question us, but if they decide they want to talk to you and your wakened— We’re going to a wedding in Ohio. We’re all friends, and the bride is your friend, Kat. We have clothes in the trunk to prove all of this, so don’t even think of fuckin’ with it.”
Kat. Oh God, Kat. I closed my eyes and thought of the last time I’d seen her. We’d both been laughing. Happy. Another sob escaped my throat.
“Emily?” his voice was gruff and cut into me. “The story? Do you have it?”
I nodded.
“Words, Emily.”
“What?”
“You will always answer me with words.”
“Yes.” Humiliation swam over me, it was like he was talking to a child, and I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I’d had sex with this man. I’d been held in his arms, slept in them. I couldn’t grasp the idea that Logan was acting like this. He was going to be a rock star. He had a band. He had friends. Why would he give up everything to kidnap me? Had all that been a lie too?
I lay my head back on the seat and closed my eyes as tears threatened to fall. No, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. He deserved my hate, not my tears.
Whatever he drugged me with began to take effect, and I couldn’t remain awake any longer. At one point I heard voices, and I opened my eyes briefly, but I was too tired, and I curled up against the window and went back to sleep.
I was kept drugged for three days. The car stopped briefly for food, gasoline, and bathroom breaks. Most of the time I slept, too groggy to fight Logan, and too weak to do anything but eat when given food and go to the bathroom with Jacob who stood outside the stall door. Logan had offered to take me the first time, but that was nixed when Jacob grabbed me. Ever since then Logan stayed with the car. Anywhere I went Jacob went. The other guy Dave, who looked Hispanic and spoke very little, kept to himself and never once touched me even when I stumbled getting out the car once and he was closest to assisting me.
The days were a foggy haze of terror. I felt like I was living in the bottom of a well, cold and alone, barely breathing, and when I did breathe it was stale air.
I heard Logan’s window slide down and then his sterile voice. “We’re here. Open the gate.”
Day 6
Wherever we were it was completely surrounded by tall brick walls with guards standing at the gates and several walking the perimeter with German shepherds. The property was massive with several buildings and one main building that looked like a mansion. Logan drove up the long, narrow driveway then stopped at the house and shut off the car.