They drove for what felt like hours to Emma. But as they never left the city, it felt unlikely. At some point, her tears stopped, not because she had resigned to her faith but out of sheer exhaustion.
She had been tired when she arrived home, and now, as the adrenaline wore off, she was left feeling like a balloon that had lost its air, empty and deflated.
The car slowed down. From Emma’s point of view, it was hard to see anything other than the top of the buildings and the night sky. But she could hear the steady beat of club music and the occasional shout from people.
Emma perked up. If there were people around, she could be rescued. Emma had a firm belief in the inherent goodness in people. You would think that after three years working in the E.R, her rather naïve worldview would have faded. But she found examples every day of the good people did for each other.
She, therefore, was convinced that if she only could let the people outside the car know she needed help, they would provide that help. She just needed to figure out how to let them know she was there.
As she was thinking, the car pulled into what looked to be an alley, judging by how close the walls of the buildings were on each side of the street. The short man turned around and gave her an intense look. Emma would rather not think about what was in that look.
“You better be quiet, bitch, if you know what is good for you. If you try to scream and someone comes over to check on you. I will put a bullet in them. Do I make myself clear?” he asked.
Emma felt herself go pale. There went her plan right out the window. She would never endanger another human being like that. She nodded.
“Looks like the bitch finally understood that she shouldn’t speak,” the short man laughed at his friend. The muscular man chuckled as both of them got out of the car.
Emma tensed up, and she felt the adrenaline kick back in as the back door opened. Someone cut the zip ties from her ankles and hauled her up and to her feet. Her legs felt stiff after being folded into an uncomfortable position for so long. No one cared as Mr Muscle pushed her forward, her hands still tied.
They were indeed in an alley, Emma noticed. It was wide enough for the car, but not much else. Further down, there were a couple of dumpsters and three flickering lamps on the side of one of the buildings that provided some light. They were headed toward a green steel door, the only door in sight.
Mr Tiny knocked on the door, and after a moment it was opened by a blond man in a dark blue suit. He looked like he came right out of a board meeting. Even through the fear and panic, Emma could see he was a mouth-watering man. The kind of man that made women go crazy.
He looked at her without meeting her eyes, and one of his eyebrows shot up.
“I thought you two went out on a collection round,” he said in a cool voice.
Emma wanted to plead for him to help, to not let the other two men take her away. But he seemed to know them. She had a sinking feeling that he wouldn’t help her.
“Does it look like we come back empty-handed?” Mr Tiny told the blond hunk.
The blond man looked down at Mr Tiny. Mr Tiny didn’t even reach to the blond man’s shoulders. The blond god looked at Mr Tiny for a long while. All that could be heard was the steady beat of the music that came from the building.
“Take her to the counting room,” the blond man said, and Emma felt all hope die.
Mr Tiny and Mr Muscle grinned and Mr Muscle pushed Emma through the door and into a long, white corridor with doors on both sides.
“Untie her hands and wait for me,” the blond man said as they stopped in front of a door. He took out a security card and held it up to a reader by the door and entered a number sequence. The lock clicked and Mr Tiny pushed it open. Emma was roughly escorted into the room, and the door closed behind them with a thud.
To Emma, the sound was the last seal of her fate. She had no chances left to escape. Mr Muscle took out a knife and Emma jumped. He chuckled and cut off the restraints around her wrists.
Emma brought her arms forward, rubbing her wrists and feeling the blood flow being restored to her arms. Her right shoulder, the arm that Mr Muscle had wrung behind her back, ached. She didn’t think it was badly injured, maybe a small tear in the muscle tissue or stretched-out ligaments.
As Emma rubbed her wrists, she started backing up, making sure she had an eye on both men. They were watching her as the back of her legs hit the table that was standing in the middle of the room.
Emma carefully followed the shape of the table, never looking away from Mr Muscle and Mr Tiny. The blond god had not joined them in the room. She got to the edge of the table and started backing up again, putting the table between her and the two men.
“Come on now, poppet. No need to fear us,” Mr Muscle grinned.
If Emma hadn’t already been scared beyond her mind, that grin would have scared her senseless.
“Yeah, bitch, we are nice,” Mr Tiny agreed.
“Stay away,” Emma told them with a clear wobble to her voice.
“The little bitch has found her voice again,” the short man taunted.
“Stay away, don’t come near me,” Emma repeated, desperately.
“But we need to test the merchandise,” he told her with a broad grin.
“W-what merchandise?” Emma asked, and looked around to see what she could use to fend for herself.
The room was empty besides the table in the middle. On top of the table, there were a couple of pencils, a bill counter and a stapler. Emma hated her life at that moment.
“You, you are the merchandise, poppet,” Mr Muscle informed her.
“Are you crazy? I’m a person, not a thing,” she screamed at them.
“Bitch, you are a person who we will sell to other persons. You will make them enjoy themselves for a while and then it will be the next person’s turn,” Mr Tiny told her. “But first I need to sample you. We need to know what price to set,” he grinned and started moving towards her.
Emma was beyond panicked at this point. They were going to sell her body to men to have sex with? The thought of it made her sick to her stomach and cold out of fear. No, she couldn’t let that happen. She needed to do something, anything.
Emma could not let that vile human who was moving toward her rape her. He was revolting and cruel, and she hadn’t waited for the right man to have sex with for him to be her first. Something snapped in her and she picked up the bill counter from the table and hurled it at Mr Tiny.
Bane walked with determined steps through the nightclub. He had been in his office on the third floor when Jax had called him and asked him to come down to the counting room. Bane knew that Jax wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t something that Bane needed to deal with.He was still irritated to be interrupted and whoever had caused it would face the consequences of it. Bane smiled as two women called for him to join them. He didn’t have time to stop and talk, but he let his eyes move over both of their bodies. He made a mental note that he should go back after he had handled the situation. He came to the door that led to the back area of the nightclub. Bane held his card up to the scanner and entered his code. He sighed as he stepped into the white corridor and relaxed as the sound of the music and the people were muffled as the door closed behind him. The nightclub was a good investment and a good base of operations. But the noise of it could drive the sanest man mad. He walked alon
The man was clearly expecting Emma to answer. She nodded without meeting his eyes. “And your name is?” he asked.“Emma,” she told him in a thin voice.“Emma Cobler?” he wanted to know. Her name had never sounded so melodic before. It surprised her. She almost forgot to nod. “My name is Bane Velky,” he introduced himself, holding out a hand. Emma’s eyes grew bigger as he heard the name. Oh no, not that, anything but that, she thought. “You have heard of me,” he smiled. He sounded satisfied. Emma nodded. Everyone that lived in the city knew the name Velky. It was the largest mafia group in the state with its centre in the city. And Bane Velky was the head of the family, the don, the big boss, the huge honcho, the Al Capone of the modern world. Emma felt her panicked brain spin out of control. “Calm down, angel,” Bane told her and placed his hand on her shoulder. His thumb went down in front of her throat. If he squeezed, she would struggle to breathe, but somehow his hand calmed
Bane looked at the trembling woman before him. His men shouldn’t have hurt her. They definitely shouldn’t have taken the deal with her uncle. And they would pay for that. Bane didn’t believe in keeping his men at a short leash or babying them. But he had four rules that everyone in the organisation had to live by. His word was law. They didn’t hurt women and children. They didn’t deal with human trafficking. No one was to sell drugs to children.The four rules were enforced without exception, with severe punishment for disobedience. What his men had done to Emma violated rule number two and was a clear attempt at breaking rule number three. But this angel in front of him didn’t know that.Bane’s need to possess her had only grown. Her innocence was like a light in the night and he was the moth. He needed to possess her, to corrupt her. So he smiled his wicked smile and saw her tense up. She may be innocent, but her instincts were strong.“We need to get our money back and that is one
Emma felt her gut clench for the hundredth time since this conversation started. Was she really considering this?“Angel, any man that hangs around you will be interested in getting you into his bed unless he is insane. I don’t want you around insane people,” Bane told her with a smirk.“And if he isn’t interested in women, if he is gay?” she asked. Bane looked at her with surprise. “I’m guessing you have a particular man in mind?” he said. “My best friend,” she nodded. “And you are sure he is gay?” Emma couldn’t help herself but smile.“I’m sure,” she nodded.“I could allow it, if you agreed to let my men or me be present when you meet, at least at first.”Emma nodded. She didn’t like the idea, but it was better than losing Simon all together. “I do have to treat male patients,” she told him.“What do you work with?” he asked.“I’m an E.R nurse,” she said. She was proud of herself for her work.“It won’t be an issue since you won’t be working,” he calmly said.“What?”“Angel, I
“Boss,” the mountain greeted Bane as Emma got into the vehicle. There was a second man in the driver’s seat. “Tom,” Bane greeted the mountain before getting in and taking his seat next to Emma. “Boss,” the man in front said.“Luke,” Bane nodded. “Everything good?” the man called Luke asked.“We should have no issues,” Bane said as he placed an arm around Emma. She jumped at the touch. Bane shot her a disapproving look. Emma took a moment to regret the fact that she had never learnt to swear. She felt like this situation could have used a couple of good swear words. But she couldn’t really seem to use them, even in her own mind. As the car started and she once again found herself in a black SUV with gangsters, without knowing her destination, she forced herself to relax her body. Fudge, fudge, fudge, she repeated in her head.Emma focused on the city passing by outside her window. She wondered if her aunt and uncle had got free from their restraints. She shouldn’t care. After all,
Bane felt his desire grow as he pressed Emma against the door. She tasted of lemons, and her soft lips moved in perfect sync with his. As he used his teeth to tug at her bottom lip, she let out a soft moan that nearly made him come undone. There was no question about him wanting her, nor was there any question about that he would claim her as his. But when he did, she wouldn’t be covered in bruises and be half unconscious from lack of sleep. No, when he claimed his angel, she would feel no other pain than the one he wanted her to feel, and her mind would be able to take all of it in.He stepped away from her, ending their make-out session. The hard-on it had given him was painfully pressing against his zipper. “You go and take a shower and get to bed, angel. I want you rested for tomorrow. Anna will wake you in the morning and you will have breakfast with me,” he told her. She looked at him with confusion, and then she nodded. “Yes, Mr Velky,” she said.“Emma, I think it’s time y
Emma woke from a light knock on the door. She was confused for a moment; she didn’t recognise the sheets, or the bed, or the room. Last night came back to her as a freight train mercilessly ploughing through her sleepy mind. There was a second knock on the door.Emma sat up and called for them to enter, making sure the cover was up around her waist. She had been sleeping in her tank top and panties since she didn’t have any of her nightclothes. The older woman from the night before walked into the room with a smile on her face.“Good morning, miss Emma,” she said.“Good morning, Anna,” Emma replied. At least she thought that was the woman’s name. The smile she got back had her thinking she had been right.“I have some new clothes with me and some make-up,” Anna told her and put the bundle she had in her arm on the dresser. “Thank you,” Emma said.“Not at all. Let me have a look,” Anna said, walking up to Emma and turning her head to look at Emma’s cheek. Anna made a tutting noise.“
Bane looked up at her.“Say whatever you want,” he told Emma. “Obviously, I can’t say I’m your girlfriend. How about I tell them you hired me as a private nurse?” she pondered.“Why is it fucking obvious that you can’t be my girlfriend?” he asked. She thought he sounded angry, which confused her. “Because you told me yesterday that it wasn’t what this was. I can’t go around telling people you are my boyfriend and then pretend to turn a blind eye when you pick up other women,” Emma explained. “Right,” he said. But he didn’t sound happy. Maybe he just wasn’t a morning person, Emma thought. They sat in silence for a while longer. They had both finished eating when the two men Emma vaguely remembered had driven them to this place last night entered the dining room. “Emma, this is Tom and Luke. They will take you shopping and anything else that you need. Just let them know where you need to go and they will take you,” Bane told her. Emma looked up at the two giant men, both dressed i