Chapter 2

Selena struggled desperately, pulling and twisting her arm, but the man’s grip was firm, like iron shackles clamping her down. Her heart pounded wildly, and her throat burned from screaming, yet the men surrounding her seemed like they were having fun with everything. They exchanged smirks, their eyes gleaming with twisted amusement.  

“Don’t do this!” she cried, her voice cracking under the weight of her desperation. “Please, don’t!”  

Her father, standing just a few feet away, looked down at the ground, his face pale with shame. He fidgeted, his hands trembling, but he refused to meet her gaze. His betrayal cut deeper than anything else.  

“Dad, help me! Please!” Selena’s tear-streaked face turned to him, searching for a glimmer of the man who had once protected her.  

Instead, her father mumbled, “Selena, this… this is the only way. You have to understand. Do this for me. For us.” His voice was hollow, devoid of the love she had once trusted.  

Selena’s breath hitched, and her vision blurred with tears. “How can you say that? I’m your daughter! You’re supposed to protect me!”  

But her pleas fell on deaf ears. One of the men stepped forward, a brute with a jagged scar running from his temple to his jawline. Without a word, he grabbed Selena and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of grain.  

“No! Let me go!” she screamed, pounding her fists against his broad back. Her cries echoed in the quiet neighborhood, but no one came to her aid. Doors remained closed, curtains drawn tight. This was a place where silence was safe,where people turned a blind eye to the horrors around them.  

The man’s grip tightened, his laughter rumbling like thunder. “Feisty one, huh? You’ll fetch a good price.”  

Selena froze, his words chilling her to the core. Price? Her mind raced, connecting dots she didn’t want to. This wasn’t just about her father’s debts—this was something far worse.  

As they approached a sleek black SUV parked on the curb, her panic surged. She writhed and kicked, her bare feet striking the man’s legs, but it was useless. The brute shoved her into the car, where two other men were waiting.  

“Hold her down,” one of them barked as she scrambled to get out.  

Strong hands clamped down on her wrists and shoulders, forcing her into the seat. Selena thrashed, her nails clawing and scratching at anything she could reach, but it only earned her mocking laughter.  

“Calm down, sweetheart,” one of the men sneered, his whiskey-soaked breath making her gag. “You’re just making it harder on yourself.”  

“Get off me!” Selena shouted, twisting her body to no avail.  

Her phone buzzed in her back pocket, a faint glimmer of hope. She tried to reach for it, but one of the men noticed.  

“Oh, what do we have here?” he said, pulling it out. The screen lit up with an incoming call from her best friend.  

“Give it back!” Selena screamed, lunging toward him.  

He smirked and rolled down the window. “Oops.” With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the phone onto the asphalt. The screen shattered, her last connection to the outside world gone.  

Selena’s heart sank. Tears streamed down her face, but her despair quickly turned to fury. When one of the men leaned in too close, she bit down on his hand, hard enough to draw blood.  

“Ah, you little—” He slapped her, the force of it snapping her head to the side. Stars danced in her vision, and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.  

Her body went limp, the pain and exhaustion overtaking her. As the car sped through the streets, Selena’s hope flickered like a dying ember.  

When she awoke, the SUV was moving steadily through unfamiliar terrain. The chatter of the men up front filtered through the haze of her consciousness.  

“She’s tougher than I thought,” one of them said with a chuckle.  

“Doesn’t matter. Boss likes them with a bit of fire,” another replied.  

Selena’s heart sank as she pieced together their words. They were taking her to someone—a “boss.” Her body ached, but her mind raced, searching for a way out.  

The car began to slow, pulling off the main road onto a dirt path. Selena feigned unconsciousness, her breaths shallow as she listened.  

“We’ll stop here for a bit,” the driver said. “Need to take a stretch.”  

“I was about to tell you to stop, I need to take a piss,” one of the men in the back grunted.  

"Me too." One of them kicked her to see if she was still awake but she remained still.  She couldn't believe her luck that all of them were coming down from the car at once.

Selena waited until she heard the car doors open and the sound of footsteps crunching on gravel. She cracked one eye open, confirming that two of the men had stepped out. The third was still in the driver’s seat, scrolling through his phone.  

This was her chance. Summoning every ounce of courage, Selena slid toward the door. Her hands fumbled with the lock, but she managed to push it open quietly.  

The moment her feet hit the ground, she ran.  

Her bare feet slapped against the gravel, sharp stones cutting into her soles, but she didn’t stop. Adrenaline drowned out the pain as she sprinted down the empty road.  

“Hey! She’s running!” one of the men shouted, his voice filled with fury.  

Selena didn’t look back. She waved her arms frantically as headlights appeared in the distance. “Help! Please, stop!”  

The car slowed, an expensive black sedan with tinted windows. The driver hesitated for a moment before rolling down the passenger window.  

“Get in!” the man inside said.  

Without thinking, Selena yanked the door open and threw herself inside. “Go! Please, just go!”  

The driver didn’t ask questions. He slammed on the gas, and the car sped away, leaving the men shouting curses in the dust.  

Selena collapsed into the seat, her chest heaving as relief washed over her. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.  

The man beside her didn’t respond immediately. He kept his eyes on the road, his jaw tight. Finally, he said, “You’re safe now.”  

Selena’s body sagged against the seat, exhaustion overtaking her. As the adrenaline faded, she slipped into a restless sleep.  

When she woke, the car was parked outside a neon-lit building. The thumping bass of music vibrated through the air.  

“Where are we?” she asked, her voice groggy.  

The man opened his door. “Come inside. You’ll be safe here.”  

Selena hesitated, but she had no other options. She followed him into the club, but she had a feeling that something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

Inside, the noise was deafening. The man led her through the crowd with ease, his presence commanding respect—or fear.  

When they reached a private booth, Selena froze. Her captors were sitting there, their faces a mix of anger and confusion.  

“No,” she whispered, backing away. Her eyes darted to the man who had saved her, now removing his sunglasses.  

Her breath caught in her throat as recognition dawned.  

“Adrian?” she stammered, her voice trembling.  

He smirked, his eyes cold. “Hello, Selena. Did you really think you could run from me?”  

Selena’s heart sank as the realization hit her like a tidal wave. She had escaped one nightmare, only to fall into another.  

Selena's knees nearly gave way, her pulse hammering in her ears. The crowd around her blurred, the pounding music a distant echo. Adrian stepped closer, his smirk widening as he watched her falter.  

"You're not looking so brave now," he said, his voice smooth, like silk wrapped around a blade.  

Selena clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded, her voice trembling but still defiant.  

Adrian tilted his head, feigning curiosity. "You think this is about what you owe me?" He chuckled, the sound sending a chill down her spine. "It's never been about the money, Selena. It's about you. And I don’t share what’s mine."  

Selena froze, her breath catching as Adrian’s familiar smirk sent a pang through her chest. It had been months since she’d last seen him, but the memories flooded back with brutal clarity—the warmth of his embrace, the way he used to look at her as if she was his entire world. And now, his gaze was ice-cold, filled with something far darker.  

Her heart twisted painfully. She had ended things with him for his sake, believing it was the only way to protect him, to shield him from the storm that surrounded her life. But she hadn’t told him why. How could she? It would have destroyed him, just as it had nearly destroyed her.  

“Adrian…” she whispered, her voice trembling.  

"Selena, Selena, Selena. Long time isn't it?"

She realized nothing she was going to say was going to redeem herself so she decided to be cold instead.

"You can’t keep me here," she hissed, her voice louder now. She tried to summon the courage she had felt during her escape. "Someone will come looking for me."  

Adrian laughed again, the sound colder this time. "Who, Selena? Your father? The same man who handed you over to me? Face it, no one’s coming to save you."