The engines roared to life as the convoy sped down the road, the hum of the tires cutting through the darkness. Mike’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, his eyes fixed ahead, heart pounding with a mixture of hope and dread. This was their chance—possibly their only chance to rescue Elizabeth. Beside him, Mr. Black remained silent, his expression as hard as stone, yet his eyes betrayed the turmoil beneath.Mike squinted at the road ahead, catching sight of a black SUV that matched the description their scouts had relayed. The vehicle swerved through the narrow streets, as though it sensed the threat bearing down on it. Mike pressed his foot harder on the pedal, the distance between them shrinking with each second.“Closer,” Mr. Black urged, his voice steady yet laced with tension. “We need to close the gap before they reach the outskirts.”Mike nodded, shifting gears and weaving through the sparse traffic. His fingers clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, his thoughts con
Mr. Black’s footsteps echoed through the dim hallway as he made his way to the lower levels of the building. It was a place reserved for special cases, the types of people he couldn’t trust within the walls of a regular cell. And tonight, Uncle Nick had earned himself a spot here, his smug expression seared into Mr. Black’s memory as he was dragged out of the SUV.Nick’s taunts echoed in his mind: the mocking, the cruel insinuation that Elizabeth was out of reach, somewhere only Nick could get to. Every laugh, every dismissive word had clawed at him, stoking the fire within his chest. Elizabeth was missing, yet Nick acted as if he was untouchable, as if nothing they did could get him to talk. Mr. Black’s fists clenched at his sides as he reached the heavy steel door of Nick’s cell.The second he unlocked it, Nick’s mocking laughter met his ears. The sound was sharp, cutting through the silence like glass shattering. It echoed down the hallway, filling every corner with a grating irrit
Ryan stared at the blank wall of his living room, feeling a gnawing sense of helplessness. Elizabeth was out there somewhere, in danger, probably terrified and alone, and he was just sitting here, doing nothing. He couldn’t shake the thought. His sister’s face, her laughter, the memories of growing up together—it all flooded back, blending into a torrent of guilt that he couldn’t contain anymore. He had to do something, anything, to bring her back.Without a second thought, he grabbed his phone and dialed Mike’s number. The phone rang, each second stretching longer than the last, until finally, Mike picked up.“Yeah, Ryan?” Mike’s voice was curt, his tone edged with exhaustion and tension.“Mike,” Ryan began, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing. It’s killing me, man. I need to come out there and help you find her. Just staying here…it feels like I’m abandoning her.”Silence lingered on the other end of the line. Ryan waited, his hand
Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered open, a dull, throbbing ache pulsing through her head. For a moment, she blinked against the haze clouding her vision, disoriented and struggling to remember what had happened. The room around her was dimly lit, and as her senses slowly returned, she became aware of the cold, hard surface beneath her.Where was she?She tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over her, forcing her to lie back down, her breathing shallow and quick. As she pressed a shaky hand against her forehead, fragments of recent events began to return. She remembered Uncle Nick’s taunting laughter, his cold, unforgiving stare. The feeling of glass shattering as he struck her—pain, panic, and the fading hope that someone might find her.Now, here she was, alone in an unfamiliar place. Slowly, she sat up, ignoring the ache that shot through her side, and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Her heart pounded as she took in her surroundings. She appeared to be in the back of a mov
Elizabeth’s legs wobbled as she was yanked from the train and pushed toward a small house set in the middle of what appeared to be nowhere.Shadows stretched long under the darkening sky, and the air was thick with an eerie silence. She barely caught her breath before her captor shoved her forward again, his grip unforgiving as he dragged her up a narrow path toward the door.The house looked unremarkable at first glance, but as they drew closer, Elizabeth noticed the bars on the windows, the thick, steel locks that ran down the door’s edge. Her heart sank. It wasn’t a place anyone left once they entered.Without a word, the man pushed her through the door, and Elizabeth stumbled inside, her gaze quickly sweeping the space. Her stomach churned. In the dim lighting, she could see girls—young, vulnerable, bound and broken—lined up against the walls, each one casting pleading, terrified looks at her and her captor. Whimpers and faint sobs filled the air, a quiet desperation that wrapped
Elizabeth’s pulse pounded as the door creaked open, and the same man who’d dragged her from the train leered at her from the doorway, his dark gaze sharp and predatory. She took a step back, her instincts screaming at her to run, but there was nowhere to go, and he blocked the only way out. He tilted his head, smirking as he held out his hand, mocking politeness.“Come along now,” he sneered, clearly enjoying her fear. “It’s time you met our guests. Don’t be shy.”Her feet stayed glued to the floor, even as she tried to summon the courage to walk past him without a trace of fear. But her heart hammered too loudly, and her palms were clammy as she curled them into fists at her sides. The faint sounds of distant laughter drifted through the hall, and dread sank into her stomach, twisting it into tight, painful knots.The man sighed, the smirk vanishing as impatience took over. He strode toward her and seized her arm roughly, pulling her forward with enough force to jolt her into motion.
Elizabeth’s pulse thundered in her ears as her gaze met his—her “buyer.” He was tall, his posture straight and imposing, exuding a silent authority that made the air around him feel heavier. His piercing green eyes seemed to cut right through her, studying her with a depth she couldn’t comprehend. She felt an unsettling mix of fear and confusion.For a moment, he said nothing, and his silence was unnerving, as though he was sizing her up, deciding if she was worth whatever he had paid. She held her breath, waiting, her heart racing faster with each second that passed under his cold scrutiny.Then, he extended his hand toward her. The gesture was strangely gentle, almost out of place in this dark, twisted setting. She stared at his hand, unable to bring herself to take it, her eyes flicking back up to his face. There was something about him she couldn’t quite grasp. His expression was unreadable, almost stoic, like a mask hiding whatever lay beneath.In the silence, she found herself t
Elizabeth's heart hammered as the car turned down a wide, secluded drive lined with towering trees. Her pulse quickened with each passing moment, both from the uncertainty of her situation and from the curiosity rising within her. She didn’t know much about her "buyer," but one thing was certain—he possessed wealth and power that went beyond anything she'd seen before.As the car glided to a stop, her eyes widened at the sight before her. A sleek collection of luxury cars stretched along the drive, each one more extravagant than the last. She hadn’t thought anyone could rival Mr. Black or her brothers in terms of wealth, but this man—whoever he was—seemed to surpass them effortlessly. She stared, unable to suppress a soft gasp as she took in the endless display of opulence.When she glanced back at him, she found herself lingering on his features, his chiseled jawline and those intense green eyes that held a strange, almost unreadable look. He was undeniably handsome, a fact she’d not
Mike's point of View Mike paced the dimly lit room, his fists clenched, knuckles raw and aching from the hours he’d spent trying to break through Uncle Nick’s silence. It was maddening—each minute that passed without answers felt like another wall closing in on him, trapping him in his own frustration. He’d tried every approach he knew, from coaxing to threats, but Nick’s expression had remained that same smug sneer.Across the room, Nick sat bound to a chair, a thin trickle of blood running from his split lip. Even now, with bruises darkening his skin and a cut above his eyebrow, he looked far too pleased with himself. Every punch seemed to fuel his sick enjoyment, a twisted satisfaction that drove Mike up the wall.“You think this is funny?” Mike growled, his voice barely containing the rage simmering beneath. “You think you can just sit there and smirk after everything you’ve done?”Nick lifted his head slowly, his gaze mocking as he met Mike’s eyes. “You’ve gotten sloppy, Mike.
Adrian sat across from Elizabeth in the quiet dining room, his eyes never leaving hers. She could feel his intense gaze even when she looked down, fiddling with the napkin in her lap. The silence stretched, filling the air between them with an unspoken question.Finally, Adrian broke the quiet, his voice gentle but insistent. “Elizabeth, I want you to tell me how you ended up here.”Elizabeth’s fingers stilled, and she looked up, meeting his gaze with a slight shiver. Part of her hesitated, unsure if she should open up to him. Yet, in the calm, unassuming way he watched her, there was something that made her feel... safe.Taking a deep breath, she began, her words slow and careful at first. “I didn’t just end up here,” she said softly. “It started with my family—a complicated mess of brothers, a dangerous uncle, and... someone I trusted who betrayed me.”Adrian’s eyes darkened slightly, his expression serious. “Go on.”“My brothers—Mike and Ryan, Leo , Zack—they’re all I have. We’ve a
Elizabeth's heart hammered as the car turned down a wide, secluded drive lined with towering trees. Her pulse quickened with each passing moment, both from the uncertainty of her situation and from the curiosity rising within her. She didn’t know much about her "buyer," but one thing was certain—he possessed wealth and power that went beyond anything she'd seen before.As the car glided to a stop, her eyes widened at the sight before her. A sleek collection of luxury cars stretched along the drive, each one more extravagant than the last. She hadn’t thought anyone could rival Mr. Black or her brothers in terms of wealth, but this man—whoever he was—seemed to surpass them effortlessly. She stared, unable to suppress a soft gasp as she took in the endless display of opulence.When she glanced back at him, she found herself lingering on his features, his chiseled jawline and those intense green eyes that held a strange, almost unreadable look. He was undeniably handsome, a fact she’d not
Elizabeth’s pulse thundered in her ears as her gaze met his—her “buyer.” He was tall, his posture straight and imposing, exuding a silent authority that made the air around him feel heavier. His piercing green eyes seemed to cut right through her, studying her with a depth she couldn’t comprehend. She felt an unsettling mix of fear and confusion.For a moment, he said nothing, and his silence was unnerving, as though he was sizing her up, deciding if she was worth whatever he had paid. She held her breath, waiting, her heart racing faster with each second that passed under his cold scrutiny.Then, he extended his hand toward her. The gesture was strangely gentle, almost out of place in this dark, twisted setting. She stared at his hand, unable to bring herself to take it, her eyes flicking back up to his face. There was something about him she couldn’t quite grasp. His expression was unreadable, almost stoic, like a mask hiding whatever lay beneath.In the silence, she found herself t
Elizabeth’s pulse pounded as the door creaked open, and the same man who’d dragged her from the train leered at her from the doorway, his dark gaze sharp and predatory. She took a step back, her instincts screaming at her to run, but there was nowhere to go, and he blocked the only way out. He tilted his head, smirking as he held out his hand, mocking politeness.“Come along now,” he sneered, clearly enjoying her fear. “It’s time you met our guests. Don’t be shy.”Her feet stayed glued to the floor, even as she tried to summon the courage to walk past him without a trace of fear. But her heart hammered too loudly, and her palms were clammy as she curled them into fists at her sides. The faint sounds of distant laughter drifted through the hall, and dread sank into her stomach, twisting it into tight, painful knots.The man sighed, the smirk vanishing as impatience took over. He strode toward her and seized her arm roughly, pulling her forward with enough force to jolt her into motion.
Elizabeth’s legs wobbled as she was yanked from the train and pushed toward a small house set in the middle of what appeared to be nowhere.Shadows stretched long under the darkening sky, and the air was thick with an eerie silence. She barely caught her breath before her captor shoved her forward again, his grip unforgiving as he dragged her up a narrow path toward the door.The house looked unremarkable at first glance, but as they drew closer, Elizabeth noticed the bars on the windows, the thick, steel locks that ran down the door’s edge. Her heart sank. It wasn’t a place anyone left once they entered.Without a word, the man pushed her through the door, and Elizabeth stumbled inside, her gaze quickly sweeping the space. Her stomach churned. In the dim lighting, she could see girls—young, vulnerable, bound and broken—lined up against the walls, each one casting pleading, terrified looks at her and her captor. Whimpers and faint sobs filled the air, a quiet desperation that wrapped
Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered open, a dull, throbbing ache pulsing through her head. For a moment, she blinked against the haze clouding her vision, disoriented and struggling to remember what had happened. The room around her was dimly lit, and as her senses slowly returned, she became aware of the cold, hard surface beneath her.Where was she?She tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over her, forcing her to lie back down, her breathing shallow and quick. As she pressed a shaky hand against her forehead, fragments of recent events began to return. She remembered Uncle Nick’s taunting laughter, his cold, unforgiving stare. The feeling of glass shattering as he struck her—pain, panic, and the fading hope that someone might find her.Now, here she was, alone in an unfamiliar place. Slowly, she sat up, ignoring the ache that shot through her side, and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Her heart pounded as she took in her surroundings. She appeared to be in the back of a mov
Ryan stared at the blank wall of his living room, feeling a gnawing sense of helplessness. Elizabeth was out there somewhere, in danger, probably terrified and alone, and he was just sitting here, doing nothing. He couldn’t shake the thought. His sister’s face, her laughter, the memories of growing up together—it all flooded back, blending into a torrent of guilt that he couldn’t contain anymore. He had to do something, anything, to bring her back.Without a second thought, he grabbed his phone and dialed Mike’s number. The phone rang, each second stretching longer than the last, until finally, Mike picked up.“Yeah, Ryan?” Mike’s voice was curt, his tone edged with exhaustion and tension.“Mike,” Ryan began, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing. It’s killing me, man. I need to come out there and help you find her. Just staying here…it feels like I’m abandoning her.”Silence lingered on the other end of the line. Ryan waited, his hand
Mr. Black’s footsteps echoed through the dim hallway as he made his way to the lower levels of the building. It was a place reserved for special cases, the types of people he couldn’t trust within the walls of a regular cell. And tonight, Uncle Nick had earned himself a spot here, his smug expression seared into Mr. Black’s memory as he was dragged out of the SUV.Nick’s taunts echoed in his mind: the mocking, the cruel insinuation that Elizabeth was out of reach, somewhere only Nick could get to. Every laugh, every dismissive word had clawed at him, stoking the fire within his chest. Elizabeth was missing, yet Nick acted as if he was untouchable, as if nothing they did could get him to talk. Mr. Black’s fists clenched at his sides as he reached the heavy steel door of Nick’s cell.The second he unlocked it, Nick’s mocking laughter met his ears. The sound was sharp, cutting through the silence like glass shattering. It echoed down the hallway, filling every corner with a grating irrit