“You can pretend that you feel nothing.” Reggie smiles. “But I’m about to test that theory.” He punches me hard in the stomach and I almost fall to the ground, but I’m hauled to stand straight again and one of the men rips my head back by my hair. Reggie stands behind me and holds a knife to my throat. “A slip of the hand could get very messy,” he says grinning.
“Fuck you, Reggie,” yells Riggs. I feel the blade nick the sensitive skin on my throat and I cry out. “You wouldn’t hurt her!” Riggs shouts.
“Undress down to your underwear,” whispers Reggie in my ear. I shake my head and a stray tear rolls down my cheek. He presses the blade harder and I hiss. “You know how much seeing blood turns me on.” He holds the knife up for me to see the red-coated tip. “Now, undress.”
I undress slowly. Eventually, Reggie gets pissed with me and orders the two men to remove my clothing. I stand before him in my underwear, knowing my body is covered in bruises, bite marks, and small cuts. Reggie moves the camera closer to give Riggs a better view. “You think I wouldn’t hurt her when making her bleed is what I live for?” He smirks. “I will fuck her just for you and I’ll cut deep enough to let her bleed out. You can have live footage as she takes her last breath.”
“You piece of shit,” yells Riggs angrily. “I’ll slit your damn throat if you lay another fucking finger on her.”
“And there you were saying you didn’t have feelings for my wife.” Reggie smiles again. The camera on Riggs’ end goes wobbly and then Chains’ face is there.
He smiles. “Hey, Anna, Reggie. Good to see you all. Sorry to cut it short, but we have some containers to unload at the docks. I trust that you have trucks waiting to take the loads?” he asks brightly.
“Finally, a man who talks sense,” hisses Reggie.
“Sense is something I have a lot of. We’ll be seeing you soon, Reggie.” Chains winks and then the screen cuts out.
“Put her in the basement. If anything happens to those containers, your boyfriend will be very sorry,” he warns me. “And so will you.”
It’s been hours. How long does it take to unload a shipment? I shiver. I’m still in my underwear and it’s not exactly homely down here in the basement. The door opens and Crystal enters carrying a tray. “I got you some sandwiches. Reggie went out, but he’s put extra security around this place.” She also places a shirt and some shorts on the floor. “And I thought you might want some clothes, so . . . ” I smile and get dressed quickly.
“Is Malia okay?” I ask. She nods her head. “There’s a cell phone hidden under some clothes in Malia’s wardrobe. The only number stored in it is for Riggs. Maybe he can come now and get us?”
“Without my evidence, there’s no point. Besides, there’s a full army of men upstairs. He’ll be killed as soon as he steps foot near this building. And do you want to risk Malia being hurt?”
I shake my head sadly. “What if . . . ” I sigh. “What if we let him hurt me? He told Riggs he’d hurt me if the shipment didn’t get unloaded. He said he’d film it for Riggs. Would that be enough?”
“We’re not putting you in danger. Besides, rape, battery, is it long enough to keep him inside? We want him for everything. He’s doing so much bad shit that I don’t want him to breathe the same air as me or anyone else in this city.”
“What if I kill him?” I ask.
Crystal’s eyes widen. “Are you fucking serious? You want to plan a murder with a cop?”
“You said it yourself, you don’t want to breathe the same air as him. His world’s falling around him, and we both know whatever he’s arrested for, he’ll be out in weeks. Nothing sticks to him. The only way to get rid of him is to kill him.”
Crystal backs away. “You’ve lost your damn mind if you think I will have any part of that. Stop your talking and eat a sandwich. I’ll find something on him that he can’t wriggle out of.”
“What if he does hurt me? Am I supposed to let it happen?” I ask. “Can’t you at least get me something for protection?”
“You want me to give you a weapon now? Jesus, Anna. Listen to yourself.” She slams the door closed and I hear the lock.
Half an hour later, Crystal returns. “I’ve come to collect your plate,” she says. I look down at the untouched sandwich. “And Malia said you love cheese and crackers, so I got you a plate just in case you feel hungry later.” I frown. I hate cheese. “Be careful though,” she adds, laying the tray on the floor by my feet. “That cheese knife is really sharp.”
I smile. The knife is at least six inches long and extremely sharp. “It’s the only one I could find in the drawer,” she says, picking up my old plate of food.
“Thanks. I’ll save the cheese and crackers for later.”
She nods her head and winks at me. “Also, check under the crackers,” she adds before leaving.
Once the door is locked, I lift the crackers to find the small cell that Riggs gave me. I breathe a sigh of relief, turn it on, and call Riggs.
“Shit, Anna. I’m worried sick about you,” he growls when he answers.
“Finn, do you ever regret meeting me?” I ask.
He chuckles. “Why’d ya ask me that?”
“All I’ve done is cause you grief. If I hadn’t come into The Windsor that night, all of this could have been avoided.”
“That’s ridiculous. You coming to the bar
