Hi all! I submitted an edited version of this story based on feedback from you wonderful readers. I tightened up the second half and flushed out the characters a bit. I hope you all enjoy!
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I sat in the back of the car, phone in hand and staring at the one sided line of text messages I had sent to Melissa throughout the night. She had disappeared early into the night and I could kick myself for even agreeing to go out in the first place. Again. This is what she did. She convinced me that she needed a wing woman for her night out and then ditched me as soon as she found the guy she would be going home with that night.
I loved my childhood best friend, but after moving to Chicago and moving in together, I quickly discovered that my friend had changed a lot since we were kids, and she was essentially living the college party girl lifestyle years after she had left college. I had never been into the party scene but somehow she kept convincing me to join her, and every time I ended up alone in an Uber.
Looking up, I caught my driver looking at me in the mirror. He was young and attractive, but he hadn't said a word to me since I got in, which I was fine with. I wasn't in the mood to make small talk anyway. He quickly looked away, pretending he hadn't been staring and I went back to looking at my phone, scrolling through Instagram. I didn't notice as we rolled to a stop at the light.
The doors clicked, making me jump, and before I could process what was happening, the doors on either side of me opened and closed quickly. Two men smoothly squeezed themselves into the backseat on both sides, the man on the right shoving me into the middle, clicking off my seat buckle lightning fast. At the same time, the man on my left snatched the phone from my hands, mid scroll, and tossed it into the street before shutting the door.
"-the hell?!" I managed, before the man on my right turned me toward him and looked into my blue eyes with his violet pair.
"Sleep," he commanded, and despite my adrenaline and rapidly beating heart, my eyelids grew heavy and I slumped back into the middle seat.
"Ha, good catch Marco!" I heard from my left before my consciousness left me.
...
"...should have grabbed her friend too. The tits on that one were glorious!"
"All you think about are tits, when we all know the thighs are the best part. And this one, this one has ass to share."
I felt a rough hand grabbing my upper thigh, kneading it with a threatening grip that I was sure would bruise. Coming to, I was still in the car, smooshed between two hulking men. I would have expected to be surrounded by body odor, but it smelled surprisingly nice. Sweet cologne with earthy, manly undertones.
I opened my eyes slowly, and my lids dragged, not wanting to cooperate. It felt like I was being woken up from a dead sleep after not having slept for a week, leaving me bleary and disoriented, trying to piece together what was happening.
I was in a strange car with strange men, and I couldn't move. I couldn't move! Realizing this, I started to squirm, wanting to get out of this stifling small space.
"Ha! She's waking up! You're getting worse at this, brother."
"Fuck you, I put her out perfectly. This one's going to be a fighter."
Finally getting my eyes open enough to look around, a face suddenly filled my field of vision, as a hand took my neck. He shook me a bit, making sure I focused on him.
"Hey! You hear me?"
He shook me again and I gave a small nod, clenching my teeth, forcing myself not to say something about the rude treatment.
The man was older than the driver, but not by much. Maybe in his early thirties? Even in my current predicament, I had to admit that he was very good looking, with symmetrical features and a great jawline even though I couldn't make out much more in the dark cabin of the car.
He spoke again, trying and succeeding to sound intimidating. "Are you going to behave when we arrive? Or do I need to put you out again?"
I nodded my head again quickly, instinct telling me to do anything in my power to stay conscious.
"What's that?" He gripped my neck tighter, pushing it into the headrest.
"Yes." I squeaked out, getting light headed.
"Yes what?" He was enjoying this.
"I'll behave."
He scoffed, giving my neck a final squeeze before finally releasing me to take quick deep breaths.
The man to my left chuckled deep in his chest. "Damien won't bid if you keep bruising her like that."
"Psh, she'll be fine. He likes the bruises."
My mind was racing. I needed to get out of here, but all my exits were blocked and we were moving quickly through the city and into areas I no longer recognized. I forced my breathing to a normal pace, telling myself I needed to stay calm and think. Panicking wouldn't do me any good.
The car pulled into a parking garage by a block of nondescript, well maintained buildings. This area of town was completely foreign to me. 'I must have been out for a while', I thought. This must be on the outskirts of the city. Everything looked more industrial with seemingly little night life.
The parking garage was brightly lit and I squinted, the light a stark contrast to the darkness of the drive here. As light streamed into the car, I was able to get a better look at my abductors. They were all three strikingly handsome and dressed in nice, stylish clothes. They reminded me of the VIP section of many of the clubs Melissa had dragged me to. Wealthy and hot. It confused me even more.
If these men had the kind of money they looked like they had, then they wouldn't be holding me for ransom. Even for a sex trafficing ring, they weren't what I would have imagined.
When the thought crossed my mind I felt my heartrate pick back up. I was always so careful in the city. Checking Uber plate numbers, not going out alone after dark, avoiding the more seedy parts of town... But tonight I had been alone and distracted.
I closed my eyes, tears threatening to fall. Whatever these men had planned, it wasn't going to be good.
They pulled up to a set of elevators and I was dragged out of the car. When I tried to stay seated, the grip on my arm tightened, and I felt like my bone might break due to the sheer strength of the grip. Crying out, I lost my balance and was pulled out to stand beside the one who had made me sleep. He was clean shaven while his 'brother' had a short, manicured beard. The bearded man leaned down to the driver side window talking too quickly and quietly for me to distinguish what was being said. I glanced at a roll of cash being passed to the driver.
Both of the men stood a head taller than me even though I was closer to six feet than most. Looking at them now as they stood by me, I couldn't imagine how they had fit in the backseat at all.
The car pulled away, the Uber sticker disappearing behind a pillar as I watched it leave.
"Move," the man holding my arm growled, shoving me toward the elevator. When his grip released me I took my chance.
"Fuck!"
Dodging both of the men, I made a break for it. Adrenaline took hold as I ran back the way we came in. If I could just get outside I could call for help. Someone would see me. I rounded the corner and saw the entrance, the road outside.
Ten more steps, five. I took a breath to scream.
A hand clamped over my mouth as I screamed, cutting off the sound just as quickly as it had begun. I kept screaming, now muffled against a big, smooth hand. I kicked back, feeling my heel make contact with something, but there was no reaction as I was lifted off the ground and carried back into the parking garage and toward the elevator.
I fought with everything I had, swinging my arms, kicking my legs, unable to get power behind my fists in such close contact. All my squirming was no use as the man held one hand over my mouth and the other a steel bar around my waist.
The elevator was open when we got there, the man who had let me go was waiting for us, and they carried me in. The door closed and he hit a button that would lead us almost to the top of a tall tower. I didn't stop, panic outweighing reason, as I fought tooth and nail. I bit the hand as hard as I could and there was no reaction. I dragged my nails across his arms and elbowed his ribs and stomach. Nothing.
By the time the doors opened again I was breathing hard and my struggles had weakened.
I was carried out into a reception area and placed in front of a receptionist who was busily typing on a computer. After a moment she looked up, apparently unsurprised to see two large men restraining a wild haired and tear streaked woman.
"Stock or sale?" She asked, looking me over with a cool expression, her eyes that same strange violet hue.
Pressed against the chest of my captor, I could feel the vibrations of his voice when he responded. I was ashamed to admit that the feeling pulled at something deep down. "Sale tomorrow, but in the den for the night."
His partner chuckled darkly, making a chill creep up my spine. "This one needs some fight taken out of her before the block." I couldn't help it as my mind raced, thinking about all the possible scenarios. I started to struggle again, but the grip on me tightened and I stilled with a whimper. I hated how pitiful it sounded.
The receptionist typed something into the computer and then motioned to a door that buzzed open.
I was half dragged, half carried further into the building. The hallways were dark, walls painted in a dark burgundy that was almost black. Many doors lined the walls, and we eventually came to an open one. They pulled me inside and I tried to dig in my heels. Seeing the room made me fight again, screaming even though it was still muffled by the big hand.
The room was also dark, painted the same inky red. A bar lined one wall and cushioned chairs formed a semi circle around the centerpiece that had renewed my fight. A chair similar to the ones I had only seen at the gynecologist sat in the center, but it was designed more like a tattoo table with black leather cushions and positionable armrests. Straps hung all over the chair at all the joints, and I didn't have to use much imagination to know what they were for.
"Enough!" The man not holding me said sternly, stepping in front of me. I tried to avoid eye contact out of instinct, but something drew me to them. When my eyes met his I couldn't look away.
"Stand still."
I immediately stopped struggling, my arms falling to my sides.
