“I controlLabyrinth, which means I control every secret that goes on inside its walls. I know about every major business deal and political decision before it happens. I know which senators prefer the underage brunettes, and which congressmen most enjoy the busty blondes.”
Her voice dropped toan impassioned whisper.
“There may never be equality for women in positions of power, and I may never be elected to office — but what does that matter, if I can pull the strings of the most powerful men in this country? I’m the puppeteer — thefemalepuppeteer — who holds the end of all their chains.” She laughed. “Perhaps, if they’d been able to keep their peckers in their pants for more than twenty minutes, they wouldn’t have found themselves in this situation.”
“But… you’re talking about women’s rights. About the need for gender equality….” I shook my head in disbelief. “And, all the while, you’re snatching girls from their families and selling them to the highest bidder. How is that remotely sane?”
The smile dropped off her face. “What are the lives of a few immigrant girls in comparison to women finally,finally, having some power in this country? I shape national policy. I make sure your right to vote, to choose, to work in a professional field stay in tact. And you have the audacity to question that.” She glared at me. “You should be thanking me. Not working against me.”
Her voice dropped lower and her eyes turned to blue chips of ice. “Not turning my only son against me.”
“I had nothing to do with your son’s feelings for you.” I glared back at her. “You managed to alienate him all on your own.”
“We had an agreement — I held up my side. I footed the bill for that pathetic brother of yours until the day he died. I allowed your alcoholic parents to remain in that hovel they call home,” she hissed, her expression enraged. “Did you really think you could insert yourself back into Sebastian’s life without me noticing? That I wouldn’t do everything in my power to remove you?”
I lifted my chin and refused to give her the satisfaction of a reply.
“I’ll remove you again — but this time, I’m afraid it will be much more permanent.” She leaned forward. “You were never meant to be a part of my son’s life, you little white trash whore. Where you’re going, be sure to remember that. And, by the way, your parents?” She smiled again and I felt my heart drop into my stomach. “They’ll be out on the streets by tomorrow morning.”
Hatred swirled through my veins as I contemplated the woman before me. “No matter what you do to me,” I whispered, smiling back at her. “Sebastian will never let you back into his life. You’re toxic — you poison everything you lay your hands on. And getting rid of me will only drive him further away.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. She rose, strode quickly across the room, and cocked back her arm in preparation to slap me.
I saw the look of total surprise on her face when my own arm flew up to halt her motion midair. I rose quickly to my feet and used the momentum from her swing against her — one sharp tug in my direction sent her stumbling off balance, her heeled feet catching on my vacant chair’s legs and sending her crashing to the ground in a tangle of uncoordinated Chanel-clothed limbs. On her way down, I lifted my right knee and watched with more than a little satisfaction as her temple cracked against the unyielding bone with a harsh thud that I prayed wasn’t audible through the thick metal door. I looked down and saw her lying on the floor, silent and unmoving, and realized with a detached sort of awe that I’d knocked her unconscious.
Holy crap. That had gone way better than I’d anticipated.
Using her momentary incapacitation to my advantage, I ran toward the doorway and pulled down on the lever. It didn’t budge — Smash-Nose or one of Judith’s other lackeys had locked it from the outside. There was an electronic intercom panel next to the door, but I didn’t think that, even if I asked nicely, whoever was outside would release me. They were probably waiting for Judith’s command to open the door, but I knew if enough time passed without hearing from her, one of them would come to check on their “Boss.”
I wasn’t about to wait around for that moment to arrive without some way of defending myself.
Turning, my eyes scanned the room, searching for a weapon of some kind, and eventually came to land on the small sofa table. I rushed forward, yanked the glass lamp free of its cord, and carried it over to the velvet window drapes, where I wrapped it fully in the heavy fabric. Lifting my arms high, I smashed the cloaked lamp down hard on the windowsill. I heard glass shatter and stepped back as I allowed the curtain to unfurl at my feet, releasing a cluster of thick, sharp fragments on the carpet.
A glance back at Judith revealed that she was beginning to stir but not yet fully conscious, whimpering in a heap on the floor. I reached forward and grabbed the largest, sharpest triangular glass shard from the pile. Using my scissors, I sawed off several thin strips of gauzy fabric from the excess material on the bottom of my dress train. I wrapped one strip around the base of my glass blade so I could grip it without cutting into my hands. Grabbing the other two strips and the frayed lamp cord, I crossed the room back to Judith’s supine form.
She barely noticed as I bound her feet with ice-blue gauze and wrapped the thick electrical wire around her hands in a knot so tight she wouldn’t be able to slide her fingers free. She moaned as I hooked my hands beneath her armpits, dragged her across the floor, and leaned her slumped body against the wall next to the door. With my final piece of gauze, I tied a gag around her mouth so she couldn’t scream.
I heaved in a deep breath as I stood and stepped back to examine my work.
Not bad, considering my lack of resources. Now, I just needed a way out of this room.
I retrieved my glass blade from the floor and crouched before Judith, using my free hand to lightly slap one of her cheeks. She stirred awake at my touch, her eyes slivering open to lock on my face.
“You… little… bitch,” she muttered through the gag, her words nearly indecipherable. She tugged against her bindings as her dull eyes cleared of fog and narrowed on me.
“Where are we?” I grabbed her chin with one fist when she tried to avert her gaze, so she was forced to meet my eyes. I pulled down her gag so she could respond. “Where are the girls? Are you keeping them here?”
She laughed, her eyes blasting me with a frigid glare. “You’ll never make it out of this room. You’ll never find them.”
“I’ll ask nicely one more time,” I whispered, leaning close to her face. “If you choose not to answer, we can play another game. You answer my questions, and I won’t use this.” I flashed my makeshift knife at her.
“Fuck you,” she bit out, laughing once again. “My men will take you down before you ever leave this ship.”
Ship?
Nearly as soon as the words left her mouth, I heard it — the low sound of a fog horn, echoing out over the bay. I shoved the gag back inside her mouth and raced for the window, the sight before me making my heart stutter.
We were most definitely on a ship — a big one, judging by the height of my view.