I start to run, but it’s difficult with the pregnancy.I’m already out of breath and ready to collapse in exhaustion.As hope fades from me, I realize I should have thought this through better.Like make an attempt at my escape when there aren’t so many people here to see it happening.Or to chase after me.Before I can get to the tree line, a large hand clamps down on my shoulder and grips it tight.I know I’ll have a bruise left behind as I look back to find one of the men grinning like a damn fool as he halts my steps and almost yanks me down to the ground.I stopped so suddenly from his grip that the pipe and glass shard fly from my hands.He doesn’t let go of me long enough to grab anything so I can beat this fucker off of me.
“You’re not fucking going anywhere.Your new owner will be here soon to collect you and this is a payday for all of us.Well, everyone except for you,” he says as Karmen and the other man wait closer to the bar.
“Get her the fuck back here!”Karmen shouts, her voice a shriek that pierces my ears even from this distance.
I’m roughly pushed and trip over my own feet by the asshole still gripping my shoulder.That’s the only reason I don’t hit the ground face first.While I’m thankful I don’t hit the ground, I hate feeling his touch on my body.It feels as if I’m naked even though his hand is over the shoulder of my dress.The material seems to burn into my skin as I have to repress the shiver threatening to roll my entire body.If I thought I was nauseous before, it’s nothing compared to now.
The man holding me has a beer gut and his clothing is stained with holes here and there.His hair is all over the place and greasy as if he hasn’t washed it in days.The body odor coming from him is enough to make anyone gag.Dirt and grime cover his bare skin.I don’t want his touch on me for any reason.None of these fuckers deserves the right to touch me, look in my direction, or say a word to me.I’m not saying I’m better than they are, but they associate with Karmen which tells me all I need to know.
“You think you can fucking run away from me?”Karmen growls, her voice low and controlled as she glares at me.I simply smile in her face.
“Yeah.I know I can run away from you, Karmen.You’re too fucking stupid to kidnap anyone properly.I’m surprised you’ve done this as well as you have if I’m being honest.At the end of the day, I’ll get away again and there’s nothing you can do to stop me,” I state as if it’s fact and I’m not talking out of my ass because I don’t know what’s about to happen to me.
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.Get her the fuck back inside!”Karmen screams as I’m pushed harder than before.This time I do fall and hit the ground as Karmen starts laughing her ass off.“You’re so damn pathetic.Look at you on the ground.”
One of the men kicks me in the upper thigh as I move my body just in time so his boot doesn’t connect with my stomach.My head is wrenched back by a tight grip on my hair.Karmen is standing over me with a smirk on her face.
“I can’t bruise you up too much because your new owner doesn’t want you marked up before he takes possession of you.If that weren’t a stipulation of the sale, you can bet I’d beat your ass until you couldn’t move.And I’d make sure you lose that bastard you carry.For now, I’ll let the new guy deal with that shit so it’s one less thing I have to deal with,” Karmen tells me as she tightens her grip on my hair and I feel a strain in my neck.It hurts the harder she pulls and I want to scream out in pain, but I hold it back.
“Fuck you, Karmen.This right here is how you fight.I’ve seen you in a bar fight.You’re weak and pathetic.I punch and land solid hits.That’s what happens when you train with guys,” I tell her, trying to force my voice to be strong despite the pain I’m in.
“Get her in the office.Lock the fucking door and stand outside it.One of you stand outside the windows so she can’t escape that way.Where’s the other bitch who was down there?”Karmen asks me and I remain silent.I’m not about to tell her a damn thing as I’m lifted off the ground and held tighter than before.He leads me in the bar and toward the office.
The man who captured me and brought me back shoves me hard.I once again fall to the floor and this time, my stomach hits because I don’t have the strength to hold myself up and protect my babies.I cry out in pain as I curl up on myself and wrap my arms around my body.The man laughs before slamming the door closed and locking it from the outside.I close my eyes and let the tears fall as I silently apologize repeatedly to my babies for not protecting them.
***
Ihave no clue howmuch time has passed since I was shoved in the office at the bar.I’ve been in and out of consciousness.Each time I wake up, the pain in my neck and upper back is excruciating.I can’t move my head or neck in any direction without pain filling my body.My shoulders are tight and both of my arms are tingling.There’s also pain in my stomach, but I’m not bleeding so I’m hopeful my babies are okay.At least that’s what I tell myself when I’m awake.
Knowing I have to get myself out of this situation, I push myself up off the floor and endure the pain in my body.I slowly walk on unsteady legs to the desk and look for the phone.There’s always been a phone on the desk in here.It’s still here, but the cord has been removed.It doesn’t plug into the wall which means I won’t be able to use it.Taking a seat in the chair behind the desk, I start to open each drawer for anything that can help me.At this point, the only number I can call is for emergency services.I don’t have any of the numbers in my cell phone memorized so I can’t call one of the guys in the club.My only hope is that Leah managed to find her way there to send help my way.
“Think, Wren.I have to do something to get out of here,” I say to myself as every single move I make sends pain through my body.The tingling in my arms is also getting worse.I can hardly move as each minute passes.
The bottom drawer of the desk is locked and I start searching for something to pry the damn thing open or bust the lock.Looking on the desk, I find a paper weight and use it to slam the lock.It takes longer than I thought it would, but I finally manage to break the lock free of the wood surrounding it.When I pull it out, I manage to open the damn thing and find it almost empty.There’s no reason for this to even be locked.Despair fills me as I slump back against the seat and close my eyes.I’m quickly fading again and I don’t know what I can do to stop it from happening.
I rest my hands on my belly and do the only thing I can think of to keep myself sane.
“Babies, I hope you’re okay.I know I promised you before I’d do everything in my power to protect you, and today I’ve failed.My body isn’t strong enough right now and I hope you’re not suffering because of this.You’re going to be starting your lives with me failing you because your daddy doesn’t want to be a dad.I don’t know why, it’s none of my business.I promise you right now I’ll love you both enough for him and me though.You’ll be the center of my world and will know every second how much I love you and will do everything I can to ensure you never feel as if I don’t want you.On our hard days, I’ll be there to support you and you’ll never know when I’m not strong enough to be the mom you need.I love you both so much already.Please just know I’m sorry,” I say out loud as I close my eyes and imagine our future.
Whenever I picture the babies now, I see two little boys who are the perfect mix of Judge and me.They’re not identical twins and that made me happy as hell when the technician told me that.I think I’d be in serious trouble if I had identical twins and had a hard time telling them apart as babies before they started developing their own identities.
“Just because your daddy doesn’t want to be a dad, it doesn’t mean you won’t have strong male role models in your life.You have two uncles on your dad’s side of the family who have already told me they’ll be there regardless of what happens between the two of us.And Gramps who will also be there when you need him.I have two foster brothers excited to meet you.And your dad’s best friend, Fury, will also be in your lives.All of them care so much about you already and I know if you call any of them, they’ll be there in a heartbeat.Actually, I’m thinking now about moving to a town called Braedon.It’s where your dad’s family is from.It might be nice to be closer to them instead of some random town where I don’t know anyone,” I say, seriously considering moving there sooner rather than later so I can have someone near when I go into labor.
I try to open my eyes, but it’s hard.My body is shaking worse than before and my head is pounding.Unconsciousness pulls me under once again as I’m surrounded by nothing but black and images of Judge.