Page 42 of Quinn

When we came to a back door, which had a green exit sign in lights above, every nerve in my body went on alert. Something was wrong.

I pulled my arm from her hold and stopped.

“Where are we going?”

“To ultrasound.”

I shook my head. “No, I smell garbage and that door leads to outside.”

Pulling a gun, she hit out at my face. The skin tore beneath the force of the metal, but before I could scream for help, the gun was thrust into my ribs. I was pulled through the door and thrust into the chest of my worst nightmare.

Tchokai gripped the tops of my arms so hard that I knew he’d leave bruises but that was the least of my worries.

Tchokai leaned forward and brushed his lips over the doctor’s cheek.

“Thanks, sweetheart for your help in getting the bitch back where she belongs.”

I stared at the doctor. The eyes! They were identical to Tchokai’s. “You know each other?”

The doctor smiled. “We do…I’m his sister. We don’t see each other often because my medicine keeps me on this side of the island, but we talk on the phone often.”

“How…how…?”

The hand struck me hard, almost knocking my head from my shoulders.

“Shut the fuck up, bitch. You thought you could get away from me? By the time I’m finished with you, you won’t be capable of doing anything other than crawling. There’ll be no fucking escaping again.”

Tchokai snapped his fingers at the man with him and I was horrified when a collar attached to a chain was produced.

“No, please, no.”

“Oh, yes, my petal. You will never again leave my side.”

I’d seen other women in the village collared and forced to crawl everywhere naked beside the one who owned them. Their disobedience had them living…no not living, existing in a world of abuse. I’d rather die than submit to what I knew Tchokai had planned.

The man stepped closer, the collar open and ready to be snapped in place. I fought, screamed, which earned me a hard fist to the side of the head. My legs gave way, stars danced behind my eyes, and before I dissolved into blackness, I wished for death to come fast.

***

I heard noises around me, and my head hurt as I slowly opened my eyes. I was naked, chained spread-eagled on the dusty ground in the centre of a circle of men. Men I’d spent my entire life around. Men I knew would be given the go ahead to do as they wanted with my body. Tchokai had wanted me back only to save face, but I would no longer be protected as his wife. No, Tchokai was done with me and I was about to suffer hell for the embarrassment I’d caused him.

Quinn…

Would he know I’d been taken? Would anyone come looking? Would the planned war, the extinction of Tchokai and his men still go ahead now I was no longer a threat? Tears trickled from my eyes to no doubt splash in the dust. No one would come. Why would they bother?

The strong rays of the sun were suddenly shadowed and I opened my eyes to see Tchokai standing over me, sneering in disgust.

He kicked at my ribs and I shouted in pain. “Bitch, you fucked up big this time. It has cost us a fortune to come after your scrawny arse and believe me when I say, you’ll be paying back every toea.”

Pain exploded through me when his booted foot connected with my crotch. I screamed, startling birds in the trees overhead. I wanted to beg him for death but knew without a doubt that my begging would go unanswered.

“Men, we have business to discuss.” Tchokai spat at me before walking away.

The men rose and followed, leaving me under the blazing sun, having no idea how long they’d be gone. I closed my eyes and allowed the darkness to take me back under.

CHAPTER TWELVE

QUINN