Page 75 of Ravaged From Fate

I can’t help but shoot it back to the man, despite the fact he’s got a gun against my head. It’s reckless, sure, but I’m not going down without at least him getting something back.

If the gang leader is fazed by my retort, he shows no sign of it. He’s cold and calculating. Calm. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s planned this out. He’s in control and he knows it.

“Yes, Elsa. Like I said, we’re reasserting our dominance. Once we’ve got rid of that Caspian fellow we’ll be able to use him as an example to the rest of East Springs. Don’t fuck with us.”

“You know my dad’s the town doctor, right? Hasn’t he helped out you guys in the past? Bandaged you up? Attended to you when you’ve needed him?”

Bringing up Dad is an act of desperation but it’s all I’ve got left.

Sword Face merely shrugs. “I don’t give a fuck about dear old dad. This is more than some old man helping us out a couple of times.”

“So you’re just going to keep me?”

“And hurt you.” The casual way he flippantly says that paralyzes me with fear. “We want to make him see that we’ve hurt you.”

I go quiet.

Now’s the time to panic.

“Caspian is going to find you,” I whisper, more to myself than to the man with the gun. “You know that he will travel across the world for me, right?”

Sword Face sighs. “I really don’t give a fuck. No one is coming to save you.”

I sit back and turn to the view outside the window, trying my best to ignore the smug man sitting in front.

Maybe Caspian won’t even come and save me. I literally just found out he’s a member of Ravaged, haven’t I? I doubt he will even find me.

If he even tries…

He’s lied to me all this time. I don’t even know who he is. He’s a complete stranger who deceived me. Got me into bed. I bet he enjoyed the web of lies he spun around me.

As scary as the thought is, I really can’t shake the idea that he may not even come and save me.

“Oh,” the gang leader turns back around in his seat. “You might as well know my name, seeing as we’re about to become very intimate in the next few days. I want you to be able to scream my name as we hurt you. It’s Shade. Nice to meet you properly, Elsa.”

37

CASPIAN

I pull the steering wheel straight down to my left and put my foot hard on the gas. I’m going to follow that car, no matter what it takes.

It was definitely Elsa struggling in there; I am sure of it.

I dial her phone just in case. She doesn’t answer. She would if she was still at the bar. I know for sure now I wasn’t hallucinating when I saw her terrified face as she was being driven by those gang members.

They are dead men walking.

Just wait until I get my hands on them, then they’ll be wishing they’re in hell…

What do they want with her? It’s obvious, though, when I think about it. They want me. They’re using her to get to me, surely. Ha, do they want to see me angry? Because, if so, then it’s working like a charm.

Well, they don’t know I’ve already seen them. They don’t know that they might be getting me sooner than they think.

I’ve known all along my choices would come back to haunt me. I knew that, given time, my acts of aggression would hurt the people I love the most, as they always do. And now those bad dudes have my love in the back of their vehicle.

It’s all my nightmares come true.

At least I saw her in time. At least I can do something about it now.