After hours of being stuck in a car with Abby, Will, and Rico's relentless harassment jokes, we finally arrived at the airport where we meet Liam. But Liam wasn't with his two men that he had left with earlier. "Get my jet ready, we leave in 2 hours," Liam barked at Will in a demanding voice. Without asking any questions, Will left us in the hotel parking lot.
"Let's go," Liam ordered, striding forward. I couldn't help but notice that he was always impeccably dressed in formal wear, and he had a habit of keeping his hands in his pockets. He seemed unapproachable and cold-hearted, so I didn't dare question him. We split up, with Liam telling us to pick out what we wanted to wear from the mall, and he would foot the bill. Finally, I thought, a chance to escape these masculine clothes.
"That's under $100," Liam added, revealing his cheapskate nature. But beggars can't be choosers, and I was just relieved to have the opportunity to wear something other than what I had been stuck in all day. We went our separate ways, with Liam heading towards the fancy stores talking to fancy dressed people, Rico mysteriously disappearing, and Abby getting lost in the crowd.
As I wandered through the bustling mall, enjoying the freedom from the cramped car, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being followed. Glancing over my shoulder, I noticed five men tailing me. Panic set in as I quickened my pace, desperately trying to lose them in the crowd. But no matter how hard I tried, they were always right behind me, closing in.
Soon, I found myself cornered, with no one else in sight to help me. Fear gripped my heart as I realized I was completely vulnerable. I had no choice but to confront these men and hope for the best. Taking a deep breath, I turned to face them, my mind racing with possible escape plans.
The leader of the group, a tall and menacing figure, stepped forward with a sinister grin. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he sneered. "Looks like we've caught ourselves a little rat trying to scurry away."
I mustered up all the courage I had left and tried to maintain a calm facade. "I don't know who you think I am, but you've got the wrong person," I replied, my voice trembling slightly.
The leader chuckled darkly. "Oh, we know exactly who you are."
Fear gripped my heart, and my mind raced to find a way out. But as much as I willed my legs to move, they betrayed me, refusing to respond.
"It's a pity you have to die," the tall man continued, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. "You would've made a very good fucking bag."
His words sent shivers down my spine, and I felt a sinking feeling of dread. The laughter that erupted from him only intensified my discomfort, amplifying the realization that I was completely alone in this fight for survival.
Before I could even process the situation, I was violently thrown across the room. The impact sent a searing pain through my body, and I coughed out blood. Feet rained down on me, each kick causing me to gasp for air. I pleaded for mercy, but my cries fell on deaf ears.
If they were going to kill me, I thought, why not make it quick and painless? But they seemed to relish in prolonging my suffering. I lay there, helpless and broken, my entire outfit now drenched in my own blood. Darkness threatened to consume me as I teetered on the edge of consciousness.
They never stopped. Blow after blow, I couldn't fathom why I was being subjected to such a brutal attack. My mind was clouded with pain and confusion, but one thing was clear – I was alone, abandoned by any hope of rescue. The bitter taste of defeat filled my mouth as I realized I was not strong enough to overcome them or escape their clutches.
I could barely breathe, the taste of my own blood filling my mouth as I lay on the cold hotel floor. The pain was excruciating, but the numbness that followed was even worse. I couldn't understand why those men had ruthlessly assaulted me, and I couldn't comprehend why I still felt so numb.
"Didn't your mom tell you not to play with your food?" a voice sneered from somewhere above me. The kicking I had been enduring suddenly stopped, and I heard the shuffling of feet as all five men turned to face the person who had made the statement.
"If you're going to kill her, just kill her," he said in an uncaring tone. His words sent a chill down my spine. I didn't want to die, not like this. Why was he saying that?
Through my blurred vision, I could make out the figure of a man. He was here to rescue me. No one had laid a finger on him, yet he had singlehandedly delivered all his attacks. The hotel room filled with the sound of kicks and fists connecting with flesh. He was fighting for me.
Finally, I managed to gather enough strength to push myself up. As I struggled to regain my balance, I saw that it was Rico who had come to my aid. Rico, the psycho who had kidnapped me in the first place. I couldn't believe my eyes.
"Thank..." I began, but before I could finish the sentence, Rico pointed a gun in my direction. My heart skipped a beat as fear gripped me once again.
"If you move , I'll blow your head off," he said in a deadly serious tone.