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ALLISON

A nother wave of nausea and dizziness hits Allison as she steps out of the back of the taxi. Her hand grips the car frame to steady herself. She takes some deep breaths to keep from vomiting on the sidewalk in front of all the people walking by. Her mouth waters. She bends at the waist and heaves, yellow bile erupting from her into a puddle at her feet. Eww! Gross!

Of course, she’d have another episode when she needs to keep moving. She’s already gotten a handful of texts from Emma, Charlotte, and Russell inquiring about her whereabouts. She’d thought she’d made it plain in the letter she’d left on her bed, but maybe they hadn’t found it.

Allison hasn’t answered any of the texts yet. She isn’t sure what she would say in reply. She’s still trying to come to terms with her decision. She isn’t ready to deal with them trying to talk her out of returning to California. She has enough worries of her own without adding their concerns to the list. The nausea seems to have passed so she straightens up to see the disgusted looks from passersby.

Am I making the right decision? She worries again. Russell’s handsome face comes to mind. Her heart breaking all over again. She can’t imagine seeing him, frequently, but not having a real relationship with him. It will be too painful. She can’t handle that and all of her physical ailments, too. “Miss? Are you all right?”

Allison looks up to see her taxi driver peering at her around the raised trunk lid with concern. She nods, waving away his concerns. The dizziness is also passing along with her nausea. Straightening her spine and blowing out the breath she’s been holding, she pushes off the side of the taxi. She’d been leaning against it in an effort to calm the spinning of the world and letting her stomach settle.

The taxi driver brings her luggage around to set them down next to her on the sidewalk, avoiding the spot she’d soiled. “Well, if you’re sure that you’re alright, I’ll let you get on with your day, but I don’t mind calling 911 and waiting with you until they show up.” Allison attempts a confident smile, but knows she’s likely falling short.

“Thank you, but I’m fine,” Allison confirms. “I have a minor medical condition, but I have medication for it.” It’s all she can do to not laugh at the description of her pregnancy. A minor medical condition? Try a lifetime commitment.

The man gives her a tight smile and a nod before heading around the vehicle to slip into the driver’s seat. The light on top of the car comes on indicating he is back in service and ready to take another fare. She’d paid the man when they’d arrived and had given him a nice tip for coming to get her so quickly. She’d gotten lucky that the taxi service had had a driver already in the neighborhood dropping off a fare when she’d called to get one.

Allison heads inside the airport, hoping she’ll be able to get through security and make it to her gate in time. She’d taken the first available flight out of Jacksonville which just happened to be to Atlanta and it departs in just under an hour. She’ll be cutting it close. There will be a short layover in Atlanta before heading on to California.

Allison is grateful Russell had arranged to have the locks changed on her apartment. Dude, the man who’d flown with her on the way out here, and some of his friends, had gone to her apartment after getting the spare key from her neighbor, Amelia. They’d made sure Allison’s locks had been changed and they’d had a security system installed.

A man named Tex, who Allison has never met, had sent Dude equipment for the installation. Dude has assured her it’s a top-of-the-line system with loads of extra features you don’t get with a basic system. Allison isn’t sure how she’s going to pay for it, even though she has no idea how much it even cost, because Dude was very cagey about it. She’d asked several times, but he never gave her an answer. Even Curtis had evaded her attempts to give him money for it.

Dude has left the new keys with Amelia. Knowing this, makes going back a little easier, but she still dreads entering what had, at one time, been her sanctuary. A shot of fear shoots through her, remembering all of the strange things that had happened in her apartment before she’d fled to Denver with Russell’s friend.

Allison groans when memories of her and Russell in the hotel flash through her mind. How he’d fucked her hard and had then made slow sweet love to her. No! Stop it! He didn’t make love to you, even if it had felt that way at the time. He’d just been enjoying the sex. She lies to herself. The annoying voice of reason inside her head argues that he did care for her, but he had other obligations that kept him from acting on them.

Allison snorts, “Yeah, right, just keep telling yourself that little lie.”

“I’m sorry? What did you say?” Allison looks up at the TSA agent who is going through her carry-on bag. She’d apparently said that last bit out loud.

Shaking her head, Allison says, “Nothing, just thinking out loud.” She gives a little half-hearted chuckle, hoping the woman doesn’t decide she’s fruit loops and needs to be pulled from the flight for safety reasons. The woman nods and returns to her task. In another couple of minutes, she hands Allison her bag back and allows her to continue on to the gate where she only has a few minutes before it’s time to board her flight.

While she’s waiting, she decides she needs to put everyone’s mind at ease. She creates a group text and sends out the following texts.

Allison: Please don’t worry. I’m fine.

Allison: I made it to the airport safely, boarding my flight soon.

Allison: I’ll text you when I land in Atlanta.

Not waiting for a reply, she places her phone into airplane mode, dropping it into her pocket. When the boarding announcement for her flights comes over the loudspeaker, she rises to board her flight. A sharp pain slices through her when a blunt object jams into her side. A hand clamps over her mouth before she can scream in pain.

“I knew you wouldn’t be a good girl,” Bruno croons in her ear, causing her nausea to return. “You like being naughty, don’t you? You wanted me to hunt you down and punish you. Did you really think running away, having a security system installed, and being close with those soldiers would save you?” Allison shakes her head, too terrified to speak. “Oh I think you did, but I told you I would come for you. Do not scream or many people will die, understand?” Allison nods. He drops his hand from her mouth.

Bruno begins to pull her down the concourse away from her flight. A large man follows along behind them. Allison’s heart is beating wildly. She does her best to make eye contact with the people they are meeting. She needs to let someone know she’s in trouble without alerting her captor, who has a handgun pressed into her side. She knows without a doubt, Bruno will kill her without blinking an eye, even if he wants to do unspeakable things to her before he ends her life. If it comes down to him being arrested or getting to have his fun first? He’d definitely kill her to get away.

Despite her desperate attempts, everyone they meet is too focused on themselves and where they need to go, instead of their surroundings. Not one person makes eye contact with her as she’s towed closer and closer to the entrance. How the hell did Bruno get a gun inside the airport? Does his boss really have the connections to make that happen?

The bright North Carolina sunshine blinds her when she’s forced outside. A stretch limo is waiting for them at the curb. A man in a suit with his arms crossed over his abdomen is standing by the back door. When they approach, he opens the back door, holding it open while Bruno forces her into the back. His lackey heads toward the trunk where she assumes he is putting her carryon.

Allison is in shock. She didn’t think Bruno and his boss would find her on the other side of the country. Looking up, she again hits her head as she’s shoved into the backseat of the limo. Blinding pain, sears through her head and Allison’s heart stutters in her chest… not the way Russell makes her heart flutter, but in utter fear. Boss, the masked-man, is waiting for her, but he isn’t wearing his mask this time.

“Hello, Ms. Simpson, we meet again,” the man croons. Allison’s stilled heart drops out her ass.

Masked-man in all his slimy glory is smirking at her as Allison scrambles inside in an effort to keep Bruno’s hands off her. Shifting her hips, Allison gets her butt onto the soft leather seat. She’s forced to slide closer to the Senator when Bruno climbs in behind her to sit next to her, again pressing the gun into her side. “Who are you?” she asks.

“You hurt my feelings, Ms. Simpson. I thought everyone knew me,” he drawls. She stares at him. He looks very familiar, but still no name is coming to her. “Oh, come now. Surely you didn’t hit your head that hard, did you?”

“I must have, because I have no idea who you are,”

“It’s a very profitable enterprise. I’m able to afford the lifestyle I want, sample the merchandise, and still appear to be an upstanding member of the community.” As the final words leave his mouth, Allison suddenly remembers who he is.

“You’re Senator Claymore!” He chuckles and gives her a nod.

“Give the girl a prize,” he gloats. “You are very clever, Ms. Simpson, too clever. Hence the reason for you being my guest.”

“Your guest? I’m not your guest, you sonofabitch. You’re kidnapping me, again!” His hand flies out with a sharp crack to her face. Allison cowers away from him, but that only gets her closer to Bruno. She’s sandwiched between them.

“You would do well to keep your mouth shut, Ms. Simpson, or you will find yourself, with those you’ve been searching for. I don’t think you want that to happen, do you?” She just stares at him, struggling to process that this man is involved in the sex trafficking ring. He is supposed to protect our rights, not take them away from the most vulnerable. How can he be involved in such heinous acts?

“Although, I think you would bring a nice price.” He tilts his head, considering her. “I have just the buyer for you, too, though he is away on business presently. Sadly, he could be gone for a few months. No matter, when I send him your photo, I’m sure he’ll be happy to pay for me to hold you for him.” Bruno shifts next to her.

“You’re a sick bastard!” she yells. The Senator just chuckles low in his throat.

“You have no idea how much of a bastard I am,” Claymore grins at her. “I think I’ll break you in for the client. I usually prefer my playthings much younger, but you…you will be so much fun to break.” Bruno growls, leaning over her to glare at the Senator.

“She is mine,” Bruno asserts, pulling her closer to him.

“Not now!” Claymore bellows. “We will discuss this later. “Now, Ms. Simpson, I told you what would happen if you continued to look into things, you shouldn’t.” Tears well up in her eyes. Seeing this man in front of her is a death sentence. There is no way Allison and her baby will make it out of this alive. The masked man…Senator Claymore had told her his reach was far and wide, but she hadn’t believed him. Her body shakes with the reality of her situation. Allison looks around to see Bruno smirking at her, no doubt enjoying their victory and planning unimaginable horrors for her.

A sob escapes her. Why hadn’t she stayed in Jacksonville? Sure, seeing Russell had been painful. It ripped her heart to shreds every single time, but at least she’d have been alive to feel the hurt. Now, she’s never going to hold her baby, to see its precious little face, tiny fingers and toes. She’ll never see Russell again.

The limo pulls out into traffic and Allison sobs in earnest. “Oh, shut up!” Bruno yells, causing Allison to cringe, shrinking in on herself. She wraps her arms around her middle to protect her baby should he decide to hit her. “You will have plenty to cry about soon enough.”

“Now, now, Bruno,” Senator Claymore chastises. “I haven’t given you the green light, yet.” Allison lifts her head to look at him in shock and fear. “As I said before, I usually like my playthings younger, but I have to say she is glowing today, even in her fear, isn’t she?” His eyes roam over her from head to toes and back again. Allison’s skin crawls in disgust. Her nausea returning ten-fold.

Allison covers her mouth with her hand, taking slow deep breaths to keep from vomiting again, if there’s anything left. “Ohh what a lovely shade of green!” Allison stares at the Senator who has clearly lost what’s left of his sick, fucked-up mind.

“You said I could have her!” Bruno growls, leaning over her to glare at the Senator. “Don’t go back on your word. I have entirely too much on you, Senator.” Bruno lets his threat hang in the air.

“You don’t frighten me, Bruno,” Claymore scoffs with a sneer. “I’m untouchable. No one will believe a kidnapper/murderer-for-hire over me.” His glare at Bruno is almost palpable in the small space.

“You have only been untouchable because of me!” Bruno asserts, smacking his chest with the hand not holding the gun. “I have plenty of evidence to prove my accusations. You may think you are the boss in all of this depravity” —Bruno waves his hand in the air— “but I am really in charge, Henry.” Bruno draws out his name slowly as if it’s significant he knows the man’s name. “Everything has been because of me, my influence, my skills, and my contacts!” Bruno hits his chest punctuating each word.

“I have contingency plans for my contingency plans. Don’t underestimate my reach, Senator. I allow you to do what you do, to be the hidden face of this organization because it profits me . The moment you think to double cross me, to keep me from MY plaything; I will crush you like the bug that you are. Do I make myself clear?”

Allison’s head swings back and forth between the two men. What is happening? Who is really running this operation? The Senator’s face has paled. His hands shake and sweat is beading on his skin. When he lifts his eyes from his phone to gaze at Bruno, Allison can see the fear in the man’s eyes and the defeat. The Senator isn’t the man in charge, not like he’d believed himself to be.

Allison quakes in terror. She’d feared the masked man and what he might do to her for trying to help the lost children, but as she turns to gaze at Bruno, a feeling of overwhelming dread consumes her. Bruno is the mastermind behind it all and he’s the sickest, craziest bastard of them all.