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CHAPTER 2

AURORA

“How much farther?” I ask, wanting to be far away from this country.

Tensions are running high, and the men keep their guns at the ready as if they’re expecting the enemy to ambush us at any time. We’ve been driving for a while, and I keep pinching myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. The last thing I want is for this to be something my mind conjured up to escape the brutality I’ve been living for how long now?

Maybe two weeks… if that man was correct. Seems so much longer. When you’re clawing your way through hell, every day feels like years.

“We’re here,” the driver announces.

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief. However, goosebumps litter my skin. In front of the Hummer is a private jet, not a cargo plane I expected for a retrieval mission. The men take a defensive position around the vehicle, and the man I’ve dubbed Shirtless holds his hand out for me to take.

“What’s going on?” I shout, backing further into the car away from him. “This isn’t right…NO!”

I’m not getting on that plane. They’ll have to kill me first. I’ve lived through hell; I can’t do it again.

Shirtless crouches to the ground to make himself appear like he’s not a threat. “Aurora, remember, your dad sent us to get you.”

I’m not stupid, they all have guns. “You could be lying.”

“Winchester,” Shirtless repeats kindly.

Even though I want to see my dad more than anything else in this world, I shake my head wildly. “You could’ve guessed that, or someone in our family could’ve told you.”

“Does anyone in your family know that codeword besides you and your father?”

“I-I-I don’t know.”

“Here.” One of the men tosses something at Shirtless. “We don’t have time for this. Shit could be coming for us at any second. We need to get in the air.”

“Where the fuck is my daughter?” My father’s voice pierces the night.

“Daddy,” I choke out and grasp for the man who isn’t there.

“Baby girl.” Dad’s voice falters only for a moment before his tone leaves no room for argument. “I know you’re scared. These are my men, ones I trust with my life and yours. Go with them.”

“But where’s the cargo plane?”

Shirtless clears his throat. “We didn’t want to draw attention to ourselves. This was more inconspicuous.”

“Aurora, get on the plane,” Dad pleads. “It’s safe, I promise.”

“O-o-okay.” I scoot to the edge of the seat and hold out my hand. Shirtless pulls me from the car.

“Rivers, I’ll meet you when you land,” Dad states.

“Roger that, Sir.” Shirtless, or I guess Rivers, hangs up the phone.

I sway on my feet, and Rivers swings me up into his arms. The men form a barrier around us as we rush to the plane. Each one is in perfect step with the other. No one stops until we reach the plane’s staircase.

The plane's cabin seats eight. Four chairs face each other, and four are placed together in another section. The last man enters the plane, securing the door behind him.

“We should go… now,” Rivers growls without further explanation.

The pilot comes over the intercom, telling everyone to take their seat and buckle up. Rivers sits directly across from me. I grip the armrests as the plane increases its speed for takeoff, praying that the Russians don’t suddenly show up. Once we’re in the air, Rivers begins to make introductions as everyone begins moving around the cabin.

“I’m sorry for not doing this earlier, Aurora,” he says. “Time wasn’t on our side, and we needed to get you out before anyone else showed up.” I nod, and he continues. “I’m Jaxson Rivers. Cranky ass over there who threw the phone is Felix Thomas.” Felix shoots his middle finger up in the air. “Next to Felix is Cooper Bennett, and Leo Carver is across from Bennett.” Jaxson unbuckles and stands. “I’ll be right back.”

Jaxson turns to head toward the cockpit, but before he does, he twists and points to the last man, who is rummaging in the cabinets with his back to me.

“That’s Ben Hudson, also our medic,” he explains. “He’ll make sure you’re comfortable until we get back to the States.”

Hudson approaches with a bag of fluids and some tubing, which I assume is an IV.

“May I?” he asks before reaching for me.

I shrug. “Which arm?”

“Hmm.” Hudson glances around and points above my head. “How about your right arm? There’s a hook right there where I can hang the bag.”

“Okay.”

“I really should clean up some of those cuts.”

I shake my head. “I’m fine.”

I could really use five minutes where someone isn’t touching or groping me. I want to close my eyes and forget.

Hudson grunts but doesn’t argue. “Do you want me to give you anything for pain?”

“No, thank you.”

Everything hurts, but at the same time, all I feel is numb. It takes him a few tries to find a vein, and he profusely apologies for every wince he causes. I keep my mouth shut and don’t make a sound. Even though these guys are safe, it doesn’t mean my limited time in captivity didn’t teach me anything. Those in control like to hear your pain. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out as he finally gets the needle to take hold. The familiar taste of metal hits my tongue, and I gag.

“Fuck!” Hudson shouts. “I need some help here.”

I shrink back in my seat as droplets of blood splatter down my chin. Thundering footsteps barrel toward us.

“What the fuck happened?” Jaxson quickly leans down to wipe the blood off my face.

“I don?—”

“H-h-he didn’t do anything wrong,” I defend.

“I know. Hudson’s the best medic we got. I trust him and all my men with my life.” Jaxson says, gently. “So, what happened?”

“I accidentally bit the inside of my cheek,” I mumble.

“That’s one helluva a bite if you’re bleeding,” he counters.

I lower my head. “I’ve had worse.”

Jaxson tips my chin up. “Never again.”

I meet his intense stare. “You can’t promise that.”

Jaxson squares his jaw but says nothing because he knows I’m right. There’s so much evil in the world, and as much as the good guys do their best to prevent it, it spreads like cancer.

Luckily, we’re prevented from continuing this awkward conversation because Hudson returns with a bottle of water and a thick blanket, which he drapes over me.

“Here.” He hands me the water. “Very small sips.”

I follow his directions and take a small sip. Jaxson watches me like a hawk the entire time. It’s like he can see every vile thing that was done to me. I shudder under his scrutiny and pull the blanket up tight around my shoulders.

Even though it’s dark outside, I twist my head to stare out into the black sky. After a few minutes, my eyelids start to droop. I don’t remember the last time I could close my eyes without fear that I would be abused.

“You sure it was two weeks, Rivers?” someone asks.

“General Parks said Aurora was last seen by her boss, Hugh, at the Boston Herald on the seventeenth. Hugh and Aurora made a deal that she could go meet an informant on a piece she was writing only if she checked in every thirty minutes. According to Hugh, everything was going well until after her meeting was over,” Jaxson pauses. “Aurora told him she had changed her mind about coming back to work and that she was heading to Quantico instead. She was making a pit stop at home. A quick in and out. When Hugh didn’t hear from her after repeatedly trying to call her for two hours, he went to her home.”

“Why didn’t he call General Parks right away?” a voice asks.

“The general said he didn’t want to cause a false alarm over nothing. When Hugh got to her house, he found Aurora’s car abandoned and her phone and purse lying in the driveway. Hugh called the general and told him everything about what she had been working on and that she was meeting someone who had escaped. Everything has been a covert operation. General Parks knew he had to assemble quickly. He searched high and low and followed every lead until he could get us back, which unfortunately took three fucking days. No one was informed she was missing except us, and Hugh told everyone she worked with she was visiting her father and then would be out undercover for a story.”

“Fucking sucks we were out of the country.” Hudson sighs next to me. “We might have found her sooner.”

“Maybe, but you guys know the Russians are a well-oiled machine,” someone whispers. “That’s why they’re still doing this shit right under everyone’s noses.”

“How does Hugh know the general?” a gruff voice asks.

“If your only daughter was an investigative reporter, running leads on some unsavory topics or people, wouldn’t you want to put the fear of god into her boss?” Jaxson asks. “Because I sure as hell would. From what I understand, General Parks doesn’t interfere in Aurora’s life, but Hugh has been instructed to reach out if he thinks she’s getting in too deep and could get hurt. Fortunately, it never happened.”

“Until now,” Hudson mumbles.

“Until now,” Jaxson agrees.

After the first couple of days, I lost faith that anyone would know I was gone, even though I told my boss I would check in on my way to Quantico. I should’ve known Hugh would sound the alarm, but I didn’t expect it to be as fast as it was.

I tune out the rest of their conversation and try to clear my mind. I recline my chair back and settle into the buttery leather seat.

The feeling of a few dozen bee stings under my hairline at my neck jolts me awake. I try to lift my head, but it’s being held down by some sort of strap.

“Someone help me, please!” I yell.

“Shhh, my pet,” a gruff voice replies. “There’s no one here to help you. It’ll all be over soon.”

“What’s going o ? —”

A pinch in my arm causes my eyes to drift close once again. My pain disappears, but I feel as though I’m floating away from my body. I let myself slip back into the abyss. The next time I come to, I’m hanging upside down over someone’s shoulder. I’m too weak to open my mouth and ask what’s going on or where I am.

Nothing looks familiar. The walls are concrete, and there are several large water puddles on the floor. We pass by several doors that remind me of prison cells. I can’t get a good look at them because I can’t lift my head up. Suddenly, we stop, and a lock disengages.

“Not yet,” someone yells. “Boss wants her first.”

“He gets all the good ones,” the man holding me says.

“Better get her up there before he kills you.”

The man mumbles something in Russian and marches further into the corridor. He steps onto an elevator, and my stomach jostles with the movements of ascent. I groan and try to twist out of my capture’s hold.

Mystery goon grips my waist harder, which I’m sure will leave bruises later. He knocks on a door, and someone yells, ‘enter’.

He places me on a chair to face an opulent desk with a brooding man sitting behind it. I take a moment and study him as he does the same to me. Normally, I might find a man like this handsome, but there’s something in his eyes that screams ‘DANGER’.

“Who are you?”

“I’m your new master.”

I jerk my chin out stubbornly. “I don’t think so, pal.”

My face whips to the side, and my body flies from the chair with the force of the blow. I grip my cheek and look up with wide eyes at the man who carried me into the room.

“Don’t speak unless you’re told to, slave.”

Realizing this is not the time to be a smartass, I bite my tongue, but I don’t lower my eyes.

“Oleg, don’t put too many marks on the merchandise,” the man behind the desk chastises.

Oleg grips my arm and tugs me back into the chair.

“My name is Dmitri Krukov,” he introduces. “And you are Aurora Parks, investigative reporter for the Boston Herald . I believe you’ve been poking around for a story about me and my family for over a year now, isn’t that right, pet?”

Fuck! Sweat trickles down the back of my neck, and my heart hammers in my chest as I whip my head around quickly, searching for Lace.

“Looking for someone?” Dmitri taunts. Remembering what happened the last time I spoke, I keep my mouth shut. Dmitri slams his fist down on the desk, causing me to jump. “I asked you a fucking question.”

“Where’s Lace?”

Dmitri laughs. “Oleg, where’s Lace?”

Oleg shrugs. “She got held up.”

“I’d be more worried about yourself, my pet,” Dmitri sneers. “You’re going to be so much fun to break.”

I’m trapped, but I’ll be damned if I go down without a fight. I jump out of the chair and dash around Oleg. Just as I reach for the door handle, my head snaps backward from Oleg, grabbing a fistful of my hair. He pulls me up by the roots until my feet are dangling in the air.

“Bring her to me,” Dmitri orders, pushing everything off his desk. Oleg slams my back down on the desk, knocking the wind out of my lungs. “Strip her.”

Oleg rips my shirt down the middle, exposing my lace bra. He licks his lips, and his eyes gleam with lust. I hear the click of a gun as he rips the buttons off my dress pants and starts yanking them down, and I claw at his hands.

“Now, now,” Dmitri says calmly with a sadistic gleam in his eyes. “We wouldn’t want to start putting holes into this lovely body. Besides, it won’t stop the inevitable.”

My panties are torn from my body. I scream as Dmitri slams into me. “Noooo, please,” I beg, tears streaming down my face. “Please, stop.”

“That’s right, pet,” Dmitri grunts and licks the wetness off my face. “Cry for me. Your tears just make me harder.”

I scream and thrash to get away from him, but it’s no use. I’m trapped.

“Aurora!”

My eyelids fly open. Jaxson is inches from my face and gripping my arms. I flinch back into the seat.

It was just a nightmare… right?