Chapter Two

Lucy found herself staring a bit longer at the man who'd just walked in. 

His intimidating height and unnerving aura brewed an intense panic inside her. But it wasn't just that, it was the outfit. It was the hilt of a dagger in his belt and the gun next to it. 

It was the menacing black attire that all four of the men wore. But the one who walked in behind her had a rich, fur coat over his, making him somewhat superior. 

She could see the tattoos across his left breast because he'd left the buttons of his inner shirt open. The letters and the cross symbol rested firmly on his shirt. 

Lucy knew to be terrified. They weren't ordinary men. Those symbols…she'd seen them once in the papers. They belonged to the Stone Brotherhood, the most ruthless gangsters of the century. 

“What took you so long?” The man asked with a smile that would pass for charming if he didn't have a cold, dangerous glint in his eyes. 

He brushed past her, leaving behind the intoxicating scent of his cologne. Lucy inhaled it involuntarily, and it made her stomach churn. In a very…unhealthy way. 

Lucy was fighting to keep herself from melting in fear. 

“What…what…do you guys want from me?” She stuttered, as tears spilled helplessly down her face.

“Mark Davis, that son of a bitch.” The man sputtered with so much anger. “Where the hell is he?”

Lucy struggled to keep herself from choking on her tears. She glanced at her Mother, and their eyes met. 

There was nothing but raw fear in her mother's eyes. 

“I don't know,” Lucy breathed out. She hoped her truth would save them somehow. 

“Yeah, your mother was saying the same thing. She doesn't know where her lovely husband is. Does that make any sense?” The man chuckled again. 

“She wasn't lying. My Father…” Lucy swallowed the lump in her throat. “...he hasn't come home in three days.”

“Why not?” The man asked. 

“I don't know…”

“I'll ask again,” The man drawled dangerously, taking out his gun and aiming it at her Mother. 

Lucy gasped. “Please…Please…don't hurt her…”

“Then tell me something.”

“I really don't know…”

“You better quit lying to me!” The man barked, charging towards her. Lucy didn't see it coming and squealed at the top of her lungs when he pushed her into the wall, throttling her there. 

She squirmed hard like her life depended on it. 

“I really don't know!” She yelled this time, with a strangling force. His grip became tighter and she began gasping for air. Her weak hands left soft punches on him. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She was slowly growing pale from the pain. 

“Fuck this!” The man sputtered, letting her go. She fell to the ground, going into a coughing fit. 

He backed away to the sink counter and dialed a number. Lucy was silently bawling her eyes out, wanting nothing but to go to her Mother. 

“Brother,” the man said. “His family insists on not knowing his whereabouts.”

Lucy could hear her heart thumping so hard. This wouldn't end well, she could already tell. 

“Sure, Brother. I'm on my way.” The man ended the call. Then he signalled to his men. “We're taking the woman.”

“No!” Lucy shrieked. “Don't take my Mother.”

“We can't leave here empty-handed, gorgeous.” The man smiled; that same charming but dangerous smile. 

“Then…then…take me instead.” Lucy blurted out weakly. 

The man stared at her longer. Then smirked, “That's even better.” He pointed at one of his men. “You, stay here. He may show up sooner than we expect.”

The man he pointed at bowed obligingly.

“Bring the girl. She goes with us.”

There wasn't time for her to say goodbye to her Mother. They already picked her off the floor like she weighed nothing and were carrying her out of the house. 

“Mother!” Lucy yelled repeatedly until she was tossed into a car. The two men entered after her. 

She saw the man, the one who looked like the boss, going into a different car. 

“Ou..ouch.” Lucy whimpered as she felt a piercing pain in her neck. And soon, a heavy dizziness fell on her. She felt her body collapsing as darkness took over her. 

*

*

There was a background voice in her head as Lucy slowly regained consciousness. 

Her optimistic self hoped it would be her Mother, talking. She hoped the painful memories of her being dragged forcefully out of the house were nothing but a nightmare. 

Her eyes slowly opened, and she was hit with neon lights from a mirrorball. She squinted her gaze until her eyes adjusted to the lights.

Where am I? She couldn't help but wonder. 

Panic gripped her as she looked at her sides and realized there were more girls in the room. Hands and legs tied like hers were. 

The voice she heard was coming from an intercom in the room. It was a female voice, but it had an unnerving harshness to it. Her Mother's voice was never harsh. It was always warm.

“You, the blonde girl,” the voice said. 

The hefty men in the room picked up the girl and brought her under the light. They cut her loose. 

“Strip!” The woman ordered. 

The girl did without hesitation. Lucy was gaping at the horrid sight. The men sized up her boobs and her pert butt with their hands. 

“Damn, she's fucking perfect. She's worth the fortune we paid,” one of the men commented with a lewd smirk. 

“Wanna go have a taste, gentlemen?” The feminine voice asked again. 

The men guffawed hungrily. The girl was tossed on one of the men's shoulders like a piece of nothing. Then they left the room with her. 

Lucy didn't dare think about what they were gonna do with her. The thought of it was gonna make her puke. 

The door opened and another man walked in. Just as hefty too. 

“You've made your payment. Now pick your choice.” The female voice said. 

The man rubbed his hands lasciviously as he checked out all the girls. 

Lucy's eyes were down as she prayed he wouldn't pick her. It was still unbelievable how one minute she was returning home from her part-time job and the next minute, she's in a godforsaken room at the verge of being sold out to some creepy horny old man. 

“You!”

Lucy took a deep breath, thankful that she wasn't picked. 

“The girl with the French braids,” the female voice said. 

Lucy's heart jammed. French braids? 

That was her. Ruthie, her co-worker, had made the braids two days ago. 

She looked up in panic. The man was already approaching her. 

“No!” Lucy cried out. He didn't mind her protest and just pulled her to her feet. He cut her loose in a go. 

“No! Please don't!” She was a virgin. This wasn't how she thought she'd lose it. This wasn't how she should lose it. 

“Strip!” The man barked. 

“Please, Sir. Don't hurt me. I'm not.. I'm still…” Lucy's words were cut off as the man yanked at her dress, ripping it apart. 

Goosebumps and intense mortification descended on her bare skin. She was shaking hard, while tears fell down her face.

“Disgusting!” The man spat out. Lucy knew why. Her body was covered with gashes and scars, courtesy of her ruthless Father. 

“I need my money back. She's useless!” The man barked, storming out of the room. 

Lucy remained on the spot, naked, trembling, and in tears. Her eyes were tightly shut as she prayed for the ground to open and take her in. 

“Tell the men to come and take this awful sight away!” The female voice ordered in anger. “Take her as far away from this building as possible!”