Chapter 19: Sofia

I wake up, disoriented, my mind foggy from the fitful sleep I’ve been getting. The room is dim, the light filtering in through a small crack in the wall, casting long shadows. I pull the book back into my lap, trying to lose myself in the pages, but it’s no use. I keep reading the same sentences over and over, and nothing is sticking. I set the book aside, nibbling on another cracker from the pack Leo left me. I have no idea how much time has passed, how long I’ve been stuck in here. They took my phone when they brought me, so I don’t even have that to help me keep track.

I pace the room for a while, running my hand along the cold wall, counting the steps from one side to the other. But it doesn’t calm me. The weight of everything is pressing down on me, suffocating, and I feel like I’m going to lose my mind if I have to stay here much longer. I sit back down, pulling the blanket around my shoulders, trying to shake the feeling. I close my eyes and focus on my breathing, but I’m so tired of this silence, this waiting. I just want to go home. Or at least know what’s going to happen.

A sudden noise breaks the quiet. My head snaps up, and I listen intently. I don’t hear their voices, just footsteps and muffled hushing, like someone’s trying to move quietly but not quietly enough. My stomach twists with unease. I sit up, wrapping the blanket around me, listening as the footsteps draw closer. The doorknob turns, and the door opens slowly.

A large figure steps inside, and I feel my heart drop. He’s huge, dressed in all black, with a bandana covering the lower half of his face. He’s holding a gun, and he motions with it, signaling for me to follow him. Every muscle in my body locks up, my feet refusing to move. I stay rooted to the spot on the bed, staring at him in shock, my mind racing with fear. Who is he? Where are the others?

He doesn’t give me any more time to think. He crosses the room in a few long strides, grabbing my arm roughly and yanking me to my feet. I try to pull away, but he’s too strong. He drags me out of the room, his grip bruising, and then shoves me to the ground outside the door. I hit the concrete floor, wincing as pain shoots up my side. Two other men stand there, both armed and dressed the same, their faces hidden behind masks. One of them crouches down in front of me, his eyes glinting with something sinister.

“Well, well,” he sneers, reaching out to touch my face. “Aren’t you a pretty little thing?”

I jerk away from his hand, a surge of anger overriding my fear. “Get your hands off me,” I spit, my voice shaking but defiant.

He laughs, and the sound is cold and cruel. “Feisty one, aren’t you?” He reaches for me again, but I don’t give him the chance. I spit in his face, the only act of defiance I have left. His expression darkens, and he wipes his face with the back of his hand, his gaze murderous.

“You little bitch,” he growls, and then his fist connects with my cheek. The impact sends me sprawling back, my head hitting the ground hard. I feel a burst of pain, stars dancing in my vision as I try to make sense of what’s happening. My cheek throbs, and I taste blood, but I force myself to sit up, pushing myself back against the wall, trying to put distance between us.

The man stalks toward me, and for the first time, I feel a desperate longing for Riley, Leo, Danny, or Nate—anyone who might stop this. The thought shocks me, but I don’t have time to dwell on it. The man kneels in front of me again, his hand wrapping around my throat, pressing just hard enough to make me gasp for air.

“We’re taking you back to our boss,” he says, his voice low and menacing. “He’s been looking forward to meeting you, sweetheart. And when we’re done, we’re coming back here to deal with those bastards who tried to keep you from him.”

I feel a cold wave of dread wash over me as his words sink in. They’re going to kill them. They’re going to kill the guys, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Panic bubbles up inside me, and I try to push him away, to do anything, but he’s too strong, his grip unyielding. I need to get out of here, to find some way to escape, but I’m pinned, and I can feel the hopelessness settling in.

I summon the last bit of strength I have left and make a dash, scrambling to my feet, trying to run. But before I can take more than a few steps, one of the men steps forward, his boot connecting with my back, shoving me down. I hit the floor again, this time harder, the impact knocking the breath from my lungs. I try to get up, but he stomps on my back, pinning me in place.

“Nice try,” he sneers, his voice full of contempt. “But you’re not going anywhere.”

I feel a sob claw its way up my throat, but I bite it back, refusing to let them see me break. I’m trapped, helpless, and the realization makes me want to scream. I can’t fight them, and I can’t save myself. All I can do is hope that somehow, against all odds, the guys will come back in time. But as the seconds tick by, I know that hope is slipping further and further away.

The man leans down, his breath hot on my neck as he whispers, “You belong to us now, and there’s nothing you or those fools can do about it.”

Terror grips me, and I feel the tears start to fall, blurring my vision as I stare at the cold, unyielding concrete beneath me.