Kept

“This one’s strong-willed, I tell you.”

“You already jumped her once, then you had to hit her over the head as she woke up on the way here, and now she's fucking awake again. You must not know your script, man. You’re not dosing her high enough.”

So I'd been drugged, twice. And the thug that hit me over the head had made quite a dent. I tried to seem like I was still pretty out of it, but my alertness was coming back to me piece by piece. The pain was excruciating. He really ripped open my skull. I didn’t look at the floor, I didn’t want to see all the blood.

I looked at the exit sign again. I was thinking how far I could run before I blacked out. I didn't know what I would do if I could make to the door, but I felt like it was my only option.

The two men that were talking pushed their chairs away from the table, and sauntered over to me. I closed my eyes again hoping that they wouldn't do anything to me if they thought I was still injured. The blood on the back of my head gave them a good indication that I was. The one bent down and grabbed my chin, holding it just a hair away from his face. “How you feeling, girly?”

These two thugs didn't look like Rudolph's other men. They were simply muscle; they didn't have any other interest in the extra business.

“I guess she doesn't want to talk, do you?”

I wouldn't give them the pleasure of hearing me speak. I was sure my voice was gravelly, and I didn't want to let them know how terrified I was. I had to be strong.

He tossed my head back, and stood up, looking at the other men at the table. “Call the boss. He's got a lot of talking to do to this one.”

I waited to see if they would say anymore, give me more information. But, instead, they walked away, I had to make a move.

This was my chance. “Talk to me about what?”

The other guy smiled; he was missing a couple of his teeth. “So she can speak. Good.”

“I asked you a question. What does Rudolph want with me?”

“It's not what he wants with you, girly. It's what Hudson owes him.” He spread his arms out wide, “It's what he owes the Empire.” He laughed to himself, and the other guy joined in.

“He'll come for me.”

“We know that. We were counting on it.”

I needed more time. “And what do you think he owes?”

He cocked his head at me, pulling the tight collar on his shirt even closer to the skin. “He owes the boss money. Lots of money, sweetheart. More than you could ever imagine. He took drugs to Switzerland, and didn't pay for them. This isn't the type of place where you do dishes to pay off your tab.”

He had stolen from them? Is this why he was so worried about me going back to the club? Was this part of his way to get out? I couldn't believe he had put me in such danger. I hoped he had some underlying plan. “Hudson wouldn’t do that. He's loyal.”

The man got so close to my face once more that I could see the stubble on his cheeks and the bags under his eyes. “Loyalists don't sell where they're not supposed to. We’ve got eyes everywhere, sweetheart; we know exactly what he's been up to.”

“Is that how you found me?”

He shook his head at me. “You work at the club. We would've found out about you, regardless.” He looked towards his comrade. “Tie her hands, and put some duct tape on her mouth until the boss gets back. I don’t want to hear anymore of her shit.”

“No, wait!” I put my hands up in protest. “What does Rudolph want to know about me? What info is everyone talking about?”

They both got quiet. They didn’t know any more information than I did. I was just bait.

“Not our concern. Get rid of her,” he instructed the bigger guy.

He lifted me up underneath my arms, and attempted to throw me over his shoulder, but I played dead weight. It gave me the opportunity to deliver a swift kick to his balls. He immediately dropped me, and I sprinted towards the exit doors. Without the boss here, these chumps’ mistakes were my best possibility of getting out. I knew that once Rudolph was back, I didn't have a chance in hell. I ran towards the door, but the two thugs at the table got up and blocked my way. I could hear the other guy yelling curse words at me. I considered slugging the guy to my right, but I knew the other would grab me, and I wanted to keep their filthy hands off of me. I considered my options until I felt metal at the back of my head. He pushed it into the already open wound. I screamed and grabbed my head in pain.

“Put your hands up and turn around. You're not getting out of here on my watch.” It was the first guy who had spoken to me, and I was starting to wonder if he was Rudolph's second-in-command. When I spun around, he held a gun in my face. “Don't think I won't shoot you. Hudson doesn't need to know. No one does. Right, boys?” He began to laugh, and the others joined in, all in on the same sick joke as he was. But I knew that Rudolph wouldn’t be happy if he shot me point blank in the head. Now, had he shot me while I was running away, he would've believed them. But, if he ended me now, he was setting himself up to possibly being killed by his own boss. I didn't know how stupid he was, but I didn't think he was that dumb.

“You're not going to shoot me.”

“Why's that?”

“Because you and I both know Rudolph will end you if you do. I’m leverage. You need me alive.”