Chapter Twenty-Seven
Letty
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
I mutter the words to myself over and over as I wiggle side to side on the chair, hoping that enough movement will loosen the ropes around my arms and legs.
One of the men laughs. He motions to the other three, and they file out of the room, laughing and joking as if they do this kind of thing on a regular basis.
A guy stops in front of me and says, “Sorry it’s going down like this, Letty. In another time and another place, I’d put you to work sucking my cock. You’re too chunky for a whorehouse, but with a little bit of persuasion of the chemical kind, I could get a lot of money for you from those rich, old bastards who like a virgin pussy.”
He pats my cheek and shakes his head. “Some of those old fat fucks just want a pretty face to suck them off. Think you’d like to do that for me, Letty?”
“Leave me alone!” I snort and twist my face away from his touch.
He walks to the doorway, flashes one final smile, and walks away.
The minute I’m sure they’re not returning, I squirm and struggle with greater energy, every sway of my shoulders loosening the ropes on my arms. I have to get out of here. I don’t know what those guys have in mind, but they didn’t strap me to a chair so that Marjorie would find me in the morning. No, there’s something more nefarious going on, and I don’t want to find out what it is when it’s too late to save myself.
I can’t die here tonight. Not now. Not yet. I’m not ready to die.
I’m certain it’s not my time to go yet, so I don’t give up. I push back in the chair and bang it against the desk over and over. Maybe if I can loosen the screws, I can just break the chair.
“What are you doing, Letty? They’ll hear you.”
I ignore the pastor’s warning and keep moving until the chair has a little more give to it. I freeze as the scent of smoke fills the air.
“You smell that?”
Braden, the traitor, sniffs the air. “Fire. Fire!” His eyes widen. “They’ve set the place on fire, Letty. You’ve got to help me!”
I let out a loud bark of laughter that lacks amusement. “The Lord helps those who help themselves,” I remind him with barely concealed contempt. Smoke slowly fills the room, and I wiggle harder, trying to get out of the chair.
“Pray with me,” Braden urges, and once again, I ignore him.
I’ve loosened my ties, and I keep moving, determined to get out of here before the room fills with smoke and kills me. I shut my eyes against that image because it won’t be my future. I won’t allow it.
I move with greater energy and determination as my eyes start to sting and my lungs start to burn. With shaky legs, I press against the floor and use my whole body to slam the chair against the desk.
“Oh!” I cry as a wallop of pain hits my chest. The chair breaks apart, and I collapse to the ground in a heap of ropes and relief.
“Letty?”
I push to my hands and knees because the air is a little thinner down on the ground. I crawl toward the door, but it’s not the door, darn it.
“Letty, untie me. Please.”
Braden. “I can’t see you. I’m on the floor. Keep talking. ” He’s the reason I might die tonight, and I’m not big enough to forgive him just yet. I back up, still on my hands and knees, certain that if I keep going, I will find the door.
“Oh!” I cry out when I hit something hard and unmoving, or rather someone.
“Letty?” Shades’ voice is the most welcome sound in the whole world.
“Shades? I’m down here.” Before I can say anything else, one of his arms bands around my waist, and he tosses me over his shoulder. “Whoa.”
“You all right, babe? Those assholes didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“No. Just my throat hurts,” I whisper from my upside-down position. “How did you know I was here?”