She knocks my head again, and this time black spots dance before my eyes. The pain makes it hard to think clearly and I whimper. She has to know I'm a freaking prisoner, but I'm not going to try to solve her jealousy issues with her knife at my throat. I ask with a sob, “What do you want from me?
Her painted lips twist dangerously and the tip of her knife pricks my skin. “I want you gone, one way or another.”
“I want that too! I want nothing more than to get away from here. You have dibs, I swear. You were here first, and I never wanted to mess with your status. Please, as soon as the guys let me go, I'm out of here, as fast as I can.”
A sweat drop slides lazily from my temple and down my cheek while she considers me. She looks like she's deciding whether she should end me right here and now.
“They will know it was you,” I gasp as her grip on the hilt tightens visibly.
“Of course.” Her grin widens. “That'd be the point.”
“But you'd ruin the guys' plans. They wouldn't be happy about that. Please.”
“Their plans are always changing. I see how they look at you. Especially Wild Child, and he's my favorite. That stud in his tongue can bring any woman to her knees.” Her thighs tighten around my torso as if she's imagining it right here and now, while I do my best to pretend that thought never occurred to me. “They would forget and forgive me.”
Just then, there's a knock on the door. “You okay in there? I thought I heard something.” It's Hero.
A single dirty look tells me what will happen if I give Janey away.
“I'm fine,” I croak. My voice sounds hollow and fake as it echoes back at me. “I just stubbed my little toe.”
He snorts. “That's the fucking worst, isn't it?” And then we both listen to his footsteps receding.
“Listen,” I start. “They're already talking about sending me back. Please, just give me a little longer, and I'll be out of your hair forever. Please.” I try to keep my gaze on her, but my eyes keep flitting toward the knife on their own accord.
“Body cleanup is a bitch, and maybe you're right. Maybe they would be mad at me. Take this as your warning. I'll let you be, but you don't cross me and you definitely don't let any of them touch you. No lips, no hands, and definitely no cocks. You get that? If I find out you've so much as kissed any of them, I'll be back and there won't be enough left of your body to rate a clean-up, other than a mop.” She lets out a little disappointed sigh, as if she was really looking forward to cutting me up.
I mean, she probably was.
“Of course!” I agree immediately. She has to feel how I'm shivering under her, or see the tears gathering at the corners of my eyes. I'm not going to give her trouble. “I just want to leave.”
“And when the guys approach you, what do you say?” The point of her knife digs in again. My throat is going to look like a used pincushion after this.
“I say no.”
“Good.” And with a final nudge, she stands up. Then she spits. It splashes against my forehead, wet and gross, but I lie still. Janey scares me a hell of a lot more than Wild Child, Hero and King do. “You're not good enough to be called a slut. So don't get ahead of yourself. Stay there until I've left.” She backs up towards the door.
Fine with me. Anything, as long as she goes away.
“Don't ever fuck with me,” she threatens, then slips out of the room. I don't let out my breath until the door clicks shut behind her.
As soon as she's gone, I jump to my feet. I grab the step ladder and jam it in under the door handle to block the door. After that, I rush from stall to stall until I'm totally sure that I'm the only one in here. And then, finally, I let my legs give out. Thumping my back against the wall, I slide down until I'm sitting. What should I do?
For a moment, I stare blankly at the door, half expecting Janey to burst back in with her blade out and her mind changed, but when nothing happens, I finally let the sobs come. Pulling my legs up, I curl into the smallest ball I can be and cry into my arms.
I let myself get too comfortable. The guys have treated me better than I have any right to expect from my kidnappers. Heck, I was even considering—however distantly—what it would be like to let Wild Child have his way. Or Hero, or even King. Because Janey is right—even I've seen how their eyes follow me, and they're not exactly subtle about it. It's made it really easy to forget that I'm actually in mortal danger here.