Blackmailed by Her Bully

Her mother hadn’t been able to have any more after her.

She remembered the yearning she always had, and they’d not considered adopting. Instead, they had put all of their love and hope in her.

Now she was alone.

“Ava Marshall?” the man asked.

Fear tightened around her chest.

“Who is asking?”

“I am. Are you Ava Marshall?”

The man was tall. She noticed the ink on his neck. Across the street was a black four-wheel drive. She’d never been good with makes or models. It stood out on the street. Most of the people drove family cars, but this one, it looked like the kind in gangster movies. Now she felt silly.

“No,” she said, the lie dropping from her with ease. There was no point in prolonging this meeting. “Excuse me.” She tried to step around him. This man worked for Logan; he had to. Did it mean he’d given Logan instructions to bring her in? No doubt about it, and she had to get as far away as possible.

The man, he laughed. “You know, he said you’d try to run. I didn’t think you’d be that stupid.” He grabbed her arm.

“Let me go.” She tried to pull away from him.

“Not going to happen. I have strict instructions to take you in.”

The man was strong and a lot bigger than she was. She felt the tears fill her eyes and fear grip her as he started to pull her toward the car.

“No! Stop it. Let me go.”

There was no one else around, and if anyone was twitching their curtains watching, they didn’t make a move to come and help her. She was, for all intents and purposes, on her own. She didn’t want to panic, but she felt it rising up inside her.

Her heart raced, and she felt sick.

As they got to the black car, he slammed her up against it, holding her by her neck.

“You know, he said you’d be difficult. I didn’t realize how much. Don’t worry though. I like it when you fight me. It makes me feel all … hot.” He pressed his pelvis against her, and she cried out, hating what he was doing to her.

“Stop it.”

“Then you’re going to get in the car and you’re not going to cause me any trouble, are you?”

“Who are you?” she asked. Tears filled her eyes.

“You’re going to do as you’re told, aren’t you?”

She wanted to rebel. To tell him to fuck off. To leave her alone, but to do that, she’d be risking him hurting her even more, and she couldn’t handle that.

“I’ll do as I’m told.”

“You’re going to be a good little girl, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I’ll be good.”

He smiled, and she hated the wickedness within his gaze, which she saw in the reflection of the car window.

She hated to relent. Giving up was never in her nature.

But you did.

This is why you’re where you are.

The door opened, and he shoved her inside, putting the seatbelt on. She cried out as he grabbed her hands and secured some rope around her wrists.

“If you think you can get away from me, I’m not giving you a choice.”

The rope was tight, and the first tear fell.

“I like to see you cry. You know, I’ve been told a lot of things about you.”

She jerked away from him as he touched her cheek. “Let me go.”

“No.”

“Are you at least going to tell me your name?” she asked. “You know mine.”

He smirked. “That I do. You know what I find strange. I’ve seen at least three curtains twitch and there was even a man walking a dog, and not one of them tried to stop me. There is no love lost between you and these people.” He tutted. “You must have been a very bad girl.”

Another tear fell, joining the last one.

“Keep on crying, sweetheart. It’s not going to do you any good.” He stepped back, and she sank into the seat. There was no point in fighting or arguing. “The name’s Hunter.” He slammed the door closed and climbed behind the wheel.

“No more questions?” he asked.

“Will you answer them?” She didn’t look at him. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was terrified, and she was.

It had been a long time since she was this terrified.

Over twelve years.

She closed her eyes, hating how weak she felt.

“Someone has been waiting a long time for you,” he said.

“Why do you work for him?”

“Do you even know what he’s capable of?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then you should know a man that powerful has my loyalty. He has bought it.”

“So you can buy loyalty these days?” she asked. “You can be taken by the highest bidder.”

Hunter laughed. “Normally, I can. But you see, there’s a thing about Logan, he managed to earn my respect and my loyalty another way, and now, I’ll do anything for the crazy bastard. Even if it means abducting a woman for him.”