Chapter 3. Escaping

Emmi's POV

Standing, I follow him outside and stop at his bike. I look at him, confused. “Hop on, the car is five minutes away. Once we’re there, we’ll get you in.” He throws the sack at me. Holding it, I climb onto the bike, my arms wrapping around him as the bike roars to life.

“Keep your fucking head hidden Princess, if anyone notices it is you, I’m dead.” His words are cold. Hell, he went from sweet and helpful to a beast quick.

Putting my head down, I try to hide my face, hoping that no one will notice me. I try not to move at all because I know looking up at the wrong time when we’re next to a car, people, or anything will lead to someone recognising me.

“Right, we’re here.” I look up just as the bike stops in a garage. Climbing off, I watch as he places the bag in the boot. I am fucking crazy. I laugh as I stand looking at it. “Your choice. Get in and I take you over or stay here like a good little Princess.”

God, the way he says ‘little Princess’ makes me want to stab his eyes out as well. “What about people from here? Those who are going to see me over there?” I didn’t consider it, that people travel between the cities.

“Oh, little Princess. You have yet to see the Wolversons’ city. No one speaks unless they want to lose their tongue. The only way they would know is if you don’t arrive home and your family ask the Wolverson family to check if anyone has seen you.” I walk to the boot and climb in, stupidly putting myself in his fucking sack. I am crazy. He moves to lean over me, slowly zipping it up.

“Okay, ten minutes, and we’re at the checkpoint. I’ll park up somewhere in the city and let you out. Are you sure you want to do this? 10k, I expect 10k tomorrow, Emmi.”

“Do it, let’s go before I waste half my night in a fucking bag.” I stay curled in a ball as I hear the boot slam shut. A few seconds later, the engine roars to life, and suddenly I panic. What the fuck am I doing? Sneaking out is fine, sneaking over the line to party is fine, but why would he agree for 10k? He can just fucking take me and ask for a million. I didn’t consider that, didn’t consider if he is using me and pretending to help, when in fact he is fucking kidnapping me, and now, well, it’s too late.

I have my knife; my hand feels down my leg to where the leather pouch holds it. If that is his plan, I will fight. I hear the car stop, someone opening and closing the doors. I hear the boot open and try to stay still.

“For Bear, got an extra shipment in.” I hear Ethan’s words, my body radiating with worry as I feel the car jolt slightly when the boot slams shut. The car begins moving again, and for the first time in nearly two minutes, I suck in a breath. He can’t be kidnapping me. If he was, why take me over to the city? Five minutes later, the car stops, and I hear him walking around. The boot opens, and the bag unzips, and I look around.

Shit, now I am freaking out. I’m out of the city, which feels amazing, but one word and I won’t be able to keep going with my plan to escape.

“Right, bars are two minutes down the road. What’s your pick? Gambling, dancing, drinking, bar fights?” He chuckles slightly at his suggestions.

“Gambling. May as well try win that 10k back, hadn’t I?” If I do, then it helps. I follow him through the city. Walking into a bar, I feel my body tense. This is nothing like my city.

“Stand your ground, little Princess. These fuckers don’t care and will fuck you up. Not many women dare step foot in here.”

I laugh at his words. He just saw me take on three guys in Dean’s. These guys are nothing. Yet everyone is looking at me like I’m fresh meat. Some I recognise from my city, but they simply turn their heads. Others, however, are clearly wondering who I am.

I walk to a table and sit down, Ethan handing me a drink as I sit playing. An hour passes, and luck isn’t on my side, so time to get dirty. I lean over, ensuring my breasts pop out the top of my dress.

“Ethan, do you play poker?” I lick my lips, watching as the guy’s stare at me.

“Yeah, why?” He leans against the wall swirling his glass before lifting it to his lips.

“Do you play as good as you fuck? I might need to tag you in if you do.” I watch as he chokes on his drink, the gasps from around the table loud.

“You fucked her?” I turn and look at someone. I recognise him from the city.

“No, God no! She is fucking about, tell him, tell him you’re fucking about, Princess.” He looks at me, worried. Hell, sneaking me over the border, that’s fine. Letting those people from our city see me here, also fine. But them thinking he fucked me, that has him worried.

“Only in my mind Ethan, don’t worry.” I smile and watch as he relaxes a bit, his glare burning through me. I finish my drink and keep playing, slowly feeling myself relaxing. I am losing too fucking much, but this feels amazing! I can’t find many people in the city to let me gamble. They’re too scared. Standing on the chair, I dance. Ethan shakes his head.

“Get down, Princess. You’ll draw too much fucking attention.” His hand grips my arm, and I pull my way out of his grip before pushing him away. The feel of a hand stroking along my leg makes me turn. My eyes follow the hand from my leg to the guy sat next to me. Winking, he smirks as his hand moves to grip my ass.

I smile down at him, lifting my foot before stamping down on his cock, his ear-piercing cry causing everyone to look. Turning to Ethan, I smile. Why can’t I always have this freedom? Then my body is thrown against the wall, the guy raising his fist.

“Mich! Where the fuck is he?”

The guy steps back, and Ethan pulls me back and pushes me down onto a chair. I try to stand up, but he stops me.

“Stay the fuck down! It’s Bear.” His eyes stay fixed forward. The whole place has gone quiet. Why? Who the hell is Bear? I go to move but his hand pushes me down again and my anger grows. “Wolverson, Little Princess, while he won’t know it’s you if this all goes to plan, he will want me fucking dead.”

I don’t reply. I stay hidden behind Ethan, sitting on the chair. My eyes peer around him, falling on the guy. I watch as he walks through looking for this Mich guy. He is amazing, I can’t stop looking at his body. He’s wearing jeans and a leather jacket, the jacket open and showing his tattoos. Who the hell doesn’t wear a top? I watch as he comes to stand next to someone who is sat at a table. This must be Mich.

The poor guy is clearly shaking. He knows this is the end of his life.

“Ethan, what is happening?” I stare at him, but he simply shakes his head back at me. Why the fuck is no one moving or talking? Bear takes off his jacket, handing it to the guy next to him.

“I got a call. Can you guess who?” He leans down over the guy who’s still sitting. Clearly, Mich has no idea - he shakes his head.

“You’re playing dumb? The Queen of fucking Solace City.” My body freezes. Mum? I stare at Bear. Why the hell had my mum contacted them? I don’t recognise this Mich guy at all. “When?” Bear leans closer. “When were you planning to do this secret mission, Mich? To take her and use her to get cash? To hide her in my fucking city!”

I stay sitting, even more shocked. He was going to take my mum? Why?

“I didn’t do it! I walked in that fucking bar and watched her beat the shit out of three bikers, and I left! I didn’t even fucking touch her,” Mich finally says. He means me. He was going to fucking take me? I feel the rage build inside me. I move to stand, but Ethan pushes me back down.

“Don’t. Fucking. Move!” He glares at me. “Watch, little Princess, because soon, this is your life,” he snarls; my eyes go back to Bear as he stays leaning over this Mich guy. Right now, I want Bear to beat the fuck out of him.

“Everyone in this city knows the arrangement. Everyone knows that she is not just another woman, another way to gain money or a quick fuck! She is soon to be ours, and I guess Mich, you just made us aware we didn’t make it clear enough. So now, I will.” That is why Ethan was so scared when I made it out like we fucked. I watch as Bear’s fists swings down and hits the guy repeatedly. What the hell am I watching?

Sure, I fight, but this? This is beating the guy to death. I never even meant to stab Jacob in the eye. It freaked me the hell out. I close my eyes, shaking my head as I can still hear his fists hitting Mich, the sound of his bones cracking making me feel sick. His screams subside. My eyes open when the noise finally stops. He is still alive. I feel my body relax. I watch as Bear pulls a chair up, places two glasses on the table and fills them.

Sitting, he drinks his. It is as if he didn’t just beat a guy or that the guy's blood isn’t covering his chest and hands! His eyes stay on Mich, although Mich can’t precisely see much right now. His face is swollen, eyes closed, but his hand grasps the glass as he tries pouring the drink in his mouth, but even I can tell his jaw is broken. I stay watching as Bear leans over, whispering something to him. I look up at Ethan, his eyes peering down at me.

“Get ready, little Princess.” He’s almost laughing. Ready for what? I turn back around just in time to see the knife swing down over Mich’s hand. A scream escapes my mouth before I quickly cover it with my hand.

“Shit.” Ethan mumbles as Bear turns to look at us, my body still hid behind him. He walks towards us, and Ethan starts to move back, getting further and further away. Is he really fucking leaving me with this psycho?

“Who are you?” Bear stands there, looking at me. Shit. That’s why he’s running. I open my mouth, but words fail to escape. Who the fuck am I? Come on, Emmi, name, think of a fucking name. I scream as his hand wraps around my neck, and he pulls me up. “Who the fuck are you? Because I haven’t seen you before.”

I glance towards where Ethan was, unable to see him. I feel Bear move, my eyes going back to him as he pulls the necklace, the locket in his hand as he opens it. My hand goes to grab it and stop him, but it's too late. His eyes stare at it for a moment, then come back to my eyes.

“Little lamb came to visit early.” He smiles slightly, his finger stroking along my neck, and his head turns. “Get Ethan. You know where to take him.”

“No! It was me. I threatened to kill him. I swear he had no choice.” I don’t want Ethan in shit when he had tried helping me. He was the only one to help. I know, though, my words are useless. Totally fucking useless because this Bear guy seems to think I am already his when I am no one's but my own.