Realizing this might be her one chance, Brook darted down the short hallway and into the living room, screaming the whole way. “Don’t listen to him! I’m here! I’m here! Help me!”
Exasperated, Jase pressed the phone against his body to muffle her shouts. Reacting quickly, he punched her in the midriff as she propelled herself through the doorway, her momentum contributing to the force of the blow. Brook clutched her abdomen and collapsed to the floor, the wind knocked from her.
Without missing a beat, Jase continued his phone conversation. “Nah, it’s just a movie. I’ll turn the volume down.” Brook struggled to pull in a breath. Jase covered the phone with his hand and signaled Pete and Benny to get her out of the room while loudly commanding, "Turn that damn TV down. I'm trying to talk on the phone here.”
Benny and Pete half dragged Brook back into the bedroom and left her there. She leaned against the wall near the door to listen, fighting the cramps in her stomach. Jase’s voice sounded natural, as if nothing had happened.
A few seconds later, she heard him say, “We cool then? Okay man, we’ll be expecting payment as usual. Later!”
Jase ended the call and began to berate Pete and Benny again. “D’Macio is asking about that woman. This is just fucking great. How the hell could you let this happen, Benny? How did we end up in this situation?” He looked Benny up and down. “And what the hell happened to your clothes?”
“Ripped the damn pants when I tackled the bitch. She was trying to get away. Now I’m gonna have to spend good money to buy new dress duds. I hate these fucking clothes anyway. I don’t know why Pete can’t dress the part instead of me. He can do the snatch and grab and I can drive the get-away car,” he said, as if he fancied himself a bank robber.
“What the hell? You gotta be yanking my chain! The get-away car? Damn, Benny, you been watching too many movies. You sound like a fucking moron.”
“That’s harsh, dude,” Benny said in a cool tone. “It’s not my fault. Like I said, she was in the car when I went to get it. I couldn’t dump her ‘cause there were people in the lot.”
“Why didn’t you dump her later?”
“Shit man, she seen our faces. We had to bring her here. We figured you’d know what to do.”
Pete, who had been silent until now, asked, “What do we do, Jase?”
Jase’s answer sent cold fingers of fear down Brook’s spine. “Well, she won’t be leaving here alive, that’s for damn sure. So…let me think a minute." He paused. "I guess we might as well have some fun with her before we dump her ass. You know me; I never waste a good piece of meat.”
There were sounds of movement. Horrified, Brook realized they were coming for her. Jase’s next words confirmed it.
“Not so fast boys, I’m first.”
Brook shoved the door closed and pressed into it with all her might, but she might as well have saved her strength. It was pushed open effortlessly, and all three men entered the room. Jase reached for her.
“Welcome wagon’s here to greet you,” he drawled. “We wouldn’t want you to feel neglected, now would we?”
Chapter 6
On the road home, Lance drove a little faster than usual, until the pavement ended and road became rougher. Then he slowed a bit to accommodate the uneven surface and ruts. Although it was chilly, he had his window rolled down and one elbow resting on the door, breathing in the clean forest air. It was his tonic, his drug of choice, with its many invigorating and mysterious nuances.
Just after the switch, a flash of blue caught his eye in the trees. Glancing in his rearview mirror to make sure the road was clear, as it usually was; he stopped his truck on the narrow shoulder and got out. Hiking a short distance into the woods, he located the item he had spotted. It turned out to be a tarp tangled in some brush. Inspecting it for damage, Lance was pleased to find it was in nearly-new condition. He folded it up and carried it to his truck. Lucky find! Lance knew he could put it to use.
Crawling back inside the cab, he continued up the mountain. Overhead, clouds obscured the sky and cast the landscape below into gray shadow.
Chapter 7
Brook screamed and held her hands in front of her, palms out, pleading, “No, no, no, please don’t do this. All I want is to leave. Please let me go. I'll keep my mouth shut, I swear! Please!” Jase grabbed her jacket and tore it from her shoulders. Her blouse quickly followed, ripped open and torn away like tissue paper from a gift. She dropped to the floor, arms crossed over her bra-covered breasts. Filled with dread, she pulled her knees to her chest and curled into a ball.
“You need help?” Pete asked Jase, excitement lacing his voice.
“Hell, no,” Jase said as Brook huddled on the floor, staring up at him through her hair. He slid his shirt up over his head, revealing a chest nearly devoid of hair. An intricate tattoo of a bizarre creature with a snake’s body attached to a woman’s head ran up from his right nipple around the back of his neck, ending on his left shoulder. “I got this licked.”
He reached down and yanked Brook roughly up by one arm, bruising the soft skin. Seizing a handful of her hair, he pulled her face forward and mashed his lips against hers, forcing his tongue deep into her mouth. Brook gagged and pounded on his chest. Reaching upwards, she tried to pry his hand from her hair.
From somewhere in the house came sounds of fury; things being thrown around, breaking glass, and thuds. Gina muttered expletives just loud enough to be heard.
Jase grinned at Pete, holding Brook easily with one hand. “It sounds like your old lady is having some fun, too. Hand me a blade.”
Brook’s eyes grew wide with terror, and she quickly lowered her hands to her side. “You don’t need to do that. Please.”
With a cold smile, Jase reached back and Pete laid a knife in his hand. Brook struggled to break free, but Jase tightened his grip on her hair and flipped the blade open. “Better hold still,” he sneered, “or I might slip.” Brook froze as he slid the cold metal beneath the front of her bra and sliced though the silky material. The knife did slip, leaving a thin red line below her breast. She cried out.
“Oops,” Jase said in a mocking tone. Then his mood darkened. “You ain’t hurt bad, bitch. I’ve had worse cuts shaving.” He closed the knife and tossed it back to Pete, who opened the blade and wiped it clean on his pants leg before returning it to his pocket. Brook followed the movement with her eyes, wishing she could get her hands on the knife. But she was defenseless.
Covering her breasts with her hands, she begged, “Stop! Please! Don’t do this.”
Jase released his grip on her hair and moved her hands out of the way. He grabbed her breasts and squeezed hard. “Ohh, yeah!” he said. “Ain’t these nice?”
“Damn right they are!” Pete boomed. He and Benny watched Jase’s moves, their eyes burning with a strange light. Jase lowered his head, and buried his face between her breasts while Benny whooped his appreciation in the background.
Nothing in Brook’s life had prepared her for what was happening. She felt the intrusion of his skin against hers, smelled the patchouli he wore, and felt revulsion crawling inside her like worms. She reacted without thinking of the consequences; she hit, slapped and pushed on his head. Shoving her hands roughly aside, Jase pressed her down onto the mattress, falling on top of her. “Give me back those tits,” he leered and lowered his mouth to her chest.
Lapping at the knife wound, Jase smacked and slurped. “Yummy! Nothing like fresh blood.” With a grin, he stuck out his tongue, revealing the slick red coating. He bugged his eyes at her and laughed satanically.