Chapter 22

brOOKE

Istand in front of the door, taking a deep breath before I enter the lion's lair. The drive over here was in silence. Both Chase and I needed to get into the right headspace for what tonight will bring. Part of me is terrified this could go wrong, and I'm glad for it, I welcome it in. That numbness has been chased away, and I feel a little bit like the old me, but she's combined with this new person. A girl who will face fear in its eyes, a girl who will fight for someone she loves. Levi was right. I'm not that na?ve little girl anymore, and I won't be again. I'm someone new, someone stronger, but at the same time, I'm still me. I'm just not walking around in a haze of hate and anger anymore.

I knock on the door confidently, knowing my guys are close. The door swings open, and I come face to face with a guy who's leering at me in a way I feel like a piece of meat. A wolf's grin on his face, his eyes look like a predator's eyes, and I have a fight or flight response kick in. Namely, I want to use this blade in my bag to slice his neck open and leave him bleeding out on the carpet, but instead, I smile sweetly.

"Well, hey gorgeous, I didn't know tonight I was going to be serving a hottie." I give him a playful wink pushing him to the side slightly as I walk in. I see four guys sitting around a poker table, and I smile and wave at them. "So, what are you guys drinking?"

I turn around and see the guy who opened the door suddenly in my space. "Well, aren't you all down to business?"

I bat my eyelids, looking up at him as his over six-foot stature crowds me. "Well, it's my job to serve you." His eyes darken as I say that, and he smiles back, his fingers cupping my jaw.

"Oh, you have no idea how right that statement is."

I laugh lightly, trying to hide the beating of my heart. Please say this guy isn't Shane because I dunno how I'm going to drug him without him overpowering me.

"I'm Sara, and you are…"

"Shane—and these are my friends."

He takes a step back and gestures to them.

"You look familiar. Have we met?" he asks me. My heart pounds a million times faster, but somehow, I keep that sweet smile on my face.

"You say that to all the girls? It's a pickup line I've heard before."

He backs me against the wall. His hands move to both sides of my head. My head screams danger…run. But I don't, I just cock my head to the side and smile.

"If I wanted you, I wouldn't need a pickup line."

"What, you'd go all caveman on me? Throw me over your shoulder and kidnap me."

"Oh, pretty girl, you have no idea."

"Sounds like fun."

"Oh, it is. For me. Are you sure we haven't met?"

"I'm sure…I'd remember someone like you."

"C'mon, Shane. It's your bet," one of the guys calls out.

"Three whiskeys, two beers. You keep them topped up all night. Not once should our hand or glass be empty. You can take one break only to use the bathroom, and that's it, so use it wisely. And when you're not serving, you're waiting on us in other ways…we want you to sit in our lap, you do. One of us wants a neck massage you do it. Are you getting this, sweetheart?"

I nod softly. "Sure."

He leans in, inhaling my hair. "And Sara, be a good, attentive server tonight, and I'll make sure you get all my attention afterward as a thank you." He gives me a wink as he pulls his face from me, and I think I just vomited a little in my mouth.

He walks over to his seat with the boys as they start laughing and I head over to the kitchen. I put my bag down on the side. Instantly sending a text.

I'm here. 5 in total, including Shane.

I put my phone on silent and start pouring out the whiskeys, grabbing a couple of bottles of beer from the fridge before walking over to the guys and placing their drinks on the table. One of the guy's hands wanders over my ass as I do, and it takes everything in me to not punch him in the throat right there for touching me.

"She's prettier than the last one," he says, and Shane grins back.

"Only the best for my boys."

I need to do this as quick as possible. Something here is making me seriously uncomfortable, and I'm wondering how many girls have got away from here unharmed before.

"Yeah, the last one whined too much." He slaps my ass. "But you're not gonna whine, are you, pretty girl?"

"Nah, I can tell, this girl's one that takes it because she understands her place in the world."

They comment between themselves back and forth before I finally get a chance to get back to the kitchen.

I quickly pop the knife from the laser, slashing open the lining in my purse, and fumble a little as I get the syringe out. I wander through the apartment and find a bedroom, which I'm assuming is Shane's. I slip both under the pillow to the left of the bed along with my phone as a plan formulates in my mind.

"Sara…we're waiting." I hear being called out and quickly return to the kitchen, grabbing the chips from the side and throwing them into bowls.

I return to them smiling. "I'm sorry. I thought you guys might be hungry." I put the bowls down between them before standing behind Shane. I run the palms of my hands down his chest from behind him, leaning in, my warm breath cascading down his neck. "I want to serve you." He looks up at me, tilting his head.

"Needy little thing, aren't you?"

I bite my lip, nodding. "What can I say? I see something I want, I go for it." His friends all pause to look at us.

"I think we should take this to the bedroom, you know you want to…"

"You don't want my friends to watch?" He smirks.

"How about this? You take me to the bedroom, and then after, you can tell me exactly how to serve your friends…"

His eyes light up at that idea. This guy likes control, it's clear, and the idea of controlling me with his friends is too great an opportunity to pass up.

He smirks, nodding as he grabs my arm practically dragging me to the bedroom. "Stay here. You'll get your turns soon."

He slams the bedroom door behind us, turning the lock, and I giggle. "Now, who wants privacy… I have an idea…do you trust me?"

He laughs. "No, but if I wanted to, I could easily change the situation, but sure, I'm intrigued."

"Strip for me, baby, and then lay on the bed."

His jaw ticks. He doesn't like being told what to do by a woman. I pout playfully at him. "Pretty please, Shane, just do this one little thing for me. I promise you'll enjoy it, and then…" My hand palms his cock through his jeans, and I immediately feel twitch. "I'll let you put it anywhere." He smirks, pulling his shirt over his head,

As he's undressing, I lean against the wall, watching him and pretending to be interested when, really, I just want to vomit. When he's undressed, I push him onto the bed, giggling and hoping it's convincing. I quickly climb on top of his chest, trying to avoid his dick before kissing him eagerly. His hands wrap around me as he grunts, pulling me closer. My fingers reach under the pillow, grabbing the syringe and I feel it wrapped in my hand. I quickly pull it out, stabbing the guy in the neck with it and pressing the top down to inject the liquid. He groans and pushes me off with such force I land on the floor. He pulls the syringe out, throwing it to the floor. "You little bitch, what the fuck is this?"

I clamber to my feet, not wanting to give him an advantage. His eyes blink furiously. "You drugged me?"

I count down back from ten in my head, just as Asher said. He drags himself across the bed as I back away to the door, wishing I had grabbed my knife.

"You're going to pay for that, you whore. My boys and I are going to make you wish…wish…" He starts swaying as he gets to his feet.

"I'm going to…fuck what was in…" Before he gets the last word in, he falls backward against the bed. I walk around it, grabbing my knife. His eyes attempt to follow me, but the drug is taking effect.

I pop the blade out, looking down at him. "No, Shane. Me and my boys are going to make you wish you've never been born." His eyes finally close, and the last thing I see in them is sheer panic. I lean over the bed again, grab my phone, and text my man.

I'm in the bedroom. Shane's out.

We're coming, baby, stay there.