Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"We'll camp here for the night," Pasco declared after we landed on the shores of what I assumed to be the island of Heathens Hollow. There wasn't much of a coastline, and we were instantly met with the thick of the woods.

Tucked away within the pine trees stood three dirt bikes. The brothers clearly had this all planned out, and transportation awaited.

I was grateful to be stopping, because even though I had Erik's body heat up against my side as the sea breeze hit my face, I was chilled to the bone. Grabbing a blanket from the pile on the back of the boat was an absolute must for me. The cold reminded me of back home.

Both Rue and Dabney looked exhausted, and by the way they each huddled up against Pasco and Shay, they were obviously just as cold as I was.

Erik hopped off the boat first, then immediately helped me to the ground. Losing his body heat put my teeth to an instant chatter. I was so stiff from the frigid ride, I was worried my limbs would shake right off me.

Erik reached for my bag and fumbled inside until he pulled out my heavy wool coat. "Why didn't you ask for this earlier if you were so cold? Your lips are damn near blue," he scolded.

"We were driving so fast, and I didn't want to stop you?—"

"You let me decide what is best for us from now on," he interrupted as he wrapped the coat around me, assisting my arms into the sleeves. "Not telling me something—like you're freezing—is the same as lying. I hate liars. So from now on, if you need something, I better damn hear it. Clear?"

I couldn't tell if he was mad. His stern lecture, his deep voice, and his scowl said yes. But then his gentle touch helping me with the coat said no. My head still spun with the confusion if I was supposed to like this man as my rescuer or hate him because he was my kidnapper.

He paused and looked me straight in the eyes, grabbing me firmly by the chin. "When I ask you a question, I expect an answer. Are. We. Clear?"

I nodded and swallowed hard. "Yes. I'm sorry."

He released my chin and went to the pile of blankets on the boat then went over to a fallen tree. He spread one of the blankets out on the ground and called out, "Come on over here and get warm. We'll get a fire started soon."

His promise, and that I now had my coat on, warmed me already. We were going to have a fire and blankets, and I didn't hesitate for a second to go to where he was and do exactly as he asked. Rue and Dabney did the same, and the three of us wrapped the blankets around our shivering bodies and snuggled up close, sitting on the ground with the thickness of the log pressing against our backs for support. The men were busy setting up camp for the night while we watched in what I felt was fear and fascination.

"What are they going to do to us?" Rue whispered. Her voice was low enough, and we were all so closely cuddled up, that I was confident the men couldn't hear us.

"They said we were theirs now," Dabney whispered back.

"We aren't," I snapped.

"Do we have much of a choice?" Rue asked. "We never met the men who ordered us. Those men could have been fat, ugly, cruel, or Lord knows what other awful things. At least these men?—"

"Are thieves," I said, "and have pissed off some powerful men who are expecting their package ."

"But they haven't hurt us," Dabney added. "And they could have…"

I nodded, not fully convinced these men were bad, though they definitely weren't good. "But they don't just own us because they say they do."

"Then what do we do?" Rue asked. "I don't see much choice in the matter."

"We continue to do what we're doing. We play nice and do as they say," I said.

"And then what? Are we going to try to escape?" Dabney asked. "Are they really that bad? Rue has a point. Who's to say that our future owners or husbands or whatever awaited us would have been any better than these men? At least these ones are the devil we know."

"Exactly. And if we did try to escape, where would we escape to?" Rue looked around. "We're in the middle of nowhere, with nowhere to go. We have no money, no resources, nothing."

"I don't know yet," I said. "All I know is that we shouldn't be forced into anything with them. They didn't pay our families anything. No deal was made. They don't own us."

Dabney pulled the blanket tighter around her throat. "Maybe you're wrong there. I think they feel they do own us."

I was growing frustrated with the conversation and just how easy it was for Rue and Dabney to simply accept our situation and not have even the smallest amount of fight. Yet, I had nothing of value to say at this time. I didn't know what we were going to do. "Just do as they say for now. I'll figure something out."

Pasco drew near, interrupting our conversation. He had a pile of wood in his arms, and he set in on starting a fire. He would occasionally look up and glare in our direction, but he never said a word. Something about him made me dislike him more than the other two. Shay seemed quiet and simply went with what the others said. Erik seemed darker than the rest, but not as cruel. Maybe that was because I saw the softer side of him with his concern for all of our warmth, but Erik didn't seem as vile as Pasco.

Both women tensed on each side of me, and their obvious fear of the man made me want to lash out. Rue and Dabney may have felt that we had no other choice but to do what our captors/rescuers said and be owned by them, but the knife hidden in my boot said otherwise.

Erik came over with the pots and food supplies and began making a meal once Pasco had the fire going. Shay was still gathering wood and adding to the pile Pasco had started.

Erik looked up from his preparations and asked, "Are you getting warmer?"

I nodded and offered a weak smile. "Yes, thank you. Would you like us to help you with cooking?"

He shook his head. "Stay warm. There's a chill in the air, and the last thing we need is any one of you getting sick." He went back to cooking, squatting near the open flame.

It wasn't long until we all had full bellies, were warm around the fire, and were almost forgetting we'd been hijacked a few short hours ago. Each of us was able to take care of our needs freely, clean up a bit, and I was even able to brush my hair and compose my appearance. I almost felt good again. Everyone's spirits seemed lighter as casual talk happened around the fire. The men asked us questions and the women's openness in answering surprised me. I, however, didn't engage more than I had to, and Erik was very much the same. He simply stared into the fire, evidently lost in thought.

"My brothers and I have decided," Pasco began, "that Dabney will be Shay's, Maya will be Erik's, and Rue will go to me."

Erik looked up from the flames, directly into my eyes.

"And go where?" Rue asked. "Do you all live together?"

Erik broke his stare and looked at Rue. "No. We don't live together, nor will you ever see each other again."

The statement and how harsh Erik sounded while saying it confused me. Weren't they brothers? Why wouldn't we ever see each other again?

"What my brother is trying to say," Pasco said, shooting Erik a dirty look, "is that we all live in different parts of the U.S. We'll be parting ways tomorrow and going different directions to handle our own business. This was our last job together for a while."

"It's our last job, period," Erik added.

Both women looked at me as if they were waiting for me to speak. Were they waiting for me to fight for them? Or were they simply waiting for me to give some sort of approval or permission? It appeared as if both didn't really mind the news.

"And if we say no?" I challenged.

Pasco looked at his brothers and then chuckled in the most maniacal way one could. "Did it seem as if I were asking? Oh, you ladies need some major training if you had any hope in being a sex slave. Apparently, they didn't break you all yet before your arrival."

I glanced at Erik, who was staring intently at me from over the fire. The flames licking the air only darkened his expression. Rue and Dabney both instinctively pulled away from me as if preparing for the storm that they didn't want to get caught in.

"Exactly," I said, looking directly into Pasco's eyes. "We are not broken, and you didn't ask us. Maybe we aren't interested."

"And maybe we should have left your asses out there," Pasco said, standing up as it was clear his anger was building. "Or maybe you all actually wanted to be sold off to Poseidon. You have no idea what those fuckers would have done to you once you arrived in Seattle."

Erik rose as well, but didn't move toward his brother. "Pasco's right. We decided this is what will happen, and the conversation is over," he said, staring at me as if in warning.

I glared in Erik's direction, feeling as if he were somehow betraying me by backing Pasco. "This decision," I looked at Dabney and Rue and then back up at Erik, "isn't just for you and your brothers to make. We aren't so-called sex slaves yet, and you aren't our owners. We're still human beings."

"You gave up that freedom the minute you decided to board that boat," Pasco boomed. "I've had enough of your mouth!" He stormed over in my direction with fury in his eyes.

Acting on instinct, I reached for the knife in my boot, which was still concealed under the blanket. When he aggressively pulled me to standing, I swiped the knife at Pasco with the intent to stab him in the heart. Moving much quicker than me, he grabbed my wrist, stopping me in my attack.

I had failed.

And by the look on Pasco's face… I was going to die.

"What the hell?" he shouted, backhanding me across the face. I stumbled back and fell to the ground. The dead man's hat Erik had placed on my head for warmth flew off, almost landing in the flames.

Wiping the blood from my split lip, I looked up just as Erik was taking hold of Pasco and throwing him back.

"Don't touch her!" Erik roared. "Don't you dare!"

"The bitch tried to kill me!" Pasco screamed, fury turning his face red. "Where in the hell did she get that knife?" He looked at me and tried to attack again, but Erik held him back. "I'm going to break her fucking neck."

"I've got this under control," Erik growled. "She's mine now—we decided. So she is my responsibility. Not yours."

"Says who? You didn't even want her at first. You thought we should let them go," Pasco said.

"Says me," Erik answered between clenched teeth with eyes cast in a thick shadow. "I've decided right now that she's mine." He leaned forward and stared directly into Pasco's eyes. "Don't test me on this, big brother."

Pasco studied his brother for several moments before declaring, "Fine. She is your problem. But tame that bitch, or I will."