Marek, page 2
I’m only distracted by my phone buzzing on the bar beside me. Quickly, I pick it up and see a message from Carter asking what time I’ll be home. I respond that I’ll be back soon and put my phone back into my purse. Glancing up, I see Marek still standing there, still staring at me with that intense gaze.
“Are you this intense with everyone you meet or am I just the lucky one?” I ask, taking the drink and swallowing a lot more than I should in one mouthful.
It burns as it goes down.
“I see I’m making you nervous,” he answers, voice smooth as ice.
“You’re not making me anything,” I snap, shaking my head slightly as I finish the drink.
“Better slow down. You don’t want to make yourself sick.”
The way he says that sentence makes me slightly uneasy.
“I should go find my friend,” I tell him, pushing to my feet. “It was good to meet you, Marek.”
I take two steps toward the crowd when my head swims. For a moment, I’m confused. I’ve had a few drinks, but nothing out of the ordinary. I’ve been dancing all night, and I haven’t eaten, perhaps the combination hasn’t agreed with me. I take another step and stumble forward. A hand catching my arm is the only thing that stops me from face planting the ground.
“Come on, you need fresh air.”
Unable to argue as my head swims, I let Marek lead me out of the bar and to a quiet parking lot. He doesn’t release me, and the fresh air does little to help. My head is spinning harder with each passing second, and before I know it, I’m in Marek’s arms. I don’t even recall him picking me up, as if my mind is already having small blackouts.
It’s then I realize exactly what has happened.
Marek drugged me.
Is he going to assault me? Or worse, kill me?
“Let me go,” I moan, my voice slurred.
He doesn’t answer me.
His feet are moving, and he’s carrying me, but my vision is so blurred I don’t know where we’re going.
“Why?” I croak as he reaches a truck and opens the back door, putting me on the back seat.
“I need you, little dancer.”
After that, my world goes black.
2
Iwake from a terrifying slumber and find myself in a cage.
It takes me longer than a few minutes to realize I’m no longer sleeping and experiencing terrible nightmares. Instead, this is real and I’m awake. The bars surrounding me aren’t a figment of my imagination, and the cold grass beneath me isn’t some awful dream. No, this is real, and as my eyes clear, I know that it is a situation that is going to forever alter my life.
I’ve been captured.
For what, I don’t know.
We’ve all heard the stories of human trafficking that have been swirling over the past few years in this area, have I become victim? Is this man going to sell me as a sex slave? Or worse, is he going to kill me after he’s abused me for months? Every horrible scenario plays in my mind and inch by inch, fear consumes me.
The sound of a soft moan has me startling and slamming against the back of the cage I’m in.
That’s when I see I’m not alone.
Oh no, I’m surrounded by girls in cages.
Eyes widening as my mouth drops open, I let my gaze focus on the scene before me. There are a lot of cages—there has to be at least twenty girls in here. Here, being a tent. Like a circus tent. It is big, and a dull light on the ceiling is all that illuminates the immense space. Trembling, I shuffle forward, pressing my face to the cage as I look at the girls.
None of them seem to be acknowledging my presence.
It’s as if they’re in a daze.
Most are sleeping, the rest are sitting, staring out at nothing, like their souls have been sucked from their bodies.
What the hell is this place?
The moan beside me has my head whipping in the direction of the cage to my left. There is a girl in there, young, maybe only in her early twenties. She’s got dark hair and pale skin, and her body is small and frail. She’s leaning forward, her knees pulled up to her chest, her head dropped down between them. Every now and then, she makes a noise, as if she’s in pain.
“Hey,” I whisper, scooting closer to the edge of my cage and curling my fingers around the bars. “Hey, are you okay?”
She doesn’t lift her head.
“Can you hear me?”
Nothing.
“Please,” I beg. “Can you tell me what this place is? What are we doing here?”
Slowly, her head lifts, and her eyes are so heavy it’s clear she’s heavily drugged. Is that what he’s doing to all these women? Drugging them so they’re quiet?
“You’re in hell,” she croaks, then drops her head back down.
My blood runs cold, and as much as I try to get her to tell me more, she doesn’t move. I’m forced to sit back, the grass scratchy against my legs, as I try to process what the hell is happening here. I know one thing is for certain, I’m not letting him drug me the way he has drugged them. I’ve watched enough true crime documentaries to know that if I let him drug me, I’ll never escape.
I’m getting out of this place.
I have to.
If I give up, I’ll probably die, and I’m not going to allow that to happen.
Closing my eyes, I take a few calming breaths.
I’ve imagined this scenario before, well, not this one exactly but with the amount of true crime I listen to, I’ve often thought about what I would do if I were to be caught. Never, in my wildest imaginings, did I think it would ever actually happen. Still, I have to pray it was a good thing that I thought about it so much. It might just help me in this situation. I can only pray, at least.
The first thing I know for certain is that I can’t break.
No matter what.
It’ll be hell, of that I’m certain, but the only time he will see weakness from me is if I’m faking it. The only way I’ll be faking it is if I think it’ll help me get away. Otherwise, I’ll be the strongest, most determined woman he’s ever captured. At least, that’s my goal.
The second thing, I need to be smarter than him.
If he thinks he’s got me right where I want him, then he’ll be more likely to let his guard down. If he does that, then I’ll have the chance to get away. I can’t be too willing, though. Which means to start with, he needs to see a steel wall around me. He needs to believe every move. He needs to think he’s winning.
The tent door flaps open, letting a small ray of sunshine in.
Squinting, I put my hand up to shield my poor vision as it attempts to adjust to the sudden onslaught of brightness. Once I can see a little clearer, I take note of the dark shadowy figure walking toward me. It’s only when he’s up close that I see it’s Marek, only now when I lay my eyes on his face, he no longer looks like a god.
He looks terrifying.
Utterly terrifying.
Swallowing, I take a moment to process the situation. He put on an act to get me here, but the real question is ... What does he want with me?
“I guess we have to introduce ourselves again,” I croak, bringing my knees up to my chest, as if that will protect me from anything.
“You’re a fast learner,” he murmurs, stopping at my cage and squatting down so he’s peering in at me. “But will you do what I want.”
“I doubt it,” I mutter, “but do enlighten me as to what it is you brought me here for.”
He grins, but it’s cold and heartless, not an ounce of warmth to it.
“I need a dancer.”
I jerk, slightly stunned. I have gone over a lot of scenarios in my head, but not once did I guess he wanted me because I can dance. Why the hell would he want a dancer? What exactly is it he is doing here?
“I’ll need you to elaborate.”
He tips his head to the side, as if he’s mildly curious about me. “You’re not afraid.”
Oh, I’m fucking terrified.
“Of what? You?”
He grins again. “Your bravado is impressive, but I assure you it’ll get you nowhere.”
We’ll see.
“Get on with it,” I growl, my voice low.
“Surely you’ve heard of my shows.”
“If I had heard of your shows, I wouldn’t be asking.”
A smirk tugs his lips, then he proceeds to tell me about his show and what it is he does. As he very coolly tells me about it, I do remember seeing it. I have never been, or know of anyone who has, but I do know that it’s huge. Kind of like a circus, but instead of animals and clowns, he has incredible acts like dancers that fly through the air and twirl on ribbons. I hear it’s impressive.
If this is the way he gets women to do what he wants, though, then I will never give him my talent.
He’s a monster.
The worst part is, he knows it, and he’s okay with it.
“So it’s a circus,” I say, as if what he just told me wasn’t impressive.
His eyes flash, and I see I’ve hit a nerve. It gives me a moment of satisfaction.
“Be careful how far you push me, girl. I’m not a nice man.”
“Oh,” I say, acting shocked, “I didn’t guess that while I was here, sitting in a cage like an animal.”
I’m making him angry, and it only pushes me to do more.
I want to drive him mad.
I want to make him wish he never took me.
“I have ways of taking the sass right out of you,” he threatens.
“Oh, I’m sure you do.”
“You will dance for me, because your talent will be the new face of my show.”
He thinks I’m that good?
I’m a little flattered by that. Coming from anyone else, it would make my day.
“I’m a dancer, not a circus freak.”
His hand shoots out, going straight between the bars of the cage and curling around my throat. It happens so quickly I’m caught off guard. Hauling me forward, I stumble as I frantically try to get my hands to land on the grass in front of me so I don’t completely fall. He pulls me until my face is pressing against the cage, and there, he leans down until our eyes meet. Heart racing, I try to breathe through his tight grip.
“I can crush you like a fucking bug if you cross me, Ellie Mae. You will do what I’m asking of you, or I will make you wish you weren’t born.”
I don’t want to know how he learned my full name.
“I won’t do a single fucking thing for you.”
He squeezes tighter, but not once do I drag my eyes from his. I stare him down, my strength unwavering.
“Sell me, kill me, do whatever it is you want but I will not fucking dance for you.”
“We’ll see about that.”
He releases me, and I scurry backward so he can’t reach me again. Pressing my back against the far end of the cage, I glare at him.
“I need you for my show, and I will make sure you give me what I need.”
With that, he pushes to his feet and turns, walking out.
He doesn’t realize it yet, but he just gave me the information I need to ensure I don’t die here. For whatever reason, he wants me to dance, and because of that, he’s not going to hurt me too badly. If he does, he could injure me and he will never get what he wants. He gave me the upper hand, and he doesn’t even know it.
I’m going to make his life a living hell.
HE FEEDS ME AND GIVES me water, which only solidifies my suspicions that he won’t do too much damage to me because he wants me to dance for him. I take all of his offerings and refuse to speak to him otherwise. I know he’s growing frustrated, and I’m concerned he might use my family if he can’t get me to do what he wants. I hope it won’t come to that, but it is a thought that has crossed my mind.
“Get up.”
It’s early morning, what day it is I wouldn’t know.
He hasn’t taken me from this cage, but every day two men come in and clean them out. It’s the most horrifying, degrading experience I’ve ever encountered in my entire life and I would do anything to make it go away. He’s breaking these women, and he knows exactly how to do it. He hasn’t met a woman like me yet, and I’m not going to make this easy on him. I made a promise to myself, and I plan on sticking with it.
“I was quite comfortable here,” I answer him, crossing my legs.
Everything inside me is screaming at me to stand, to stretch, but I won’t give him the satisfaction.
“I can make you get up, or you can do it yourself. Either way, you will obey me.”
“I see the power in your head is extra strong, today,” I mutter, shifting to my knees and crawling out of the cage.
The moment I stand, I fight the urge to cry with happiness. My body is stiff and sore, and considering I spend most of my days working out and dancing, I know it’s suffering from being cooped up. I stretch as best I can, then stare at the man in front of me in his long black coat. “You say it isn’t a circus, but you dress like a Ringmaster.”
His eyes flash with rage and he reaches for my arm, curling his fingers around it and hauling me out of the tent.
The second the sunlight hits my face, I am forced to close my eyes. They’re not very willing to adjust to the sudden onslaught of light. That means I am walking blindly as Marek pulls me to another tent and shoves me inside. Now that it’s partially dark again, I open my eyes and stare in complete shock at my surroundings.
It’s spectacular here.
A large tent with an impressive set up. There are ropes and all kinds of different structures hanging off the ceiling, enabling the performers to do a range of tricks. There are poles and lights, a stage, and beautiful seating. It’s as if you’ve stepped into a grand theatre, blended with a slight circus feel. It’s amazing, and I can only imagine the shows he puts on are out of this world.
“This is where you could perform, all over the country. I can make you a star.”
If it were any other situation, I would be completely on board.
But he captured me, and other girls, and is keeping us in cages.
That hardly sounds like a fun time.
“You are keeping me in a cage,” I bite out, shaking my head. “You are treating women like they’re animals, and you want me to jump up and down with excitement over this ‘opportunity’ you are giving me? Did you ever stop and consider coming up to me like a normal person, and asking me if I wanted to be part of your little show?”
“Don’t be foolish, Ellie Mae. You and I both know you have a career and wouldn’t even consider leaving it all.”
“How would you know?” I challenge.
He steps closer to me, causing me to catch my breath and hold it. “You’re engaged, you have a prominent family, and an impressive career.”
He’s right, I do have all of that.
Yet I’m wildly unhappy.
“And you assume I want all of those things.”
His eyes flash, but I can see I’ve caught him off guard. So confident that he knew my situation, and now I’ll have him second guessing himself.
“Then it should be no problem for you to dance for me.”
“I won’t be dancing for you,” I grind out. “Because you’re a fucking monster.”
He takes a menacing step toward me, but I don’t flinch. “Go on, hit me, abuse me, do whatever you want but I’m certain you don’t want to mark my perfect little dancer’s body that you want so bad.”
He bares his teeth like a feral animal. “You assume I need to hurt you to get what I want. That fiancé of yours is easy pickings for a man like me.”
My heart skips a beat, but I don’t show him even a slight amount of fear.
“Go right ahead. I’ll never give you what you want.”
“I am impressed by the fact that you think I won’t do it, but I can assure you, Ellie Mae, that I can make your family’s life a living hell.”
I lean closer now. “I’m certain you can, that doesn’t change my stance. I’m not dancing.”
“Oh, you’ll dance. I’ll make sure of it.”
Stepping back, he waves a hand, and as if out of nowhere, some men walk into the room followed by a group of girls. They get right to work, beginning a range of impressive routines. They still maintain that drugged look, and it shocks me that they’re able to do anything in that state.
“What the hell are you giving them?” I gasp, watching as they move.
“They’re drug addicts, off the streets. I give them what they want when they do as I ask.”
“You’re a horrible person,” I say, shaking my head. “A fucking pure demon.”
“Thank you.”
I turn to face him. “Who fucked you up?”
His expression doesn’t change.
“Someone must have done something truly horrible to you in your life for you to be this cruel. So go on, tell me. Was it your dad? Did he beat you? Or was it your mother?”
He doesn’t know I notice it, but there is a slight flinch when I say mother. Oh, so he has a traumatic past. That doesn’t surprise me. A man like this isn’t produced from kindness and love, he is produced from hate. I wish I could say I feel bad for him, but I don’t. He has a choice to do better, and he’s instead choosing to be cruel. I’ll never understand that.
“You’re pushing my limits, and you’ll see what I’m truly capable of if you don’t take a step down.”
“Show me, I can’t wait to see even more of your deranged mind,” I snap.
“Very well.”
Waving that hand again, he calls a bulky man over who is equally as terrifying as he is. Stopping in front of me, the man doesn’t even glance in my direction as he waits for his orders. Like a trained dog. Marek glances at me once more, then orders the man, “String her up.”
String?
What?
Before I can process, the man turns to me and reaches out to grab hold. I take a step back, but I’m not quick enough. Marek captures me around the waist, hauling me against his hard chest as the other man gathers some ropes. Then, he’s tying them to my legs. I kick and squirm, but there is nothing I can do to stop him. Marek’s warm breath against my ear brushes my skin as he murmurs, “Enjoy the show.”
