At first, Noreen was engrossed in work emails on her phone. But as the car began to jostle on an uneven road, she looked up. They were no longer in the bustling part of the city.<fn2283> Chapters first released on </fn2283>


    "Are we almost there?" she asked the driver.


    "The g is at a private mountain estate,” he exined. "It''s a bit of a drive."


    Noreen said nothing more, but a seed of doubt had been nted. She messaged Mrs. Joyner for the location.


    The reply came a momentter: *My driver can''t find you. Did you call your own car?*


    The realization hit her like a punch to the gut. This was not her ride. She immediately sent her live location to Mrs. Joyner while trying to remain calm. Her other hand crept toward the door handle, her mind racing as she assessed the car''s speed. They were on a winding mountain road, and the car wasn''t moving too fast.


    Without another moment of hesitation, she threw the door open and jumped.


    The impact with the asphalt sent a starburst of pain through her body, and the world momentarily went white. The driver mmed on the brakes, cursing as he got out of the car, a baseball bat now in his hand. "Not so clever now, are you? Thought you could just jump out?"


    Noreen struggled to her feet, a sharp, agonizing pain shooting up from her ankle. It was a bad sprain. As soon as she put weight on it, the pain buckled her knee, and she copsed back to the ground.


    The driver loomed over her, his cold eyes taking her in with a lecherous grin. "I thought you were pretty from a distance, but up close... you''re a real beauty."


    He had a wicked look in his eyes. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and started dragging her back toward the car.


    "Let go!" Noreen fought back, but she was no match for his brute strength. He hauled her into the vehicle.


    "Let me go!"


    Losing his patience, he brought the bat down hard on the back of her head. A dull thud, a sh of pain, and then darkness.


    She awoke to pitch ck. Her eyes were covered, her mouth was sealed with thick tape, and her body was bound so tightly she couldn''t move.


    "Boss, the girl''s awake."


    Someone had noticed her stirring.


    "Good," a gruff voice replied. "It''s more fun when they''re awake."


    Footsteps approached. A hand touched her face, its calloused texture tracing her skin, and a wave of nausea washed over her.


    "So smooth," the man mused. "Skin like silk." He continued his exploration. "And that dress... damn, it looks good on her."


    "Bet it looks even better off her," another voice snickered. "Check out that ass. Gotta be fun to ride."


    "Let me see for myself."


    Noreen tried to struggle, but the ropes held her fast. The man''s hand roamed over her backside. "You''re a smart one, aren''t you?" he speered "Figured out our little trap, jumping out of a moving car, sending your location for help."


    A cold dread settled in Noreen''s stomach. They must have moved her. She had no idea how much time


    had passed, but she knew. Mrs


    Joyner must be looking for


    her, But


    finding someone took time.


    The man was clearly aroused. He hoisted her from the floor. "I''m going first," he


    announced to the others. "You guys keep drinking."


    "Don''t take all night, boss!"


    The man let out a boomingugh. "You know my stamina. I''ll need at least a couple of hours. Be patient."


    The others grumbled but didn''t argue. Noreen felt herself being


    carried into another room. She


    was


    thrown onto arge bed, and the man''s weight immediately followed.


    "Time for some fun, beautiful."


    ***