“How far back am I?” I lose traction on my back end. I pass two cars.
“You just fell twelve seconds out of second,” Becks answers.
Jimmy cuts in, “Guys, it’s not looking good. The rain is taking a turn. It’s starting to build—”
“I’m fine. I’m not stopping,” I demand, battling to pass the number four car. I’m successful as I take the eighth turn, clearing the seventy-seventh lap. Thirteen more to go. The rain needs to hold the fuck off. I take lap seventy-eight and nine, shaving off fourteen seconds, putting myself back in second. Eleven more laps—”
“Fuck!” Jimmy blasts through the mic. “Cash, I’m sorry, fuck. They just signaled the red flag. The rain…they’re pullin’ all the cars in.” My ears begin to ring. No. This can’t happen. What do I do now? What will they do to Luna? I bring my car in, jump out, and rip off my helmet as Beckett approaches and Jimmy makes his way down from his post. “What are they saying? How long is it postponed?”
Jimmy’s face falls, and I take a hit to my gut. “Don’t…” I whip around and stare at the monitors, then catch sight of the judges in the booth. “No…”
“They’re calling it.”
The ground shifts under my feet, and my vision blurs. “No, they can’t.” My legs threaten to give out as I search for the utility crew member answering a call, his face just as sullen as Jimmy’s. He hangs up and walks up to us, the color in his face gone.
“The drains are backed up. There’s no chance of getting back out there. We’re at lap seventy-nine, so—”
“I know what fucking lap we’re on, spit it out!” I snap.
“Since you are beyond the halfway point, and with the conditions, they are deeming the race complete. You are flagged as second place, which is still great—shit,” he howls as I almost take him down. I sway on my feet, the impact of his statement taking me out.
“Cash, listen, we’ll figure it out. They called it, it was out of your hands, there has to be another way,” Jimmy starts hammering out reasonings to make this better.
“What the fuck are you two talking about?” Beckett jumps in, but I ignore him. My eyes search out the dark shadow in the corner. Our eyes collide just in time for him to pull his phone away from his ear and disappear down the back hallway.
I throw myself through the crew and take off after him, ignoring Beckett calling after me. My legs burn, adrenaline flooding my system. My heart beats unsteadily in my chest as I choke on my own fear. “Hey! Wait!” I yell, running faster. Harder. I race up the back hallway, taking the corner too fast and skidding into the wall. Scathing pain explodes in my shoulder, but I push off, keeping my pace. The guy is nowhere in sight. Where the fuck could he have gone so fast—
Two hands grab the back of my shoulders. When I twist to shove off my assailant, something heavy slams against the back of my head.
Luna
I must have dozed off. The sound of the back door opening and slamming shut jolts me awake. I don’t expect whoever it is to be good. My head feels like a bowling ball as I force my eyes to search out my newest guest. I also have to assume it’s not my rescue team, since I don’t hear screaming and guns a blazing.
“Ah, you’re awake.” A goon walks up with a plate of food. “Hungry, bitch?”
This man is new. He hasn’t been one of the many who have come to check on and torment me. They’ve all been pretty harmless aside from their verbal threats. Until now. I take in a deep breath, filling my lungs with air to hide my pangs of hunger. “Fuck you, oaf,” I spit out, hating that my stomach growls at the same time.
His laugh sickens me. I squeeze my eyes shut, and his hand lunges forward, pulling at my hair. I scream at the sharp pain. “That mouth will get you in trouble.” He tugs so hard, my eyes water. I open my mouth to scream, but he dumps the plate of food on my face, shoving a piece of stale bread into my mouth. I start to choke, fighting to push it out, but he covers my mouth with his large hand. “Not such a tough cunt after all?” He laughs again as I begin to see stars. He finally releases me, and I spit out the bread, coughing for air.
“We’re not supposed to touch the merchandise. But you know, I don’t think a little play will hurt anyone.” He takes a step back and fumbles with his belt, releasing himself from his pants.
“Don’t, please,” I beg, losing the toughness in my tone. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
He chuckles darkly, his hand stroking his now hard erection. “Oh, too late, bitch. I’m gonna have some fun with you.” He takes a step toward me, and I kick my legs out. It doesn’t faze him. He steps between my legs, stretching them until I howl in pain. Still stroking himself, he cups my sex with his free hand and pinches me until I scream. “Prude bitch. Considering you’re about to die, you’d think you’d want to feel good.”
I struggle under his hold. He takes his hand and creates a fist, pushing into my crotch, forcing my chair to slide a few inches back. “I bet you’re one tight ass bitch. My favorite.” He pumps at his cock and licks his lips. “How about you suck me off and I’ll promise to feed you nicer next time.”
My stomach recoils, and I gag. “No? Fair enough. How about I flip you over and fuck your ass? That would be a nice way to go out.” His laugh is dark and sinister. He releases his cock. It’s hard and angry and sickly close to my face. My eyes start to burn with unshed tears. “No one will know if I fuck your ass.” He grabs a gun from his back pocket and places it at the center of my forehead. “Gonna untie you so I can get to that tight ass of yours. Try anything, and I’ll blow your pretty brain across this floor. Got it?” I nod, and the tears start to flow.
He reaches behind me to fumble with the rope, his dick brushing against my cheek. My cries mix with his laughter. “Come on, just one little suck for daddy—”
While he taunts me, the door opens, and thank the Lord above, he pulls back, and tucks himself into his pants. “Must be your lucky day.” He steps away, and we both watch as another goon and Vincent walk up.
He eyes my state, then turns his attention to his goon. “I assume you’ve stuck to your orders?”
“Sure have. Tried to feed her, but she kicked the plate out of my hand. Violent thing.”
“Liar! You fucking pig! He was about to rape me—”
His hand swipes hard across my face, cutting me off.
“Enough!” Vincent snaps. He walks up to me, his slithery hand reaching out to wipe away the fresh blood from my lip. When he pulls back, he rubs the crimson between his fingers. “Ms. Monroe, are you familiar with the story of Pandora’s box?”
I nod cautiously. Nothing good came out of that story.
“You know, there are many stories behind Pandora and her box. Some say when it was opened, it invited evil into the world. Sickness, death. Some claim it was meant to spread hope. How ironic how different some views can be.” He pauses to stare at the blood smeared between his fingertips. Grabbing the cloth from his front pocket, he wipes it clean. “Ancient Greek literature claims the box contained blessings. Some speculate it was a man who opened the box, not a woman. Foolish man, they called him. Once the lid was replaced, they bestowed the box upon the woman to make things good again.”
I pull on my restraints. “I don’t know where you’re going with this, but I’m telling you, I will race whatever race you want. I’ll win your money back. I didn’t know about the drugs.”
“I don’t think you’re getting the meaning of my very important story.”
I sure fucking am not. “You see, at first, it was you—Pandora opening a box which wasn’t truly meant for her—releasing a bunch of shit that would cause a lot of unforeseen problems. You know…when you stole from me.” He reaches inside his coat jacket, revealing a pocket knife, and flips it open. “For you, your story is more aligned with the sixteenth century belief that when the lid was resealed, evil was left to roam while hope was locked inside.”
“I swear I didn’t know!” I cry, showing my weakness. Even Vincent’s expression reveals a sense of compa
ssion, right before he grabs at my neck, using his blade to slice a superficial cut along my neckline.
“Do you think Pandora came out and admitted she opened the box? She pointed blame on her lover—”
“Please, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I can fix this!” I choke on my own words as I sob.
“You’re not still alive because I thought you couldn’t fix this. Just like Pandora, you may have opened the box, and a whole lot of problems for me, but in it, you brought hope. You see, I saw something in you. A talented little hustler, stealing her way to the top. And because you stole from me, I would now own you. Use you ’til you took your last breath. For your talents of course. But then came along an unexpected surprise: your boyfriend.”
No, no, no. “He has nothing to do with this. He’s not my boyfriend, please—”
“Ahhh, wicked lies of the tongue. False oath was very frowned upon, Ms. Monroe. The punishments sentenced back then were also greatly painful and all led to death—”
“I’m not lying, I swear! He has nothing to do with this, please…”
He takes some time to observe me. My body shivers at the way his eyes trail down to my chest. He takes a few steps, walking in circles around me, stopping at my back. “For every lie or broken promise, they said they would break a bone.” He pulls back a finger and snaps it backwards breaking it.
My chest breaks open as a scream so deep spills from my throat “Please!”
He rounds my chair, facing me once again. “Do we have an understanding, Ms. Monroe?”
“Yes, yes,” I pant, as the excruciating pain shoots up my arm.
“I had hoped during this little excursion of yours you may have brought me a better opportunity—a race that would easily land me a fortune. Instead, I’ve been deceived. Twice.” What? What is he talking about? “Your lover boy had a chance to fix things, to save you and possibly close this box of shit we’ve all found ourselves in, but sadly, he didn’t come through.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, panicked.
“All he had to do was win Monterey, and I may have let you live. He failed. Now, you both will end up swimming with the sharks deep in the Pacific.”
“He…he lost the race?” Oh, Cash. My heart cracks in two, and I’m the one to blame. I rein in my emotions. I’ve ruined his life enough, I can’t bring him down with me. “This is between you and me. I stole from you. Do what you want to me, but leave him out of this.”
He stares at me for some time before a smile so sinister sends a cold chill down my spine. “You two do have one thing in common: you forget who makes the rules.” He turns away from me, pointing to one of his goons. “Get her up and bagged. Take her out in the boat and toss them into the Pacific.”
Without another thought, he disappears through the doors he came in.
I begin to scream my head off until a white cloth is stuffed in my mouth, an unfamiliar scent knocking me out.
My body slams against a hard surface, jolting me awake. My face is smashed into the ground, and I realize I’m on the sand. I gaze into the distance. It’s pitch black and we’re on a beach. The sound of waves crashing is the only thing I hear besides the grumbling of the two goons. My hands are no longer tied. Adrenaline lights a fire inside me as I weigh my chances of escape if I get up and run. I have no idea where we are or if there’s anyone near to help me if I scream. I also don’t know how much strength I have in me. A large foot enters my peripheral, and I quickly close my eyes so they don’t realize I’m awake. A thump sounds next to me, and when I open my eyes a sliver, my lips part. Before I can take it back, my intake of breath gives me away. I shoot backwards to escape the stench and blank stare of Jade’s rotting corpse. Even in the dark, his skin is translucent and decaying.
“Ah, she’s awake. It’s a lot more fun watching them struggle than watching them sink,” the rapist goon says, then kicks me. I bend forward, grabbing my stomach and falling back to the ground. My face lands in the sand, and I inhale the tiny grains into my mouth, causing me to choke. I know I have to run. If I don’t, I’m as good as dead. That’s when another body drops in front of me.
My breath hitches, and I pray I’m seeing wrong. “Cash.” The wind is knocked out of me as I lunge toward his unmoving body. I reach him in time to grab his head, only to be ripped away. “Cash! What did you do!” I scream, fighting like hell to get away and back to him. His grip is too tight. He’s cutting off my airway. I begin to relax, losing my fight, and he drops me back into the sand. When I lift my hands, I notice they’re stained red. “Oh my god, no.” I choke on my own sob, scrambling to get back to him. A gun shot goes off, and I halt, ducking my head.
“I’d stay where the fuck you are, bitch.” He waits to test me, but I stay frozen, stuck in the sand, staring at the man I’ve fallen in love with.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” I start to cry. How did this happen? I found someone so worthy and perfect, and I took him down to my level of filth and ruined him. Anguish and anger make a lethal mix, the reality a sharp pill to swallow. The emptiness that comes over me settles. I have nothing left to lose. “I’m sorry, Cash. I love you. I’ve loved you since day one.” I can’t look at him any longer. The switch in me flips, and I shoot up and run.
“Hey! Get the fuck—”
A gun shot pierces the air, and I duck, almost tripping over my own two feet. Another bang blasts through the night. I slow down, the thick sand making it difficult to run and twist around to see if they’re catching up to me. In the darkness I see two bodies wrestling on the ground and vile sounds of—“Cash!” I whip around, falling, but digging my heel into the sand and run back.
“Get the fuck outta here, Luna,” he yells as he cocks his fist back and punches the man in the gut, taking a hit to the chin in return. Cash stumbles backwards, and I rush forward, jumping on the man’s back. I bite down on his shoulder, and he whips me off him. I grunt in pain as I slam back onto the hard sand. Stars swim in my vision, but I fight through the dizziness and shoot back up.
The goon who tried to rape me has Cash in a headlock. I cock my leg back and kick him hard between the legs. He grunts, releasing him, and falls forward holding his junk.
“Luna, run!” Cash yells, grabbing at my hand and thrusting me forward. I howl in pain at my broken finger but rush ahead without looking back. We run through the sand, unsure where to go. Away seems like the best route at this point. Gunshots ring out. I feel a jolt in Cash, then a sudden stumble. “Shit,” he hisses.
“Oh my god, no, did you—are you shot?” There’s shear panic in my voice. I attempt to stop, but he continues to pull me.
“It just nicked my shoulder. Keep fucking running.” His grip remains tight around mine as we race through the thick sand, our energy wearing down fast. I don’t know where we’re going. What if no one is around to help us? There’s no light up ahead indicating any form of life or business, or anyone to help us. “Cash, I’m not sure we’re gonna make it,” I cry. We’re going to die here. We’re going to die—
Another gunshot whizzes past my ear, throwing me off balance. I trip, taking us both to the ground. “Fuck, you okay? Did you get hit?” Cash is over me, running his hands up and down my body. I groan, but it’s due to my other injuries.
“No. Go. We have to go.” He reaches for my hand to help me up, but a gun smashes into his face. He wavers and falls on top of me. I scream Cash’s name as I roll him off me. I try to block him, but his arm shoots out, throwing me behind him, using his body as a shield.
“How poetic.” Vincent walks up, his long coat blowing in the wind. He stops at our feet, his eyes downcast. “I’ve always admired true love. Never understood it, but admired the all-consuming passion of it.”
“Then please, don’t do this. Let us go,” I plead, trying to take the stage, but Cash pushes me farther behind him.
“I said I admire it, not that I give a shit about it. My first wife, I guess you can say she has the same story. Gave her everything a
nd she cheated on me. Stole my heart. And you both know no one steals from me. God rest her cheating cunt soul. Which tells you this doesn’t end well for you.”
Vincent raises his gun and points it directly at my head. Cash reacts instantly using himself as a barricade and I lose it. “Cash, no!” A sound so feral and desperate erupts from my lungs as I scream and tear at his grip. I refuse to let him sacrifice his life for mine.
Vincent doesn’t take pity on us and aims, his finger pulling down on the trigger. My lungs tighten, and I know this is it for us. The last breath I take will be inhaling the scent of a man who forever changed my life. I pray that in another life we meet again, and I’m able to confess my guilt and sadness and hope. And in this altered universe, I hope he’ll one day forgive me. But those crushing moments never come. The searing pain of his bullets never ring out. The beach bursts with brightness, lighting it up. A rush of men in uniforms—police, FBI, you name it—swarm toward us. Men screaming to freeze, and get down. The sound of guns being cocked, followed by an explosive show as everyone begins firing back at one another. Cash throws himself over me, blocking me from any gunfire. I bury myself in the sand, my heart beating a hole into the ground. Inside, I’m screaming with terror, my entire body crippled with fear. I suck in a few staggered breaths, needing to know if Cash is okay, when suddenly, he’s ripped off me.
My voice cracks as my horrid cry slices through the night. “Cash!” I scream as I watch a uniformed officer drag him away and another takes ahold of me. I’m insane. Wild and unhinged as he grabs for me, carrying me in the opposite direction. There’s no relief when my frantic eyes catch Vincent laying face down in the sand. My mind is strictly on Cash. “Let me go! Please! Cash!”
Cash yells for me as I kick and scream for him.
The officer holding me ignores my pleas. He doesn’t release me until we’re in a parking lot, secured by a barricade of police vehicles. “Put me down!” I scream. He continues to block me while I fight to see over his shoulder. Where are they taking him? “If you don’t let me go, I swear to God—”
Junkie: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World) Page 20