Puck Battles: A Complete Sports Romance Series

by Kristen Echo

  “You two can bunk here tonight. We’ll find you something else tomorrow. There are blankets and pillows. If you need anything else, ask.” He opened the door to a tiny bedroom with two sets of bunk beds.

  “This place is so amazing. Like summer camp only better!” Renee dove into the bottom bunk and sighed. “It’s nice and peaceful here.”

  This place wasn’t good. Her gut screamed for them to get out. What the hell had she gotten herself roped into? Rusty grabbed their bags, closed the door and locked them inside.

  Hailey crawled onto the top bunk and pulled out her phone. The reception sucked, and she doubted her calls or messages would make it out. Either they had a signal jammer, or they were too far from a tower to get a signal. She needed to update Caroline before she freaked out. Her gut told her to hold off on contacting the authorities until she learned more. She wanted to be able to point out Rex in a court of law.

  Her fingers flew over the keys. “Behind enemy lines with the missing teens. OMG you’ll never—”

  The door on their room opened. Hailey hit send and shoved her phone back inside her bra. Rusty entered, holding out the bag of pills and two bottles of water. “Take another.”

  She reached over the edge, grabbed a pill and water. “Thanks. Are we allowed to walk around or what’s the deal? And why did you take our bags?” She pretended to take the pill and swallow it down with a mouthful of water.

  He shuffled back towards the door and looked down the hall. “I said we’d party and we will but hang tight. Something came up. Sorry for the wait. I’ll give you back your bags tomorrow. You won’t need them tonight. That pill should mellow you out until morning.” He turned back towards them and placed another two on the dresser. Rusty fixed his hair back over his eyes, shut the door and locked it.

  She exhaled and glanced over the bed at Renee. The teen was humming and smiling without a care in the world. Being locked in a shoebox didn’t bother her, but it bothered Hailey. From the outside, the farm looked huge. There was a lot of ground to cover and she couldn’t do that stuck in the bedroom. She pulled out her phone and noticed her mistake. She’d sent the text to Joe.

  Chapter 13

  To conserve the battery on her phone, she’d turned it off. She had no idea if Joe or Caroline got her messages. She hoped the latter had, so her face wouldn’t be added to the list of missing people.

  They’d been locked in the bedroom for so many hours she lost track of time. The drugs were meant to chill them out. It had worked on Renee, but she felt like a caged animal. She tried to sneak out of the windows, but they had bars, preventing their escape. Hailey searched every inch of their room. All she found was used needles and condoms in the wastebasket. A secondary bucket had been left for them to use if they needed to pee.

  The place was rustic. Wood paneling covered the walls, and the linens were circa nineteen fifty with big pink flowers printed over pastel green. They were also covered in stains. Sleeping was not an option.

  When Renee woke up, she joined her on the top bunk. They swapped stories, killing time. The teenager’s homecoming hadn’t gone well, and her stepfather had kicked her out. She’d returned to school but didn’t see the point in continuing. The girl needed a safe place to rest and the streets wouldn’t give her that. This place wouldn’t either even though Renee felt like she’d struck gold by taking Rusty up on his offer.

  The sun was high in the sky and they hadn’t heard more than a peep from anyone. Hailey looked out their window at the farmer’s field. Prairie as far as the eye could see. No landmarks or anything noteworthy. They’d taken so many twists and turns along the drive, she had no way to pinpoint their whereabouts.

  Every minute that passed Hailey’s agitation grew. “Do you think they’ll leave us here all day?” Her stomach rumbled. The nausea had subsided somewhat.

  Renee stared at the ceiling with her hands behind her head. “Whatever. I’m in no rush to do anything,” she said as the door swung open.

  Hailey expected to see Rusty again, but it wasn’t him. A man dressed casually in torn jeans and a plaid shirt sauntered in. He was stunning with finely cut features and bright green eyes.

  “Good morning,” he said with the hint of an accent. He held out his hand to help them down.

  She took his hand and jumped down. “Hi. Is it still morning?” Hailey hadn’t worn her watch and cursed herself for leaving it at Mellie’s.

  He laughed as he helped Renee to her feet. “It is around eleven. I’m sorry we left you in the bunks last night. Unfortunately, something drew our attention, and we had to lock down.”

  “Why?” Renee asked, still holding his hands.

  “It’s for your protection and ours. You are strangers, but we’ll change that fast. While you’re here, we want you to feel safe, productive and wanted. Above all, you’re here to enjoy life and all its splendors.” He smiled like a game-show host. “My apologies for not introducing myself. I’m Rex and I run this place along with my family.”

  His speech sounded rehearsed. Hailey tried to place his accent and guessed Slavic, but she couldn’t be sure. So, this was Rex. He was way younger and better looking than she envisioned. She’d expected him to be covered in tattoos and be closer to fifty than twenty. Assumptions were useless and served no purpose. “Where are we?”

  “My farm. Some folks here call it the compound, but we all call it home. It’s your home too. Better than a night on the streets, right?” He pulled the teen’s hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

  Renee swooned, and Hailey resisted the urge to roll her eyes. A cute boy showed her an ounce of attention and Renee was a goner. It was obvious Rex used his good looks to his advantage. She wondered if that’s why so many young girls were missing? Had they been sucked in by the pretty face and then filled with drugs?

  Rex stepped closer to Hailey and touched her cheek. “You’re both very beautiful. I’m sure you will fit it in well. Let’s get you fed, then I’ll give you a tour.” His finger outlined her upper lip before he walked out the door.

  They fell into step behind him. All the doors they passed down the hall were closed and most had locks. “What’s with the locks? Aren’t people allowed to come and go as they please?

  “No. We don’t use locks all the time, only the first few weeks,” he said as if that was a common practice.

  She tried not to let her aggravation seep into her voice. “Makes sense. How many people live here?”

  “Not enough,” he replied without looking back at her.

  “Do you… um, have more of those candy pills? I liked those.” Renee added.

  Rex stopped and pulled a bag from his breast pocket. “We have plenty. I should have offered sooner.” He removed one from the bag. “Open wide,” he said and placed it on Renee’s tongue. Then he turned to Hailey and did the same.

  She closed her mouth, placed the pill under her tongue and swallowed. As soon as he turned away, she removed the pill and stuffed it in the back pocket of her jeans. As they ventured down the hall, they passed an open office and several more closed doors before reaching the kitchen. True to his word, Rex offered them food. A hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs. Hailey only nibbled because she wouldn’t put it past these creeps to add drugs to the food. Renee devoured her plate, smiling through each bite.

  Once they’d cleared and washed their plates, Rex took them outside for their first look around. The farm was huge with many out buildings. She counted three large red barns though there weren’t many farm animals. Half a dozen cows grazing and two full chicken coops. He didn’t take them inside any of the buildings, which she found odd. “Can we check out the barns? I love animals.”

  There were many more people milling about than she expected. She recognized several of the teenagers from their missing people’s reports, but at least a dozen more had gone unreported. Her heart ached for them. Hailey tried to count the number of people, along with the buildings to report to the authorities. There were close to thirty people
and ten buildings, not counting whatever they had on the back of the property. If this was just a place for runaway teens to live, there wasn’t much the cops could do, but her gut told her there was a lot more to this place.

  “Maybe later. As you can see there’s plenty of room to roam for quiet reflection, but you never have to feel lonely,” Rex said, pointing towards a covered picnic area and the fields beyond. “This community welcomes everyone who’s interested in finding something beyond the mundane. We work together, helping each other. Our motto is work a little and play a lot.”

  “It’s so peaceful,” Renee said.

  Rex squeezed Renee’s shoulders affectionately. “That’s what we think too.”

  On the surface, she wasn’t wrong. Everything seemed fine, but the way he pitched the community aspect and togetherness rubbed her the wrong way. “Whose we and why did you start this place?”

  “You’re an inquisitive soul. Must be your military background shining through.”

  Hailey smiled and flipped her hair over her shoulder. “How do you know I used to serve? Have we met before and I forgot? That happens more than I care to admit,” she said, tapping her temple.

  “We have eyes and ears everywhere. Don’t feel bad about memory loss. A few birdies told me you’re on disability for an injury and your doctors can’t give you what you need for the pain. You’ve come to the right place.”

  It shouldn’t have surprised her that he knew her story, but it proved they were organized. “Thanks. It’s been rough, but I cope. Some days are better than others. I’m happy to be here, Rex. This place is amazing. How can we earn our keep?”

  They reached the edge of a field where the crop had yet to be planted. Rex looked out, placed his hands on his hips and inhaled deeply. A few feet over two steel silos caught her eye. They weren’t out of place, but there seemed to be an awful lot of activity around them. One door opened, and a man ducked to get out, giving her a view inside. Guns. She saw a lot of them before the door closed.

  “That’s a great question. We all do our part to keep this place running. Clean up after yourself, be respectful and help whenever someone asks. It’s simple. The world is full of rules and laws, we don’t need more. Renee, there’s a group of people heading out soon. I’d like you to join them.”

  “Yeah. What? Sorry, I zoned out.” Renee’s eyes were glazed from the drugs.

  Rex pulled her close for a hug. “Don’t apologize. Rusty and a few others will be running an errand shortly, and you’ll be joining them. He should be by the smaller chicken coop and can fill you in.”

  “Okay. Will I see you later?”

  He winked. “Count on it,” he said, waving her off.

  “Should I go too?” Hailey wondered what the errand entailed. She also didn’t like being separated from Renee.

  Rex threaded their fingers together. “No. Your skills will be better served doing something else.”

  “Like what?” She dreaded asking. “Milking cows?”

  He chuckled and pulled her away from the weapon filled silos towards one of the barns. “You’re not naïve like many who come here. You’ve seen how the world works. It takes money, power and influence to make change. That’s what we’re trying to do. Take back the power we’ve lost to the gangs and the authorities. Carve our own piece of paradise.”

  “Drugs aren’t free. It must cost a fortune to keep all these people fed and satisfied. You never answered who else runs this place with you.” She looked around again; the median age seemed to be seventeen.

  “Ah yes,” he chuckled. “It’s not cheap that’s for sure. This is a modern-day farm and a family run business. My uncles, cousins and I took over the farm when my parents passed away. You met my uncles last night. We’ve been slowly transitioning into a different business model. Far more profitable than growing wheat.”

  They held hands as they continued their stroll through the compound. He flirted, and she smiled back coaxing more information. He spoke freely about the drugs they produced on site. She didn’t have to fake interest because she found it fascinating. He truly believed they were above the law. He used people’s addictions and vulnerabilities to line his pockets.

  The barns had been converted into a meth lab and growing operation. They used sophisticated hydroponics to grow marijuana. The amount produced easily topped six figures. They used the teenagers as free labor. Rex expected her to help cut the plants and sort them. He explained she wouldn’t be allowed to leave the farm for a while, but everything she needed would be provided.

  By the time they finished the tour, she wanted to break him in half. His exterior beauty hid an ugly and disturbed person on the inside. He left her to work, and she joined the assembly line. No one seemed upset about their job. They were more like drugged zombies going through repetitive motion.

  A few hours later a bell rang, and everyone stopped. She followed the group to the covered picnic area where dinner was served. Various drugs were laid on one table and food on another. She spotted Renee sitting next to Rusty, her eyes were still glazed, and she laughed at something. They shared a brief hug before he walked away.

  Hailey took the empty seat. “Hey, girl. Haven’t seen you in a while. What have you been up to?”

  “We got back not long ago. This place is intense,” she whispered.

  “What makes you say that?”

  “I’ve never broken the law before. Besides taking drugs. I can’t say that anymore.” She shrugged her shoulders.

  Hailey leaned closer. “What did you do?”

  “I followed Rusty and the others as they broke into someone’s house. We cleaned them out. It was crazy, but it had to be done. They like owed Rex money or something. My heart’s still pumping fast. What have you been up to?”

  “Sorting and cutting drugs. They have their hands in a lot of cookie jars.”

  “I’m going to grab food,” she said, climbing off the bench and heading towards the buffet.

  Hailey had seen enough. This operation needed to be shut down. She needed to reach the authorities, but she hadn’t found a moment alone all day. If Joe and Caroline had received her message, then they may have contacted them. It was doubtful. She should have contacted the cops when she’d had the chance.

  A few of the teens had grabbed a plate and drifted off to eat alone. Stacking a sandwich and veggies on a disposable plate, she ventured into the field where she’d noticed a tower a few miles away. She stayed within view, so she wouldn’t attract attention.

  Once satisfied no one could see her, she tucked the phone between her legs and turned it on. She’d been lucky they hadn’t discovered her phone when they patted her down. Having large breasts enabled her to hide it well. She held her breath, hoping she’d get a signal. A moment later, messages from Joe, Caroline and Mellie flooded in. She exhaled.

  Seeing his name flash on the screen made her heart skip a beat. She was still furious with him, but in that moment, she wanted to rest her head over his heart as he wrapped his strong arms around her. Being held prisoner overnight had shifted things into perspective. She missed him. Her finger hovered over his name, but she had to act fast. This was not the time to daydream about dark eyes and sinful lips.

  She sent a message to the city police emergency line with a pin to her location. Something she should have done the night before. In the message, she provided as many details as possible about the guns, the drugs and the amount of people involved. Her fingers moved with purpose over the touch pad. She pasted the same information in another text to her bosses and the detectives she’d been in touch with regarding the case.

  Since she’d brought Joe into this mess, she composed a different text for him. She poured her heart out. Asking for the friendship he’d offered and telling him she was sorry for being stubborn and pushing him away. She re-read the message three times and ended up deleting all of it. In the end, she settled on three little words. I miss you. She squeezed her eyes shut, scared to press the button that could change
everything.

  A twig snapped behind her. Her heart stopped beating. She twisted to find Renee and she breathed a sigh of relief. "You scared me."

  The teenager’s eyebrows lifted in surprise as she stared at the phone in Hailey’s hands. “What are you doing? We’re not allowed to call anyone or have phones.” She placed her hands on her hips and glanced over her shoulder like she was about to report her.

  Hailey swallowed hard. “It’s not what you think. I… I miss Joe,” she admitted. “I want him to know how I feel. See.” She showed Renee the message.

  “Oh.” Her shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. “He’s awesome and you guys belong together. You should totally send it.”

  Hailey nodded. Unfortunately, her phone died before she could hit send. She couldn’t be sure any of her messages were sent, but she would be ready for whatever happened next.

  Chapter 14

  Nothing happened. The evening trickled into night and no one came. Hailey hung around the bonfire watching and waiting. She got the sense that some teens were there against their will, but no one came out and said anything. Most of them were too heavily drugged to speak.

  “Are you cold?” Blaze asked wrapping his arms around her from behind. “I know a way to warm up.”

  She’d been able to avoid him and his hands so far, but her luck had run out. “Are you and Rex related? He mentioned he had cousins. I wouldn’t have thought so until he said he ran this place with his family.”

  “People say we look alike. Guess the genes run deep,” he said, grinding his cock against her backside.

  “They must. Who else is in your family? Mine is so messed up; it’s nice to see one that can work together.” She kept her eyes and hands pointed towards the fire.