GAGE

34| t i e d u p

I almost throw a chair as I shove my clothes into bags, but I don't.

I can't believe him. Who the hell does he think he is?

When I'm done stuffing my bags I throw them all into my car. I can't stay here because Rich will find me and also I'm going to get kicked out anyways.

I don't want to put Hailey in danger, but she's my best friend and I know that she'll be more understanding than my other friends that I've been ignoring.

As I make my way to her house I have a mini stroke once I realize what I did by stealing from the master criminal mastermind himself.

When I pull up to Hailey's house I wait for her to open the door.

"Josie? Josie!" She pulls me in for a tight hug, "You look like hell!"

I can just imagine my red lipstick smudged and eyeliner all over my eyes by now.

The corners of my mouth droop progressively the longer I stand on the porch.

"Come in, girl!" She pulls me inside and I plop onto her couch.

"Where have you been?" She asks eying my outfit.

"To jail." I sigh and close my eyes.

"Wait, really? Was it like Beyond Scared Straight?" She leans closer to me.

I open my eyes to glare at her and begin to tell the story of what happened between Gage and me from the Greece trip all the way up to this point, omitting the parts that need to be.

"Oh my god, you're gonna die! You should've just let that boy pay your bills!" Hailey exclaims.

"No! Did you not listen to anything I said?" I sigh.

Hailey chuckles, "Girl, I'd die for a sugar daddy boyfriend like yours! Hey, if it makes you feel any better, be probably actually does care about you. He's right, you don't let people take care of you. You always want to do it yourself."

"You're taking his side." I note.

"I'm taking the right side. You just don't get him." She says.

"And you do?"

"Not necessarily, but I have read quite a few bad boy stories in my time." She giggles.

I roll my eyes heavily at her, "Good thing it's over."

"You say that now, but in a week you'll be fucking in Paris." She laughs.

• • •

The next week of my life has consisted of watching Netflix with Hailey in her bedroom.

I'm just waiting for Rich to snatch me any second.

I miss Gage and I don't know why. I wonder what he is doing right now which is something I seem to do often.

Not only the delinquent has been on my mind, but also what Hailey said about me shutting people out. I think I am a fairly open person.

Anyways, this is my first time getting out since Friday. My phone has been off so I can ignore everyone easily.

I open the drugstore freezer and pull out a pint of strawberry ice cream. It slips out of my hand and leaks onto the floor when I am forcefully grabbed.

A large hand covers my mouth and an arm is firmly wrapped around my torso.

I don't move or make a sound.

"Good girl." The man says and he grabs both of my hands behind my back before covering my mouth again.

He slowly walks me out the back door and into a black van. How did nobody see this?

I stay calm because God knows I can't fight this guy. The van is roomy an another man stays in the backseat with me as the car takes off down the highway.

Hailey's gonna freak out. The man in the backseat takes my bag and dumps my belongings in the space between us.

He takes my keys and lets them fly out the car window.

This bitch. I have spare car keys anyways.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask lowly.

"Shut up." The man says and takes my phone from the pile before throwing it out the window as well.

My mouth flies open, but I quickly recover.

"I didn't really like that phone anyways." I smile.

The man just glares.

This is the best road trip ever.

It seems like years before we pull into an empty parking lot.

A rope is tied around my hands and I'm escorted into an empty warehouse.

As calm as I've stayed, I'm scared nonetheless. I'm pushed to the ground and see a flying foot coming my way. I close my eyes waiting for the impact.

The sensation stings for a second, but my nose becomes numb aside from the warm feeling of trickling blood. I spit some if the red liquid mixed with my saliva onto the pavement.

The men don't say anything when they leave the warehouse only leaving me a dim light on. I knew this was coming. And all this for a guy who doesn't even want it.

I can't help but let a few stray tears slide down my cheek, not like I can wipe them if I wanted to considering I'm tied up.

Why couldn't they have just killed me already?