Controlled

Chapter 18- Sophie

"So, have you seen Justin at all?" I asked her, clenching my phone.

She furrowed her brows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

I shrugged. Zoey flipped on her blinker and merged onto another road that was busier. "I haven't heard from him ever since he came to visit me the other day. Just the occasional text message, but no response after that."

"I haven't seen him, no. But I'm sure we would've heard something if something bad happened."

"I guess you're right," I sighed, staring out the window.

It didn't take us long to get to the small outlet mall Zoey had been talking about. It was right by the beach but didn't appear to be too busy. It was to be expected on a Sunday afternoon, though.

She pulled into the parking lot and parked in front of a secondhand bookstore. The cops who had been following us parked beside her and rolled down the window. Zoey bent down and said, "We're just going to shop at a few stores. We shouldn't be too long."

The officer in the passenger seat nodded at her. "We'll be here."

Zoey locked her car and we walked down the sidewalk, passing the stores that didn't interest us. A sale sign caught my eye, so we turned and went into a store that seemed to be a knock-off version of Victoria's Secret.

"Welcome!"

An older looking woman came up to greet us with a warm smile. "The whole left side of the store is up to 75% off today. Let me know if I can help you ladies with anything."

"Thanks," Zoey said, moving immediately to the left side of the store. I followed her and began looking through the disoriented racks of bras, panties, and lingerie. That was the only downside of outlet stores- they were usually unorganized and unkempt. However, if you got lucky, you'd find some pretty good deals. Clearance shopping with Zoey was a good distraction from everything that's been going on. It was nice to focus on something else.

"Look at this beauty!" Zoey said a few racks away. She held up a black and white French lace bra. She was right, it was a beauty. It almost looked like something a bride would wear on her wedding night.

"That's cute!" I said, continuing to look through the racks. They all seemed to be thongs and DD bras- two things I'd never wear. Zoey appeared next to me, holding the bra.

"It's your size. Try it on!"

She handed the bra to me and guided me to where the dressing rooms were. The same lady who greeted us met us by the doorway. "Trying on just one, ladies?"

"For starters," Zoey replied with a smirk. She turned to me. "Let me know how it fits, Soph."

The lady led me down a hallway with dressing rooms on each side. She stopped in front of one towards the back, then opened the curtain and motioned me inside.

"Thank you," I said, flashing her a smile.

"You're welcome, dear. Let me know if you need anything okay?"

She closed the curtain behind me, leaving me alone in the dressing room. I hung up my purse on one of the hooks on the wall. It felt odd using a dressing room with a curtain instead of a door that locks, but it was just Zoey and me in the store, so I shrugged off the weird feeling.

I took off my t-shirt and the bra I already had on The bra Zoey had found was pretty. I checked the tag on it and the price definitely made it prettier. I slid it off the hanger and put it on. It fit better than any bra I'd ever bought at a department store, and it made my breasts look a cup size larger than normal, which I didn't mind. I was right about my previous comment, however- it definitely seemed like something a bride would wear on her honeymoon.

"How does it fit, Sophie?" I heard Zoey ask from down the hall.

"I like it!" I called back, feeling my confidence rise as I admired it in the mirror. Honeymoon material or not, I looked the slightest bit more attractive in a push-up bra. I looked in the mirror behind me when the curtain shook, then opened the slightest bit. "I think I'm going to get it. Did you see the price?"

But when the curtain opened up, it wasn't Zoey on the other side. The man who had attacked me stepped inside the dressing room, quickly sliding the curtain closed again, and held up a finger to his lips. I spun around and backed up against the mirror. His jet-black hair was now shaved as he'd been to a military camp. But I'd know those piercing blue eyes anywhere. And they had me paralyzed.

"My beautiful Sophie," he whispered, taking a step towards me. I opened my mouth to scream, but he was one step ahead of me. His arm reached out and he pressed his hand against my mouth roughly. "No. Scream and you will regret it."

He pressed his body against mine and wrapped his arms around me. My eyes stung with the oncoming tears. I couldn't move. I didn't think I could even breathe. How did he find me? The lump in my throat grew as he squeezed me against his body.

"Come, Sophie, it's time to go," he whispered in my ear, releasing me.

I finally snapped out of my daze, backing away from him as far as I could manage and into the corner of the dressing room. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

His face fell for a moment, then his eyes pierced into me. "I was afraid you were going to say that." He reached into the inside pocket of his dark leather jacket and I froze. I was thinking he was going to reveal a gun or a knife, but instead, he pulled out a cloth. He moved before I had time to register what he was doing, and pressed the cloth up against my mouth and nose. I struggled against him and finally found enough courage to scream. It came out as a whimper as I felt my eyelids become heavy. My body dropped and I suddenly felt all the strength exit my body. The man's arms caught me and lowered me to the cheap, rose-colored carpet.

Then, everything went black.