The Cunning

20

The gravity of the situation only sunk in when Jase shoved Madison back into the bedroom with such force she stumbled over her feet, landing on the bed. Her shoulders were tucked tightly under her earlobes. Things had taken a turn for the worst at such an impressive speed the nausea swimming through her could be confused with whiplash.

"You're fucking lucky I'm the one that caught you and not anyone else," Jase said. She could already feel the bruises forming on her upper arms, wrists, and stomach from where he'd grabbed her. Everywhere he'd put his hands. Lucky. "You do realise they'd kill you, Madison," he added, forcing his point across with brutal honesty. Slowly, she raised her head and dared to look at him.

"As I said, I'd rather be dead than here," she replied quietly.

Jase scoffed. "I'd be really careful what you wish for at this point if I were you." He turned his back to her, running his hands through his hair, trying to control his anger. If Benny or Adam didn't find an excuse to kill her, then she would surely be the death of him.

"Why don't you just kill me?" she asked, breaking the silence in the room. Her voice was weaker than intended, he heard the girl inside losing hope. It was glaringly obvious that there was no back up plan. Some of the tension in Jase's shoulders released. At least there was that to be grateful for. He shook his head at her in the mirror, taking a box of cigarettes from his pocket and lighting one. The smoke curled out of his lips, his tongue poked in his cheek.

"Trust me, if I could, I would. You've caused enough trouble, but someone paid a lot of money for you to be here. Even if I can't for the life of me figure out why." The last sentence was mumbled. Madison's face paled more at the reminder she had been specifically requested. Amidst everything, it was a detail she had forgotten. There was someone out there who had asked for her by name. Anyone asking for her by name was enough to set off a red flag because few people knew it and even fewer knew it held any value. If this had anything to do with her dad, Jase didn't know it and Madison wanted to keep it that way. Instead, she focused on his snide remark of confusion as to why anyone would want her.

"I'm sorry my abduction is such an inconvenience for you," she deadpanned. Jase scowled, unimpressed with her attitude.

"You being here was out of my hands. If I knew it was you that night in the alley, I wouldn't have let you go." A ringtone, from his regular phone, not the Nokia, pierced through the argument before she could ask questions. Jase didn't care for a response, answering Benny's call to signify the end of their discussion. "I'm on my way back now," he said, hanging up and looking back to Madison. "You better hope none of the others find out about this."

A pillow hit the door with a pathetic thwomp after he'd left, a hollow cry of despair and anguish followed. There wasn't going to be another chance to escape. Her one opportunity had been viciously ripped from her clutches. He may not kill her but she was as good as dead within the walls of her prison. A whole new game plan needed to be formulated, fast.

*

Do you think the others will find out Madison got out? What do you think will happen if they do? Or do you think Jase will somehow manage to cover her tracks?