The Art of Finding Jasmine Rose Peters

41

'No matter what the situation is, there's always a way out.'

~JRP

The darkness of the place was the first thing Hayden recognized. The second being how her head was on fire. Where was she? And why was her head hurting so badly?

She tried to move but something was cutting her skin. It wasn't until her ears picked up the sound of sirens that everything came flooding back to her. From Uncle Ale kidnapping her to her resisting up till the time he tied her up and drugged her.

From that point, everything was blank. It must have been something that would knock her out and make her weak.

The car must have hit a bump because the back of Hayden's head hit the door. Sharp jolts of pain went through her body, making her cry out. "Slow down!" The bump on the back of her head reminded her of her busted lip which was still swollen but no longer painful. Was his plan to kill her all along because he sure was executing it slowly and perfectly?

"So, you're awake," he stated. She could feel his eyes watching her every move, like a predator watching his prey.

"Stop speeding," she muttered when they hit yet another speed bump.

"And let the cops catch us?" He let out his chilling laugh that still made her flinch. "I'm not letting you go this time. I'll make sure of it."

Hayden racked her brain. There had to be something she could do. Think, Hayden. Think. She tried to recall what happened in all those thriller novels she read where the female main character always ended up being kidnapped. What did they do?

She had almost given up when a piece of information struck her mind — distract him while she looked for something that would help her.

"Why are you doing this to me? What have I ever done to you?" She started by trying to find a weak spot in the way he tied her up. There had to be a place he tied loosely. There wasn't, but if she sucked in a breath, the rope loosened and she could wiggle a bit.

"This is the moment where I tell you how your father did something to me or stole the girl I loved, but there's none of that. Frankly, it wasn't even your fault." He took a sharp turn, and she almost fell to the floor. Thankfully, she was able to roll herself back. Why did he lay her down on the seats? She had to try to sit up.

"Then why the hell are you doing this to me?" she cried out loud because she was tired — so damn tired of him, of herself and of trying to escape — and she was just a weak little girl with no one to save her. The cops might keep chasing them but he was never going to stop. And why should the cops even care to save her? She was no one.

I didn't teach you to be weak, Hayden. She could hear Lyra's voice in her head. You have to keep trying, Lyra's voice said.

Remember the pact, Mason's voice said.

Wren's voice popped up too. Do it for us.

"Answer the goddamn question!" she focused all her energy and yelled.

"I see you have forgotten the punishment for being disrespectful. But don't worry, we have all the time in the world after this to remind you of what I do to naughty girls." He laughed delightfully, muttering, "I can't wait."

He wasn't going to manipulate her. She was stronger than this. He was trying to break her down like he always did. She wouldn't think of anything apart from ways of escaping.

"Just answer the question."

"Since you're so hellbent on knowing why this is happening, I'll tell you. It all started the day I graduated from high school."