Remind Me

Chapter Twenty-Two

There are five guys total in this van. One driving. Three looking out the window. Jonathan staring at me. I feel sick to my stomach.

It didn't take me long to realize I left my phone. There is no way for me to save my own life unless someone miraculously finds me wherever these men are taking me to.

"Why-" I begin, voice shakier than I want.

"Sh," Jonathan says, still staring at me. "We'll get to that later."

I look away, a violent shudder running through my entire body. I'm completely and hopelessly unprepared for this. I shouldn't have let my guard down about Jonathan. I knew he was out there somewhere.

"But where-"

"I said, be quiet," he says, looking irritated.

"I deserve-"

"Shut up," he says. Then he leans closer and before I know what's happening, hot white pain erupts on my cheek. I let out a gasp, my hand touching the mark where his hand just slapped gently. "Listen to what I tell you to do next time."

I stay quiet now, shaking through my bones. I think I let out a whimper once or twice. I bite my lip to keep from crying out in fear. Will I ever get out of this mess?

I don't know how long the drive takes, probably hours, but I can't relax. Every muscle in my body is tense and alert. Every bump on the road makes me jump. Every sound makes me wince.

My nightmares have come true.

I need Owen. I need him to find me. The thought brings tears pooling into my eyes. I clamp my jaw down and force my tears back inside. I can't show them such weakness.

The can stops, finally, but I dread the exit far more than I dreaded this car ride.

"Blindfold her," Jonathan says lazily.

Before I know how to react, two pair of hands are on me. One grabs my arms to hold me still. The other wraps a nasty smelling rag around my head to cover my eyes.

"Let's go."

The man who holds my arms behind my back keeps them there as he shoves me out of the van. I didn't expect that to happen so quickly, and evidently, my face smacks into the concrete. I close my eyes, biting on my lip as I try to pick myself up off the ground.

"Get up," the man grunts at me. He practically throws me onto my feet and I'm forced forward in a brisk pace.

After a few turns, I'm stopped and a lock is twisted. My head is aching and I can feel a scrape on my cheek bleeding from where I fell. My mind is wandering to so many different terrible places of what might happen to me here, and I don't want to think about it anymore.

There's a creak of a heavy metal door, and I'm ushered inside. Let me tell you, it's absolutely terrifying being somewhere with people you don't know and don't trust, blindfolded, and not knowing where we're walking in to.

"Put her down," Jonathan's deep voice calls, and the door slams shut.

The man holding onto my arms releases me, and I stumble a few steps before ripping off the blindfold with a few deep breaths. I blink a few times to get used to the dim light. It's practically a cellar. There are two worn couches, and that's about it. It's about twelve by twelve feet. One light that isn't doing its job very well. Five men staring at me. One of which is wearing a smirk, and he goes by Jonathan.

"Wha-what is this about?" I gasp, catching my breath.

"Calm down, Brinley, I don't want to hurt you," he says.