Free Breaking Free by Alexis Noelle Page B

course of the day I must check my messages two times every hour. This time, when I open it, it says that he read it. I hold my breath, waiting for a response from him. At this point I would even take a command. I just want something, but nothing comes.

Chapter Six

    I’m in the trunk again and it’s so hard to breathe. I’m lightheaded and dizzy, plus the car keeps hitting bumps and my head hurts.
    I can feel the car stop and my heart speeds up. When the trunk opens, he smiles at me and I feel like I’m going to be sick. He picks me up in his arms as if he’s carrying a baby, and when I look around all I see are trees. Chris walks up to a cabin that looks like it’s falling apart and goes inside. It smells horrible in here and it’s filthy. All I can think to myself is that this is where I’m going to die.
    He walks with me into another room with a bed. I start shaking my head and thrashing my body around. Please don’t let him do this to me. He throws me onto the bed and then hovers over me. “It’s about damn time.”
    He reaches for my pants and I scream, but with the tape over my mouth no one can hear me.
    I wake up and feel someone pressed up against me, at first I think it’s just another dream. When I open my eyes and see that my bedroom window is open, I panic. Oh my God, this time it’s real. I scream, hoping to get anyone’s attention, and in fear of who could be in here with me.
    “Hey.” A hand grips my shoulder, turning me onto my back. When I see the face above me it’s a relief.
    “Drew, what are you doing here? And why the heck would you not have used the door?”
    My door bursts open, the light flips on, and both Jason and Shawn are standing there. I guess they stayed over.
    Shawn looks lethal as he stares at Drew. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
    Jason looks over at me. “Holls, what happened? You okay?”
    I nod, but realize that isn’t going to cut it. “I…I’m fine. Sorry guys.”
    They look at the each other in disbelief and come farther into the room. Drew stands up and now he and Shawn are toe to toe. Both of them are over six feet tall and jacked to the max. If they end up fighting, I’m not sure J could even break it up and he’s definitely not the least bit scrawny.
    “I asked you a fucking question. What are you doing here?”
    Drew laughs. He is such a damn instigator. “I should ask you why you feel like you have the right to come barging into my girl’s room.” His girl? Since when? I’ve only told him no a gazillion times.
    “I’m sorry, asshole. You talking about the girl you fucking abandoned and left everyone else to pick up the pieces?”
    Thanks for making me out to be some pathetic loser. I stand up and wedge myself between them which is no easy feat. Especially since it meant being in close proximity to Shawn and touching him. “Can we stop, please? I’m sorry I scared you guys, okay? I’m fine, though.”
    Shawn looks down at me. “Holls, you need to move before you end up getting hurt.” Both of their chests are moving so rapidly that I’m lightly bouncing back and forth between them.
    “Don’t you tell her what to do.” I look at Drew. Ummm, that is the pot calling the damn kettle black. He snakes an arm around my waist and quickly moves me behind him.
    “Get your hands off of her and get out of this damn house. You are not welcome here and if I have to physically kick you the fuck out I will.” Shawn got busted for underground fighting months ago and I don’t doubt that he will make good on that threat.
    “I don’t give a shit what you want. She hasn’t asked me to leave and that’s all I fucking care about.”
    “Oh my God!” All of our heads turn to see Nicole in the doorway with Christen behind her. “You’re here?! Thank God! Now she can rejoin the land of the living.”
    Well, any chance I had of playing it cool is definitely out the window.
    Christen walks further into the room and stands next to Shawn. “Come on,