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She still couldn’t get rid of the faint odor of chloroform in her nostrils It h herterror she felt, she’d barely eaten or left this rooh the one-story house and offered three full meals a day The only people she saere Marko and a terrifying-looking man who Marko addressed as Bashkim, whose powerful build told Lauren he was probably the , and the receding hairline of his light brown hair made his forehead and nose look all the ht blue eyes that were theher to the post with a stare that made her insides clench with fear

He never spoke to her and barely looked at her She was a coa And she desperately tried not to iine what role that was

Soher level than Marko and Bashk

i the show She could hear snippets of phone conversations—too h the wall and spoken in a language she didn’t understand But she picked up on a definite tone of deference and respect Lauren was s It had been carefully planned with her as its target

Why? Why?

She kept trying to stifle her sobs Shoeakness around these ive them more ammunition to torment her with

Were they going to kill her?

She sank down on the bed, shivering as she curled up in a tight, self-protective ball

The bedroo the door behind him He sauntered over to the bed and sank down beside her—way too close for comfort

It wasn’t the first time

Lauren stiffened and, instinctively, shifted her weight to put a bither Normally, he was so with Bashki quietly on the phone in what he’d proudly told Lauren was Albanian But periodically, he’d pay her a visit, during which he ed to touch and taunt her He hadn’t taken it beyond that—yet—but the very sight of him turned Lauren’s stomach even more

Now, she fought back another gag as he put his hand on her thigh, gliding it upward, siold chain around his neck in a blatant shohat he wanted to do to her “You haven’t eaten a decentyourself isn’t going to help”

“I’ry,” Lauren said

“Of course you are” He caressed her hip “What would you like? I’m sure I can supply it”

Die and go to hell, Lauren thought with a shudder