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coughing from the hot air, and screamed. I extended my arms and desperately clawed at the top of the trunk.
      Blue Eyes hit the car again, though this time he began rocking it. “I said SHUT THE FUCK UP!” he screamed.  
    “Zane!” the guy called Jackson yelled. “Stop it!”
    Zane must have taken his hands off the car, for it suddenly stopped moving. I heard shoes scuffle on loose gravel. I took in a ragged breath and listened. “Don’t tell me what to do, you worthless piece of shit!” Then I heard the sound of a fist smacking flesh. A second later someone huffed in pain.
    “This is your mess,” Jackson muttered before making a strangled noise of pain. “If you hadn't roughed up Phoebe in the alley this all could have been avoided!”
    “Goddamn it!” Zane started. “I swear to God I’m going to—” he cut off when a phone rang. I swallowed hard and realized that I was shaking uncontrollably. I pulled my arms to my chest. I couldn't see a way out of this. I was stuck in the trunk. Zane and Jackson were not going to let me out in time. I was going to die.
    More gravel crunched as Zane walked away, his voice fading. “Yes, sir. We ran into a complication. It’s been taken care of. We are picking her up now. Yes, sir, we will.”  
    I thought of the girl in the alley. What did they want from her? And why were they so mad at her? I remembered the look in Jackson’s eyes before I hit the ground. He was angry, so angry, as if having to deal with me was the last thing he wanted to do. My thoughts switched to Lynn and my sister. What was going through their minds? Had they come looking for me? Did they assume I wandered off and would be back? Fear audibly bubbled in my stomach, and I hoped that they were okay. They were smart, both of them. It wouldn’t take long before they realized I was missing. The police would be looking for me soon. And they’d find me. They’d have to. Everything was going to be okay.  
    Suddenly the trunk opened. I was momentarily stunned by the bright sunlight. I gulped in a breath of fresh air. Blinking in the harsh light, adrenaline surged through me. I pushed myself up, prepared to make a mad run for it, but someone grabbed my arms.
    “Going somewhere?” Zane sneered. His fingers dug into my skin. He smiled and twisted my flesh.
    “Get off me!” I screamed and struggled. I turned my body to the side and twisted my arm, breaking free from his grasp. I curled my fingers into a fist and hit him as hard as I could in the temple. My blow was strong, but not strong enough. The pain it caused only fueled his rage.  
    In a swift movement he brought his hand back and smacked me across the face. Hurt stung the corner of my eye. Still, I didn’t give up. I wrapped my fingers around his wrist and pressed my nails into his skin before dragging them down. He grunted in pain and head butted me. My ears rang, and I felt disoriented. He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down.  
    My arms buckled and I fell back into the trunk. I pushed myself back up, but Zane was right there, reaching for me. I opened my mouth to scream as his fingers wrapped around my neck. My voice died and my throat burned as he tightened his grip. My pulse pounded against his fingers. I brought my hands up and grasped his arms in a desperate attempt to break away. I squeezed my hands around his forearms, which were tight with hard muscle.
    My vision blurred, and I lost the strength in my hands. My arms flopped down to my sides, the back of my hands smacking against the car. My body shuddered, and I strained for a breath I couldn’t take. The blurriness darkened. My eyes darted to Jackson. He was standing a few yards back. His arms were tightly crossed across his chest and his dark eyes conveyed nothing but pure rage. I hated him for just standing there, watching. I knew he would not help me.  
    Just when I thought I was about to pass out, Zane released one hand and reached behind him, pulling a needle from his