Defining Darkness - K E Osborn Page 0,3

early age. Our wealthy parents always told us it would come in handy.

Ivy wipes a tear from under her eye. Her big brown doe eyes stare back at me. “Eva, we don’t know why they took us. Where we’re going. What the hell they’re going to do to us!”

The praying woman begins to pray louder as footsteps and muffled talking resonate outside the container.

I take a deep breath gripping her hands. “No, we don’t, but I promise you, Ivy, I’m going to do everything I can to keep us together, even if it means fighting them with every part of me I have. We already lost our parents, all we have is each other.”

Heavy thumping resonates outside the container.

I stand in front of the five other women in some sort of protective stance. My chest heaves as Ivy grips onto me for dear life as I hold her behind me. The sobbing and praying continue as I back us all to the rear of the container.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be okay,” I tell them, not believing my own words for one second.

The container doors fly open, the hinges creaking and moaning. I’m going to hyperventilate at any given second. A glow from the lamps on the dock light up the night sky as eight men stand at the doorway blocking any chance of escape. My body shudders as their faces are shadowed in darkness, but I don’t mistake the leather cuts the majority of them are wearing.

Damn bikers.

Why the hell are bikers involved?

“We don’t have a lot of time, so let’s make this easy on all of us. Come forward. Don’t fight us, and we can move this process along.” His American accent is broad, gruff, but somehow it makes my insides squeeze. This man holds authority, but also there’s something about him that has me intrigued. I can’t see his face as he’s shrouded in darkness when he takes a step closer.

“What do you want?” I call out.

He might have my interest piqued, but I’m not going to roll over and simply let him take us.

Not without a damn fight.

He exhales. “Great! A feisty one. Look Chiquita just do as you’re told. No need to make a scene.”

I stand taller, puffing out my chest. “No. You tell me right now what the hell you want—”

“Or what? You’re backed into a shipping container with nowhere to go. You’re shit out of luck. Do as I say, or I’ll be forced to make you. I don’t want to mark that pretty face of yours.”

Ivy clings to me tighter, pulling on my arm a little. I can tell she wants me to stop, to back down, but there’s something about this man that’s pushing all my buttons. So, I step forward, the light from the dock now reflecting a little more on his face. His bearded chin shows off his chiseled face. His hair flopping into his eyes as they stare me down. He appears haunted—the look suits him. I don’t miss the myriad of tattoos lining his arms, or the way his body is toned as if he works out for half the day, every day. This guy is crazy good-looking, but I can’t let that distract me.

“You think I’m scared of you? I’ve had worse come after me and mine. Whatever you have in store for us, I’m sure it can’t be that bad.”

The men all chuckle as the ringleader shakes his head. “Chiquita, you have no idea what you’re in for. We’re just the delivery service. Once you leave us, you’re all in for a whole other level of torment. Until then, maybe we should prepare you a little for the kind of treatment you’re in for. Boys, I’m sick of her yammering, let’s get the cargo and move out.”

My muscles tense as the men storm toward us. The other girls scream as I stand my ground, my arms out in some sort of lame attempt at defending them all. The main guy races up in front of me, his eyes focusing squarely in on mine.

Our eyes lock.

His dark chocolate orbs bore into mine as a moment passes between us.

I see him.

All of him.

He hesitates as the other men wait for his order.

The other girls whimper behind me, clinging to me for any kind of comfort they can get.

“You want to be their savior, Chiquita? You believe standing in front of them is going to stop us from taking you all to the buyer? You can’t fathom how