Pike (The Pawn Duet #1) - T.M. Frazier Page 0,29

to give up now, Mickey. All you have to do is think…” He stands.

“Don’t leave. Please don’t go. I need you, Papa,” I cry, closing my eyes. When I open them again, he’s gone.

The door slides open. This time there’s no blinding daylight, only dark sky.

“Uh, who the fuck are you talking to?” A young woman asks. Her hair is a bright, unnatural shade of orange. She’s holding a tray of food, and underneath, a plastic shopping bag hangs from one hand.

She doesn’t close the door.

Since I’m unable to do so physically, a mental wiping of my tears will have to do. I sniffle and take a deep breath. “Nobody, just rambling to myself.”

She looks around the warehouse as if she expects something to appear. “You crazy or something?” She sets down the tray on the chair that Pike usually occupies during our ‘sessions’ and places the bag on the floor next to it.

“That’s what I’ve been told,” I reply. The smell of the food alerts my entire body to its presence. If my mouth could water, it totally would. I’ve only had a few sips of water here and there, and Pike’s fed me pieces of a protein bar. But how long ago was that? A day? Two?

“Who are you?” I ask. Instantly, I hear the voice of my torturer. Who are you? I cringe at my own question.

“I’m Thorne. I work for Pike.”

“Please, you have to help me,” I beg.

Thorne looks me over and frowns. There’s a ring connecting her nostrils in the middle like a bull. Her black tank top is short, barely covering her generous breasts while showing off a full sleeve of colorful ink running down her right arm and a belly ring with a sparkly charm that reads 666. Her eyes are heavily lined with black, and her eyes are a bright green.

“Sorry, not my department,” she deadpans.

I grunt in frustration. “What’s not your department? Setting someone free who's been kidnapped?”

“Well, one who is kidnapped is taken by force. You are a captive for all intents and purposes. You came here. He didn’t go looking for you. Besides, my current department is food and toiletries distribution although it’s often accounting, record keeping, lookout, lunch bitch, internet sales queen, etcetera, etcetera..” She waves her hand in the air.

I want to argue with her more, plead my case, but my mouth waters at the smell of whatever is in the bowl covered with a paper towel on the tray next to me. Although, it could be dog food and it wouldn’t matter. My stomach growls, and I realize how hungry I am. I don’t remember the last time I ate.

Despite my starvation, I give it one last try. “Please, he’s going to kill me.”

“Did you do anything that will get you deserve to be killed?” she asks, tucking a paper towel into the top of my shirt.

Great, she subscribes to the same ideologies as Pike. “Does anyone’s actions deserve death?”

“I take it you’re not a fan of capital punishment? But think on it, because we’ve all done something to deserve someone’s wrath at some point in our lives. I’m sure you’ll come up with something that’s led you to be here.”

She lifts the paper towel from the bowl which I realize is a chicken soup of some sort. My stomach growls so loud even Thorne hears it, staring down at my stomach.

“You know, this would be easier if my hands weren’t tied,” I point out.

She sighs and drops the spoon into the ceramic bowl with a clank. She sets her free hand on her knee. “This would be easier if you weren’t here. I have enough shit to do and maid to Pike’s captive isn’t on the fucking list. You want food or not? Because your stomach says that you do. I can hear that shit growling from my office next door. The fucking music is already bad enough.”

I nod and realize my approach is all wrong. She’s obviously loyal to Pike. I just need to find the right words to pierce her tattooed skin and get her to help me. Release me. She lifts the spoon to my mouth, and I hungrily swallow it down without chewing. We continue the process at a frenzied pace. Each bite that fills my stomach also feeds my brain, clearing some of the haze.

“Easy, or you’ll barf it right back up,” Thorne says as if she knows something about being truly hungry.

“So, you work for Pike?” I ask between