EXCERPT FROM BETRAYED - A romantic suspense novel | Page 9

BETRAYED

it was full of cotton balls.
“Sherry,” I pleaded. My voice sounded dry and raspy. “Get
me out of here. I want to go home.”
Silence.
I became aware of a pain between my legs. It was only a dull
ache at first, but one that increased as I became more alert
until, finally, it hurt more than the time I fell on the edge of a
wooden milk crate in kindergarten. Mama had taken me to the
doctor back then and he told her my vagina was bruised. I
remembered giggling through the pain because that word
sounded funny.
Without warning, the tears welled in my eyes rolled down
my cheeks and left damp tracks in their wake.
I couldn’t understand why my mind was so fuzzy.
“Sherry?”
She fixed me with a malicious stare. Not a word. The aura in
this strange room chilled me more than a winter wind blowing
off Lake Michigan.
“Sh-Sherry, you’re frightening me.”
She moved her face very close to mine. Hot puffs of breath
peppered my cheek. “You’re a real pain in the ass, Pavlova. Quit
bawling and drink this damn juice. Know why you’re here?
Because Tommy Boy and I kidnapped you, that’s why.”
~~~~

As though from a distance, a goofy hee-haw kind of laugh
sliced through my confusion, followed by, “Here’s what I think,
Sher. I think that horny old goat is gonna just love our sweet
little ballerina.”
That laugh. I recognized it instantly. Sherry’s boyfriend
Tommy was in the room, too. “Yep. Just like I told you, the cops
will think this sweet little thing ran away.”
I tried to focus on Sherry, but her face now appeared to be
covered by a chiffon veil. Her voice drifted farther and farther
away, “Yeah, if we’re lucky. I’m keepin’ my fingers crossed!”

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