"Today I'm going to teach you how things work in the Crowe Tribe!"
The man yanked the belt from his waist and brought it down across my body, again and again.
Every strike sent tremors through me. My chest still throbbed from being thrown to the ground earlier, each breath shallow and ragged, my body so weak I couldn't even form words.
"Barrett, take it easy. Don't kill her."
"Yeah, we paid the trafficker half a pound of gold for this one."
Their conversation hit me like ice water, and my mind snapped to Jeanette's boyfriend.
When I'd gotten into the car, I'd heard him on the phone the entire time, telling whoever was on the other end that he'd deliver the goods on schedule.
The goods. He'd been talking about me.
I never imagined my cousin had gotten involved with someone like that.
I didn't even know if Jeanette herself was okay.
"If you don't believe me, call Declan and ask him. I have photos of us together on my phone..."
From the way they talked, I could tell Declan held real weight in their world. If I could just prove our relationship, they'd have to let me go.
But before I could finish my sentence, another hand cracked across my face.