As soon as the man with the tree trunk arms pulls me outside, my sinuses are assaulted with the smell of burnt rubber. But it only lasts a second before someone else yanks a hood over my head. I’m lifted off the ground and someone else grabs my feet as I’m carried away. By the way my captors are bouncing, it feels as if we’re descending a staircase, which would make sense since the ballroom and terrace are on the third level of the hotel.

“If that’s you, fuck you, Benny!” I shout through the dark fabric as I continue kicking and fighting, making their job as difficult as possible. “Fuck you and your needle dick! Fuck! You!”

I’m determined to spout as many insults as I can before I’m knocked out with a needle in the neck or a fist in the face. But it doesn’t take long. As I’m tossed into the back of whatever vehicle they’re using to abduct me, the top of my head slams into something hard. Propelled by the full weight of my body, the force knocks me out in an instant.

I don’t know how long I’m out, but it can’t be long because I’m still bumping along in the back of — what is this, a van? My hands are now tied behind my back and the hood is still over my head, but it’s no longer covering my mouth, as if it’s been taken off and put back on poorly while I was unconscious.

“She’s breathing fine,” a man with a Russian accent insists. “Her head’s not even bleeding. You worry about yourself. Don’t worry about the girl.”

“Fuck you!” says another man’s muffled voice, but this one I recognize. It’s Dex. “My boss is going to make you all wish you were dead when he finds us.”

“Dex!” I shout.

“Kara!” he shouts back. “Don’t fight anymore. Just do whatever they say. Knox will find us.”

“I’m so sorry, Dex. I didn’t mean for this to happen to you.”

“Shut up, bitch!” the Russian roars, then he lands a hard kick in my back. “You should listen to him and don’t fight or talk. Save your voice for later when we all take turns fucking you.”

The food in my stomach shoots into my throat as my body floods with visceral terror. I try to hold it in, but I can’t. And I thank God the hood isn’t still covering my mouth as I vomit my steak and salad all over my shoulder and the floor.

“What the fuck!” the Russian shouts, stepping on my bad thigh as he tries to get around me.

I scream at the slicing pain in my hamstring and he laughs as he shoves my face in my vomit.

“Clean that up!” he commands, laughing as I sob and try to wrench my hands free from my restraints.

“She’s gonna aspirate!” Dex shouts. “Pick on someone your own size you piece of shit.”

I can’t see Dex, but he must be even more restrained than I am. Dex is at least 250 pounds of solid muscle. They probably had to drug him to subdue him.

The Russian pulls me up into a sitting position, making no attempt to make me comfortable as I cry from the pain in my leg. “You’re disgusting. Look at you. Almost as disgusting as your father.”

I swallow my pain and wipe the vomit off my mouth by swiping my lips across my shoulder. “My father would wipe the floor with you. You’re too dumb to gamble, so you get other people to do it for you. You’re pathetic.”

He lands an open-handed smack against my temple and I see bright flashes of color dancing before my eyes in the darkness of the hood.

“Kara, stop talking,” Dex begs me. “Don’t give them any reason to hurt you. Please.”

“Listen to your babysitter, Kara,” the Russian warns me as the vehicle comes to a stop. “We’re here. It’s showtime, baby.”

I fully expect to be removed from the van and led to the next location. Instead, I feel a sharp sting in my neck as I’m stuck with a needle. I gasp for breath as panic sets in. But it doesn’t last long before my muscles become cold and slack and I pass out again.