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“No ‘or,’ baby, you’re coming home with me.” I slipped my hand down and under her wrap and cupped her ass firmly. I knew from experience that many women wouldn’t put up with my shit. I needed to control, plain and simple. I was stubborn, but I expected discipline from myself, and right then I knew that control was about to slip.
    “Is that so?” She started to rotate her hips as she ground into my erection. Both my hands squeezed her firmly, and I pressed her into me. Her head flopped to my chest as she let out a needy sigh.
    “Seth,” she barely whispered as her hands ran along my back. Her hair slid off one shoulder, and I dropped my lips to her cool, salty skin. I inched a hand underneath her bottom and ran my fingers over her smooth flesh.
    Suddenly it hit me what I was about to do. I froze. I couldn’t, not if—
    With a sigh, she pulled back. “I’ll see you later, Seth.” I could see the frustration on her face that mirrored my own. I wanted her so badly, but I knew I couldn’t. Not yet. Not while—
     
    “Seth.” Garrett nudged my arm. “Where’s your phone charger?”
    Fuck. I opened my eyes to my hell and shifted off the couch.
    ***
    Day 3 In The Basement
     

Emily
     
    I ran as fast as I could down the field, and the ball traveled between my cleats.
    “Go, Emily!” Dad shouted from the sidelines. He waved his arms like mad and cheered me on. I faked left and went right around the other team’s defenseman. I waited to see where the goalie thought I might make my move and kicked in the opposite direction. I sent the soccer ball to the far left upper corner of the net.
    A loud roar swept through the crowd, and three of my teammates high-fived me as I turned to see my dad fist pump the air. I glanced over his shoulder to see my mother once again on her phone. She looked angry and flushed. She had completely missed it. Soccer was not a sport I was good at, and that was probably one of the few times I’d score a goal. I shook my head and went back to center field.
     
    “Ouch,” I whimpered as I came to again. “Ah, my head.” I opened my eyes, and the basement came into focus. “Oh no.” I started to sob. “Please, Seth. Get me out of this hell!”
    Footsteps above me commanded my attention. I suddenly stopped, got a hold of myself, and tried to listen.
    I heard a knock at the door and another man’s voice. He sounded upset. The two yelled at each other for a few minutes. I could only make out the name Julia. The rest was muffled.
    The drug Lasko had given me made me feel sick. The dog’s ears perked up, which in turn made me jump. He started a deep-throated growl, and he sprang to his feet and ran past me up the stairs. I looked over toward the computer. Where a man stared at me from behind big green glasses.
    ***

Seth
     
    I heard Crew yell out. I flew out the bedroom door and came over to the couch. “She must have heard something, because she’s looking at the ceiling.” Crew pointed to the replay with his index finger. “She follows something on the ceiling with her eyes. I’m thinking Lasko is walking around. The dog ran up the stairs. See, watch her head tilt.” He tapped the monitor to get Emily’s attention. “Is something happening?” he mouthed.
    I looked around and found a note pad. “Hand me that marker.” Crew watched as I wrote, “Is there someone upstairs?” I held it up in front of my chest to show it to her.
    She squinted to see the paper. She nodded.
    He flipped to another page and wrote, “Can you make out what they’re saying?”
    She listened again and shook her head.
    Okay, umm.
    “Ask her if she can see outside,” Crew ordered as he clicked away on his laptop.
    I held up the paper, and Emily looked around and shook her head again. Then something caught her eyes and they widened. She pointed with her chin toward the stairs.
    I held up the paper again. “Is someone coming?”
    She frantically nodded.
    Fuck.
    A moment later, Lasko came into