Bright headlights illuminated the ongoing road, sunset was slowly creeping in by the time they pulled up outside of an archaic mansion.
"Get out and follow me." The driver growled, subtly reminding me he also had a gun.
I lifted Everly into my arms and she rested her chin on my shoulder.
Armed guards lined either side of the driveway and gave empty stares into the distance. My eyes flicked over the rifles positioned on their chests and I hugged Everly closer to me.
She didn't need to be dragged into this.
The SUV driver banged his fist on the door and a young chambermaid opened it. Several German shepherds sat perfectly still, their leashes tied to hooks on the walls. As we walked past they snarled, baring their teeth and spluttering saliva.
I think dogs could smell fear.
"Momma?" Everly whimpered, her little hands clutching around my neck with a death grip.
The security got heavier, that's how I knew I was close. SUV guy opened a tall door and shoved me inside, I stumbled onto the vintage rug and struggled to find my feet.
Hendrix was standing with his back to me, his shirt clinging to all of his muscles. The golden sunlight disguised him as an angel, making him glow. He had an arm raised above his head, leaning against the window and in his other hand he held a glass of port. Although he knew I was there in the room with him, he didn't rush himself to look at me.
"I see you've failed to meet another one of our deadlines Ms Barnes." Slowly, he shifted his head in my direction and I swallowed.
Those ocean coloured eyes, somewhat caught between blue and green peered at me in this chilling way.
"Hendrix, look, I swear I'm trying to get the money together. I just need more time." His finger stroked over his light stubble, backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards.
"Here's what's going to happen," he placed his glass of port down on his desk and leaned his body weight down on his knuckles, "you're going to pay me what you owe. I'll give you a month, if I don't receive back every last dime I'll take your child as collateral."
"No. Hendrix, no." He stepped closer to me and I took small steps backwards. Hendrix ignored that, he leaned forward and stuck his nose into my child's hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo.
"Momma." Everly cried, trying to get away from him. Hendrix took a deep breath in and then looked sickerly satisfied with what he smelt.
"I'll take away your child, remove her from the picture entirely and as for you..."
He roughly grabbed my pussy through my jeans and I flinched but ultimately just stood there because I had the heavy weight of my child in my arms and I didn't want to further alarm her.
"I'll take ownership of this body. You will be completely mine Mildred to fuck and flog whenever I like." He backed away from me and sat on the edge of his desk, "You have a month."
A month to find half a million dollars, it was impossible. He knew that. But what choice did I have? He had put Everly on the table now and I couldn't let anything happen to her.
If I ran, he'd find us.
If I told someone, he'd kill them.
This man frightened me to my very core.
"See her out!" He yelled, making my shoulders shudder. The door opened once more and the SUV driver guy grabbed my arm, dragging me back the way we came.
My own car was parked up outside the mansion, the engine grumbling into the quiet of night. I practically raced towards it and threw Everly into her car seat, desperate to get away from here.
