PROTECT THE QUEEN

THE NEXT DAY,

Ashley stumbled through the dense underbrush, her body aching with every step. She winced as she touched the makeshift bandage on her back, feeling the rough fabric against her skin. The forest around them was thick and oppressive, the trees towering above like silent sentinels guarding their secrets. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves, and the only sounds were the rustling of the underbrush and the distant chirping of birds.

Jake walked beside her, his eyes scanning the trees for any sign of danger. She could see the concern etched on his face, his eyes flickering back to her every few seconds. "How are you holding up?" he asked, his voice low and gentle.

Ashley shrugged, trying to hide the pain in her voice. "I've been better," she muttered, gritting her teeth as she stumbled over a root. "But I'll live."

Chris and Xander walked ahead, their bodies tense and alert. They were both armed, their guns at the ready, and Ashley couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. She was defenseless, wounded, and completely at their mercy. It was a humbling experience, and one that she wasn't sure she was ready for.

As they walked, Chris used the sun to navigate their way, his eyes scanning the sky for any sign of direction. "We're heading due north," he said, pointing towards the horizon. "If we keep going, we should hit the road in a few hours."

Ashley nodded, her eyes flickering to the trees around them. "Let's hope we don't run into any trouble before then," she muttered.

Xander turned to her, a look of concern on his face. "Are you sure you're okay, Queen?" he asked, his voice soft.

Ashley bristled at the nickname. "I'm fine," she snapped, her eyes flashing. "And you are not allowed to call me that."

Xander held up his hands in surrender, a wry smile on his lips. "Sorry, sorry," he said, his voice light. "Just trying to keep the mood up, you know?"

Ashley rolled her eyes but couldn't help but feel a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. These were her people, her team, and no matter what happened, they would always have her back. With a deep breath, she pushed aside the pain and focused on finding their way out of the forest. They had a long way to go, but with each step, they were one step closer to safety.

***

Melody's hands were still tightly bound to the chair. She had given up struggling against the ropes hours ago, knowing it was futile. Shane entered the room holding a piece of toasted bread. He tried to feed her, but she refused, clenching her teeth and spitting at him.

Shane growled in anger, "You think you're better than me, don't you? Too good to eat what I give you?"

Melody replied, "You're disgusting. I'll never eat anything from you."

Shane's anger flared up, "You're going to eat it, whether you like it or not. I'll make sure of it."

Melody remained defiant, "I'd rather starve than eat anything from you."

Shane dropped the food on the nightstand and jumped on the bed, pressing his phone while he watched her with side eyes.

"Don't be scared," he said. "I'll be with you at all times. We just need to wait for the clients. They're not going to hurt you. They just want to fuck you. That's all."

Melody's eyes widened in horror, "What?! No, please, I don't want to do this. Please, let me go."

Shane just laughed, "It's too late for that now. You should've thought about that before you got yourself into this mess."

The sound of the doorbell made Shane jump down from the bed with joy, and he exited the room to go open the front door of the apartment.

Melody was left alone with her thoughts, wondering what would happen to her. She heard the voices of two men in the living room, and her heart sank. These were the clients Shane had been waiting for. She heard them talk with Shane, promising to send the money he had requested to his account after they saw the girl.

Shane dragged Melody out of the bedroom with a smile on his face, while her hands were still tied behind her back. She was made to sit on the couch in between the two men.

One of the men asked, "Is she willing, Shane?"

Shane glared at Melody and said, "Tell them that you're doing it of your own free will, or else you'll regret it."

Melody reluctantly agreed, "Yes, I'm doing it of my own free will."

The men stared at her with cold eyes, and one of them said, "Good, then let's get started."

Melody started to panic, "Wait, please, I don't want to do this. I was kidnapped, I-I didn't have a choice."

The other man sneered, "Save it, honey. We've heard it all before. You're just another whore who thinks she's too good for this."

Melody started to cry, "Please, I have a family, I have people who care about me. Please, don't do this."

The men just laughed, and one of them grabbed her by the hair and untie the ropes from her hands, "Relax, sweetheart. It's not like we're going to kill you or anything. We just want to have some fun."

Melody felt sick to her stomach, knowing what was about to happen. She closed her eyes and prayed for it to be over soon.

The men started to undress her, and Melody knew that her life would never be the same again.

The men grinned, and one of them reached out to touch Melody's average-sized boobs. "She's hot," he said, his voice dripping with lust. The other man moved behind Melody, and she felt his breath on her neck.

"Get on your knees," he said, pulling her away from the couch. Melody knew what was coming next. She swallowed hard and got on her knees, her heart pounding in her chest.