Captive Read online

  Captive

  Greyson Cooper is exactly where she wants to be in life when she sets out on a section hike of the Appalachian Trail. When she’s abducted and placed into slavery in a fight club, she isn’t about to be a part of their barbaric plan and does everything she can to upset the ranks, even if it costs her her life.

  Olivia Danner has worked hard for everything she has. All that’s left is her dream job and someone to share her life with. But her plans are cut short when a man who wants her as his personal prize kidnaps her.

  Together in captivity, Olivia and Greyson become players in a game of deceit and violence. To survive and escape, they will have to figure out whom they can trust. If they can get out alive, the next challenge will be forging a path to lasting love.

  Captive

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  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

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  Captive

  © 2018 By Donna K. Ford. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13:978-1-63555-216-4

  This Electronic Book is published by

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Edition: August 2018

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editor: Ruth Sternglantz

  Production Design: Stacia Seaman

  Cover Design By Melody Pond

  By the Author

  Healing Hearts

  No Boundaries

  Love’s Redemption

  Unbroken

  Captive

  Acknowledgments

  In the past few years, human trafficking has gained much-needed public attention, but we are far from where we need to be. According to FBI.org, human trafficking/involuntary servitude is believed to be the third largest criminal activity in the world. It includes forced labor, domestic servitude, and commercial sex trafficking. This trade does not discriminate; it includes US citizens and foreigners alike and has no demographic restrictions. The individuals held captive in these organizations are often held in unsanitary and inhumane conditions and forced to work for little or no pay. They are coerced into captivity through the promise of a paying job that will support a starving family, threatened with the lives of those they love, and stripped of their identities and all ties that give them hope of freedom. But the problem goes even further. There are laws in the United States that allow businesses to “employ” those with physical and mental disabilities for less than minimum wage. Daily, migrant workers are required to work long hours doing demanding physical labor only to be underpaid, and they are often the victims of assault and robbery, stripped of their hard-earned wages. We have a long way to go as a society before we can rid the world of these crimes against humanity.

  Writing Captive was my way of shedding light on the underworld where human beings continue to be bought and sold for the pleasure and financial gain of others. It is my hope that we will all be a little more attentive to the things around us and alert authorities when we see evidence of these crimes.

  Each character I created in this book represented a real person, not someone I know, but those I know exist out there in the underworld. In a romance we are given the certainty of a happy ending, but for the real victims there is little hope. We are heading in the right direction, but there is much left to do if we are going to put an end to these crimes.

  If you or someone you know is the victim of human trafficking or if you have information about a potential trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888.

  I want to offer a special thank you to all those engaged in the war against human trafficking. Please join us in this fight. To quote John F. Kennedy, “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.”

  For Keah, my true north.

  Chapter One

  Breaking News

  Authorities have just confirmed the discovery of the remains of at least four unidentified women in an abandoned strip mine in Tennessee. Reports indicate the sheriff has requested assistance from the FBI as the deaths are now suspected to be the work of a serial killer.

  The Recruiter watched the woman from the safety of his car as she passed on her third circuit around the park. He chewed his lip trying to separate one problem from the other. The dump site had been compromised, and he didn’t want to think about the shit that could open up for him. At least he had time to figure out a new dump site and a way to clean up so there would be no leaks. It would be months, maybe even years, if ever, before the authorities figured out what they were really dealing with was way more important than some pathetic little serial killer.

  He sighed, bringing his focus back to his target. He was lucky he had stumbled upon her when he did. He had received the order from the Employer weeks ago and resorted to searching area gyms looking for just the right woman to fill the order. This wasn’t his usual hunting ground, it was risky, but he hadn’t had any luck in his usual territory. He didn’t like hunting in the general population, but this order was special. He studied the woman as she stopped in the middle of her run to do push-ups. She wouldn’t have been his personal choice, but he had to admit the package was nice. The moment he saw her he knew she was the one.

  He sucked his teeth as he glanced at the list and back to the woman. He guessed her to be just under six feet tall, so the height was right. Her black hair and dark features were a nice touch too, although not his personal preference. He got out of the car and began a casual stroll around the track to get a closer look at the goods. The woman stopped at a pavilion, where she used the rafters to do pull-ups. Her bare shoulder muscles bulged and rippled beneath the thin straps of her tank top as she pumped her body up and down in a controlled motion. She crossed her legs at the ankles and lifted her feet in front of her body each time her chin was even with her hands.

  He stopped a few feet away, pretending to tie his shoe. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself, but he needed to be sure of his choice before he contacted the Employer.

  She barely glanced at him as he passed, and he nodded hello. As expected she continued her workout seemingly unaware of him. His heart raced with excitement. She was the one. She fit the profile perfectly. He had found his prey and he could taste the anticipation of the chase coating his tongue like chilled whiskey.

  He smirked and reveled in his good fortune. The Employer would be pleased with his choice, and he liked it when his clients were pleased. If he could get the woman on board and ready before the big event, he would have a hefty bonus in his pocket. He slid back into his car with a troubled sigh. There was only one catch. This one was not his usual prey. She wasn’t just a girl off the streets or an immigrant looking for work. He would have to come up with a plan to snare this one without drawing too much attention. With the discovery of the dump site, he couldn’t risk any more mistakes that could jeopardize the operation. He rubbed his finger and thumb across the stubble on his chin. This was the part he liked the most, playing the game. He raised his camera and snapped off a few frames. He would give the Employer a little taste to sweeten the deal. He would worry about the details later.

  He watched the woman gather her bag and toss her towel over her le
ft shoulder. When she reached her car, he noted the make and model of the old Jeep Scrambler and scratched down the license plate before pulling out of his space to circle the park. She would be easy to follow in such an uncommon vehicle, and she wouldn’t notice him if he casually pulled in behind her on the way out. He grinned, pleased with himself.

  He could make a call to a trusted friend to trace her car and have her address before morning, or he could simply follow her home. He decided to follow her—the fewer people who knew about her, the better. As planned, she drove past him as he circled the picnic area. He licked his lips and pulled out behind her. He ran his hand over his crotch, the excitement of the chase making him hard.

  He smiled. “I’ll find a way. You’ll see. I always find a way. Soon you’ll be mine.”

  * * *

  Greyson settled back into her seat with a smug grin as her cell began to ring. It was barely noon and she had only been out of the office for a day and a half, and the boys were already calling. She tried to guess which one of her office buddies had caved first. Would it be Scott, the one she lovingly referred to as her shadow, or would it be Daren, the constant voice of doom? Privately she referred to the two of them as Piss and Moan, although she couldn’t decide which one was which.

  At the last minute, she answered on the chance it could actually be her boss calling. “Hello, Greyson Cooper speaking.”

  “Oh, thank God, Greyson, please tell me you’ve reconsidered this ridiculous vacation.”

  Greyson rolled her eyes. “What is it, Daren?”

  “You can’t just leave us hanging like this. There’s too much to do on this project. We’ll never get the new trails in on time without you. It’ll be a complete disaster if we don’t manage to save that wetland and those beavers are not going to be easy to deal with and…well, Scott is already freaking out. He’s been walking around all morning muttering to himself, What would Cooper do?”

  Greyson chuckled. “Calm down. It can’t be that bad. I’ve only been gone a day and my vacation doesn’t even start until tomorrow. Stop panicking. The plans are all there—all you have to do is implement them. Land management and conservation is what we do. We’ve worked together on this for months. This is nothing new. Trust yourself. You know what to do.”

  She heard him whine. Oh God, he wasn’t going to cry, was he?

  “Come on, Greyson. Can’t you just shorten your trip by a couple of weeks, or postpone it until after the project is finished?”

  “No. Absolutely not. I’m hiking the leg of the Appalachian Trail from Damascus to Georgia this summer, and I’m not going to let anything get in my way. You won’t even notice I’m gone.”

  “Yeah, right. I can’t believe we won’t even be able to call you. That’s abandonment, you know.”

  “You’re a big boy. I trust you to handle it.”

  “Cooper,” Daren whined.

  “Got to go, Daren. See you when I get back.” Greyson disconnected, laughing. She finished her glass of tea and dropped a tip on the table. Two whole months of no phones, no office walls, and no bickering coworkers. She couldn’t wait to be surrounded by trees and birds and all things wild. She could almost imagine the smell of damp earth, trees, and honeysuckle. She looked up at the sound of a mockingbird as she stood to leave.

  “Oomph.”

  Someone grunted as Greyson registered a soft body slam into her. Instinctively she wrapped her arm around the woman who had just bounced off her, pulling her close reflexively to prevent the woman’s fall.

  The woman shrieked as ice-cold liquid soaked them both. The front of the woman’s dress was covered with a wet brown stain, and the cold liquid was slowly seeping into her shoes. She pushed away from Greyson and held her hands out in front of her as she stared down at the disaster.

  “I’m so sorry,” Greyson said. “I guess I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

  “Obviously,” the woman snapped.

  Greyson already felt terrible about ruining the woman’s dress, and the admonishment stung. Her instinct was to quip back, but her retort died on her tongue the moment the woman looked up at her. Greyson expected her eyes to be blue, but they were brown, the color of rich chocolate and honey. They were the perfect complement to her golden blond hair. Something warm began to grow in Greyson’s belly, and the heat was beginning to spread through her like a wildfire across a summer field.

  Greyson smiled. “I really am sorry.”

  “Well, you should be. I was on my way to an interview and now I’m going to be late, thanks to you.”

  Greyson had no idea what to do next, so she dropped her bag and rifled through it until she found her gym towel. “Here, let me help you,” she said as she began cleaning the woman’s hands and forearms.

  The woman pulled back and smacked at Greyson’s hands. “No. Stop. I can do it,” she said, snatching the towel from Greyson.

  Greyson fumbled for words. “Don’t worry, it’s clean. I was just on my way to the gym.”

  “I’m sure it is, but you could use it yourself.” She pointed to Greyson’s shirt.

  Greyson looked down at her chocolate-stained shirt and laughed. “I guess we should both be happy that was iced coffee.”

  “So you think this is funny. You’ve ruined everything,” the woman said, raising her voice. People turned to look at them, making Greyson feel even worse.

  Greyson felt terrible, but what could she do? It wasn’t like she had meant for this to happen. “Look, you’re the one who ran into me, and I said I’m sorry. What do I have to do, buy you another coffee or maybe a new dress?”

  The woman scoffed. “I hardly think that would change anything. I need this job. I can’t show up like this. Who wants to hire someone that can’t even show up for an interview on time?”

  “I’m sure they’ll understand…”

  The woman groaned and stomped her foot, her frustration escalating. Greyson wasn’t sure if she was about to cry or scream.

  “This isn’t helping at all.” The woman pushed the towel into Greyson’s hand. She turned away from Greyson and went back inside the coffee shop. Greyson watched her through the windows as she pushed her way into the bathroom.

  “Some people,” Greyson muttered, shaking her head. She understood the woman was upset, but there was no reason to be so rude.

  * * *

  Olivia closed the bathroom door, pressed her back against it, and let out a deep breath. Her head was spinning and her skin tingled as if she had been standing near an electrical current. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself. How could this be happening? She had to land this job. She couldn’t bear the thought of moving back home with her parents. This was her big break and now everything was ruined.

  She rushed to the sink to get some of the sticky mixture of chocolate, sugar, and coffee off her skin and try to make herself as presentable as possible. She grabbed a handful of towels and wiped at her neck and cheeks and even washed the mess off her feet, but her dress was a total disaster and couldn’t be salvaged. There was no way to get the ugly brown stain out of the pale yellow fabric. She groaned in frustration and threw the paper towels in the trash.

  She fumed as she took one last look at the mess that was her dress. At least that clumsy woman was in the same mess—her shirt had been ruined too, although Olivia doubted it bothered her much. How could she have been so careless? Some people thought they were the only ones in the world who mattered.

  Olivia cringed. This was pointless. There was no way she could get the stain out, and it was too late to go back to her apartment and still make it to the interview. She sighed. She would just have to go like this. Getting this job was the only way she would be able to stay in Knoxville. She needed a rescue if she was going to salvage this day.

  Olivia came to a halt a few feet away from the table where the woman responsible for this terrible mess sat waiting on the patio. Oh no, not her again. Why was this woman still here? The woman stood and smiled as she approache
d. There was no way to avoid her. “What do you want now?”

  “Look, I know you’re in a hurry, but I thought this might make things a little better for you.” She handed Olivia a small paper bag.

  Olivia frowned. “What’s this?”

  The woman shrugged. “Good luck with your interview. I hope you aren’t as rude to them as you were with me.”

  Olivia’s mouth fell open. She didn’t know what to say. Olivia looked into the bag and was shocked to see she had bought her a new dress from the boutique next door.

  “Well, are you going to try it on?”

  Olivia was suddenly embarrassed. Perhaps she had been a little harsh. She nodded. “Yes. Thank you.” She hesitated. “Look, I know I’ve been terrible to you. I shouldn’t have. This wasn’t all your fault. After I get through with this interview, would you like to meet me back here? I feel like I need to make things up to you. I promise to be nice this time.”

  The woman smiled. “I’d like that.”

  Olivia smiled back, feeling heat warm her cheeks. “Good. I shouldn’t be more than an hour. Is that okay?”

  “I’ll be here.”

  Olivia lifted the bag. “I better try this.” She went back into the bathroom to try on the dress. She might just make the interview if she’d hurry.

  She slipped into the dress, delighting at the feel of silk gliding across her skin. It was a knee-length sundress. The burnt-red shoulder straps draped across her shoulders allowing the fabric to lie naturally against the curves of her body as the color slowly blended into a rich blue at the bottom. The dress was beautiful and the fit was perfect. At least the woman had good taste. Maybe this wasn’t the disaster she had thought it was.