Things I learned while being held captive/kidnapped/tortured or otherwise inconvenienced due to my intimacy with a thorn in the side of my biological sperm donor's bestest friends ever:

My smart mouth increases exponentially with the amount of alcohol consumed and the amount of inconvenience I'm put in, regardless of how much discomfort or pain I'm handed or doled out in consequence of it.

I have a higher threshold for pain than I'd ever thought possible.

I do not have a high enough threshold for apathy for Carrie's pain, however.

I don't have a poker face when it comes to my lack of apathy for Carrie's pain, which leads to Carrie experiencing more pain due to my lack of filter and higher than usual smart ass comments.

While I had more than enough bruises and I'd spit blood out of my poor abused mouth more times than I cared to count, hearing Carrie's whimpers, groans, and holy shit don't make me relive the screams was enough to make me dry heave.

"At least you don't have anything in you to make a mess this time," Alex taunted as he nodded at whichever asshole was assaulting Carrie in his stead. "Now, I know you have SOME way to get in touch with them, Charlotte, so tell me. How do you contact Clay?"

"I fucking told you, you over dressed, pompous baboon's ass." I glared up at him, thinking this was another useless round of me telling him over and over the same fucking thing. "I text him, or call, but since whatever happened at Enzo's, the only thing I've gotten has been a fucking picture with one fucking word."

"This one," Matthew came up beside his twin and I was thankful that I KNEW they were twins and both existed or I'd have assumed I had brain damage from the dual images. He held up my cell phone, which he'd pilfered from my clutch, and showed me the photo that led Clay to my bed. I nodded. "Time stamped two days ago." He had the photo turned back to him and my glare grew when he swiped the screen.

"Hey, don't be a dick, you don't need to fucking swipe, that's the only picture that fucking matters to you and your merry henchmen." He snickered and showed Alex the screen. "Har har, yeah, laugh it up."

"I'd send this one to Walter, but I'm not sure his heart would take seeing his little girl in such an adult light," Matthew was looking at me in an altogether pervy look and I wanted to throw up again, but like his asshole brother mentioned, my tank was empty.

"My sperm donor hasn't looked at me as anything other than an inconvenience since the day my mother pooped me out," I yawned, feeling bored with the entire ordeal, and now that it was quiet since Carrie was getting a break from the assholes mauling exhaustion was setting in. "Send it, maybe then he can get over trying to give me the sex talk, seeing me and Clay in that position should tell him that I'm well versed." I smirked through bleary eyes and groaned when Alex fisted my hair again. "Damn it, hasn't anyone ever taught you how to treat a lady?"

He snorted in my face and I rolled my eyes. "I know precisely how to treat a lady, Charlotte. The issue here is that you're not a lady." He yanked my head back and I felt like my neck was going to snap off. "If we text him, will he only reply or will he visit?"

I was forced to face him, but I could shut my eyes to gather strength and try to pray to someone, anyone. As soon as my eyes fluttered shut, however, I heard another heart wrenching whimper from Carrie and Alex tugged on my hair again, making me think I would have some bald spots if I made it out of this alive. Actually I'd have them if I wasn't alive, but I probably wouldn't care as much in that event.

"He'll reply," I managed to choke out from the way he had my head pulled taut. He was staring down into my face with rapt interest, but I planned on giving him nothing more. No more hope for catching Clay and the others.

While Alex held me in his literal hand, I heard a sharp squeal come from Carrie and then her pleading. My throat burned as I felt bile rise and my eyes were aflame with the threat of tears. Fine, I thought, he wants the truth, I'll fucking give it to him.

"He'll come." I told him, staring him dead on and forcing my words out, past the burning and the lump of fear. "He's probably already searching this entire damn town. He was probably on his way before we even left for the evening." I smiled as Alex's nostrils flared and his eyes widened. "Clay has Davey and George's house bugged. I'd lay odds he has my cell phone, the one in Matthew's hand, tracked. He, and the entire team, are probably surrounding this fucking building right now listening and planning." I could almost hear it when he swallowed, the gulp made the taunting easier for me. "Who do you think they'll take down first? You, Matthew, or one of the minions?"