âLook, our lives are in your hands. How could I not be scared of you?â Balfourâs voice was calm, so devoid of emotion that it seemed like a dare to the thugs holding them captive.
Were they being played?
His words spoke of fear, but his face didnât show a hint of it!
âHeh, I underestimated you. Even in this mess, youâre plotting to whisk away your little girlfriend? Do you think weâre some run-of-the-mill kidnappers? Let me tell you, each of my brothers here has blood on their hands.â
The boss didnât finish his sentence before Victoria started to sob, fear washing over her face, making Balfour stare in her direction.
âAh, so there is something you fear, eh? You really care about your girl, donât you? I canât blame you. If I had a beauty like her, I wouldnât want her in the hands of rough men like us either, right?â
Balfourâs face finally changed at the mention of Victoria. âYou promised us before, no harm would come our way. We need to be safe for you to get the rest of the money.â
But Balfourâs words seemed to provoke the man, who, quick as a flash, swung a heavy blow with a baseball bat onto Balfourâs back.
âArgh!â
Balfour fell to the ground, and before he could get up, the bat came down on him again and again.
Another guy took this opportunity to remove Victoriaâs blindfold, forcing her to see what Balfour was enduring, a stark warning against any thoughts of escape.
âStop, stop it! You havenât got the ransom yet. Do you want to kill him?â Victoria shouted.
Balfourâs lips were bloody as he lay on the ground, his gaze struggling to find Victoria.
Tears streamed down Victoriaâs face, her mind racing with the terror of the situation. She should be at home, resting with her family, not here in this nightmare.
âPlease, no more,â she gasped between sobs.
The boss seemed satisfied with his work, tossing the bloodied bat aside. He squatted in front of Balfour, yanking his head up without mercy.
âKid, you think youâre tough? Still wanna challenge me? Remember, this is just a small lesson. If you get any more escape ideas, it wonât be you who suffers next time. Your girl doesnât look as sturdy as you. I wonder if she can take a beating⦠or maybe my boys will take care of her, save her from physical harm, you know?â
âAbsolutely not! You canât do that!â
Balfour tried to struggle but was firmly held down.
Victoria shivered in silence, terrified she might end up as the thugs had threatened.
âHow could you not keep your promises? I take it youâre a man of principle, big guy!â
Hearing Balfourâs comment, a sardonic smile spread across the bossâs face.
âYouâve got some sense, kid. Alright, until I say otherwise, your girl is safe. But donât you two try any funny business, got it? You survived my first round of roughing you up, but you might not be so lucky next time. If you donât want to end up crippled, stay put.â
With his warning issued, he discarded Balfour on the floor like trash, signaling his men to leave without looking back. One of the men cleaned up the mess, disposing of the bloodied baseball bat.
Only when the door slammed shut did Victoria dare to move, crawling over to Balfour, tears mixing with dust on her cheeks.