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Nora regained consciousness, her head hurting. She wondered where she was, and why she couldn't see anything but blackness.
She let out a whimper. It all came flooding back to her. Oh, God! She'd been in the arena parking lot, alone as she'd been stowing her bags into her and Jay's rental car. Amy had asked her to wait for her, but stubbornly, stupidly, she'd said no. Told her friend she'd just be a minute and be right back.
What a fool she'd been to wander anywhere by herself while he was free out there. He'd grabbed her out in the pretty much deserted parking lot - just as she'd turned away from the car. One of his large hands clamped down over her mouth as he'd grabbed her around the waist. He'd also clubbed her pretty hard over the head with his meaty fist - and all had gone black.
From the bumpy movements and the telltale sounds, it was obvious that she was in a car. She could also tell she was lying on the floor in the backseat, as she kept bumping up against the back of the front seat every time the vehicle stopped. Her wrists and ankles were bound and there was a blindfold shielding her eyes. But worst of all, there was a gag over her mouth. She couldn't scream or shout. She couldn't do *anything*.
A million thoughts began whizzing through Nora's head. Maybe she could reason with him. After all, Paul had been her boyfriend at one time.
'But he was abusive and sick!' she reminded herself. He'd *raped* her. Maybe he would untie and ungag her when they reached whatever destination he had in mind - and then she could run away or scream for help. No - scream 'fire,' because people would only come running for *that*. She was a pro-wrestler... Maybe she could even fight him off. 'No, that won't work,' the brunette thought with despair. He may not have been wrestling for three years, but he was still a big man, and three times stronger than her. What was she going to do?
Jay... Her husband would find her and rescue her. He *had* to... He, Adam and Amy, Kurt and Stephanie and Shane and Torrie would find her. They were her most beloved friends, her family. They *had* to. Jay had saved her once, three years ago - it would happen again.
She kept telling herself this, thinking it in a mantra in her head until she could feel tears coming. God, she couldn't cry now - she could choke on the gag in her mouth! Abruptly, she forced herself to stop. She needed to pull herself together at a time like this, needed her wits.
*
"*Where* is my wife?!!"
Jay was beginning to get quite loud in his hysteria, and he felt slightly dizzy, and as though he might throw up.
"Oh, God!" Amy exclaimed with horror, her hazel eyes brimming with unshed tears. She knew Nora should have waited for her.
"Jay, calm down," Adam said, his hand that wasn't gripping his wife's outstretched toward him in an appeasing manner. "We don't yet know that she's actually missing."
"Bullshit!" the short-haired blond man shouted, and the taller of the two flinched ever so slightly, even though he knew his best friend's anger was not directed at *him*.
"Okay, here come Steph and Torrie..." Kurt said. As they neared the rest of them, he could see the answer in their eyes. Accompanied by security, the two divas had searched the women's restrooms and locker room for Nora.
The brunette looked up at each of the three who'd waited here for her and Torrie, and almost sheepish look on her face. Slowly, she shook her head.
"We couldn't find her anywhere."
"Shit!" Jay yelled. He felt as though his entire world were collapsing. His wife was gone - and he *knew* Paul Levesque had taken her. In all of his fury, not only at the situation but at *himself* as well, he blindly swung out and smashed his fist into the wall - and he howled in pain, doubling over afterward.
Torrie began to cry again, soft whimpers escaping her. Amy was damn near spilling the tears that were still in her eyes. The only woman who'd managed to remain completely dry-eyed was Stephanie.
"Jay..." Adam had knelt down at his best friend's side, one hand on the other man's shoulder. "It's gonna be okay. We're going to find her - I swear it."
The shorter blond man met his friend's eyes, anguish in his face. A few seconds later, Amy was kneeling beside her husband. A couple of tears finally spilled down the redhead's cheeks as she spoke.
"Adam is right..." She winced. "But Jay, I think you need to see a doctor - I-I think you've
broken your hand."