Racing Heart/Chapter 5

***Spoiler warning:** Spoilers ahead. Proceed at your own discretion.*

## Overview

Claudia was stroking Teddy’s head calmly. She ran her hand through his thick dappled fur and admired the sleekness of his coat.

She was completely lost in her own thoughts despite the dire situation at hand.

But her thoughts were interrupted by the hotel room shattering, and a huge body climbing through the window, followed by a smaller one. She was so startled she barely had time to register what was going on.

Brock and Zachary.

Kato’s lead fuckers.

Teddy positioned himself in front of Claudia protectively. “Don't come any closer!” She warned, trying to put on a brave face.

“So you’re the bitch Kato was raving about,” Brock began, his voice deep and low. “He’s been looking for you,” He chuckled, stepping closer.

Teddy let out a threatening growl as he did so, at which Brock laughed. “Your little furball can’t protect you now,” he sneered. “Kato wants the heroin, and he wants it now. So tell us where it is.”

“Never!” Claudia snarled.

A moment passed, and Brock snapped his fingers, and Zachary sped over, swift as a snake, and slid a muzzle on Teddy in the blink of an eye. Teddy thrashed his head, trying to get the muzzle off as he secured it.

“No!” Claudia screamed. “Leave him alone!”

“You had your chance, girlie,” Brock said. “The location of the heroin. Now,” He huffed.

Claudia was defiant as ever. “Fuck you!”

About fed up, Brock trudged over and grabbed her by the arms, hoisting her up and slamming her onto the floor at the foot of the bed. “Get off me! Teddy!” Claudia screeched.

The Australian Shepherd clawed fruitlessly at the muzzle, but to no avail, as Brock handcuffed Claudia to the bedpost.

Claudia struggled furiously. “Let me go!”

“We want that heroin, and we want it now,” Zachary growled.

“Sorry, my lips are sealed,” she remarked sheepishly.

Instead, Brock pulled out his phone and called someone. Claudia soon recognized the caller ID as Jeremy, her beloved boyfriend.

“Jeremy! Hel-“ Claudia’s screams were cut off as Brock clamped his hand over her mouth, muffling her protests.

“Claudia?!” He yelled back into the phone, sounding alarmed. “What have they done to you? Are you alright?”

“Your precious girlfriend is safe in our hands,” Brock snickered back.

I could hear Jeremy growl into the phone. “Let her go.”

“If you give us the heroin. And $200,” he hissed back.

I pulled in my restraints. They were going to make him pay too?! All for her?

“We couldn’t give less a shit about Kato,” Zachary scoffed. “I’m sick of doing all his dirty work.”

“What the fuck—“ I spat, but was cut short.

I heard Jeremy breathe heavily into the phone. “Two hundred bucks? Dude, you gotta be joking-“

Brock shot me a threatening look. “No. We’re leaving Kato’s gang. We need a payday if we’re going to fend for ourselves, and this is just the opportunity,” he said. He walked over to me and knelt down, clamping his hand over my mouth, making me scream muffled protests. “If you ever want to see your girlfriend again, that is.”

Brock removed his hand from my mouth. “Jeremy, just give him the heroin. All this pandamonium over drugs? Are you guys still in highschool or what?” I snapped.

“Anything to keep Claudia safe,” Jeremy told Brock.

“Glad to hear it,” Brock growled, getting up.

“Claudia, I love you and I’ll be there in a bit, stay safe baby,” were his last words before Brock hung up the phone again.