**Chapter 15: Entrapped**

As Jake's hand closed around my wrist, I felt a jolt of fear course through my veins like a shot of adrenaline. His grip was like a vice, unyielding and unrelenting, making my skin crawl with anxiety. I tried to pull away, but he held tight, his fingers digging deep into my skin like talons. Sarah's eyes widened in alarm as she stepped forward, her voice firm and authoritative. "Jake, let her go," she said, her tone brooking no argument, but laced with a hint of trepidation. But Jake just smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement, like a cat toying with a mouse. "I think Emily and I need to have a little chat," he said, his voice low and husky, sending shivers down my spine. His breath whispered against my ear, making my skin prickle with goosebumps. Sarah's face set in a determined expression, like a warrior ready for battle. "I'm not leaving you alone with her," she said, her voice firm, but a hint of uncertainty creeping into her tone. Jake's smile grew wider, his eyes sparkling with malice, like a dark and malevolent force. "Oh, I think you are," he said, his voice dripping with menace, making my heart skip a beat. He tugged on my wrist, pulling me towards him, and I stumbled, my feet scraping against the floor like ice on a frozen lake. As I struggled to regain my balance, Jake's arm wrapped around my waist, holding me tight, like a straitjacket. I felt a wave of panic wash over me, like a tsunami crashing against the shore. I was trapped, with no way to escape, like a bird in a gilded cage. Sarah's eyes flashed with anger, like a spark of electricity on a stormy night. "Let her go, Jake," she repeated, her voice rising, like a siren blaring in my ear. But Jake just chuckled, his breath hot against my ear, making my skin crawl with revulsion. "You don't want to play this game, Sarah," he said, his voice low and menacing, like a snake slithering through the grass. "Trust me, you don't want to get involved." As he spoke, he pulled me closer, his body pressed against mine, like a mold cast in my shape. I felt a wave of revulsion wash over me, like a cold shower on a winter morning. I was trapped, with no way to escape, like a prisoner in a cell. Sarah's face set in a fierce expression, like a warrior ready for battle. "I'm not backing down," she said, her voice firm, like a rock. But before she could intervene, Jake's phone buzzed, like a sudden interruption in a tense silence. He glanced at the screen, his eyes flicking to the name on the display, like a spark of recognition. "Excuse me," he said, his voice curt, like a dismissal. He released me, his arm dropping away, like a curtain falling on a stage. As he walked away, I felt a wave of relief wash over me, like a breath of fresh air on a summer day. But it was short-lived. As I turned to Sarah, I saw a look of concern etched on her face, like a shadow on a moonlit night. "What's wrong?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, like a secret shared between friends. Sarah's eyes locked onto mine, her expression serious, like a warning sign on a dangerous road. "I think we need to get out of here," she said, her voice low, like a whisper in a crowded room. "Now." And with that, she grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the scene, like a lifeline thrown to a drowning person. We walked quickly, our footsteps echoing down the hallway, like a countdown to a deadline. I glanced back, but Jake was already gone, vanished into the crowd, like a ghost disappearing into thin air. As we turned a corner, Sarah stopped, her eyes scanning the area, like a sentinel on watch. "We need to be careful," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, like a secret shared between conspirators. "Jake's not going to give up easily." I nodded, my heart still racing from the encounter, like a wild animal caged in my chest. I knew that I was in grave danger, like a target on a shooting range. And I knew that I had to be careful, or I would become Jake's next victim, like a pawn in a game of chess.