I try to wriggle free, but the guy holds my arm tight, dragging me down the stairs so quick I struggle to keep up and almost trip over my own feet.
Once at the bottom, my heart sinks to my stomach and I can taste the bile in my throat. “MARCUS! A bloodcurdling scream escapes me…. Looking down at his lifeless body on the floor, blood across his forehead. I push against the guy holding me, knocking his balance just enough for me to break free. I rush to Marcus lying on the floor, the side table broken…vase shattered on the floor. I stroke the side of his face. “Marcus…plee…please… wake up.” I beg, fighting against my tears. I struggle to catch my breath, sobbing as I stroke his hair off his face, my heart broken on the floor.
“You little bitch!” A hand grabs my hair and pulls me to my feet, pain shooting through my head. I scream out against him as he drags me through the front door and down the path.
“Marcus!” I kick my legs out and scream as he drags me to the waiting car.
I remember them now….
They are the guys from two the other day.
The guys that just stood smirking at me.
I’m just about to open my mouth when he picks me up and tosses me in the open boot.
My back burns with the pain.
The small space black.
I hear the doors slam shut once.
Twice.
Three times.
The engine starts. Tires crunch along the gravel.
I can’t hold back any longer.
Marcus…. I picture him lying there. Lifeless.
My heart shatters to a million pieces.
I try to fight against the walls of the car. My legs kick as hard as they can, trying to break free, but it’s useless. I have no fight left in me. What’s the point? All I see is Marcus.
All I want is Marcus. Instead, I’m being taken back to hell…. alone. I close my eyes. I fought too long, left it too late, lost it all.
I don’t know how long my eyes are closed for. I try to place myself back in his arms, pray it was just another dream. But it wasn’t. It was real… all of it. The pain stinging my cheek was real. Marcus laying on the floor unconscious was real.
The car slows to a stop and I listen as the doors open one by one. Footsteps get closer, and suddenly the boot opens. A hand grabs hold of my arms, pulling me out. I stand on weak legs, trying to balance myself, as the daylight burns my eyes.
My body shakes as they tie my hands together, dragging me into the back door of his club…a place that makes my blood curdle. Panic courses through me.
Nothing has changed. My eyes dart around the grand open space. It even smells the same. Cigar, beer and shame linger in the air.
Drake wastes no time in pushing me to sit on the chair he pulls out in front of him, my back hitting it hard and sending shooting pain up my spine to my head. I look into his evil blue eyes through tear-soaked lashes. The anger burns in my stomach. I watch as he removes his suit jacket, hanging it on the back of his chair then rolling his shirtsleeves up slowly, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Well I must say, Evvie, I have missed you.” Taking a seat in front of me, he crosses one leg over the other, smiling at me. I ignore him while watching the other two men now leave the main room, shutting the back door behind them.
Drake clicks his fingers in my face, drawing my attention back to him. “Look at me when I’m talking to you, Evvie.” He snaps at me.
I scowl at him and look him directly in the eyes. “I have nothing to say to you.” I spit at him.
He breathes in through gritted teeth. Digging his fingertips into my thighs, hard, marking my skin instantly. “You will talk when you are told to! Or have you forgotten that little hummingbird?”
I fucking hate that name, fucking hate him. “Don’t call me that. I am not your little hummingbird,” I snap at him.
His hand strikes my other cheek, just catching my lip enough for me to taste the iron in my mouth. I spit the pool of blood out on the floor and laugh at him. I can see he is getting inpatient with me; his anger shows through too easily.
“There’s no one here to save you this time, Evvie. No Daniel… no knight in shining armour!” he leans back in the chair laughing at me. “Where is it Evvie?”
I look at him confused a moment, then remembered what Daniel had said… if I tell him now, he will kill me… I need to give myself time to think of a plan.
I say nothing.
“Where is our child Evvie?” His hand strikes me again, this time harder. My head flips to the side, almost taking my body with it. “I thought that if I watched you long enough, you might have led me to my child…but you haven’t. All this could be prevented if you just give me what I want.”
He’s trying to trick me; I know the games he plays.
I shake my head, refusing to say anything.
He stands up, forcing me to my feet. He clenches his fist, hitting me in the stomach so hard it knocks the air from my lungs. I can’t catch my breath. I lean forward, trying to breathe through it.
I stand up, the pain clear in my eyes. His hand curls around my throat, tight. I start to feel lightheaded, trying to grasp a tiny bit of air. I try to fight, pushing my tied hands against his chest.
“Just tell me Evvie and I’ll stop all this.” He sits me back down in the chair. “Or maybe I should give your brother Justin a quick ring… Maybe he will tell me?”
“Don’t you dare! My brother knows nothing!” I try to pull the rope off my hand.
“Oh, that’s got your attention.” He leans back in the chair, pulling his mobile phone out of his pocket. “Maybe my brother knows. After all, he was the one that helped you get away.” he teases me. “Then again, he knows better than to lie to me again… I made sure of that.”
“You’re a fucking monster!” I lunge forward at him. But he just pushes me to the floor, kicking me in the back, hard. It sends a shot of pain through my body.
“Watch your fucking mouth!” He brushes his shirt. “You want to know the most disappointing thing in all this mess, Evvie? He crouches down in front of me. “It’s how quickly you jumped into bed with your little shark diving boyfriend. All the couple shit…. turned my stomach, if I’m honest, love.”
I cry out. “H…how…. did… how did you know….” I can’t seem to find enough air in my lungs to ask.
“I’ve been watching you since that pathetic brother of mine told me everything. He thought he had gotten away with it, but he will never outsmart me. I had someone on the inside watching you all this time, Evvie.” He unties my hair from the bobble, and releases it from the now dry plait, running his fingers through it, making the bile rise again…his touch turns my stomach.
“Dec?” I question, replaying the conversation with Jensen early that was cut short. I knew… had put the pieces together and solved it too late. If I had figured it out sooner….
I sit up on the floor watching as he walks the room clapping. “Bingo love. You played right into his little loved up emo act. Oh, how pathetic it was listening to all the dribble you spilled to him and his ‘boyfriend’.” He laughs sarcastically.
My heart aches for Jensen. It was all for my sake…. I feel so much hurt for him right now. It’s all my fault. “You heartless bastard…. How could you do that to someone?”
“Oh, you mean the little pathetic singer. He really believed he had found his soul mate. It’s funny really!” He walks back over to me, his hands back in his pockets. “So many people hurt just for poor little Evvie.” He smiles sarcastically at me.
“You know the only thing I found a tiny bit hard to swallow?” The back of his hand strokes my cheek. “Was watching you with him…. Your little hero. The fucker really got in my way that first night you actually caught me watching you.”
He pulls a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket. Gently removing one, he presses his lips against it and lights it. “He just kept getting in my way.”
“You leave Marcus out of this! It has nothing to do with him,�
�� I snap at him.
He blows the smoke in my face. “It has everything to do with him Evvie. You see, he put his hands all over my property…”
“I am not your property, Drake!” I cut him off. Shouting at him. “I never will be!”
He grabs hold of my leg, dragging me along the hard-wooden floor to the tall mirror hanging on the wall. Lifting me to my feet, he grips my throat from behind, forcing me to look in the mirror. His hot breath burning against my ear.
He pulls the t-shirt up, revealing the scar on my hip. “I think we both know you belong to me, Evvie.” His finger trails along the scar. My skin sets on fire against his touch. I try to wriggle from his hold as his lips press against my ear. I can’t stomach the feel of his lips anywhere near me.
I close my eyes, I don’t want to look at the reflection staring back at me, my heart shatters for her so alone… so hurt. I fight back the tears for her.
“Don’t look so sad, Evvie. You always knew I would bring you back one day. It was inevitable. You belong here, in this place. It’s your home.” I stand back, his arm in the air. “Up there, you are the star I always said you would be!” He turns me to look up at the stage, forcing me to gaze upon my destiny. He stands behind me, his hand across my stomach, holding me while he rocks us side to side. “You know that’s where you come alive, up there in front of your crowd of adoring fans.” He nuzzles into my neck, sending a cold shiver down my spine.
“You mean dancing on the stage half naked for a bunch of drunken perverts to ogle at?” I hiss at him, anger at my past drifting forward. “You twisted my dream and made me an object… a plaything.”
He spins me around and slowly unties my hands, rubbing my wrist. His touch harsh and uncaring. “You’re making it sound much more sinister than I remember Evvie.” He takes my hands and drapes them over his shoulder. “I remember how you loved having so much power up there…relished in the attention you gained.” His hand sits on my hips.
Reality hits me like a brick, I’m dancing with a monster in the darkness.
I push away, but he just grabs my hands. “Tut tut!” He once against drapes my hands over his shoulders. His fingers shake in front of me, warning me not to defy him.
“It was never like that Drake and you know it.” I let out a harsh breath. “Deep down you know the monster you became; the things you did…”
One hand slowly curls around my waist, resting on the small of my back. “Now who is making up the past as she goes along?” I want so badly to push him away, to run for my life… to hurt him like he hurt me. But I’m powerless against him.
I ignore his last statement; I have no response left for him.
“I remember that shy girl who couldn’t wait to jump in bed with her older boyfriend. The family who hated her because she turned her back on them.” I let the tears fall freely from my eyes as he tells his twisted tale. “I remember how quickly she jumped in his car, couldn’t wait to be a famous singer in his big posh nightclub. You couldn’t wait to grow up. It was easy with you.”
I can’t hold back any longer, all strength leaving my body with each poisonous statement. “Why me?” I beg for answers.
“Because you had a spark about you that I just couldn’t wait to break, Evvie; A fire that burned in the pit of your stomach. It’s like breaking the spirit of a bird, clipping their wings so they can’t fly away…never knowing freedom.” He leans his head back, laughing.
“You really are a monster.”
“No, not a monster Evvie. I just know what I want, and I will play very dirty to get it.” He stops dancing with me, taking hold of my chin and lifting my face to look at his. “Now, are you going to play nice or do I have to hurt you again?”
I shake my head at him.
“Evvie listen to me very carefully, you aren’t giving me much choice here.” He grabs my arm tight. I try to step back, pull against his hold, fighting back.
I don’t care anymore.
The back of his hand hits my cheek hard. “Tell me Evvie!” he snarls at me, hitting the same cheek again, this time catching my ear. I hold my hand against it, praying the ringing would silence. My face burns from the impact of his hand.
He throws me to the floor; I slide along the cold wooden floor, hitting the back of my head against the table. I press my hand against my head, the pain too sharp to handle. My eyes begin to blur a little. I struggle to my feet, my legs becoming like jelly. My stomach aches, and my face stings.
I try to stand up firmly, fighting against the pain, but he strikes me again, knocking me back down to the floor. I wipe the blood away from my lip and laugh at him. “There is no baby, you fucking asshole!” I blurt out smiling. Struggling back to my feet, I watch as he steps back, only slightly but enough to prove his shock.
“What do you mean no baby?”
I take a step forward, closing the gap between us a little. “I mean that night I left… remember you beat the shit out of me, and Daniel pulled you off me?” I push hard against his chest. “I mean… that night I lost YOUR baby!” An ache burns in my stomach at the memory. “You killed your own child!” I tip my head back, laughing. “How ironic!”
“You’re lying.” He grabs my hair, forcing me to my knees. “You lying little slut!” I watch his black eyes, staring into them as he unleashes all his anger upon me.
“No Drake, I’m not lying… you’re nothing but a murderer.” It’s the last thing I manage to get out my mouth before his fist hits me in the face, I stumble back, unable to keep my balance. Falling my head slams into the floor. Little white dots flash around my eyes before everything starts to go black.
I can barely open one of my eyes. And the pain in the back of my head is throbbing.
Smiling up at him, at least I know that when I take my last breath, he won’t be able to hurt me anymore – and he will have to carry the knowledge with him for the rest of his life, that blood is on his hands.
I feel myself drowning, like the force pushing me under the water, holding me till I take my last breath. I try to move my arms, but I can’t, I can feel the rope tight against my wrists. I struggle to open my eyes, fight against the pain down one side of my face, my whole-body aching, my face cold and wet.
I look around the room, the night sky now billowing through the windows, the daylight glow now burned out. Searching for him my eyes land on the two goons standing in front of me, an empty bucket in hand. Realization hits me. I’m tied to a chair, while unconscious my clothes have been changed…I feel violated. Sick to my stomach that someone had their hands on me.
My legs are freezing with only a tiny pair of black hot pants covering my intimate area, and a tiny black bralette leaving nothing to the imagination. I can see the bruising on my ribs starting to appear.
“Go tell the boss she’s awake.” One of the men nudges the other.
I drift in and out, my eyes desperate to shut. My head rocks back, exhausted.
The door slowly opens and Drake strolls in, smiling. He has changed his shirt. “Well look who finally woke up.” He saunters forward and kneels in front of me, forcing my face up to look at him. “Glad you could join us again Evvie.” His hands press against both my thighs. “I see you dressed more for your surroundings.
I can’t find my voice, to tell him all the hate I want to. I try, but nothing comes out. I watch as he pulls his phone out his pocket, his eyes on me while he dials the number. “Time for a little fun.” He presses the phone against his ear.
My heart pounds hard against my chest as I try to guess his next move. I have nothing more to bargain with, no more leverage to offer.
“Ah Marcus. Lovely to hear you back on your feet.”
No! Please no! I beg…pray to God. I can hear the muffled sound of shouting on the other end of the line.
“It’s quite simple, Marcus. If you want her…. come and get her.” He carries an evil smile on his face that states that is never going to happen. I watch his shoulders tighten as he lets out a sigh, turning his att
ention to me. “Fine.” He snaps.
Taking a step forward, he presses the phone against my ear.
“Marcus,” I sob into the phone.
“Evvie! I’m so fucking sorry baby….” His breathing is heavy on the phone. “Everything is going to be okay.”
I try to speak again, but the phone is torn away from me. Drake laughs at whatever Marcus said down the phone to him. “You have two hours. And Marcus…. the longer you leave her alone in my presence, the less of her you take with you.”
“No Marcus! Don’t….” I fight against the restrains. Trying to warm him, not to come…begging him to leave me. “Please…” I bang the chair against the floor in anger but it’s too late, Drakes hangs up the phone placing it back in his pocket.
A deep scream escapes my lungs; I try to throw myself back.
“You fucking animal!” I screech at him.
He leans forward, grabbing hold of my chin harsh, gritting his teeth. “You know it’s a real shame, Evvie.” He smirks at me. “I was hoping to welcome you back with open arms.”
I laugh at him a moment, anger still coursing through my veins. “You’re a delusional prick if you think I would want to be anywhere near you.”
He lets go of my face; disgust written all over his face. “You will when you have nothing left. When I’ve stripped you of everything…? you will beg at my feet to be back in my arms.”
I try to wriggle out of the restraints, pulling my hands apart as hard as I can, but it’s no use. I can’t break them free. I let out a sigh, tipping my head back. I watch as he silently waves his hand in the air. Startled when the smoke machine fires up on the stage…. the huge golden pole standing in the middle surrounding by clouds of smoke. A faint beat starts in the background, as the spotlights shine brightly behind it. The music pumps louder, I can feel the beat under my feet.
Drake turns back to me. “If I untie you, are you going to play nice?” he leans into my ear. Slowly his hands set me free from the restraints. “Let’s have a little fun before lover boy arrives.”
I rub my wrist where the burning red marks sit. He holds out his hand for mine, but I just stay in the seat, my legs still shaky. He breathes out heavily before grabbing my arm and yanking me to my feet. I wobble, almost losing my footing, but he holds me steady.
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