“I’m Miranda.”
"Case." Her name came out small and soft. The sound filled with the haze of pain but underneath lingered a little current of strength. Knowing her name made her real. Her name made her the girl she had been before they took her. I wanted to confess my sin, to reveal the fact I was the daughter of the monster that brought her here. I couldn’t say the words, so Instead, I reached down and took her hand in mine.
"I have people who are looking for me, Case. People who won't stop until they find me. When they do, they will find you too. They will find all of us. We will be free. I need you to stay with me okay? I need you to fight. Hold on to whatever you can and stay with me."
A single tear rolled down her pale cheek, and I wanted to scream at the injustice. I wanted to tear apart this nightmare piece by piece until nothing remained to stand. I wanted to rip out the hearts of those responsible and watch as their blood coated the floor leaving them dry. I wanted to be the final thing they saw before I sent them to off to hell. I had never had such blood lust, never craved the desire to deal out death, but now I could think of nothing else. Their lives would be mine. They just didn't know it yet.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The door opened, and I jolted upright. I had put my head down next to Case's body once she had drifted off and I must have fallen asleep as well. I tried to see in the darkness, but all I could see was shadows.
A hand reached, grabbing a fist full of my hair, yanking me forward, toward the door. Warm breath hit my face, smelling like stale beer I fought the urge to turn my face away.
“You have a choice, princess. You or her tonight. Choose.”
I didn't have to think about what I would do. If I let them take Case she might not make through another round of whatever they had planned. "Me. I choose me."
“Well aren’t you a saint, princess. You don’t even know what we have planned. Are you sure you don’t want her to go instead? She has been broken in, and I am certain she wouldn't mind playing with us tonight." The man's voice rose, and I heard Case stir on the cot.
I silently begged her not to say anything. I didn’t get my wish.
“Let me go, Miranda.”
"Well, isn't this sweet? Two stupid bitches are trying to protect each other. I knew her in here would get the job done. Your father wanted to you to go willingly. He needed to know you have learned your lesson. I knew her in here would get you to play nice." Cruel laughter filtered through the small room and I wanted to throw up.
Pushing the feeling down, knowing I couldn’t let them hurt her again. “I get to make the choice, forget she said anything. I will go with you.”
“I always love breaking new toys, come on, princess.”
“Miranda, don’t do this.” Case’s voice broke. I heard the sound of someone running out of time. I would give her as much of mine as I could.
"I'll be okay. Don't worry I'll be back soon." My voice held the conviction I didn't have. I didn't know what was waiting for me, unknown nightmares within a sea of devils, cast out in the dark hoping I could stay afloat instead of drowning beneath their claws.
My feet moved with a will of their own. I tried to push every thought from my head as I walked into space I had seen when I first arrived at the warehouse. A playroom for the sick and twisted stretched before me laughing and taunting me with all the ways they could use everything in this room to hurt me.
A hard push sent me down to my knees. A rough grip grabbed my chin and forced me to look up. The person standing before me caused everything in my body to grow cold.
“Miss me?”
This couldn’t be happening. I could survive anything but this, anything but him. Eddie's voice plunged me into the deep end, my lungs filling with water as my body gave into the crashing waves of terror.
“I lost everything because of you. Lucky for me, your daddy dearest decided to make things right. Now, I get to find out what it was about your pussy that fucked with Val's head. You belong to me now. You father gave you away without a second thought, I didn’t have to offer him a dime, I only had to promise to hurt you until you break.”
“Open your fucking mouth.”
I heard the words, but I couldn't obey. A hard hit across my cheek sent my head backward. Eddie's hand covered my nose, and I struggled to breathe. The need for air overrode my fear, and I let my mouth fall open, the opportunity he had waited for. Eddie pushed his cock into my mouth as I fought the urge to gag.
He pulled out and then slammed back into my mouth with such force I choked. I blinked back tears as the strength from his thrusts sent my head slamming backward. His fingers dug into my scalp using my hair to hold my head in place. With every thrust hard I worried he would tear my hair out. The moment he came in my mouth, the bitterness hit my tongue like poison.
“Swallow you fucking whore.” His hand lets go of my hair, and he pushed my mouth closed. I could only swallow, allowing the poison invade my body. I didn't want any piece of him inside me. My body recoiled at the thought, but I had no choice.
His foul taste on my tongue was just the beginning, the first step to breaking me, to shatter me into shreds so thin I would vanish with a mere breath of wind.
“I think you need more practice sucking cock. Maybe I should pass that sweet mouth of yours around until you learn.”
With a tight grip on my hair, Eddie used his hold to pull me to my feet. His hand wrapped around my throat and turned me around so I could see the others. Three men stared at me, a twisted glint in their eyes as they waited for Eddie to decide if he wanted to share. He pushed me closer. So close I could smell their horrid breath. If evil had a smell, this would be it.
“Care to feel the merchandise boys?” Eddie let go, tossing me to the wolves.
The men wasted no time as they grabbed every inch of my body. One of them grabbed my breasts, his fingertips digging into tender flesh. Another reached down and shoved his hand between my thighs. Cold, cruel fingers pushed their way inside, and I bit my tongue to keep from crying out. There was no moisture to soften the intrusion. It felt like their hands were dipped in acid, burning me from the inside out. I tried to find the place to I used to disappear into. The place where I faded away and I no longer cared what happened to my body.
I closed my eyes, but my frantic search found only emptiness. The place had vanished the moment Val had touched me. The moment I had learned what it felt like to desire someone with your whole being. The desire to have only one set of fingers, one mouth, one body pressed against you. Lust and longing had destroyed my safety net. I had nowhere to hide. Tears formed behind my eyelids as I felt every unwanted touch, branding my skin with no hope of ever washing it away.
Like wild animals, they grabbed and pulled like they wanted to tear me apart. Suddenly Eddie ordered them to stop. All the vile hands let go, setting me free and pushing me into the arms of the monster that now owned me.
“Only a taste, boys. I want to be the one to break her in. After that, I will be more than ready to share.”
I felt a brief moment of relief, but then it faded as Eddie dragged me toward the door. From behind me, I heard laughter, turning my head, I saw one of the men holding Case by the neck.
“Don’t worry, princess, we’ll keep your friend busy until you get back.”
Defeat filtered across Case's face, ripping me apart, tearing me open, my failure spilling out drenching me in red. I fought against Eddie's hold as I tried to get to her. I couldn't win, but I refused to give up. I fought his hold; I fought for myself, for all the years I had been at the mercy of a madman. I fought for my sisters, for the promise I made so they would never know the hell I lived in. I fought for Case and for all the others who had been cast into darkness broken and forgotten.
I managed to get an arm free, and I took a swing. My hand connected with Eddie’s face and I dug my nails in. This bitch had claws, and I intended to use them. My nails raked down his face causing him to cry out. I had only managed to inflict mirror dam
age, but I proved a point. The moment I drew blood I showed Eddie I wasn't going to lay down and take what he did to me. I would fight. Every minute of every day until I won. I forgot who he was. I let go of everything that happened before. He became another monster in the dark.
Something sharp plunged into my arm. Whatever he had injected me had been so intense it began to work right away. My fingers fell from his face, and my body went limp in his arms.
“When you wake, I plan to make you pay for what you did to my face.”
The words dimly registered. I tried to keep my eyes open, but there was no use. They fell closed. The last sound I heard was Case's scream, and then everything went dark.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“Ready to roll, Thorn?”
Thorn nodded once, and I knew he had his game face on. The killing was his specialty, all traces of the humor had vanished and its place rested a stone cold killer. Stepping out into the night, I stared at the building before me, it blended into its surroundings, cold and dark, a concrete hell in plain sight. My methods had been brutal; once I started breaking bones they didn't take long to get results. Connor Price's men weren't willing to be loyal once the pain set in.
Thorn took a place by my side, and the other men followed. Altogether, I had a team of six. For most of these men, I had a don't ask, don't tell policy. They all owed me more than they could ever repay and when I called, they came. They offered their loyalty when I needed them and in return, I kept quiet about their secrets. When this was all over everyone but Thorn would slink back to where they had come from. Keeping other people's secrets came in handy now and then.
I took the lead, and the rest fell into step behind me. I opened the door carefully and took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dark. A few dim lights hung from the ceiling, but they didn't do much to illuminate the vast space. Boxes had been stacked against the walls so anyone who was curious would assume it was nothing more than a warehouse. A clever way to disguise the evil hiding inside. I also learned Connor moved locations frequently. Never staying in one spot kept people from getting suspicious. I had to admit Connor Price was a smart man, but in the end, violence would beat intelligence any day. I had perfected my type of violence, my past creating something ruthless and deadly. I didn't try to fight who I had become in fact I reveled in it. Men with money didn't like to get their hands dirty, and mine would never be clean.
I found the access door even in near darkness, punched in the code. I heard a click and the door unlocked. It seems bone breaking had been enough to make sure he hadn’t lied to me. I pushed, the man behind the door hadn’t stood a chance.
I raised my gun, and a single shot went off. Hitting the man between the eyes I heard the thud as the dead body hit the floor.
A voice spoke from behind me. “Not much for subtlety huh?”
“That was me being subtle.”
Thorn laughed and stepped up so he would be the next man through the door, ready to follow my lead.
“Let’s go kill shit.” I could hear the smile in Thorn’s voice.
We moved like grim reapers coming to collect souls to drag to hell. I smiled. This would be fun.
One more locked door remained and then we were in. This time, nobody waited on the other side. A mistake they would pay for.
The sound of low-pitched screams made my skin crawl, and flashes of memories from my past rose up like a tidal wave. I kept my feet moving, my smile dying as blinding rage settled into my soul. I knew this hell well. The sights and sounds so familiar, it felt like coming home. I tuned every cell in my body to the need for blood. To make them pay for the horrors they inflicted on the innocent.
The men behind me stood still waiting for my signal. The monsters in here deserved death, and I would make sure that I delivered. The others, victims of a nightmare they had been thrown into.
“Make sure you aim. I don’t want you putting a bullet into someone who doesn’t deserve it. We are here to deliver these bastards to hell. Let’s show them the way, boys.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
I woke up and found myself once again locked in the dark. The drug in my system was like molasses in my veins, heavy and thick, making sure I couldn’t move. The darkness caged me in, holding me close with cold, icy fingers. I was naked with no protection from the frigid air’s cruel grip.
I tried to force myself move, willing my body to cooperate. I got my arms to move ever so slightly, but the bite of metal stopped my wrists in their tracks. The chain links clinked together, the sound slowly waking up my foggy brain. I tried my legs next and heard the same awful rattle. I moved, trying to test the length of the chains. I didn't get far. The short length forced me to stay bent over on my hands and knees. I had no movement in any direction. The drug faded completely, and I could feel the cramps in my legs. My arms burned as much as my legs. My whole body was desperately seeking a way to alter my position. My mind screamed for freedom, but there was nothing I could do. I was a fly caught in a spiders' web, twisted strands holding me close and offering me up as a sacrifice.
I heard a door open, and I went completely still. The sound of heavy footsteps on the floor stopped the urge I had to find a new position. I wanted to shrink smaller and smaller until I no longer could be seen. I shuddered as a hand ran its way down my hip before slipping under me, sliding down my thigh until two fingers pushed their way inside. Eddie’s fingers thrust deeper, a violation that burned from the inside out.
“I can’t wait to hurt you. After all, I need to repay the damage you did to my face.”
Something cold and sharp pushed against my cheek. The blade of a knife rested my skin again. The metal was growing warm, sucking up the heat from my body like oxygen. I didn't dare move.
“What do you think Miranda? A cut here. A cut there. Or should I make one to match Selena’s?”
The blade pressed harder into my cheek, breaking the skin. Warm wetness bloomed beneath the sharp metal. The scent of my blood called something dark from me. I dug it up from the pits of my soul. I wanted his blood like I wanted my next breath.
Eddie ran the blade down my cheek before letting it fall from my face. "I think I will wait. I don't want to stare at your fucked up face while I play. After you are all used up, I will leave you with a parting gift. Something that makes sure you never forget me."
I fought the urge to rear up and slam my head into his unsuspecting face. The only thing stopping me was the knife still resting in his hand.
“There are so many other things I can do to hurt you.” Eddie withdrew his fingers and shoved something into my mouth.
It was a dirty rag, and he tied the cloth tight around my head. My legs pushed apart as far as they could go aa violent hands gripped my hips. With his first brutal push inside my body, I tried to gasp for breath, but the gag prevented the air I needed from reaching mine lungs. Instead of finding air I only found the foul taste of the rag. The force of his thrusts rocked my body, every one seeming to tear me apart from the inside out. All those years of being at the mercy of my father’s men couldn’t help me. This violation of my body was different. My battered and bruised heart revolted against every thrust. I had known desire. I had tasted the freedom of trust. Now I felt ultimate betrayal. I couldn't stand having someone else inside me.
It felt like forever, but it lasted only minutes. Over in a matter of minutes. I tried to turn off the sound of Eddie coming inside me but I couldn't. My body was taking what I wanted to reject. I became contaminated. I didn't think I'd ever be clean again.
Withdrawing, he moved until he stood in front of me. His hands went for my hair, and he pulled. My head jerked up, and he forced to face him as a hand went to my face. I thought he meant to remove the rag from my mouth, but instead, he covered my nose and mouth with his hand. I had barely been able to get air with the gag but now find air was impossible.
My head violently shook from side to side as I tried to dislodge his hold on my face. The need for air was all-consuming. H
is eyes lit up watching me struggle to breathe. He smiled, the action twisting his features into something darker. He enjoyed watching me fight, so I willed myself to stop. I reached down deep, pulling Val's face from the dark. I hadn't wanted to think of him. I hadn't wanted to bring him here, to attach him to this nightmare, but he became the only thing that could save me.
I didn’t need air. I only needed him. I gave in. I stopped fighting. Once I let go of the need for air everything became still. I stood suspended between life and death.
The moment I went still, Eddie let go and pulled the rag from my mouth. Air filled my lungs, pulling my back to the living.
"Did you think I would let you go so easily? I have so much more things planned for us, Miranda. Until next time."
Those words were the last thing I had heard before he left me alone. Then, my strength finally failed me. Everything I had been through crashed into me. I let the tears fall. I didn't have anything left in me to stop them.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
I moved silently, Miranda becoming my only thought. After this, I would be one step closer to getting her back. I didn’t know how to charm her. I couldn’t offer her hearts and flowers. None of that mattered. She had become mine, and I wasn’t willing to let her go.
The sound of bullets and screams merged into a dark symphony. I knew my men were delivering a one-way ticket straight to hell. Thorn stepped beside me and threw an arm over my shoulder. The bastard was lucky I didn’t put a bullet in him.
"This is so much fun, V. Thanks for the invite." Thorns eyes were wide and bright, lit up like a kid on Christmas.
I shoved him off and shook my head. “Get back to work.”
"Sure thing, boss." Thorn flung a door open and shouted, "Hey asshole!" Before he aimed for the guys most prized possession. He fired, and the man hit the floor screaming. Blood stained the front of his pants, clutching what had become his now non-existent dick.
Unbound (Bound and Bared Book 1) Page 12