by Amber Lacie
“Who?”
“My father.” I pulled out the yellow note Aaron had given me and laid it on the dashboard. “I’m supposed to call this number if we get into trouble. I need you to hold on to it.”
“Why me? This ain’t no suicide mission. Fuck that noise. You keep that, I’m not being responsible for you dying.”
Why is it that no one will listen to me? Slamming my hands up against the dashboard, I shouted, “God damn it! You think I want to die? You think I want all of this? All I want is Piper safe. That’s it. If I have to trade my life for hers, I’ll do it. For once, just stop questioning me and fucking drive.”
I could tell by the way he set his mouth in a hard line that he wasn’t thrilled with me. I also didn’t give a fuck. There was only one thing on my mind. Piper.
Desperate men go to desperate measures, and I was no different. All I wanted was my girl back. And that’s exactly what was going to happen––one way or another.
My skull felt as though it were being crushed in a vice made of steel barbs, slicing into my skin. I tried as hard as I could to open my eyes, to no avail. After what felt like hours, I was finally able to open them enough to get a feel of my surroundings. My face had been mauled by a monster, but what made it so much worse is that I knew the monster that had come for me. He always said he’d come back for me. Sadly, I thought it was to save me. The thought of him destroying me like the others had never even crossed my mind. My heart had betrayed me more than once in my life, but this betrayal was the worst. I had trusted him, but I was wrong.
It felt like I had been locked in the room for days. My sense of time had been destroyed in all the confusion. The plush mattress under my body was deceiving. There was no comfort within these walls. The only thing I had to protect me was a pair of cotton panties and Ben’s white t-shirt that I had slipped on before going to sleep. I was grateful for the small barrier between me, and the hands that kept hurting me.
I wasn’t sure where I was. The only thing I could see was a small window to my left with a view of a nearby tree line. Above me, a large white canopy stretched across the top of the large four-poster bed. To my right was an old wooden chair. That was where he liked to sit when he came into the room. Across from me was a large armoire, which had matching details to the woodwork on the bed. I was in someone’s home. Whether it was his or not, I couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t as though I could make my way around the place to find out either. The chain linked around my ankle, which anchored to the bed, prevented that. He was kind enough to offer for me to use the bathroom, but I refused.
There were no other forms of comfort afforded to me. The blanket I had in the beginning was stripped from me when I refused to open my legs to the monster. In response, he beat my face until the taste of blood filled my mouth and I couldn’t see him anymore. My mind tried to process a reason for it all, a way I would have brought this upon myself, but I couldn’t find anything. I had done nothing except put my trust in the wrong person.
One thing was clear to me––He had never escaped. They never truly let him go. It all made sense now. They didn’t look for him because they already owned him. It was all a lie, a ruse. I just couldn’t figure out why he let me believe it. What was the point of it all?
Movement outside my door caught my attention and I quickly wrapped my arms around my legs, squeezing myself into a tight ball.
“Don’t hide from me, Mouse. Tsk. Tsk. Look at what a mess you are. I don’t like losing my temper with you.”
“Funny. You’re so good at it.”
“Feeling bold, are we? How about I join you on the bed again. This time you won’t be able to stop me from sliding my cock into your slick pussy. In fact, I think you owe me now.”
Bile rose in my throat and I had to fight to swallow it down. Closing my eyes, I desperately wished to be somewhere else, anywhere else. The only noise that could be heard was the sound of his ragged breathing. It was pure torture. “Please, Alton?” I begged. “Just let me go. Please.”
“Oh no, you’re way too valuable now. I heard you’re fucking Ox’s kid. Must be nice to sleep your way to the top. Tell me, do you like it when he fucks you? Do you scream his name?”
I choked on a sob as I scooted to the other side of the bed, trying to put distance between us.
“You disgust me. Get up. Clean yourself up, someone wants to meet you.” He set a bowl of warm sudsy water and a rag on the small nightstand beside the bed. “You could at least attempt to be presentable.” Stepping back towards the door, he allowed me just enough space to reach the bowl and wash my face without touching me.
The water stung my bruised and battered face. I winced as I tried to remove the dried blood that caked every square inch of my face. For the first time in my life, I was thankful for the lack of mirrors. I was certain if I saw my reflection, I’d be unrecognizable. Instead, I feared my image would be replaced by a disfigured monster. Once I was satisfied that my face was as clean as possible, I dropped the rag back into the bowl and sat back down on the soft bed. I looked up at him, hoping there was still a sliver of the person I once remembered hiding within him. My voice quivered, “Who wants to see me?” A look of pure evil took over his face before he walked out of the room, leaving alone once again.
Night came slowly to the small room, bringing with it shadows creeping into the corners. Eventually, the pain in my head took over and I gave into the darkness. I’m not sure how long I was asleep before the light flicked on, assaulting my already fragile nerves. My cheeks were so swollen, and my jaw was aching. The pain only worsened as I moved to sit up. I wouldn’t be surprised if my jaw was broken.
A pair of black boots stepped into my room, accompanied by a deep voice. “Time to go, Mouse.” Alton was gone and Roscoe had replaced him. If I had to choose between the two, I would have chosen death. He slowly moved around my bed and leaned over to reach for my ankle. The intrusion of what personal space I had remaining left my skin crawling with fear. Cold sweat trickled down my back as I pressed myself up against the headboard, praying it would just absorb me.
Roscoe looked up and gave a small wave with his hand as he removed the chain. “You see that? I gave you a little bit of freedom. Now why don’t you come with me, peacefully, so that we can avoid any problems? What do you say?”
My nerves steeled at his request. Surely Ben or Jim must be looking for me. If they came for me once, they will come again, and I want to be ready to run when they get here. Being held prisoner and bending to their every whim was not in my plans. “Fuck. You.”
He stood straight, glaring down at me. “That’s one, Mouse. I’ll give you just that one. Now get your skinny whore ass off that fucking bed right now. We have somewhere to be. If I need to drag you out by your hair, I will, but that’ll be after I knock some sense into you.” His eyes narrowed as his nostrils flared. It was as though he wanted me to fight; he wanted the challenge. It was also the first time I was willing to oblige him.
“Fuck. You.” I repeated my words, tossing them out into the room, allowing them to taunt the man they were aimed at.
“You stupid, stupid bitch.” He stepped toward me, his hand quickly releasing a slap to my face. The move was faster than I had anticipated and caught me off guard, sending my head slamming into the wooden headboard behind me. His fingers quickly knotted in my hair, gripping it hard enough to make my scalp feel as though it were slowly being peeled from my skull. My feet fumbled beneath me as I tried to gain my balance while he lifted me from the bed by my hair. Once I was standing, Roscoe let go of his hold on me. Suddenly, I was being pushed through the door, down the hallway, and up a set of stairs.
I stumbled as he shoved me forward into a small room with faded wood floors. The hardness registered in my mind as I fell to my knees. My body was tired and weak, but my mind was fighting hard to remain focused. Every detail I could make out, I committed to memory. It was exactly fourteen steps from the stairs to this room. A dark mahogany desk sat in front of
me with a copper globe displayed in one corner. Two leather chairs sat facing the desk. A mural of a dog hung on the wall above a large bookcase. It was such an odd sight to take in.
It was obvious I was in someone’s office. My palms pressed against the floor while I attempted to catch my breath and tried to right my blurred vision. Roscoe was still standing behind me, his black boots a permanent fixture in my mind now. I will never be able to forget them.
“She’s up…Yeah, alright I followed the damn rules.” His conversation was one sided, which meant he was most likely on the phone. “She’s alive…Stupid bitch ain’t she? Yeah…Yeah…We’ll be waiting.”
“You’re going to pay for this.” My voice cracked, revealing the fault in my strength.
“Ah, that’s where you’re wrong, Princess. He’ll be here in just a minute.” When I refused to react to him, he pulled my hair once again, bringing me to a sitting position with my knees tucked under me, digging into the hardwood floor. Twisting my arm behind my back, he forced me to stand. Using his foot, he kicked at my legs, forcing me to take steps forward until I fell into an oversize leather chair. “Sit up.”
A chill ran over my spine as my eyes focused in on Alton sitting in the chair opposite me. Ben thinks he’s a monster, he’s a saint compared to Alton. I attempted to pull the shirt over my knees as I sat upright. Alton’s looming eyes lingered over me. I tried my best to look anywhere else. Just then, a male voice approached from behind me. It was deep and dripped with annoyance.
“I have never witnessed such filth and disrespect in all my life. Did I not tell you to clean her up?” A tall man with silver hair asked, as he walked around the front of my chair. Leaning against the large oak desk, he studied my face, scrutinizing every detail. “I don’t see the interest he had in you. Then again, perhaps before your friend came to pay you a visit your face was different.”
“About our arrangement?” I could feel the hesitation in Roscoe’s voice as he stepped towards us.
“Will be honored in due time. Right now, I have a prized mare whose injuries are too excessive to whore her out. What kind of person pays to have sex with someone so mistreated? I’m keeping this one. Besides, I’m certain she belongs to my son.”
My jaw went slack as I realized who was in front of me. I was sitting in a room with the infamous Ox. Why the games? Why would Ben’s father not just come for me himself? My thoughts were quickly interrupted as the door opened behind me, followed by a woman’s soft voice, flittering across the room.
“She’s just a girl.” It was the first time in years that I had heard a female voice. I wondered if mine sounded as soft, compared the harshness of the men.
“And you’re just a whore. Who let you out of your room? You don’t have permission to roam around. Go back to bed. I’ll deal with you later.” Ox’s voice was firm and steady, holding a tone of authority and power. With nothing more from the woman, Roscoe stood beside me and pressed the hard metal barrel of gun into my back. They were taking no chances. Ben’s father had acquired me with the help of someone I had once called a friend, all to get back at his son. The taste of betrayal was like acid in my throat. What kind of father would go after their son like this?
Ben. Just the thought of him had my heart shattering like broken shards of glass left on the ground after a hurricane. I knew in my heart he would come for me. And that is exactly what they were betting on.
“Don’t look so frightened, my little lamb. I’m sure you’ll see my son soon.” His lips curled in a smile fit for the devil himself as a dimple formed in his cheek. In my mind, it was the only thing Ben and his father had in common. My face scrunched up as I looked over at Alton, who was reaching for the upper part of my arm. I felt a slight prick and then everything went fuzzy before finally going completely dark.
Morning had come and gone with little care for me, or the plans I had wanted to set into motion. We spent the entire evening taking turns, watching my father’s house. We were parked far enough away for our car to remain hidden along the trees lining the property, but close enough to keep an eye on things. No cars went in or out. It wasn’t until about three in the morning before we finally saw any movement. The light in my father’s office upstairs came on. From our vantage point, Jim was able to count three shadows, possibly four. It seemed like an odd time to be having a meeting. I knew Piper had to be in the house, but I needed to know exactly where so that we could act quickly. I needed to get her out. After that, I would come back for him.
What worried me was the timing. It wouldn’t be long before we were found out. He was expecting me to show, so I knew he would have his goons on watch. Then there were the suits. There was no way I was going to let them get to him first. Jim mentioned the possibility of my uncle messing with us by giving us a fake number. Aaron might have been working for a suit, but he was family, and the only family that truly counted for anything. He knew what this meant to me. The problem wasn’t my uncle, it was the other one I didn’t trust.
Beckett had been a pain in my ass since the bureau got him involved. I didn’t trust them, and I sure as fuck didn’t trust him. The connection between him and Brendan had to tie in with my father. It was the only explanation for the things that had happened. What I didn’t understand is why they were so desperate for to get their hands on Piper. Looking for the answer didn’t matter anymore, not when I couldn’t ask her myself. I would have given my life just to know she was safe, to hear her voice one last time. I wanted more than anything to tell her how sorry I was for bringing her into all of this, for loving her, and for being selfish by trying to keep her hidden away from the world. I should have granted her freedom when I had the chance.
Jim pulled out a yellow plastic bag, full of snacks he had picked up at the gas station two blocks back. I had refused to leave my post in hopes that something would give Piper’s location away. Instead, all I had found were new ways to wallow in my misery. Until she was back in my arms I wouldn’t be whole again.
Opening the bag, Jim shoved a piece of jerky into his mouth as he tossed the bag into my lap. “Here. Eat.”
“Not hungry. Besides, it looks like you need it more than I do.”
Jim continued to chew as he shrugged his shoulders. “It’s protein.” As if that simple explanation was supposed to explain the snack cakes, crackers, three packs of gum, two energy drinks, and an opened bag of jerky.
Setting my mouth into a hard line, I stared out the window while he gorged himself on food. I didn’t want to eat. I didn’t want to do anything until I was with her, and Jim didn’t seem to be fazed by any of it. We sat in the car, motionless, with the window cracked just enough to keep them from fogging up for another hour. The minutes slowly slipped by, dragging the morning with it.
It was just after noon when my phone began to buzz on the dashboard. Jim was sound asleep, snoring loudly in the driver’s seat with his seat reclined all the way back. The swelling on his face had gone down, but the colors had just begun to change to blues and greens. A small part of me felt bad about losing my shit and taking it out on him, though not enough for me to want to take it back. Where Piper was concerned, I held no control. My phone danced on the dash once more, so I picked it up. Whoever was calling had marked it as private. My heart skipped rapidly in my chest as I answered the call.
“Hello?” Fear dripped from my nerves as I imagined the worst outcome possible.
“Benjamin––why are we playing these games?” Why did it have to be him on the other end?
“Is she there?”
He laughed. “Now if she was, would I give her up that quickly?”
I grit my teeth at his response. “What do you want?” My voice dripped with venom.
“That’s my boy. All I want is to talk. I know you’re out there watching me. You’re just waiting for me to slip up. Tell me, why is it that you’re all alone. Where’s your friend?”
He didn’t know about Jim. He knew I was there. Jim, however, wasn’t on his radar just
yet. He probably thought I had him sneaking around the property somewhere. Unbeknownst to my father, he was right beside with his seat reclined. “I gave him a job to do.”
“I bet you did. Why don’t you come upstairs so we can talk about this? I await your arrival.”
I quickly hung up the phone and leaned forward to further block the view of Jim from the house. My hand slowly reached over and grabbed Jim’s arm. “Don’t move.” He jerked his arm away but didn’t sit up.
“Why am I not moving?”
“He knows I’m here, but he can’t see you. I told him you had a job to do. I’m going in.”
Jim pressed his lips together in a tight line while giving his head a small shake.
“She’s in there.”
“You don’t know that for sure. You said you trusted your uncle, right?”
“Yeah,” I mumbled rather unconvincingly.
“Then make the call. He gave you a lifeline. Use it.”
The tick in my jaw tightened as I gritted my teeth. Jim didn’t understand––this was my fault, my mess, and I needed to be the one to fix it. “This is my call.”
“Get pissed all you want, but you ain’t ever listened to me. When has that worked out for you, Benny? If she’s in there what good is it going to do running in all halfcocked?”
“Fuck…Fuck...Fuck.” I slammed both of my hands onto the dashboard, dropping my head to my chest. “I hate this. I hate all of this so much.” I felt my eyes begin to swim with tears. Anger, frustration, and heartache swirled around me. My misery was a dark haze of clouds that loomed over me. All I wanted was to break free from it all, to walk away with her by my side. “She’s in there paying for my sins, Jim. My sins. I love her, I can’t let her suffer at my hand.”
“I know, man. Ain’t no shame in asking for help though.”
For her, I would do anything. I tossed the phone from my lap, into Jim’s. “When I get in the door you give me thirty seconds then you make the call.”