by Dee Bridle
I was speechless.
He moved to the door. “Get washed, put something formal on and no underwear. You won’t need them.”
“No!” I suddenly screamed, lunging for him before he closed the door.
He was too quick as he shoved me back. I lost my balance with the force and fell to the floor. I landed hard and winced with the pain.
He stood over me on the floor, his eyes bright with adrenaline. “You can fight me all you like; I’ll only enjoy it, Janey.”
“You’re a sick fuck!” I spat at him.
He laughed, as his phone beeped again. He ignored it this time as he zeroed in on me. “You’re the sick one in the family, Janey; you and your issues are far wider in scope than mine.”
“I’m not sick,” I gritted out, moving to kick him in the balls.
Once again he was too quick for me and grabbed my foot. He twisted my ankle and then crouched down over me.
“I suggest you stop this Janey, before I show you just who is sicker,” he said angrily.
“Eat shit,” I growled.
“You’ll be the one eating me tonight, have no doubt. You will enjoy it like it’s your last meal.”
“Just fucking kill me now if that’s where this is going,” I pleaded.
“Where is the fun in that?” he asked, as his phone started beeping again. He ignored it again and put his hand to my neck instead. “I’ve watched you for years: giving yourself away to all those men, blocking the pain with more pain, searching for some sort of twisted happiness that you have no chance in Hell of finding. You are twisted and beyond repair. No one wants the girl behind those eyes. She’s pathetic, young and scared. They just want her body to use and abuse and they know you will let them. You need to escape and they need to get off.”
“Fuck you,” I growled, the tears starting to form. He was getting to me, knocking down my wall of strength and trying to pierce my core. I tried to block his words, tried to look away from his knowing eyes. He was telling the truth but I didn’t want to believe him. I was better than that girl. I had Will. I was making a new version of myself now.
“And now you are basing yourself on a life with Will, which is just pointless. He will soon get tired of your sickness again; there’s only so much a guy like him can take. His mother hates you and doesn’t want you near him. What type of future do you think you can have with him?”
He seemed to know so much about my life and it really frightened me. Any sense of calm left my body and pure panic set in. I suddenly screamed and hit out at him, trying to push him off me. He gripped both of my wrists and pushed them down to the floor, above my head. I tried to wriggle and kick at him but he only sat on me. I screamed in pure frustration.
“Stop wasting all of your energy,” he said with a smirk. “You’ll need it for later.”
I grunted and growled at him as the pressure on me intensified and then I stopped, knowing I was fighting a losing battle.
He laughed and asked, “Have I broken you yet?”
“Never,” I spat angrily at him.
He only laughed more. His phone beeped again and he moved his hold of both wrists into one firm grip, while using his free hand to answer it.
“You must really need to speak to me, this is your third call. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“What are you doing, Oliver?” asked a female voice. He was so close to me that I could hear the conversation.
“Whatever I want. You should know all about that.”
“I think this has gone far enough, don’t you think?” she said next.
The smile was wiped from his face in an instant and his grip on my wrists went even tighter. “I don’t think any of this is your business anymore.”
“It’s hurting my family and if something hurts my family, I make it my business,” she returned.
“She’s no longer your family’s business. Tell your darling son to move on,” he said, his eyes piercing into mine.
“I can’t do that Oliver, you know that. She is what he wants, so that is what he will get.”
It didn’t take long to realise the women’s voice belonged to Will’s mother.
“He’s not getting anything,” said Oliver angrily.
“He will get whatever his heart desires,” she said. “You will return Janey immediately.”
“What about what my heart desires? Did you think about that? Why is it always about him?” he shouted.
I started to cry as his fingernails dug into my wrists. He was becoming angrier by the second.
“Oliver, she does not belong to you. You will return her immediately!” she demanded.
“No,” he shouted, looking at me like he was directing his response it at me.
I looked away as my tears fell, feeling the despair of the situation.
“I know where you are, Oliver. This will not end well for you. You need to return her safely. I beg you, for her safety as well as your own.”
“He can come here and I will kill him. Let’s see what his heart desires when he’s fucking dead,” he spat. “I will kill you all. I will have hits on every family member of yours within minutes. Do not come anywhere near me or you will all pay the price,” he said throwing the phone with a scream. It hit the wall and smashed, before falling to the floor with a thud.
He got off me and then pulled me up by the hair. I cried in pain as I tried to grab it from him.
“Get fucking ready and put another dress on,” he said shoving my head into the closet. He left the room, slamming the door behind him and then locking it again.
I dropped to my knees and let out a scream before it turned into one big giant sob. I couldn’t make any sense of the information in my head, couldn’t understand why Will’s mother had a part in everything to do with my demise. She wanted me returned but for what? So she could finish me off instead?
I heard car doors and quickly got up and ran over to the window. Was she here? I noticed three limousines had parked and men were getting out of them; the same men who had viewed me like a piece of meat in the sex club. I covered my mouth to hold in a scream. No one was coming to save me. I was going to be destroyed, one final time.
The bedroom door unlocked again and opened. I swung around and braced myself for Oliver again until I saw Sebastian stride in quickly. He went straight over to me and the window and I stumbled away from him in fright.
“You have 45 seconds,” he whispered quickly, pulling the window up. Fresh air blew through the window, wrapping around me and tempting me with freedom. “Move,” he growled. “Alarm goes back on in thirty seconds.”
I moved then, shoving a leg out the window and climbing out.
“Here,” he said throwing me his knife, before shutting the window again. I picked up the knife from the ground and looked back through the window at him.
“Run,” he mouthed to me.
“Thank you,” I mouthed back to him.
He gave me a quick nod and then left the room, closing the door behind him.
I turned and scanned around, noting how far I had to run to get to the safety of the forest. I heard voices of the men making their way to the entrance of the house and waited. I heard conversation and laughter, like they were heading to a social dinner and not my own fucking demise. They would all expect a piece of me tonight and now I wouldn’t be there thanks to Sebastian. I skirted around the edge of the house and waited, searching for any eyes on me. I moved around the back of the house, keeping away from windows and then waited again. I listened for movement, for voices near the windows and heard nothing but the night. I gripped the knife in my hand and counted to five.
And then ran for my life.
Chapter Eighteen
Present
Will
Anger surged through me while I listened to my mother order her minions around on the phone. I quietly planned to torture and then kill every single man that was there for Janey tonight. I would leave Oliver until last and then make it the most painful, slowest
death possible.
Zac and Noah had already left and were speeding their way towards the country estate in Zac’s car. I was now on my way to my mother’s helipad where we would take the helicopter.
Nothing was going to stop me from getting my Janey back tonight.
My mother ended a call and looked towards the driver. “How far?” she demanded.
“About five minutes Madam,” replied her driver.
“Make it two,” she demanded furiously. Before she had finished her sentence I felt the limo start to pick up speed.
“How long to get there once we’re up in the air?” I asked.
She didn’t answer me as she pressed for another call.
“David, how are you on this fine evening?” she asked with her deadly sweet charm. “Oh, really? How wonderful for you. I hear you are at the charming Lynnwell estate tonight?” she said pausing for his answer. “Excellent,” she continued. “Now, David - tonight’s party was not authorised by me and you know how I do business.”
I watched my mother in action, noting that I would have been quietly proud of her if I hadn’t been upset with her for being part of all of this.
“Now David, I’m very happy for you to enjoy the evening but I’m afraid the subject has not been authorised by myself and therefore cannot, under any circumstances be touched.”
There was another pause and I saw her clench her fist, before smoothing it over her leg. “If she is touched - by anyone - there will be consequences, David. I cannot stress this enough to you, I will also add that we have a contract in place and you are currently outside the limits of said contract.”
I wanted to take the phone from her and scream at the sick fuck on the phone who had to pay to get his dick hard.
“Don’t make me play hardball, David. Each and every one of you there tonight has a file full of secrets that I would have no hesitation in showing to the world if you do not abide by my orders. She is not to be touched. If you do so, I will not be held responsible for the actions that will be taken against you.”
I heard a short gasp, before she smoothed her fingers down her skirt again. “My business is watertight, David. Work against me and you will never find a fuck in this city again.”
She ended the call as the limo stopped. The door was flung open and the helicopter started its engines. She climbed out with me following close behind her. Her driver helped her up the steps and then held the door open for me. I climbed up and surprisingly, he got in behind me.
The engine changed and then we were being lifted in the air.
I texted Zac.
Will - I’m up in the air. Should be there soon…you?
Zac - Driving as fast as I can…do not kill him before I get there
Will – There is more than one sick fuck there tonight…she’s in serious trouble
I looked up from my phone when my mother started talking to her driver/bodyguard, ensuring his weapons were ready. She meant business and she was finally coming through for me; she was getting Janey back to me at all costs. I looked out of the darkened window of the helicopter, the sky now black.
“Why don’t I know about this estate?” I suddenly asked.
“There are many things about my life that are not to your knowledge. You know this Will, so don’t start the questions now,” she said, reading something on her phone.
“Like Dean?”
I heard her intake of breath; even though I wasn’t meant to as she cleared her throat. “Dean is a subject matter that I’m not willing to discuss with you right now.”
“How is he?” I asked, ignoring her request.
“All vital signs are perfect and he’s in good spirits,” she said, looking out the window and then closing her eyes. She had just given herself away with her answer and didn’t realise I could see her in the reflection of the window.
“Why keep him away from me? What was so bad about him?”
“Nothing was bad about him,” she said in a cutting tone, still looking out the window and seeing nothing. “There was just too much good in him and he was not part of our world.”
“Because you didn’t let him be.”
“I did what I had to do, Will. Stop questioning me; I had my reasons.”
“I need those reasons,” I said quietly. “I missed out on him for all these years and I need to know why.”
“You didn’t miss out on him; you got to be with him every day.”
“Unknowingly! How fucking cruel is that? All because of your stupid contract.”
“Life is cruel,” she stated.
“Ten minutes until our destination, madam,” said the pilot through his microphone.
I let out a frustrated sigh, itching to be there and cause chaos. “So you’ve known Oliver for all of these years,” I stated with a shake of my head. “The fucker has made my girl’s life a living hell and you’ve been harbouring the sick fuck.”
“His birth mother asked me to take care of him before she passed away,” she said. “It had nothing to do with you.”
“It had everything to do with me. He’s infected all of us: Janey, Zac, Noah, myself. How many more fucking lies and secrets are you keeping from me? Why are you involved in everything that has in some way hurt me?”
“I didn’t want to hurt you. I have your best interests at heart.”
“Bullshit,” I muttered. “You don’t have a heart.”
“Madam,” interjected her bodyguard, glaring at me.
She put her hand out to say it was okay and that she could deal with me.
“What?” I asked, glaring at him angrily. “You going to do something to me? I’d have you knocked out cold before you had even started, you piece of shit.”
“Will, stop it. He’s doing his job.”
I shook my head and then without another thought, right hooked him with my fist. I was known for my speed and he hadn’t even seen it coming. His head swung back against the seat and then drooped forward, his belt keeping his body upright. He was out for the count.
“What the Hell are you doing, Will!?” she shouted. “We need him!”
“I don’t need him and I don’t need you. Just get me there and then you can go.”
“They are my clients and I need to deal with them.”
“I’ll shoot them all first and then you can fucking deal with them after,” I said still holding the gun from the bodyguard.
“I’m trying to help you,” she said next.
“It’s a little too late for that really, isn’t it,” I said swinging the gun towards her. “You’ve kept my father a secret, you’ve kept the sick fuck that was responsible for breaking my girl, and you’ve been playing with my life since the moment I was born. You tried to keep Janey from me, even try and kill her off. And you’re now trying to help me?”
“I did not try and kill her off,” she said.
“Your words mean shit to me! She’s in serious trouble and it’s all your fault. I swear if she has been touched or hurt, I will hurt you.”
“You can’t hurt me, Will.”
I cocked an eyebrow and raised the gun to her chin. “You think so?”
“Shoot me, I don’t care.”
I leaned in closer to her and said, “There is no way I would end it that easily. You need to suffer for all the shit you’ve done; I’m going to spill all of your secrets and put them out there in the big, wide world. You’ll never be trusted with your glorified sex clubs again. I will have a relationship with my father and make up for all the time you’ve taken from me. I will grow old with Janey and love her and show you how it’s meant to be done.”
She swallowed and said, “I know you will. You’re just like him; a proper man.”
My eyes narrowed onto her and I moved the gun away from her altogether. “You loved Dean,” I stated. “You kept him away from your life because he didn’t fit but you loved him.”
She didn’t answer, but I could see the tears in her eyes.
“Then that’s your punishment. You
deserve to be alone.”
The helicopter started to descend.
“So, why the contract?”
“He fell in love with his wife and I wanted him to suffer.”
Janey
I ran as far as I could and as fast as I could. I had no idea where I was going within the thick forest but I just kept going, as far from the house and Oliver as possible. I stumbled over the forest floor, sticks and sharp ground cover piercing my bare feet. The sun had now fully disappeared from the sky and I tried not to panic about the darkness starting to close in on me. I couldn’t let myself worry about being in this forest alone in the cold darkness; I only knew I had to escape and get as far away as possible from Oliver. He would be furious when he realised I had escaped and wouldn’t stop until he found me again. I just had to keep blindly going, creating a distance between myself and the house.
My vision was being depleted by the darkness with every step I made. I stumbled into low branches, their arms scratching at my skin. I felt each and every scrape and stopped myself from crying out by gritting my teeth with the pain. I didn’t want to make any noises for fear of him finding me. I didn’t know how long I had been running or how much ground I had covered, but when I finally stopped to take a breath, I was surrounded by a suffocating darkness. I couldn’t see the house, couldn’t even see the trees in front of me. I lifted my face to the sky, seeing bright stars above the tops of the trees.
I let out a sudden sob.
They were all I could see.
What the hell was I going to do now? Where did I go?
I would freeze to death if I didn’t find some sort of cover soon.
I heard a voice shout out in the distance and I knew it was Oliver. I clenched my body and tried to decide on what to do. Did I run in the darkness, or did I hide somewhere and pray that he didn’t find me? He shouted out my name and I heard him clearer this time. Surely he wouldn’t have caught up with me already?
I started to move again, hearing the crunch of the ground under my feet. Knowing he would soon hear me, I stopped again. I looked around, trying not to panic as the darkness enclosed in on me. I was so fucking alone and so fucking scared that I didn’t know what the Hell to do. I felt the fear travel up through my body, making my lips numb and my head woozy. I wouldn’t survive the night out here.