The serum helped. I rubbed in a liberal amount, trying to ignore the way the opening he’d abused felt stretched and swollen.
That was it. There was no more relief to be had. Except…the serum contained lidocaine—a numbing agent. Thinking about the despicable way my body had responded to his fingers made me choke on another sob. But the cream could help make sure my body couldn’t betray me like that again. Without any more thought, I squeezed the serum onto my fingers and rubbed it into my clit.
I turned my attention to the water and energy bar, eyeing them like mortal enemies. My throat was raw from screaming and my lips were parched from thirst, but eating and drinking would only prolong this. It might be a slow escape, but it would come eventually if I could just resist the urge to give into the burning thirst that scorched my throat.
He’d told me to eat. Fine, I’d eat, but he hadn’t said a word about drinking. And just to make sure I didn’t change my mind, I opened the bottle and dumped the contents on the bloody towels. Then I reached for the energy bar. Still shaking, it took me four attempts to open it.
Each swallow felt like broken glass but I got it down. Then I laid down and rested the less-injured side of my face against the ground. And I waited. I could mark the day and night by the light from the window, but not the passing of a single hour.
Sixty minutes. How many minutes did I have left? I counted the seconds, counting slowly as if that could slow time’s passage. When my eyes drifted closed at five-hundred and thirty-two seconds, I lost count. Sleep. A temporary escape. I welcomed it as it reached for me. And finally, as it pulled me under, Derek’s face was there. His too handsome face and vivid, blue eyes. Yes, this was my heaven.
6
Scarlett
“You think you can fool me, slave?” Derek’s full lips formed the words but his voice wasn’t right. It was cold, and it filled every fiber of my body with dread. “Get up,” he barked and dragged me upright, but with the jerk of my arm, my eyes flew open.
It wasn’t Derek. He wasn’t here. The monster was back and he was angry. From my knees, he pulled me up onto my feet and backed me up until my back thumped against the stone. I stifled a cry and stared at my feet. Every muscle was taut, trying to prepare for his next strike.
His hand dropped to my sex and he slapped my clit. I felt it sharply on the surrounding flesh, but not my clit. Not the place that was numbed with the lidocaine cream. I held back the sigh of relief that threatened to slip out. I was numb. That part of me was safe from him.
At least, that’s what I thought until he forced my chin up.
“Your innocence should please me, but coupled with a flagrant defiance…”
When he stroked his fingers gently along my jaw, I knew something bad was coming. He’d caught me. He knew exactly what I’d done. Of course, he did. I’d completely forgotten about the cameras. I couldn’t see any, but they must be here somewhere. How else would the doors know when to lock and unlock? Someone had watched me—probably him among them—while I attempted to clean my body and soothe it with the damn cream. He’d watched as I massaged it into my traitorous clit.
Just like before, he moved swiftly. He’d grabbed my wrists and yanked them over my head before I could jerk away. One big hand held me there. I wanted to kick him, to bite him, to inflict whatever damage I could, but I didn’t. I stood there like a deer caught in headlights, too afraid to move.
He slid a finger on his free hand into his mouth. Was this some reference to the way he’d forced his wet finger into my mouth earlier? His hand then slid between my thighs, but he didn’t stop at my clit. His saliva-moistened finger glided between my dry labia, and I understood what he was doing when he pushed it inside me.
I’d been stupid. Naïve. Not innocent, but foolish.
He stroked along the front wall of my sex, and I gritted my teeth. It wouldn’t work this time. I wasn’t going to allow it.
His strokes grew firmer and he increased his pace. I thought about every vile thing he’d done to me and how much I loathed him. I could kill him. If ever given the chance, I could do it. I wouldn’t hesitate. And it wasn’t just for me I’d be doing it. I couldn’t possibly be the first girl he’d taken, and I likely wouldn’t be the last. Unless I snuffed out his evil existence.