He drops the tool onto the table with a metallic clatter. Before I can release the breath I was holding, his hands are on me again. I whimper quietly as he shakes me by the shoulders. The whole chair comes off the floor with the force of his grip.
“I know you have it. He told me it was in the pool house with you,” he roars, his hot breath and the clean smell of his toothpaste rushing over my face taking me by surprise. “Where is it?” he screams again, snapping me back into focus.
I shake my head in denial. Sobbing uncontrollably now as a fresh wave of terror overtakes me. “I never had anything like that,” I choke out the words.
He has a knife in his hand now, a big one. He runs the blade down my face, starting just below my eye and tracing a line down to the curve of my jaw with the point. He’s not cutting me, but the tiniest bit of added pressure and that would change. I force myself to hold still. I don’t even breathe.
“I really don't want to cut you,” he says. “You're a pretty little thing. Maybe if you be real nice to me, I won't have to make you hurt.”
He sets his knife down beside his other tools and palms the bulge in the front of his pants, bringing my horrified attention to it. Fuck.This is even worse than the threat of being cut. I sob out loud like a child, turning my face into my shoulder as best I can. Anything to get myself as far away from this nightmare as I can.
Another sob tinged with the vile bitterness of regret comes after the first, opening the floodgates to every fear, every regret I’ve ever had.
The biggest one in this moment is that I had the chance to make love with Travis, and instead I passed out like an idiot. Just a couple of days later and I'm looking at the smiling man from my nightmares, realizing that this might be how I lose my virginity.
Raped at knifepoint by the monster who murdered my mother.
At least I won't live long afterward—once he sees I really don't know anything about his ledger, he will end my misery. It doesn't surprise me when he removes the shackles from my ankles, spreading my legs and wedging himself between them.
“So pretty. Just like your mama.” He sighs against my ear, his hands twisting into the front of my shirt before tearing it from my body. Cool air washes over my bare breasts. I should have worn a bra. I try hunch forward in a vain attempt to hide myself from his eyes, but it’s pointless with my hands bound behind me. I’m on full display. His hands cover the soft skin of my breasts, and I recoil when I see the madness reflected in his eyes. Too cowardly to watch him, I squeeze my eyes shut tightly and try to picture Travis’ face. He won’t even allow me that small mercy.
“I told you if you were nice I wouldn't have to hurt you.” His voice is almost- petulant. Suddenly the soft touches stop as blunt fingers pinch my tender nipples then twist brutally. White spots dance behind my closed eyelids and I can't stop the scream that explodes from my throat.
It comes from the depths of my soul, my mental anguish as great as the physical agony ripping through me.
He nuzzles his
face into my hair, repeating the assault on my breasts. His hand wraps around my throat, choking off my next shriek of agony, until everything goes black.
I come to on the floor, confused and hurting everywhere. My eyes flutter open and lock on the raised fist above me. It seems like it moves in slow motion as it descends toward me, ending in a symphony of agony as it smashes into my stomach, forcing the air from my lungs. I turn my head and vomit, struggling to breathe as the other fist repeats the impact.
I can’t breathe. Can’t think beyond the pain. Vaguely I hear someone begging. “Please stop. Please.” The voice is a broken whimper and somehow I recognize that it’s coming from me.
The man above me tears at my thin leggings, ripping them down my limp legs, until I'm bared to his gaze. He is muttering to himself, I hear him say my mother’s name several times. Hopelessly I try to curl myself into a ball, but his hands around my throat stop me, banging my head against the dirty floor until I give up and let myself go slack in his punishing grip.
I'm fading back into the darkness, thankful for the respite, when there is a crash outside the door and my attacker jumps up. I suck in an excruciating breath while my tormentor drags me to my feet, holding my sagging form against him like a shield.
There is a second shuddering blow and the door flies open.
My vision is hazy but I see him as though from a great distance. I must be dying for God to be letting me have this vision of Travis coming to save me.
“I knew you were coming,” I whisper into the eerie silence permeating the room, my words echoing in my ears. I hear my name being shouted from miles away and sink into darkness as pain rips through me again.
Travis
Above me I can hear the muffled sounds of fighting and I mentally cheer Xavier on as I clear apartment after apartment with no sign of Faye. I move down the hall, opening doors. Nothing on this floor has been locked and I haven't seen evidence of anyone even being here other than the obvious remodeling activity.
There are only two doors left when she screams.
It's a sound torn right from the darkest terrors of my dreams.
I'm gonna kill a motherfucker.
Another agonized cry rends the air before being cut off. My heart constricts. God, please don’t let me be too late. No one causes my girl to make that sound and lives to talk about it. I don’t give a shit what the cost is, whoever is hurting her is a dead man.
The door splinters but doesn't give way under the force of my first kick, so I follow it with another, knocking it loose from its hinges. I toss it out of my way. The sight that greets me makes my blood boil in my veins. I don’t think. I don’t hesitate. Only raise my gun to take him out for having the audacity to strip my girl naked and lay his hands on her.
Her amber eyes lock on mine for a fleeting moment. They are swollen and bruised on her battered face.