My elbows were wrenched behind me, shooting pain through my shoulders and spine. I snapped my teeth shut to contain the cry. Lindstrom didn’t deserve the satisfaction. Before I could catch my breath, he banded his arms around me and dragged me backwards towards the table. I pushed with my feet and slammed back against him, crashing into the table, and dragging it across the floor with a loud scrape.
Lindstrom’s grunt whooshed past my ear and his arms went lax, freeing me. I jumped forward and turned to find Felicity holding up the bloody pocketknife. At her feet, blood gushed from the back of the beast’s neck as he lay in a lifeless heap on the floor.
She was so pale, swaying on her feet with a haunted look in her eyes. The knife clattered to the floor as she relaxed her hand and dropped it to her side.
“Can you get up the stairs on your own?” I asked as I rushed over to Ruby, gathering her in my arms. Relief flooded my veins, but we weren’t out of danger yet. When I turned back, Felicity was already at the stairs, struggling to put on her skirt.
“You broke my legs, you bitch!” Mr. Stevens cursed across the room, grasping his legs, his face twisted in pain.
Felicity responded for me. “I hope it fucking hurts. She just helped me kill the man who’s been blackmailing you. You should be thankful. Doesn’t matter now, anyway. Everyone is going to know what you did.” She sidestepped her father as he released a roar of frustration, and slowly climbed each step, one at a time, with a hand on my shoulder.
“Are there any others in the house?”
“Don’t know,” she croaked.
The appearance of a pair of legs in jeans as we reached the top of the stairs answered my question. I followed them up, and my heart sank at Twit’s face scowling down at us.
“Ladies. You’ve made a mess. Can’t say I’m sad to see him dead, though. You’ve done me a favour. Time to collect your reward.”
His fist snapped out, catching Felicity on the temple, and she flopped backwards like a ragdoll down the stairs. The sickening crack of bone made my hair stand on end. I didn’t move or look back, not willing to take my eyes off him. I’d learned my lesson from his father.
Ruby’s chest pumped at a faster pace, like she knew the danger wasn’t over despite her unconscious state. I held her tighter, pleading for her to come out of this alive and well. I needed to think, damn it. He had me blocked. I could try running down the stairs, but with my extra baggage, he’d have me in an instant.
Mr. Stevens’ moans and groans echoed up the stairs. Limp dick. His daughter had been through worse and she hadn’t complained. I couldn’t hear or feel any movement from Felicity. My head conjured the worst kind of fate for her, but I couldn’t turn and check for myself.
Twit bared his teeth in a smile I’d seen only moments before on his father’s face. The moisture left my mouth like the receding tide before a tsunami.
He hooked his hand around the back of my neck, grabbing a handful of my hair. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, bitch. You should be more careful with that mouth of yours. I know exactly how it should be used.”
I grunted as he tugged me forward so I tripped up the steps, taking the skin off my shins on the edge of the steps when I landed on my knees. I managed to place Ruby on the ground, as far away from his foot as I could, before my face was yanked in front of his crotch. I slammed my eyes shut and fought the urge to vomit.
The fucker was hard.
“I’m going to have so much fun with you.” He sang the words like I was his favourite play toy.
I pulled back on my hair to reverse the tension, feeling like he was going to tear off my scalp. Tears leaked down my cheeks. I couldn’t stop them. I knew this was how my life would end. Used for the amusement of a sick fuck and then discarded somewhere like my life had zero worth.
With my hair locked in his grip, he dragged me across the floor to another room, switching on the light to reveal a bedroom. From my position on the floor, I saw ropes dangling from the corners of the iron bed frame. Suspicious stains on the carpet didn’t bode well. The room’s musty, metallic smell seeped into my nostrils, coaxing a heave from my stomach.
“Bitch. I should make you lick that up, but I want you to lick me with a clean tongue.”
He dragged me further into the room and opened another door. The bathroom.
Oh, shit. What is he going to do, drown me?
He pushed me up against the bath. Panic had my tears pouring out until I realised I preferred this ending than being tied to the bed and tortured. I’ve heard drowning was supposed to be peaceful. I’d get to see Granny again. Soon. That would be okay. I sniffed and wiped my face. Twit let me go so he could lock the door. I don’t know why he bothered. Every bathroom door can be unlocked from the inside, and this one didn’t look any different.
I fixed my attention on his back, watching him grab the liquid soap from the bench. He spun around, crouched in front of me and reefed my jaw open, squishing my cheeks in to keep my mouth open as he poured the soap in.
I’d never be able to smell lavender again.
“You’ve got a dirty mouth, bitch. We’re gonna fix that.”
