“fwreekks!”

Elicia:

Intense thumping crashed angrily across the darkness, gulping back the slimy saliva that pooled against the stiff rubber-coated gag holding my aching jaw open like a horse bridal. Tugging my ankles and wrists, only met by the resistance of the calloused leather digging angrily into my burning flesh.

Where am I? What did I do to deserve this? WHY ME?

Crying silently to the darkness as the blackness slowly faded away, blinking my tear-stricken eyes as the dimly lit room focused into a dark mahogany encased study.
Moving just enough to feel the scratchy fibers, rub into my exposed flesh pressed firmly into the musky Persian rug of burgundies and tan’s as the soft sunlight, filtered through the beige sheers draped gently over the large picture window.

The gentle shadows, highlighting the broad chested man situated in a wheelchair with a medical bag strapped to the back, realizing it was a catheter bag partially full of the glistening pale-yellow liquid as heavy footsteps approached from my left, just past my view. Closing my eyes at the heavy click of a door opening, signaled the arrival of one of my captors.

“Uncle.” Bain’s cold timbered voice spooked me slightly, hearing the shuffling of his boots as he stepped in front of my bound body, feeling the heavy pressure of his boot nudging my shoulder with a scoff.

“Nephew.” The gentleman responded in a calloused tone, scaring me more than Bain’s timbered voice, fighting the overwhelming urge to cry as Bain shifted away toward the man at the window.

“Where’s dad?” Bain asked flatly, clinking a glass decanter against a hollowed metallic structure as the crisp clinks of ice shook the thumping ache into an ear-piercing ringing, gritting tighter against the strange gag in my mouth.

“Preparing the room.” The gentleman scoffed out lowly with a rumbling growl, spooking me back a heartbeat as Bain’s feet shifted, thudding smoothly across the scratchy rug. Screaming out in pain as his fingers slipped angrily through my matted locks, hoisting my full weight up barely touching the rug with my toes.

“It’s rude to eavesdrop.” Bain’s musky scent filled my senses, gagging back the revolting stench that lofted from him as my teary eyes studied those cold, malice orbs of swirling amber and black. Noticing the gentleman staring intently at our exchange as his muscular body faced us with a twitching smirk lacing across his calloused face.

“Look at me.” Bain growled lowly, snapping my eyes back to his as his fingers gripped tighter along my thumping skull. Whimpering in pain against the piercing stabbing that radiated down into my spine, flinching back as he took a casual sip of his brandy, licking the glistening liquid from his pouty lips.

Those supple lips that once filled me with butterflies, only left by the hollowed sensation of betrayal. Thrashing my legs, feeling the hair rip from my scalp as my body thudded angrily to the ground with a loud “ouf” and sharp, shooting pain along my left hip and shoulder. Ignoring the pool of drool as it seeped out from the gaps around the gag, tilting my head enough to watch Bain kneel with his glass twirling its rainbow flecks across the floor.

“muwafuker, pweuce of shiyt!” Snarling at him feeling my body shiver in a strange swirling heat as his smirk turned amused, pushing his muscular finger into my forehead, flicking my nose.

“Oh, she’ll be fun to play with.” The gentleman wheeled himself closer, noticing Bain roll his eyes at the comment, looking at him oddly.

“Uncle, you can’t handle her like I can.” Bain hissed darkly as the door clicked open, snapping my head enough to see a gentleman stroll in with black slacks, rattlesnake skin boots, white button-up and the classic black Stetson cowboy hat with the same facial features.

“Aw, Ms. DeWalt. Pleasure young lady.” His cold tone sent shivers rolling down my spine as he took a seat in the black and white cow hide chair, pouring himself a glass of brandy I presumed.

“Elicia, meet my father Myles DeLois and his brother, Titan DeLois.” Bain motioned with his hand, tilting his glass to his lips with a smug smirk. Studying each one with a close eye, feeling like this happy introduction was leading to my “Doom”.

“Whuat do youy wuant?” Huffing angrily against the gag, feeling the saliva flick out and over my cheek as Myles snapped a handkerchief from his pocket, flipping it over to Bain as he wiped away the foamy spit. Smelling the faint aroma of Copenhagen and mint, gasping as Bain tossed the saliva-soaked fabric over my face with a teasing chuckle like he was enjoying this.

Was he like this the whole time?

No, he was gentler, more relaxed than he was right now. Oh, that’s right, he played me the whole time, lying, cheating, and enigmatic.

“Oh, that’s right, you never met my family, besides Peyton, but that’s beside the point. Where to begin? Oh, yes…” He stood up, leaning his head back with a dark smirk as his finger tapped sharply against the rim of his glass, while his father and uncle sat quietly, studying me with a malice glint laced in their deep amber orbs.

“My brother and I are third generations to the Delois bloodline. Our granddaddy struck “black gold” by the grace of the Gods, buying the neighboring ranches and eventually our retched town, full of misfits, and brainless fools. It’s amazing what a little money can buy you, especially in the Underground. That’s where our real money developed, thanks to my father and his brother, and their unquenchable love of sport fighting.” Bain strolled around, patting his uncle’s shoulder with a silent nod of approval as his father leaned back casually, sipping his drink.

The whole family is twisted. I should have listened to LC and Bailey, but I chose to ignore their warnings. I’m in deep, deep, shit. Blinking away the stray tears that dribbled down my cheek, rubbing them away against the scratchy rug fibers before they noticed.

“You were an anomaly. Piquing Peyton’s and mine natural instinct to prey upon your innocence like every other target we encountered.” His cold tone scared me to the bone, shaking the swirling fear from my head, remembering the hidden strength I had developed within these past couple of weeks with Randi, and the brothers.

“In the beginning, I wanted to pluck that innocence but now… now I want to destroy it. You may have taunted me with your curves, and that strange obsession with dance and literature, but I have something else in store for you.” His father and uncle smirked sinisterly at his words as Bain stepped closer, hoisting me over his shoulder, thrashing, slamming my bound fists into his taut back muscles as his uncle followed closely behind, licking his lips.

Gasping out, blinded by the thick black material pulled over my head as their foot falls echoed hollowly along the solid flooring, hearing the soft whine of hinges as cold air swirled along my exposed flesh. Counting the steps as we descended into what smelled like a basement, squirming around to try and break loose, only met with a stone wall slamming into my face, knocking me loopy.

“fwuck youy!” Gargling out as a heavy metal door swung open, flinching against the high-pitched screech scraping along my thumping skull, slammed violently onto a lumpy mattress. Huffing wildly, blinking away the darkness as the hood yanked away with a solid fist, examining the stone cellar with iron rings in the wall, the floor, and suspended from the pully hanging from the ceiling.

“Get comfortable, babe, because the real fun is about to start.” Bain laughed darkly with his father, exiting the cell with a crashing bang of the door as it latched closed. Flinching away as the metal peek-a-boo panel flopped opened with a clacking bang against the metal door.

“See you in a few hours. I need to prepare for our lesson.” His laughter rang coldly through the cellar as their footsteps thudded heavily against the stone flooring, watching closely to make sure no one stuck around.

“fwreekks!” thrashing, tugging at my restraints as the tears chapped my tender flesh, plipping softly against the dirty, lumpy mattress that smelled fouler than a boys gym locker, gagging and coughing loudly against the gag strapped tightly around my head.

Now’s not the time to freak out, think. How the fuck am I going to get out of this? Looking around the strange cell, noticing a bent piece of iron grating along the side wall, scooting my ass across the lumpy mattress. Panting heavily against the gag, feeling the cold stone scrap against my bound legs as my ass inched closer and closer.

Just about there.