Page 10 of Death

CIARA

Unable to sleep and scared out of my mind, I have no idea what time it is when the urge to relieve my bladder becomes a worry.

I try to hold on as long as possible before I’m forced to call out, “Nolan, I need the bathroom.” When I don’t hear any movement, I clear my throat and call louder, “Nolan! I need the bathroom.”

Nolan lets out a groan, and I hear him mutter something unintelligible before he fiddles with the lid. When he opens the box, I quickly sit up, and grabbing hold of the side, I pull myself into a standing position.

My captor takes hold of my elbow and walks me out of the bedroom and to the bathroom. The chain rattles behind me, a stark reminder that I can’t escape this hell.

Letting go of my arm, he lifts the toilet lid, then says, “Pee.”

My eyebrows fly up. “Aren’t you going to leave?”

Impatience tightens his features, then pulling up my dress, he shoves me down on the toilet, and my butt hits the seat hard. Shocked, I can only stare at him.

“I want to go back to sleep, Ciara! Pee,” he snaps angrily.

Intense humiliation burns through me like hot coals, and realizing I have no other choice, I turn my head away from him and shut my eyes before I relieve my bladder.

When I reach for the toilet paper, he slaps my hand, making me gasp and yank my hand to my chest.

Nolan takes a few squares of toilet paper and folds it neatly before saying, “Open your legs.”

I begin to shake my head, tears escaping. My mind reels from the horrifyingly degrading situation I find myself in.

“No,” I whimper, clamping my knees shut.

He lets out an aggravated sigh, then grabs hold of my arm and yanks me off the toilet. He forces me onto the floor, and shoving his knee into my back, he pushes my legs open and proceeds to wipe me from front to back.

Just as quickly, he gets up, and I hear the toilet flush while my breaths explode over the linoleum floor.

Once again, I’m grabbed by the arm and hauled up until I’m standing. Unable to catch my bearings, I automatically move when I’m pulled back to the bedroom.

I’m shoved forward and fall against the side of the bed. My head turns, and when I see Nolan grabbing the belt from where it was lying on the bedside table, I quickly shake my head and dart forward. I crawl over the rumpled covers, but Nolan grabs hold of the chain and yanks me back toward him.

Pain cuts into my ankle, drawing a cry from me. Just as I push myself up again, the belt cracks over my lower back, the extreme pain forcing me into the covers. The lashes rain down on my thighs, butt, and lower back, ripping cry after cry from me until I push my fist against my mouth to smother the sounds.

Suddenly, the blows stop, and the bed dips as Nolan lies down beside me, so we’re face to face. He brings his hand to my face and brushes my hair back.

Giving me a loving look, he murmurs, “There, there. Shh…”

Weak with pain, I can’t fight as he pulls me against his chest. He holds me as if I’m precious, his hand gently brushing up and down my back.

“It hurts me more than it hurts you.” He presses a kiss to my hair, and it makes me feel very confused.

My emotions are a chaotic mess, and it takes a few minutes before I calm down enough to realize I didn’t go into a panicked trance.

Even though I’m caught in a world of turmoil and horror, I somehow fall asleep out of pure exhaustion.

When I open my eyes again, Nolan’s still holding me, his breaths warming a spot on my head.

I remain dead still, not wanting to wake him, but I’m fresh out of luck because not even a minute later, he moves, pulling his arms away from me.

I watch as he climbs off the bed, noticing he’s wearing a T-shirt and shorts. He grabs a pair of jeans and another shirt from the closet and leaves the bedroom.

Only when I hear the shower turn on in the bathroom do I gingerly begin to move off the bed. My body aches something fierce, and the memories of the harrowing hours since Nolan kidnapped me fill my mind.

My phone!