Page 9 of Death

Maybe if I wait for him to fall asleep, I can get it from him and escape.

Once Nolan is done with his meal, I watch as he washes the dishes. When the kitchen is clean, he comes to take my hand and tugs me to my feet.

Having him touch me fills my chest with disgust and dread.

My butt is still on fire as we take a seat on the couch, but I keep quiet so I don’t attract Nolan’s attention. He grabs the remote from the small coffee table, and switching on the TV, he watches the news. He lets go of my hand, then wraps his arm around my shoulders. Sitting so close to him makes my stomach roll with disgust.

A contented sigh drifts from him, and he seems to relax a little.

We sit for what feels like an hour before he switches off the TV. “Time for bed.”

Nolan gets up, tugging me to my feet. This time, when we walk down the short hallway, I hear the chain rattling and dragging behind me on the floor.

We come to a stop in front of the bed, and Nolan turns to face me. Lifting his hand, he takes hold of my chin and locks eyes with me.

“You understand I have to punish you for trying to run, right?”

Oh God.

Instantly, my heart pounds in my chest, and I begin to shake my head. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again,” I lie.

“I don’t like doing this at all.” He moves forward, and I automatically take a step back. Suddenly, Nolan grabs hold of me, and I’m lifted off my feet. I’m only airborne for a few seconds before I’m slammed down into something that looks like a big box.

“No,” I scream, hitting and clawing at Nolan’s arms and neck. I hear the chain rattle, and the next instant, he’s pointing a gun at me, and I freeze.

“Move, and I’ll kill you,” he threatens. “Things won’t work between us if you’re going to continue to fight me, and if I can’t have you, no one will.”

Dear God.

“P-p-please,” I beg, my voice hoarse with intense terror. “I’ll listen. I promise.”

His features soften a little. “This is for the best, my love. You’ll learn not to hurt yourself and to obey me. Things will be much better between us after one night in the trunk.”

“N-no,” I sob, tears rolling over my temples, gripping the side of the trunk with all my might.

“Let go so I can close the lid,” he orders.

I shake my head, trying to pull myself up, but he shoves me down and gives me a look of warning while taking the gun’s safety off.

“Don’t do this, Ciara. Just listen and take your punishment.” He gives my hand a pointed look. “Let go.”

I’m shivering like crazy as I reluctantly pull my hand back, and when he shuts the lid, sobs burst from me.

My hands fly up, and I push against the lid, but it doesn’t budge. A suffocating panic burns hot through my body and mind. I have no idea how much time passes as I repeatedly slam my fists against the lid, crying for mercy, but at some point, a numbness settles over me.

As I pull my arms tightly to my chest for comfort, I notice light filtering through a slit in the box where the chain has been pulled through.

I stare at the beam of light, but soon after, everything goes dark, and I hear Nolan say, “If you behave, you can sleep in my arms tomorrow night.”

Right then, I realize I’m actually safe in the box. Nolan can’t spank or rape me in here.

I lie awake in the tight space, sucking in desperate breaths of air while trying to process the hell that’s been unleashed on me today.

Grace.

My eyes drift shut, and in desperate need of comfort, I turn to memories of my sister.

Chapter 3