Page 5 of Benedict’s Rejuvenation (Dark Patriots #5)

I cut off my emotions and did what I did in the past. I went through the motions and said what he wanted to hear.

At first, I hadn’t, but that never helped me suffer less, so I stopped that.

It became a battle to see if I could turn the tables on him.

Lately, I found that I could get Vadzim to halt or lessen his punishments with me.

I’d planned to manipulate him to see if I could one day get him to give me freedom.

I reached him and remained motionless, with my head down, no eye contact, on my hands and knees—a perfect pet submitting to her owner. He preferred that I subjugate myself this way. His hand cupped my chin and lifted my head as he purred, “You may look upon my magnificence, my pet.”

I only raised my eyes after he made that statement. Vadzim went on to tell me how beautiful I was and how much he missed me. He claimed to have a special treat for me and asked if I wanted to see it.

I gave him the desired answer in the tone I knew he would love. I’d had plenty of practice. “I did miss you, My Worship. But I don’t know that I’ve been good enough to be worthy of your treat.”

He was stern when he questioned how I had been bad, and his dislike of me not eating like I should. Slava had told him. He wanted me to remain the perfect pet he had received. I wanted to bite his hand and tell him I wasn’t his fucking pet.

Instead, I promised him that I would try harder and told him I knew I wasn’t worthy of his treat and was trying to find ways to help him.

I questioned if it would work, and I hated to disappoint him.

Playing to his ego sometimes got me things I wanted.

It was hit or miss when it worked. His following words told me I might be in luck.

“Tell me what you thought of. I like that you want to help me.”

The next part made me want to run, but I said it. “May I sit with you and touch you, Magnificence?”

I made sure never to glance at my sister and the men. If I did, it would draw Vadzim’s attention to them. It would break the spell I was trying to weave around him. At the moment, he appeared to have forgotten that we weren’t alone. He smiled kindly at me.

“Yes, you may. Thank you for remembering your manners.”

Gaining his permission, I moved to sit on the bench. I had to face him. Thankfully, I wore sweatpants and a T-shirt my sister had me change into. The nightie I had on when I was rescued left nothing to the imagination.

His smile changed to a frown. “Remove those awful rags. You know what you’re permitted to wear when I’m here,” he snapped.

Vadzim hated for my body to be covered. I scrambled fast to think of why I would’ve changed. I couldn’t lose him now.

“I’m sorry. I have a surprise underneath these rags. That’s why I put them on.”

I stood again and removed my armor. That’s how I thought of them, but I had to do it. I revealed the see-through purple nightie from earlier. I sat as soon as I could.

I held in my shiver of revulsion when he smiled, then ran his hand from my throat to my breast, where he squeezed.

I heard faint rustling sounds from the corner, but didn’t look.

Vadzim told me it was better, then asked what I had been working on.

While crawling, saying my nonsense, and undressing, I’d been thinking up a story.

What I came up with made me even sicker, but I felt it would work.

“I wanted to be able to help you get more pets for their owners. I think so many more should be so lucky. I have ideas on how to attract them and get the word out, but I have no idea how to make it succeed because I have no clue how your supply lines work. Where are they, and how can we add more? Are there enough people in the various positions to handle an increased load? My work is numbers, and solving problems that involve numbers is my specialty. That’s what I was doing when Mona introduced us, remember?

I wish My Worship would let me help him make his business the largest in the world.

Imagine how many people—owners and pets—we could unite. ”

I used the voice that I knew he responded to the most lately. It seemed to mesmerize him in a way. I knew why. I’d turned some of his lessons back on him. I’d learned them from the master monster. Did that make me a monster, too? Maybe. He glanced over at my sister and the guys.

“Why are they here? They’ve invaded our home. They killed my men, including Slava.”

“They came because I wanted them to. I hope you won’t be mad, but I convinced Slava to let me call my sister.

She’s been so anxious to find me. You know, I didn’t have a chance to tell her I was leaving to be your pet.

She thought I was gone against my will. I had to show her how well you care for me and that I want to be here.

When we talked, I found out she had hired some men to find me, and as part of their investigation, they came across very upsetting information, My Worship. It was so terrible.”

I hung my head. I waited for him to speak.

“Tell me. What did they find?” he snapped.

I raised my gaze to his, letting the lie roll off my tongue.

“They discovered a plot to take your business away from you. It was a massive one. Not only was Slava involved, but so were Mona, Michael, and your bodyguards. I was stunned that Nikita was part of it. They couldn’t allow them to do it, so they came here and set up an ambush.

They tied you up to trick them and make them talk.

I’m sorry, My Magnificence. I hope they didn’t hurt you.

I’ll have them let you go as soon as possible. ”

From there, I went with it wholeheartedly.

I played submissive when it was to my advantage, yet I would switch to being dominant when I thought it was necessary.

I watched him fall under my spell. I had to let him touch my body at times, which sickened me.

But it was worse when I had to touch his.

While it was bad, there wasn’t any actual sex happening.

He didn’t force me to take out his cock and give him a blow job, or let him fuck me on the bench.

Both had happened repeatedly in the past. I knew it was because he’d fallen under my enthrallment.

I felt powerful yet dirty at the same time. However, the end result — shutting down his entire disgusting business and those involved, and if we were lucky, bringing some of his victims home—was the goal. I’d submit to whatever I had to in order to make that happen.

As I led him on, Vadzim happily shared all the secrets of his business, the sites where they held the women and auctions, the supply lines used, and everything in between.

When I asked him if we could work on my plan idea tonight, he let it be known that he had everything with him to do it.

He kept it on a secure jump drive, just like Mona had. I wondered who gave them the idea.

As I slowly led him, he spoke to my sister, Ben, Beau, and Reed.

He bought my word that they wanted to help him.

Mona’s laptop was brought to the basement.

We watched as he removed the metal and leather cuffs he always wore on his wrists.

I gasped when he removed the largest metal center piece, revealing that it hid a storage spot for his drive.

When discussing his pipelines and his desire to expand them, Ben expressed his enthusiasm with great zeal.

“Beau and I have connections all over the world, Vadzim. We were in the military, leaving us with connections in many countries. The reason we got out was that the government doesn’t pay their military shit.

We got tired of risking our lives for pennies.

And if we got hurt or killed, so what? They would just recruit others.

We have so much combined experience that we can get you into any country you want.

We have the resources. If we don’t, we can find them. ”

“Ben is right. I have a company I started with three other SEAL buddies. It has allowed us to make even more connections and allies. We deal with several motorcycle clubs. You know how they are. They’ll do anything for a cut of the profit.

And nothing is too ugly for them. I’ve seen them torture and kill people without batting an eye,” Beau added.

My sister and Reed even made some comments that added to the realism.

Vadzim used the laptop to open his files.

They got Vadzim’s permission to bring in another man named Aryan on their team.

He had been the one to verify everything on Mona’s jump drive.

I had to coax Vadzim to allow it, but in the end, he did.

While Aryan worked on the computer, they kept Vadzim occupied with talks of meetings with bosses and starting work on the expansion. I knew they did it so Aryan could download and check the files. Eventually, I heard the words I was waiting for.

“We’re good,” Beau said.

Like a shot, I was off the spanking bench, moving as far away from Vadzim as possible. Keeley, Ben, and Reed followed me. Beau stayed next to my tormentor.

Vadzim called after me, “My pet, come back here. I don’t like you so far away.”

Immense anger flooded my body at his words.

My head hurt from how enraged I was. The knowledge I didn’t have to submit to this man or allow him to do another degrading, soul-crushing thing to me had me swinging around to face him.

I stomped back to him. I pointed my finger at Vadzim, then I proceeded to poke him repeatedly in the chest as I yelled at him.

The pleasant pet had been replaced with the rabid attack dog.

“Don’t you ever call me KenKen or my pet again!

My name is Kensington, but you’re not allowed to use it.

To you, I don’t exist. You’re a disgusting, perverted piece of shit who should be eradicated from the earth.

No one wants to be forcibly taken and controlled by a monster like you.

To be humiliated, beaten, and raped repeatedly for your entertainment.

You make me sick. The thought of you touching me makes me want to flay the skin from my body.

There’s not enough water and soap to wash you away.

But I will get the satisfaction of watching you suffer before you die! ” I screamed.

I shook as the words left me. Keeley was hugging me. The next thing I knew, I tore myself away from my sister, and I screamed as I lunged at him. I ran my long fingernails down Vadzim’s face, removing skin and drawing blood.

“How does it feel?” I shrieked.

It was like some other source had taken over my mind and body.

I rushed to the wall where he loved displaying his various floggers and whips.

He adored telling me how they would feel on my body.

I grabbed the one that was his favorite.

I recalled the way it bit into my flesh and how badly it hurt.

It had numerous leather strands hanging from a handle.

On the free ends of the strands were sharp metal barbs. I swung it as hard as I could.

Vadzim was still so stunned by my change that he didn’t move fast enough to avoid it when it landed in the middle of his back. I felt satisfaction as it shredded his silk shirt and the flesh beneath. Blood soaked through his shirt almost simultaneously.

He tried to regain control by intimidating me and bellowing, “How dare you!”

When he stood to come after me, Beau and Ben grabbed him and forced him to sit back down on the bench. In no time, they had him cuffed to it by his wrists and ankles. Vadzim tried to fight, but was no match for two physically fit men like them. Their bodies rippled with muscles and power.

Ben came to me and said, “Do whatever you want, sweetheart. Make him hurt and bleed.” His approval and lifting any restraint on me was freeing.

I poured all the disgust, pain, fear, rage, and terror I’d lived with for the past three months into it.

I used different floggers and whips on my tormentor.

I’d switch when I felt the need to change it up.

Since most were made to inflict pain and draw blood, they were effective.

There was blood everywhere in this hated dungeon, on the man I detested more than anyone, and on me.

I wouldn’t have stopped if it weren’t for Ben.

He came to me and whispered in my ear, “Kensy, you’ve done enough.

He’s breathed the air too long. You’ve taught him a lesson.

Let me take care of the final part for you.

I need to do this. One day, I’ll explain to you why.

I want you to move back or join your sister, Reed, and Beau.

I’ll finish giving him his final piece of decoration.

Will you do that for me, baby?” he asked softly.

His tone showed so much tenderness that I found myself nodding, then dropping the whip I held onto the floor.

I didn’t join the others, but I did move back to give Ben room to do whatever he had in mind.

I watched as he circled Vadzim. Ben reminded me of a great cat stalking its prey and waiting to pounce.

When he faced Vadzim’s flayed back, he stopped.

I moved so I could see what he was doing.

Ben took out a knife I hadn’t noticed was on his belt.

It had a long, smooth-cut edge on one side and a serrated edge on the other.

It was wicked. My heart sped up in anticipation.

I watched as he leaned close and whispered in Vadzim’s ear.

I couldn’t hear what he said, but when he raised himself, he took the knife to the bloody mess of what remained of Vadzim Boyko’s back.

Vadzim screamed the entire time, but his voice had become hoarse.

Ben’s strokes were deep, and when he was finished, the letters spelled out RAPIST .

He wasn’t finished. Ben grabbed him by the hair, jerked his head back, then slid the sharp blade across Vadzim’s neck, cutting deep. Blood gushed, and I watched and listened as Vadzim Boyko choked on his blood and finally died.

As he did, I burst out sobbing and fell to my knees.

He was gone. The monster was dead. He could never hurt me again.

Keeley’s arms were surrounding me in no time.

I sobbed into her shoulder as she whispered words of love to me.

My life was about to begin again, but what would it look like?

Could I ever have a life and be happy? Or would I forever be tortured by Vadzim Boyko and what he did to me?