Page 118 of Conquered

“Your father did it to himself. I guess the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Ash drawls in a bored tone, going over to stand near the table.

I’m still standing not far into the room, my eyes locked on the scene unfolding before me.

Come on, Lilly, you can do this.

I take one step towards the centre of the room, then another and another, until I finally approach the table. Ash hears me step up towards him, so he moves to one side, leaving a space for me in between him and Jax.

I clasp my hands into fists at my sides, to stop them shaking as nerves start to creep back into me, breaking through the numbness. Robert's head turns to the side, his brown eyes landing on mine. I see them widen a second before they fill with scornful loathing.

“What the fuck is this whore doing here?” he snarls, and I hear Jax growl before another snap fills the room, which makes me flinch as Robert screams again.

“You don’t look at her,” Jax barks, and I look up to see that I’ve lost him to the violence that’s running through his veins, filling his blood with the need to hurt. He should look ridiculous in his He-Man outfit, but he doesn't. He looks like an avenging God, full of wrath and with the kiss of death on his lips.

The song fades to be replaced byOh Lordby In This Moment. I shiver at the words, creating a sense of unease inside me.

“Oh, you’re pissed because she’s a fucking teasing whore?” Robert asks, voice filled with pain, but also the arrogance of someone who has never had to face the consequences of his actions before. “She was fucking begging for it, saying how your cocks were too small to keep her satisfied,” he taunts, goading the guys, which is pretty fucking stupid.

Another crack fills the room followed immediately by Robert’s hoarse scream, as Jax snaps a third finger.

“No, you tried to rape her, you piece of shit,” Loki snarls at him, pulling his fist back and punching Robert in the face, making his head snap to the side, blood dripping from his now split lip. Loki’s panting, his chest rising and falling with angry breaths. I ache to go to him but I’m rooted to the spot.

“And from these buried reports, it looks like you’ve been getting your rocks off by raping women for quite some time,” Kai adds. I look at him in shock, catching his gaze, and the hardness in his honey amber eyes softens slightly.

This cuntface is a real piece of work.

“Where the fuck did you get those?” Robert asks, voice raspy and pained, his head turning to look at Kai.

Kai just smiles back at him. Robert is actually starting to look a little unsure, like he’s suddenly realised that he’s not coming out of this basement with only a few broken fingers.

“So you see, Robert, we know all of your dirty little secrets. And those of that paedophile daddy of yours. Now that he’s been taken care of, the question remains, what to do with you?” Ash states, his head tilted to one side, like a cat contemplating its prey, and trying to decide on the best way to play with it before devouring it. “I believe Jax already told you what your punishment will be?”

“I–I–I can get you anything you need. I h–have funds of my own,” Robert stutters out, and the memory of when Jax helped me in the school hallway floats to my mind.

“You ever touch her, fucking look at her again, I will tear your fucking balls off with my bare fucking hands.”

My wide eyes snap to Jax, who has an awful smile on his face as he gazes at Robert strapped to the table. It’s the smile of vengeance, of violence and bloodshed, and I briefly wonder why it doesn't terrify me. I look to Loki, who has a similar sinister smile stretching his beautiful lips, which sits at odds with his angelic features. My eyes find Kai next, whose face is set in grimdetermination. However, there is a fire in his eyes, something that tells me he is enjoying this. Finally, my head turns to look to my left and tilts up to meet Ash’s gaze. His is the most frightening, as there’s nothing there. It’s like his humanity has fled, and all that’s left is an empty shell. His eyes meet mine, and a flicker of something enters them, before disappearing again.

“We don’t need your money, Robert,” Ash turns back to the guy pinned down and helpless, sounding bored. “You have nothing that we want or need.”

Ash looks up and nods at Loki, who goes and collects an instrument tray, wheeling it over next to Jax.

Robert's head turns at the noise, and his eyes go wide, the whites showing as he catalogues the instruments on the tray. Black latex gloves, a scalpel, some kind of metal clamp looking thing, and a tube of superglue.

The song finishes andThe Lawby Reach begins to play. I swallow hard, looking back up at Ash as he clears his throat.

“Robert Michaels, you have been found guilty of being a rapist and all-around cunt. You are hereby sentenced to castration without anaesthesia. May God have mercy upon your fucking soul, because we sure as hell won’t.” His voice is devoid of any feeling or emotion. He’s not even angry and I feel myself breathing shallowly, my heart pounding, my hands cold and shaking slightly.

Instinctively, I reach out and grasp Ash’s warm hand, interlocking our fingers. His nostrils flare, then he turns his head to look down at me. I have to suppress a gasp when his grey eyes meet mine. There’s a look of intense sorrow in them as he gazes down, the likes of which I’ve never seen on his face before.

I don’t think it’s sorrow at what is happening before us, but more that I am having to witness it and see their true nature. Like he would save me from this if he could. I can’t smile to reassure him that I’m okay, because honestly, I’m not sure if Iam. I will never be the same after this night, more than the blood of my mother’s death will be on my hands, and they will never be clean again.

Jax moving breaks my stare off with Ash. Jax comes around the head of the table, walking down to stand next to Robert’s crotch. Robert is thrashing and crying, angry hopeless tears trailing down his face.

“I’d be still if I were you,” Loki leans down to whisper threateningly in Robert’s ear. “You wouldn’t want Jax to cut off your dick by mistake,” he chuckles darkly.

I feel a little sick and lightheaded, my breaths coming faster, and although I’m trying to control them, I can feel panic start to claw at the edges of my vision as Jax snaps the gloves onto his hands.

Suddenly, hands grasp my upper arms, and I’m turned to the side.