Page 97 of Reckoning

The man is standing now, tutting, looking just as annoyed as my husband.

“Bring the bag over.” He orders.

My eyes dart across the room, someone dumps what looks like a leather holdall right in front of me. Are they going to murder me? Cut me up and dispose of my body in that? No, Otto doesn’t need to hide the evidence, he doesn’t need to go to such lengths, he and his brother own this city now, they have no need for subversion.

I’m pulled to my feet. Held firm by two pairs of hands from behind.

That same blue eyed man steps up, staring at my naked body and I squirm, hating that I can’t even cover myself. You’d think I’d be used to it by now, you think after everything they’ve done that I wouldn’t still feel shame at being so exposed, but no, every second I’m forced to stand like this feels like an eternity.

He makes a point of studying me, of cupping my breasts, of groping my arse as I screw my face up in disgust.

“You’ve grown into a fine woman.” He comments. “I always knew you’d be pretty but my, Sofia, these breasts…” He pinches a nipple, twisting it to the point that I’m screaming in pain.

Behind him, Otto laughs and that sound seems to draw his attention away from me.

Blue Eyes face darkens, he turns bearing down on my husband. “You’re lucky we let you keep her.”

“Like you have any say.” Otto snaps back.

Blue Eyes smirks. “You and your brother might run Verona but you don’t have the man-power to take us on.”

Otto’s face tells me the truth of those words. That this man is so much more dangerous, more powerful than even the Blumenfelds. Who the hell is he?

“Get her on her knees.” Blue Eyes orders. “It’ll be easier.”

I struggle, I fight but someone kicks out my legs and I slam onto the rug. I expect him to undo his trousers, to force me to suck him off, after all, isn’t that what I’m here for? I’m a sex slave for my husband, a piece of meat for them all to use and degrade.

Only, instead he grabs something out of the bag, it’s long, shiny, as my eyes register what it is I tremble more because I have no idea what he could possible need a wrench for.

“This can go one of two ways.” Blue Eyes states. “You tell us where your father hid the jewel or we beat the answer out of you…”

I can’t find any words. I shake my head, trying to get my head to work. Hid what jewel? Anything of worth was taken before they burnt our house down. My eyes dart to Otto and he stares back at me with that awful blank look. Apparently he doesn’t have a clue either.

“What are you talking about?” I reply.

Blue Eyes tuts. “Don’t play dumb, it doesn’t suit you.”

“I don’t know anything.” I gasp, staring at what I now know is a weapon meant to be used on me.

“Sofia, you were there, do you really expect us to believe your father didn’t divulge…”

“He hated me.” I scream, cutting across him as my fear takes over all rational thought. “Why would he tell me anything?”

His lips curl, he bends down, getting right in my face. “Shall we see about that then?”

Someone grips my hair, holding me in place. Someone binds my hands behind my back so I can’t even defend myself. I jerk, trying to get free but there’s no chance.

As the wrench comes down I scream and my body takes the full impact. My ribs shatter. They let me fall before they yank me back up again and white hot pain shoots through my right side and I can’t breathe. I can only sob and gasp as that pain radiates through me.

“Tell us, Sofia.” Blue Eyes says in that cold, emotionless tone.

Only I can’t tell him. I have nothing to tell.

He strikes me again, this time going for my forearm. From the angle he hits at, I feel my shoulder dislocate. I collapse once more and this time they leave me there, on the rug, broken and pathetic.

“You’re making this far harder than it needs to be.” Someone says.

I don’t reply. I don’t do anything but just turn my head, sobbing into the rug. It doesn’t matter how much they hurt me, how much pain they put my body through. I don’t know what it is they’re looking for. I don’t have a clue.