Page 8

Zoriah

I am exhausted and weak, but adrenaline is rushing through my body.

The offering is over. I’ve counted forty-nine men who have come in here and raped me.

Huxley was the fiftieth. Doug’s second in command is fifty-one.

He hasn’t been in here yet, though. Early this morning the offering ended, and I have been alone since.

I’m naked and tied to this stupid table again.

I am trying to have hope that Huxley is coming back, but…

I’m being forced to marry Doug tomorrow morning.

Based on the light in the tiny window, it’s been night for a while. I’m running out of time.

On top of being hungry, I want to shower so badly.

All their come is still inside of me and on my legs and chest. Some of it’s in my hair.

I am absolutely disgusting, and I hate it.

Do you know how rancid fermenting come smells?

Three fucking days I’ve been stuck here.

Don’t worry, though. There’s a bucket for me to shit and piss in, but I’m not allowed to clean up.

I want to crawl out of my skin right now.

Maybe I can escape the rash and the inevitability of a gnarly yeast infection that is undoubtedly forming.

Fuck, I’m going to kill Haley. I’ve had days to think about it, and I’m drowning her stupid ass in a toilet.

I jump when the door comes open, and I squeeze my eyes shut. When the restraints are abruptly and quickly pulled off of me, I know it’s him. “Hux,” I say as I jump up. I don’t know where that energy came from.

“I am so fucking sorry, Riah. I was trying to get back here,” he says as he puts a pocketknife in my hand.

“It’s fine. You’re here now,” I say. “The offering is over.”

“It is. Walker is about to come in here. He is second in command. I will pull Doug and Dad’s attention for a while to Haley, but I need you to kill Walker and get the fuck out of here.

You hear me? We are out of time. Your boss has freaked out Doug, and the moment he is legally married to you, he’s moving everyone underground.

That means I will have no chance of getting you out of here. ”

“Oh, fuck. Okay. Uh… how? How do I kill someone?” I ask.

“Slit his throat,” Huxley says. “It’ll be the fastest and will render him useless. It’s messy, but it doesn’t matter. Just go. Okay?”

“Okay,” I say tearfully. “I don’t want to leave you here.”

Huxley sighs and takes my face between his hands.

“You are so incredibly sweet, but I need you to be selfish for a moment. You have to leave me here. I will do everything within my power to get out of here and find you, but I need for you to get the fuck out of here. Find your boss. Find Corbin. Find your dad. You do not leave their side, and you do not let yourself be alone. They will try to find you, and you can’t let them get to you. You hear me? Think about yourself.”

“Okay,” I cry.

“Zoriah, I have known you for a long time. You are strong, and you will get through this,” he tells me. “I realize what I’m about to say is built out of a trauma connection, but I love you. I don’t know where it has come from, but I need you to know that in case I can’t get out of here. Okay?”

“I love you too,” I sniffle. “Please get out. Please.” I don’t know if I’m in love with him or if it is a trauma connection like he said, but I do know that I care so much about him. I did before and even more now. Walking away from him is going to be the hardest thing I will ever have to do.

“I have to go now,” he says before kissing me hard. “Don’t stop fighting, Zoriah. Keep pushing.”

As quickly as he showed up, he was gone.

He shut the door behind him, and everything became silent.

I focus on what he told me to do. I have to get out of here for him.

This is what he wants for me. I have to live for him.

I don’t think Dad could survive losing me.

Neither could Corbin. I sniff back my tears when the door comes open and Walker comes in.

“Finally, just me and you,” he sneers. “On your knees, whore.”

“No,” I scoff.

“Now,” he growls.

“Make me,” I say, holding firm. He laughs and slowly walks toward me.

I have the knife held behind my back, and I grip tightly on the handle.

I am holding it in a way that when I swing my arm around, I can slash across his neck.

I want to catch him by surprise so he can’t take the knife from me.

He chuckles as he closes in. He doesn’t understand the mistake he has made when he leans down to be at eye level with me.

“You dumb little bitch,” he says with a smile. “Do you know—”

I will never figure out what he was about to say, because without warning or hesitation, I swing my arm around and dig the knife deep into his throat as I slash across his neck.

His eyes go wide, and his hands fly to cover his neck as his blood sprays out.

My face, neck, and chest are covered in his blood, and I stun myself when he stumbles back and falls to his knees.

Fuck. That’s messy. I can’t stop now. I keep the knife tight in my grip as I go to the door and slowly pull it open.

I’m running on pure adrenaline right now as I force myself to walk out of the room.

If I get caught, I’m making them kill me.

No fucking way I’m getting whipped with a metal cable.

I’m slowly tiptoeing down the hallway, and I want so badly to open the doors and let more people out, but I don’t know who is in them.

I could get myself killed, or worse… raped.

When I get to the end of the hallway, I have the choice of going out of the window or down the stairs.

I hear voices downstairs, but I don’t know where they are.

If I go out of the window, it’s a straight shot to the woods.

I know exactly where I am, and as long as I can find the main road, I can get to Roman.

His gate rings directly to his phone, and I know now that he is looking for me.

I go with my gut instinct and gently pull the window open.

Guilt stabs through me as I slowly and quietly climb out.

I am leaving Huxley behind, and it hurts.

There is a good chance I will never see him again.

I will never be able to thank him for saving me.

I carefully climb down the lattice before dropping to the ground.

As soon as my feet hit the cool grass, I run.

I do exactly what Huxley told me when I get the fuck away from this place.

My lungs are burning and my legs ache, but I keep pushing.

Even when I am safely in the woods, I don’t stop.

I’m frantically searching for the road, and I feel a bit better when it comes into view.

Without stepping out of the woods, I look around to figure out what direction I need to go.

Once I figure it out, I take off running again.

When I see Roman’s gate open, I start crying. I sprint past the open gate and down his driveway to the main house. By the time I get on his porch, I’m hysterical. I beat on the door, and I don’t stop until it opens.

“Zoriah,” he says as he catches me before I fall.

He doesn’t hesitate to scoop me up, despite the mess that I am, and carry me into his home.

I can hardly breathe as I cry. Tears blur my vision, and I don’t know where he is carrying me until he sets me on a bathroom counter.

“Breathe, Zoriah. I need you to talk to me. Okay?”

“I want my daddy,” I whimper.

“They were already on their way here. Let’s get you in the bath, and I’ll call them. Okay? Are you hurt?”

“I… they burned my back,” I say. “I’m sorry, Rome. You were the closest. I didn’t know where to go. I just wanted to be safe. You make me feel safe. I’m a mess. I’m sorry, Roman.”

“Hey. Hey. Hey. It’s okay. You’ve done nothing wrong. Okay? I’m glad you feel safe with me,” he says as he wraps his arms around me to hug me against his chest.

“I’m gross,” I sniffle.

“Yeah, but that’s what soap is for,” he chuckles. “Whose blood is all over you?”

“Uh. I think his name is Walker,” I say. “I… he bled out… because I cut his throat…”

“I’m proud of you,” he says with a sweet smile. That instantly comforts me, and I relax. “Alright. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

“Should we go to the cops?” I ask.

“Mmm. I think Corbin and I will handle this,” he says as he pulls me down to stand. I stay leaning against the counter as he fills his tub. He adds soap, and bubbles start to form.

“I’d remind you of vaginal health and that soap in the bath is bad, but I think we are past that point,” I say.

“How blunt can my questions be?” he asks.

“As blunt as you’d like,” I say.

“Am I correct in assuming that you have come all over you?” He asks as he fills the bath.

“Uh... yeah,” I say. “And lube. And blood.”

“Are you in pain?” He asks as he turns me to face the mirror. I immediately close my eyes because I’m not ready to know what I look like. He notices when I do this and pulls me away from the counter so that I am not facing the mirror.

“Just my back. Huxley bandaged it the best he could, but that was days ago,” I say.

“He hurt you? Corbin said that they’re friends.”

“No. Huxley is not there by choice. He was trying to help Haley but just ended up getting stuck. They used him against me, but he’s the reason I escaped. He gave me the knife. I… he told me to be selfish and leave him behind. I didn’t want to leave him.”

“We will find him,” he says as he pulls the bandage off. “Looks irritated but not infected. I’ll clean and cover that after. Let’s get you in.”

“I’m so tired,” I complain.

“You can sleep soon,” he says as he picks me up and sets me in the clawfoot tub. He helps me ease down into the water, and I groan as the hot water envelops me. “Better?”

“That’s nice,” I whisper as I sit back and close my eyes.

“Can I help you clean up, or would you rather be alone?” he asks.

“I don’t have the energy to move,” I admit.