Page 39 of Sadistic Retribution (Rise of Phoenyxx #2)

Synn

I'm still reeling from the revelations we’ve all learned. How can I ever forgive myself for handing that innocent girl to yet more abusers?

I shake my head to clear it, determined to plan this escape. We'll need all-hands-on-deck for this. I'm glad we have that ZYGOS team on board. The more the merrier. Especially since we’ll have somewhere safe and secure to hide out once we’re out.

I've collected everyone’s phones and am crossing the courtyard now. I will dispense of them in a random part of the forest. Deep enough to annoy our fathers should they come looking.

Once I reach a decent spot, I turn them all off, after checking to make sure the location is off as well.

I yank out the SIMs, crushing them all beneath my heel.

I grab as stick lying nearby, digging a hole in the ground.

I dig far enough to toss in the phones, then cover them back up.

I put a few leaves and sticks on top to hide the freshly dug dirt.

My thoughts go right back to my father. How the fuck did he keep my Pazessca as a prisoner for fuck knows how long? Under my damn nose!

Even though the basement was always locked, I mentally berate myself for not ever going down there alone. The times I did see it, it was empty. No people—certainly, no little girls. When I saw Pazessca, it was in one of my father's little playrooms.

I grind my teeth to the point of pain as I think of all the creative ways I can kill the pedo bastard. I want to draw it out, give him every ounce of pain he inflicted on Pazessca and me. Actually, she’s the one who gets first dibs. This kill is hers first. If she wants it, I'll gladly step back.

I still hear the echo of her calling me Hoodie Boy. She really thought of me all these years? Her whole life, I’ve been in her heart. Though she didn’t know until now it was me.

I smile a bit, loving my girl’s fire. It's something I plan to stoke high. I want our demons to play together.

Time to track her down for that conversation she asked to have.

Trikk

I need my Bambi, and I need her now. Rules be damned. I need to hold her, kiss her sweet face. She can yell at me all she wants, but I’ll never give up on winning her back. I'll make pancakes every fucking day until she gives me a genuine smile again.

She's in Hunter’s room, taking a rest. He's in the kitchen with Purge, working on getting us out. Synn is out. Ghost and Razor are taking naps. This is the perfect opportunity.

I walk on silent feet to the room she’s in, quietly turning the door handle. She’s fast asleep, lying on her left side. She looks so peaceful and innocent like this. So beautiful she takes my breath away.

I make quick work of shedding my shirt, leaving my jeans on— don’t want to push her too hard. I climb in next to her, turning on my side to look at her. I reach out and push a stray lock of hair out of her face.

She wakes with a start;, jumping a bit when she sees me.

“Hi, Bambi,” I lean in closer to her.

“Dammit, Trikk! Boundaries... do you guys understand that concept?”

I grin shamelessly. “But I miss you, beautiful. You already know how sorry I am. Can you give me another chance? Please?”

She sighs, pursing her lips. “I can’t forgive you yet. I’m so tired of saying that on repeat. But… I want to try. Once we’re out of here, maybe… when I can clear my damn head.”

I smile, her face drawing me in. I can’t stop myself from stealing a kiss. My lips meet hers, and she stills at first. Then, she kisses me back. Very softly, I use my tongue to part her lips. Once our tongues meet, it pulls a groan from her. I mentally do a fist pump.

The door of the room bursts open, Synn stomping through it.

“Nope,” is all he says, before hauling me up by the scruff of my neck like I’m a damn dog. He marches me to the door, shoving me through. I hear the turn of the lock. Motherfucker. Cock-blocker extraordinaire!

Phoenyxx

The nerve of these guys! I swear I'm going to get grey hair.

Before I can utter a protest, Synn is on me. He wraps his body around mine like a snake, hand coming up to tangle in my hair.

He leans in to kiss me, and I jerk my head back. “The fuck?”

He just snorts. “Pazessca, I fucking need you. Don't make me beg. Don't you feel closer to me now that you know I'm Hoodie Boy?”

“You don’t get to use that, Synn. This is the last time I’m going to say this. I don’t forgive you. I can't even think about it while we’re still in here.”

“I know, Baby Girl. Can you please let me kiss you?”

The last of my reserve crumbles. I let him lean in and capture my lips with his. And Holy shit! The sparks are everywhere. I linger in the moment, basking in the feel-goods coursing through me.

Then, I gently push him back, separating myself. “Okay, enough, please. I need time, okay?”

Synn looks me straight in the eye. “I will give you all the time you need. I love you, Pazessca. You are mine. If I have to wait forever, I will. You're it for me.”

I swallow hard, my heart fluttering. “I love you too, Synn. Now can I please have some space?”

He smiles, getting up from the bed. He bows to me as he gets ready to leave.

I burst out laughing at the absurdity. “Wait... you up for a serious conversation before you go?”

He sighs in relief. “Yes, I was looking to do exactly that but got distracted.” He sits down by me on the bed, waiting for me to speak.

“Your father...” I start, shaking my head to clear the emotion clogging my throat. “He took me before… maybe at age six? I don’t know for sure, but I remember being there over a year, at least. He called me Bella and treated me like some kind of doll. He was... enamored with me.” I shudder.

“He made me live in that cage in the basement most of the time. It got to the point I didn’t want to be taken upstairs, because I knew it meant more depravity.

He made me touch him, and he touched me.

Then soon… it was a fucking group of men and women.

He was always adamant about one thing, though: keeping my ‘virtue’ intact, as he put it. ”

Synn’s face morphs, disgust and horror twisting his features.

“My father always used that phrase when I heard him talking about the girls he was trafficking. I will never forget what I witnessed the night I got you out. I had to... watch for a while to get the timing right.” A sob escapes his chest, and my heart stutters.

“Synn, I don’t blame you for any of that. Just let that guilt go… It will eat you alive.”

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” He looks at me in awe. “Thank you, Pazessca.”

He gets up and gives me a raw look as he turns to leave the room.

I really am allowing these boys too much slack, but my heart is calling for them, at the same time. With my emotions intact, everything is even more intense than before.

I pull myself up, running my hands through my hair to tame the curls. A deep breath later, and I’m going back to the kitchen.

Purge

I’m still shaken up by the fact we haven’t heard from our mothers. Every time we call, it either rings out, or goes straight to voicemail. I have a bad feeling we won’t be able to check up on them until we’re out of this hellhole.

It's nice having Harris working alongside me, on his own laptop.

Two heads, and all that. There are still some pieces of the puzzle not uncovered yet.

The deal with the Solomons, the reason for The Morgue in the first place, who the fuck the seventh family is, and most importantly—who Iskra really is.

I'm searching away on the Dark Web, lost in my thoughts, when Harris yells, jumping up from his seat. “Holy shit—I think I know who the seventh family is!”

I whip my head around. “What? Show me!”

He anxiously points to the screen, explaining what he’s seeing and thinking. My jaw unhinges. I think he’s right. Who exactly are these people? I haven’t heard their name before.

“Are they still around?” I ponder.

“Yes, they sure are. I'm going to dig into them and find out whatever I can.”

“Sounds like a plan. I have a bad feeling though, man. I’m willing to bet all this shit is linked somehow.”

“It’s entirely possible. Thankfully, we have the ZYGOS team working on this also. Their hackers are some of the best.”

I nod, pleased to hear that. “I’m going to take a break and stretch my legs and get some food. Can I get you anything?”

“Yeah, a sandwich or something would be great.”

“You got it.” I go use the bathroom, then come back into the kitchen to make a couple of sandwiches. As I'm shutting the fridge door, Iskra comes in. She looks well-rested.

“Hi, beautiful, How are you feeling?” I ask.

“Better, thanks.” She reopens the door, grabbing out a bottle of water.

That's just too polite for me. Before I can think it through, I go over, draw her into my arms, lift her in the air, and twirl her before setting her back onto her feet.

She lets out a delighted squeal, cheeks tinging pink.

On impulse, I lean in for a small kiss. To my surprise, she actually kisses me back.

I grin, satisfied with a good response from her. “Love you madly, Iskra.”

She just shakes her head. “Incorrigible—all of you. Love you back, Purge.”

She goes back out to the living room. I go to the kitchen table, handing Harris his sandwich.

Without looking at me, he deadpans, “I don’t plan to share anytime soon. Just so you know.”

I snort. “Good luck with that.”

“Get back to work, punk,” he laughs.