Page 32 of Scarred in Silence

What the fuck is happening to me? Why couldn’t I just let her go?

I stand up, rushing to the bathroom. I start the shower.

My reflection looks cold, detached. I look like I haven’t slept in days. I need to get laid for real, but that can’t happen. Not yet.

The hot water in the shower greets me. Enveloping me in the fiery storm. I chuckle to myself. I turned off the hot water at theabandoned house. I didn’t want Astra to fall asleep under the water, and I know she prefers cold water. Like a fucking psychopath.

Oh, the things I do for my little Siren.

This week will be a test. A test to know how far her loyalty truly goes.

What she doesn’t know is that she will be watched at my cousin’s property. That way, she has no idea where to run, if she ever even gets the chance.

12

Astra

The door above me slams open. What. The. Fuck.

It has to be like six in the morning or something. The ladder crashes down onto the floor. Lucien climbs down the ladder on heavy feet.

My eyes struggle to adjust to the bright light that never shuts off. It buzzes all day, I swear I can hear it in my sleep.

Lucien stands confidently at the bottom of the ladder, holding zip ties and duct tape. Lovely.

“What are you doing? I want to go back to sleep.”

I throw the blanket over my head, and he immediately rips it off me and discards it on the floor. The cool air hits me between my legs, and my skin crawls. I feel so exposed, my legs instantly snap together, rattling the chains.

He tosses the materials down onto the floor and removes a key from his pocket. He walks up to the foot of the bed, casting a murderous glare in my direction.

“Can I trust you?” He asks.

I nod quickly. I’m not stupid enough to try to run from him right now. Hell, I don’t even know if I could run. I’ve practically been bedridden.

He puts the key back in his pocket and picks up the zip ties. He doesn’t trust me. I understand why.

“Sit up.”

I do as I’m told.

He grabs my wrists tightly behind me, securing them in the tie. My skin pinches underneath the stiff material. He then rips off a piece of duct tape, placing it over my mouth. He silences me, even though most of the time—I silence myself.

He removes the key once more. This time, he uses the key, twisting the locks and freeing my ankles. The weight on my ankles feels lifted.

I quickly move my ankles around. They have blisters on the insides, but they don’t hurt that badly. Not as bad as the internal pain I’ve dealt with my entire life.

He grabs my arm and pulls me to stand. He stands behind me, using his foot to separate my feet. He uses his free hand to skate his palm up the inside of my shirt, feeling my free breasts. He twists my nipple between his fingers. I shudder.

“You’re going to be a good girl, aren’t you?” His words dance along my neck, leaving a tingle in their absence.

I nod my head.

“Good,” his tone low and dark.

He removes his hand, hurling me up over his shoulder. Exposing my ass to the world. He climbs the ladder with me in tow. Where is he taking me? I thought he had to work. Where the fuck is his cousin?

We reach the top, and he sets me down. I take in the abandoned building and feel delirious. This is where he has been keeping me?