Page 37 of Scarred in Silence

I stand and walk to the door.

“We still have 40 minutes, dear, please take a seat.”

“No. Screw you.” I storm out of her office and I run. They will have a hard time finding me. The best part is that I am good at hiding… since no one hears me anyway.

14

Astra

The handcuffs rest on my wrists, digging into the sensitive flesh. My ankles are also cuffed together, making an escape impossible.

I thought I earned his trust in the bathroom this morning, but I was mistaken. I just earned the title of being his whore again.

A burlap sack covers my face. The air inside is warm and smells Earthy. I sit in the back of a car, trying to relieve the pressure on my wrists, but failing miserably. The vehicle comes to a halt.

The sounds of car doors opening and closing surround me. I hear the faint voices talking in the distance. I listen closely, but I can’t tell what they are saying. Fuck this stupid sack.

The door opens, startling me, and I am grabbed out of the car.

Lucien dressed me in something modest, so I am wearing a pair of jeans and a band t-shirt.

He takes the sack off my head, and my eyes adjust to the early afternoon light. It’s bright as fuck outside. The summer sun isin full effect.

“Astra, this is Varek.”

“Hi,” I say shyly.

He is wearing a black suit, as if he works in the mafia or something. Weird. His hair is dark and buzzed. He has tattoos all over his neck, hands, and scalp. I imagine he has tattoos everywhere else, too. I shake the thought from my brain.

My loyalty lies with Lucien. I try to remind myself, but something seems off about Varek.

We are standing outside of an older home with a deteriorating exterior, which is odd since he is dressed in a suit.

“I’ll take you inside and get you settled,” Lucien assures me, as he places his hand on the small of my back.

He lifts me up, placing me over his shoulder since I can’t fucking walk. This would all be easier if he just took off the cuffs.

The steps leading to the front door creak with each step, threatening to give out. We enter the foyer, and I am taken aback.

The inside of the home is immaculate. The white tile floors shine brightly against the beige walls. Everything is so light. It’s the exact opposite of Dante’s house. Even Lucien’s house has a darker feel. This… This feels like a breath of fresh air.

This feels like freedom.

We continue down through the house, and he takes me into a bedroom down the hallway to the left. He opens the door, and inside is a bed, a vanity, and a nightstand. It seems as if he has women here often. I roll my eyes. They really are related, aren’t they?

Lucien places me down onto the bed in a seated position.

“Give us a second,” Lucien says to Varek.

“Sure thing.” He leaves us in solitude.

“Are you going to behave, little Siren?” He searches my face for doubt.

“Yes,” I say confidently.

He tucks my hair behind my ear.

“Good. He will kill you if you don’t.”