Page 68 of Tied to You

“You… can’t…” Tim can barely talk. Whatever they’ve done—whatever they’re doing, he doesn’t sound good.

“Oh, we can, Tim. And we will. So, last chance to do the right thing. Otherwise I drag your wife up here and really show you what we’re capable of,” Dean says.

Terror mixes with every other emotion coursing through me. I truly don’t know if these men are capable of doing what they’re suggesting. Hurt a woman? For what? To get her husband to do something for them? Jesus. Christ.

“Leave… her, out of…it.” Tim’s voice now wobbles uncontrollably.

Thud.

Tim cries out in pain. “Ahh!”

“Lastfuckingchance.”

My hand lifts to my mouth. What are they going to do?

The door handle to the door I was told to stand by starts rattling. My head spins, my eyes widening in panic. Dean said the other doors were locked, but my head won’t stop turning. Fear that anyone could walk in here and see what’s going on behind closed doors starts running rife. Adrenaline seeps into my blood stream. My hands shake. My knees tremble. Fucking hell. This is ridiculous. I should run. Leave. Get help. Anything other than just standing still. I throw my head back against the wall with a little too much force, bracing myself as I begin to panic.

Why did he drag me in here? I could have been blissfully unaware, still outside with everyone else.

I hear someone putting a key in the lock, and at the same time, Travis swings into view, flinging open the door I shouldn’t be stood on the otherside of. I jump, my eyes looking between him and the kitchen where someone’s going to come in at any second and catch him. I can’t find the words to tell him someone’s trying to get in. The words have gone. I swallow nervously, placing a hand on my heaving chest, trying to find some composure.

Fortunately, there’s another rattle of the handle, and I quickly look to Travis, hoping he now understands.

He does. He grabs my hand, pulling me into the room he stepped out from, quickly but gently closing the door behind him. He looks demented, lifting his finger to his mouth, telling me to be quiet as he listens.

I go to do the same, seeing Dean as I lean my ear towards the door. But it starts ringing, and I’m unable to listen. How can I? I’m looking, yet all I can see is destruction.

Violence.

Tim’s eyes are swollen, his nose clearly broken. Blood trails from the top of his head as saliva drips from his chin. Dean’s hand is covering his mouth whilst the other keeps Tim’s head tilted back. Why is this happening? Yes, Tim shouldn’t have been cheating on his wife, especially on their wedding day, but what the hell could he have done to piss these two off?

I look up, checking Dean’s expression. It’s twisted and blank. His screaming eyes are on me. It’s a sight I’m unlikely to forget.

I. Shouldn’t. Be. Here.

Closing my eyes, I count to ten, mentally trying to unsee what I just have. I see my nan. Think about my mum. My dad. The farm. I think about Janette. Mick. Blackjack. Then I take a breath. There’s a calmness washing over me. The unease drifting away, if only momentarily.

Then I realise, it’s because of the man standing next to me. It’s his smell. The warmth from his body. His breath hitting my face. The continuous drumming of my heart begins to steady. The walls that were closing in, seemingly move backwards as I regain some level of control.

When I open my eyes, Travis is watching me. He smiles, one side of his mouth rising an inch.

I try to return it. I really do. But Tim writhes in the chair Dean has him strapped to, and my head swings to look his way, seeing the destruction again.

Travis checks the coast is clear then steps toward Dean, his handtouching the small of my back trying to let me know I’m okay. To be honest, I’m grateful, but my eyes furrow and my body flinches unexpectedly.

It doesn’t go unnoticed. His face turns hard, his expression one of sheer contempt. I keep still, crossing my arms. Protecting myself. He can’t seriously be mad with me in this situation.

Dean and Travis exchange silent words before Travis stands with his back to me, his front directly in front of Tim. Widening his stance, his palms lay flat on his legs, and he bends at the knees, leaning forward. “Timothy. I really need you to know that this is the last thing I want to be doing right now. Believe me. But if you don’t do what we’re asking, we’re just going to come back. Again and again and again. Think you can handle that?”

Tim whimpers, sweat dripping from his head.

“No? Didn’t think so.”

He tries to wriggle, but Dean holds him still, immobilising him. “What have you got to say?”

When Dean removes his hand from Tim’s mouth, he gasps for air, swallowing harshly. “F…f… fuck… you.”

My stomach bottoms out. I flick a look to Dean, knowing I’m about to witness the evil currently residing in his eyes.