She actually seems to consider it for a moment before busting into a hysterical fit of laughter. “No, I don’t think so, Victoria. But don’t worry, it won’t be all blood and gore. We’re going to have a little fun first. You see, I think I will make your angry boyfriend watch Allan here rape you repeatedly. Maybe your pretty little friend over there too. I haven’t really thought that far ahead yet.”
“Why are you doing this?” I plead, my voice cracking. “They haven’t done anything to you. You can do anything you want to me, but please let them go.”
“Tisk, tisk.” Eleanore smiles. “Where would the fun in that be? You deserve everything you get, you little whore.”
“How can you say that?” I try to reason with her, playing to any of her sane emotions. “You’ve been the only mother I’ve ever known.”
“Yes, how unfortunate for me.” She retorts sourly. “You didn’t know how lucky you were. You never appreciated me.”
The weakness in her eyes surprises me, but before I can say anything, she walks back towards the front door.
“I need to get some things in town,” she announces to the man standing guard. “You call me the minute they wake up, do you understand?”
He nods, and then as quickly as she entered, she’s gone again.
I need to figure something out, and fast. As I stare up at the ceiling, I hear incoherent grumbling from across the room. I crane my neck to see Gabriel stirring in his chair. He blinks his eyes open wearily, his expression filled with pain.
“Victoria,” he rasps. “How did they get to you?”
I glance up at the man at the door to find him picking his nail absently. He doesn’t seem to care that we’re conversing, so I decide to answer.
“I was making a delivery,” I reply.
His jaw grows rigid as his eyes darken with obvious frustration. “I gave you one simple fucking request,” he booms. “You just had to leave your apartment, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t know,” I snap back. “I thought it was a delivery for you. That’s what my boss told me anyway.”
His face softens a little as his eyes roam over me, taking mental stock of my condition. I can tell he wants to rescue me right now, but he can’t move an inch. Somewhere deep in the recesses of my depraved mind, I almost find it ironic.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“Yes.” I nod. “I think so. My head hurts, but I’m okay.”
He looks so sad and forlorn, I can’t help the intense guilt that floods over me. This is all my fault. Tears spring to my eyes, and I try my best to hold them back, to be strong.
“I’m so sorry Gabriel,” I whisper. “This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen.”
“No,” he replies firmly. “Don’t think like that, Victoria. This is not your fault. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine.”
He casts his eyes to the floor and I try to make sense of what he’s not saying. But then he quirks his eyebrow as though an idea has just struck him. He glances at the man by the door and then strains in his chair to try to look out the window. What is he doing?
“Victoria,” he says calmly, “I just want you to try to relax, okay.”
The man at the door lets out a sarcastic laugh, shaking his head at our conversation.
“Think back on the last couple days, and how good they were,” Gabriel continues, his tone odd. “Think of all the things we did together. You, me, and Alanna.”
He seems to be stressing the last part. He’s trying to tell me something, but I don’t know what. I think over the last couple of days, mentally taking stock of our time together. I hardly even saw him. The last time I saw him was when he was teaching me how to shoot…
The gun. It was in my waistband before when I was taken from the alley. Is it still there? My body seems impossibly numb as I try to adjust on the floor without getting the attention of the man above me. I roll as flat as my bound wrists behind me will allow, wiggling my hips a little to press my butt to the floor. And then I feel it. The cold metal of the gun still inside my pants. How did they not find it? I shake my head because it doesn’t matter. I need to figure something out and quick. Eleanore will be back soon. As I try to wiggle my wrists behind me, the ropes make a slight noise, and it earns me another swift kick to the ribs from the man at the door.
“Don’t fucking move!” he growls.
Gabriel rocks violently in his chair, his face red with anger as I try to fight the overwhelming pain.
“I’ll fucking kill you when this is over Allan,” he bellows.
The man just gives him a pathetic smile, as if he already knows that will never happen.
“I’m going to fuck your little girlfriend here,” Allan announces. “Long and hard, right in front of you. Then you’ll watch her die a slow and painful death before it’s your turn.”
A sob escapes from my chest. I don’t want to cry, and I don’t even care that he said he’s going to rape me. All I can think about is Gabriel. If I can’t get free, he’s going to die… because of me.
“Shhh baby,” Gabriel tries to soothe me from his chair. “It’s okay Victoria, I’m right here with you.”
Chapter Five
Victoria