“Make her,” Frank huffs, his eyes bulging like a lunatic, his hand jerking on his red tie.
Alfeo grabs at my limbs, making me stand, and Cross fists me by the hair hauling me down the hallway.
“You will piss on that fucking stick,” Cross threatens into my ear, the warmth of his breath hot on my skin. “Or I’ll run a fucking catheter up that cunt that got our Zeeky boy turning on us.”
“Fuck you!” I cry, trying to pull from his grip.
I’m thrust into the bathroom, slipping on the black tile and landing on my knees painfully.
“I won’t do it,” I cry, my head hanging, tears slip from my cheeks falling onto the floor.
Hands grab at my pants, ripping them down my legs.
“Stop it! No!” I cry, trying to kick them away. If my hands were not cuffed, I’d be able to fight better. But they’re not, they’re captured in metal links, making my fighting hopeless.
My pants and underwear bunch at my feet, and a cool breeze wafts between my legs. Stretching my shirt down, I try and cover my private area. My eyes fluttering, embarrassed tears sticking to my lashes.
Cross wraps his hand around my throat, pressing his thumbs into the soft tissue of my pressure points. Pain wraps itself around my neck as he forces me to stand from the ground. Alfeo whistles, his eyes trailing up and down my body unforgivingly. Slowly Cross releases me, and I look out the window of the bathroom seeing the lights of Vegas filtering across my face. I feel like I’m going to get sick again. God, where is Zeek?
Standing there, with no pants and no panties I feel myself breaking. Tears rolling down my cheeks in waves, I feel so humiliated. I’ve been stripped of not only my clothes, but my dignity, as well.
Frank walks further into the bathroom, the stick in one hand. I can tell he’s not one to get his hands dirty, he has men to do that for him.
“Pee. On. This. Now.” He emphasizes each word. My mouth trembles as I look the test over.
“You’re a coward,” I snarl.
He snorts.
“Or smart, depends on the way you look at it, sweetheart.”
“Why? Why do you want to know if I’m pregnant?”
He rubs the pad of his thumb along his bottom lip, his eyes downcast.
“Zeek is a traitor, turning against not only his creed of brotherhood, but you in his head made him think it was okay to overturn me and my hand in his club. He’s going to pay for his infringement, and in doing so raise my profile of power. Zeek is going to help me punch it to the Mafia, and take his place at the head of the table of the Outlaws, with me guiding him. I’m done being a second hand to anyone in this fucking city!” he roars, veins protruding in his forehead. “I wasn’t so sure he’d oblige…especially with his recent defiant behavior. I expect he’s sitting back conjuring up ways to take me down or run away again once he’s tried to save you. But, if he knows I have his child in my hands, he’ll succumb to my demands a lot easier.”
My chest tightens, a lump forming in my throat. “The Mafia?” He’s going to get Zeek killed.
“I’ve told you enough, all you need to do now is follow directions.” Franks holds the test out, offering it to me again. I don’t want to pee on it, what if it’s positive? I don’t want to find out I’m pregnant while being handcuffed, and forced to pee on a stick. I don’t want Zeek to fall into place because of me or the baby either.
“No!” I reaffirm.
Cross’s hand raises, backhanding me in the face hard. My head whips to the side, my lips burning severely as my cheeks radiate with pain.
Frank rolls his shoulders and exhales a loud breath. Cross grabs a .45 from one of his holsters and presses the cold barrel on the inside of my thigh, trailing it up til it stops on my abdomen.
“You either piss on this stick, or I will shoot you in the stomach. Spilling your blood and the life of that bastard baby who might exist.” He smiles, as if he’s hoping I won’t obey so he can shoot me. I want to kill him.
A tear slips in between my lips, my eyes fluttering with defeat. It’s over. I will never live with myself knowing my pride killed a piece of Zeek and me.
“Fine,” I whisper.
Cross smiles. “See, we can get along.”
Grasping both of my shoulders he pushes me back a few steps and applies pressure, making me sit on the toilet.
“Do it.” He hands me the stick.
Taking the pregnancy test I hold it in between my legs, and I pee. I didn’t realize how bad I actually had to go until a steady stream flows continuously.
Slowly I pull the stick out from in between my legs and hand it over, my eyes searching the little window that might hold the results, but Cross takes it before I can see anything.
“It says here you have to wait three minutes.” Alfeo points at the back of the box he’s holding.
“You read the directions?” Cross looks at him like he’s stupid.
“Well, one of us needs to know how this shit works,” Alfeo states matter-of-fact.