Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Annabell

WAKING UP, PAIN is the first thing to register. My head is pounding and I can feel something sticky on the side of my head. I try to reach up, but my hands won't move. Right now, I keep my eyes closed and try to use my other senses to figure out what's going on. Trying to move my legs, they won't move either. There's a coldness covering me that leaves a chill straight down to my bones. Using every ounce of strength I have, I pry my eyes open and take a minute for the blurry vision to go away. It takes a minute but when my vision finally clears and I take in the room I'm in while trying to remember what the hell happened. I remember being out in my car and cleaning it out after moving to Pine View. The music was playing and I kept my car where it was because I was going to wait for Vault to get back before we went to a car wash or something to wash it and vacuum it out. Martin was on the gate and he was keeping an eye on me from the gate house.

Martin just stepped back in the gate house when I hear the squealing of tires. Startled, I look up to see a van park in front of the gate. Doors open and I watch as men jump out of the van with guns in hand. The bulletproof glass hasn't been installed yet because there was some kind of miscommunication and it's supposed to happen next week. With the guns in hand, Martin rushes out of the gate house to find out what's going on. He says some words to the guys and they yell back at him. Since I'm in my car and the music is playing, I can't hear exactly what's being said as fear fills me to the point that I'm frozen. None of my muscles will move as my eyes are locked on the scene in front of me. Martin doesn't back down as the guns point directly at him. It doesn't take very long for someone to notice me in the car and the guns change directions so they're all pointed at me. My breath stalls in my chest and my heartrate kicks up from the fear coursing through me.

My eyes are the only part of my body that will move as I watch Martin go in the gate house before the gate starts opening. I'm still frozen when one of the guys gets back in the van and drives through the gate the second it's open wide enough for them to move through. The rest of the guys who jumped out are running through the gate straight for me. I want to close my door and lock it, but again, I can't move a muscle. Before the last guy rushes through the gate, he fires a shot at Martin and I watch him drop to the ground. Martin doesn't move and tears start rolling down my face as I wait for him to get back off the ground. He doesn't.

"You're fucking coming with us," one of the men shout, stepping up to my car as I remain sitting in the passenger seat.

I don't say anything even though it's on the tip of my tongue to tell them to fuck off. They argue and shout at me when I don't get out of the car. It's not until one of the men finds his balls and grabs me before I start fighting. I thrash and fight against their hold with everything in me. I'm trying to remember all the moves I've been taught over the years, but my mind is blank. I just try to get the fucker's hands to release me as I stomp, kick, and lash out any way I can. I'm surrounded by three men when I hear more footsteps racing toward me. Looking up, I find Vault running through the parking lot of the clubhouse. Rage fills his face as he takes in what's happening to me.

Everything happens in a blur from there. Vault takes out the men holding me before three more jump out of the van and get their hands on Vault and me. We're thrown into the back of the van. Vault does his best to cushion my fall, but I know he's done more damage to the shoulder that was dislocated when he crashed his bike. The grimace on his face is all I need to see as I try to land to the side of him so all of my weight isn't coming down on top of him. Vault sits up and pulls me into his arms, holding me. It doesn't take long before I'm hit in the head with a metal pipe. My world turns black and I hope nothing happens to Vault while he tries to protect me.

I gasp with the memory of what happened. Looking around the room, I take in that there are no windows and the walls are cement. The floor is also cement, but it's covered in so much dirt and other debris. A musty smell fills the air around me and I have a feeling we've been locked in a basement of some sort. My eyes linger on my body as I realize I'm no longer wearing my clothes. I'm in my bra and panties with nothing else covering me. The only light filling the room is from a hanging bulb dangling precariously from the ceiling. It looks as if it should be secured in the ceiling and it was ripped down by someone in the past. That can't be safe. There's nothing in here that will help us escape. No boxes filled with random shit, tools laying around on the floor, or anything else. Vault and I are going to have to rely on ourselves to get away from these assholes.

Looking around some more, I find Vault sitting in a chair across from me. His eyes are on me as I take in all the damage that's been done to him. His face is covered in blood while his eyes are swollen so much they're almost completely closed. Vault's lips are coated in blood and I can see that he's been hit to the point they split open. There's more bruising on his neck and upper chest where his shirt has been ripped to reveal the skin to my eyes. Tears instantly fill my eyes when I realize this is happening to him because of me.

I'm laying in a bed with my arms and legs tied so I'm spread eagle. The mattress is lumpy and the most uncomfortable thing I've ever laid on in my life. It's also hard as fuck as I look at it the best I can. There are stains covering it and I don't let myself think about what they could be from. A chill runs through me at the knowledge that I'm not the first one who's been in this exact position. There's no blankets or sheet on the bed and the frame is wrought iron so the ropes holding me have something to be tied to. The iron is discolored and it's showing the age and being kept down in this damp, musty basement. Vault's chair is metal and it's definitely seen better days as rust covers what I can see around his body. It sags under his weight and one wrong move makes it look as if it will collapse to the ground under him. I hope that nothing more happens to him while we're locked away here.

"Don't," he murmurs, his voice rough as his chest heaves with every breath he takes. "On them, not you."

Nodding my head, I try to agree with him but I can't. These men were at the clubhouse for me and now Martin and Vault have been hurt because they were trying to protect me. I don't even know if Martin's still alive at this point. My heart hurts thinking that he lost his life in a split second by stupid fuckers who think it's okay to take another person against their will. I can't stand that shit.

Pulling my hands again, I realize that they're only secured with thin rope. Tank and my Dad taught me how to get free from rope. It's been tied loose around my wrists which is a good start because it means less work for me to do. I start moving my hands back and forth. It doesn't take me long to feel a slickness covering my skin and I know I'm bleeding. Tank warned me that I might depending on what kind of rope was used to secure me. Vault doesn't take his eyes off of me as I continue to keep trying to break free from the ropes holding me in place. Once I get my hands free, I'll be able to release my legs and then go figure out a way to get Vault free. I can't tell how he's secured to the chair from my position on the bed because his hands are behind his back and the bed obscures his feet from my view.

"I'm gonna get free, Vault. Then I'll get you free," I promise him, my voice coming out filled with pain as my head throbs and I try to continue taking in every detail of the room as I was taught while simultaneously working on freeing my hands.

"Stay safe," Vault says, his voice broken with the pain filling his body as he continues to stare at me.

"I'll do whatever it takes to get you out of here, Vault. We're not gonna die down here because some stupid fuck decided to take me. Why the hell would you let them take you?" I question him, my voice filled with anger because he shouldn't have put himself in harm's way to save me.

"You're worth it, Bell. I love you and there's no way in hell I was gonna let them take you if I could stop it. Where was one of the guys? Why was no one outside with you?" he returns, every word causing him more pain as his head starts to sink lower to his chest.

"They were inside. No one thought I would be taken from the compound because we didn't realize these idiots are fucking crazy. I hope Martin's okay," I answer him, trying to figure out how to make it so Vault doesn't get mad at them for something none of us anticipated.

"Should've been with you," he says, trying to put his anger in the tone of his voice but failing because the pain is even worse and overruling his body and intentions.

We lapse into silence and I try to figure out how to make my hands slip from the ropes as I continue working. There's more than enough blood covering my skin and I know there's no way Vault isn't gonna be pissed as fuck when he sees the damage I've done to myself. If he could, he'd put me in a bubble and keep me safe from all harm every day of my life. All the men surrounding me are the same. They want to keep the women protected at all costs and will go to the ends of the Earth to ensure no harm ever comes to us. It's not realistic, but they try their hardest every day of our lives.

Vault's eyes close and I know he's going to pass out from the pain filling him. There's no way he can't. I've seen these guys in all stages after being hurt. From walking into the clubhouse right after some kind of battle to healing. They're the biggest babies when they're hurt and are assholes if they can't ride their bikes. Vault is the first one I've seen that isn't a complete dick because he hasn't been able to ride. He just gets in my car with me and lets me drive. Another first when it comes to the men in my life. If they're in a cage, they have to be the one behind the wheel. I swear, every aspect of their life has to be in their complete control and they're not happy if that's not the case. Oh well! I love them all and wouldn't do anything to change them.

Before Vault can pass out, the sound of someone walking down the stairs I just notice off to the left fills the room we're in. Instantly, he's alert and staring at me once again. Our eyes meet and I know he's trying to tell me to keep my mouth shut and stay safe without saying a single word as the people coming to see us are talking. I can't make out their words with the pounding in my head, but I do stop moving my hands so they don't realize that I've actually made progress on breaking free from their ropes. That's the last thing I need right now. There's nothing I can do about the blood coating my skin, but I can make them believe they caused the damage and I'm sure it will do nothing but inflate their egos because they hurt me.

"I see you're finally awake," one of the men says as I take the two of them in with every step they take closer to the bed I'm in.

The man who just spoke is tall and lanky with long dark hair that's greasy as hell. It looks as if it's been weeks since the last time he washed it. His tee-shirt and jeans hang from his body and are barely more than rags covered in stains of some sort. Again, I don't want to know what the hell they're from. His teeth are yellowed and he's missing more than what is actually in his mouth. The blue of his eyes is dull and lifeless as he stares down at my mostly naked body while licking his lips. Chills race up my spine from the pure disgust filling me.

Turning my attention to the second man, I see that he's even skinnier than the first man. They're similar in the fact that they're both wearing clothes that are hanging off their bodies and are covered in stains and holes. This asshole doesn't have any hair, but he's got patches of dirt and grime covering his skin. Especially his neck and arms. He brings his nails up and I see them filled with nasty shit. His skin is covered in bruises and what looks like track marks up his arms and even one or two in his neck. He has no teeth in his mouth and the smile he tries to give me is even worse than it would look if he had teeth in his mouth. It's fucking evil and I quickly look away from him. These men are definitely using some kind of drug and I want nothing to do with them. Though, it will work in our favor since their senses are going to be dulled and reaction times will be slower than hell because of the drugs coursing through their system.

These men are vile and with every single step closer they get to me, the worse the smell becomes. Their body odor is overwhelming and I have to fight to hold back the bile threatening to spew from me. They both need a shower, deodorant, and clean clothes that actually fit them. I'd tell them that, but I want to see what they're gonna do to me first. Or to Vault. I'm not going to sit back and let them hurt him without doing everything in my power to keep their attention on me one way or another. Vault has been hurt enough and doesn't deserve this shit to happen to him.

"We were told you were beautiful by the boss man, but he didn't tell us you were sexy. We're not supposed to touch you, but what he doesn't know won't get us in trouble," the only man who's spoken says, a sinister smirk on his face as he stares me down.

Vault starts to thrash against the restraints holding him in the chair.

"You fuckin' touch her and I'll gut you," he promises them, his voice full of hate and rage as his entire body straightens in the chair as if he's forced the pain from his body and become numb to everything.

"You're not in a position to do anything, asshole. We are though," the fucker states, reaching out and running a finger down the side of my face as I yank my head away from him.

The pain explodes in my head and my vision blurs and gets darker. The need to be sick fills me from the horrendous pain. I'm robbed of my ability to speak and tell them I don't want them touching me as tears fill my eyes. I can't even tell these men not to touch me because the fear, pain, and rage filling me incapacitate me completely. This is worse than any migraine I've ever had and I have to remember that fast movements are the enemy right now.

Watching the second man, he moves around the bed, kicking out at Vault as he walks by him, and comes to stop on the other side of me. Looking at one another for a second, both men reach out and start running their hands over my body anywhere they can. I try to twist and turn away from their disgusting touch to no avail. One of the men squeezes my breast so hard pain fills my chest and I still don't open my eyes after slamming them shut so I could try to disappear from my current reality. Nails dig into my skin causing bites of pain and now I have to worry about getting some kind of infection from their nasty hands touching me.

"Get the fuck away from her!" Vault screams so loud, making my eyes snap open as I stare at him and only him.

I try to let him know to calm down, but he doesn't listen to me. Vault is thrashing around in the chair so violently that I worry he'll collapse to the floor beneath him. That will do nothing but damage his shoulder even more than what's already been done to him. His body is a myriad of colors from the bruising that seems to get even worse with each move he makes. In response, the men laugh and it doesn't sound like any kind of laugh I've ever heard before. It only makes them sound crazier than they already are.

Sucking in a gasp of air, I realize I've been holding my breath as the men touch me all over. I thrash and continue trying to get away from their touch but it does nothing but make my body ache from being stretched out and my head pound even more. Soon, the pain overwhelms me and I can't stop the blackness from pulling me under as I give Vault one last look filled with all the love I have for him. I hope he's okay and doesn't do anything to get himself hurt even worse, or killed.