Chapter Twenty-Six

Alana

A FTER HURTING MYSELF more than I thought I would, I finally manage to break free from the zip ties holding me hostage in the chair. I’m not sure how long it actually took me to break free but my wrists are a bloody mess and on fire where the skin has been rubbed raw. It’s adding the pain filling my entire body and I want nothing more than to sink into oblivion where I no longer have to feel it. However, that will leave me vulnerable to whatever Terrence wants to do to me. So far he hasn’t made his way back into the room he’s keeping me in but that doesn’t mean he won’t. I’m in so much pain my stomach is rolling and I know it’s only a matter of time before I get sick again. I hate throwing up so I’m doing everything in my power to force it away. I try to stand from the chair but my legs don’t want to hold my weight causing me to stumble and collapse back into the chair I’ve been in for however long I’ve been in this fucking hell. Tears fill my eyes as frustration fills me because this isn’t going to be easy and Terrence might be able to keep me locked in here.

Looking around the room again, I know I can’t get close enough to the window to pry the boards from the wall. Somehow my shoes have disappeared and I don’t know where the hell they are. Thankfully that’s the only part of my clothing that’s disappeared. Terrence hasn’t stripped me down to my bra and panties or completely. I’d have lost my shit if I woke up naked because of him. I’m not about to cut my feet open in this place and have some kind of infection get started because I wasn’t careful. Who knows what kind of shit is lingering in this place. If I go out the door, I risk running into Terrence before I’m ready to deal with him. I’m not sure I can stand let alone fight back when he inevitably comes at me. It’s just a matter of time at this point and I’m not sure how the fuck I’m going to get past him. Closing my eyes, I push everything from my mind and listen to see if I can hear any movement from him within the house. I don’t hear anything but it doesn’t mean he’s not close by. After opening my eyes again, I try to find something else to use as a weapon against him.

Trying to stand once again, I find my legs support me better. I’m able to slowly shuffle to the bed behind the chair I’ve been tied to. Reaching out to the frame, I try to pull one of the bars loose. They’re so rusted one of them actually crumbles in my hand and covers the mattress with more disgusting bullshit. It’s not until I get to the end of the bed frame that I manage to pry one loose and test its weight in my hand. It’s not the best as far as weapons go, but it’s honestly better than nothing. With both in my hand, I slowly head for the door. I know I shouldn’t try to go against Terrence when we’re not in this room and I might run into him before I’m truly ready, but I can’t just sit in here and pretend I’m not able to get myself free. That only makes me a target for longer and I’d rather lead an offensive attack rather than trying to defend myself. That’s typically when I curl up into a ball and just let him beat the shit out of me. I’m done being that girl and vow to get my revenge on him one way or another. Terrence will feel pain from my hands.

Before I can get to the door, it flies open at the same time as I finally lose the battle with my stomach. I start dry heaving since I have nothing in my stomach to actually lose. Terrence comes to an immediate stop so I don’t get him again if I manage to get sick. Tears fill my eyes as they normally do when I get sick as my body trembles and I almost lose my grip on the knife and metal bar I’m holding. Hopefully Terrence is so focused on me getting sick and doesn’t realize I have weapons to use against him. The last thing I need is to have him discover my secret before I’m ready.

When I know I’m not going to dry heave anymore, I flick the pocket knife open as discreetly as possible at my side while trying to keep the bar behind me. Terrence takes a few cautious steps closer to me but doesn’t get as close as I know he wants to. Still, it’s within distance to put his hands on me when he’s ready to let loose.

“What the fuck is your problem, Alana? You’re so fucking weak and pathetic. I honestly don’t know why I’ve wasted so much of my time and energy on you,” Terrence sneers as I look up at him.

“I’m not keeping you here, Terry. I’d rather not have anything to do with you. In my eyes, you’re a weak, pathetic piece of shit who whines and bitches more than a fucking toddler. Your dick is so small it can’t be called a cock and isn’t enough to satisfy even the sluttiest of women. And your finger and tongue game is nonexistent. I honestly have a better time getting myself off than I did any of the times you came to me. I’ve gotten really good at faking an orgasm. Something I definitely don’t have to do with my men. They more than know how to satisfy me and make me feel every ounce of pleasure they can. You lack in every fucking way possible and it's laughable,” I taunt him knowing I’m gonna have to take a hit or two if I want to get close enough to inflict any damage on him.

Terrence doesn’t say anything this time. Instead he launches his attack and lands a fist right in my stomach. The breath is forced from my body as he lands a hit on the side of my nose and directly under my eye as more tears fill them from the pain. Terrence gets one more hit in on my shoulder before I bring the bar up and slam it into his shoulder. He screams louder than a bitch in heat. When he’s distracted by the pain in his shoulder, I bring the knife up and slam it into his neck. Terrence’s eyes widen in shock as he collapses to the floor in front of me. His hands are pressed against his neck since I didn’t leave the knife in his body. That was one of the first things my dad taught me—never leave the knife in the body because it can be removed and used against you.

Without dropping the bar or knife, I walk the few steps needed to get to Terrence and straddle his body with a foot on either side of him. He doesn’t make any attempt to attack me or make me fall to the floor as I drop my weapons while making sure they’re out of his reach. Now, it’s my fucking turn to beat the fuck out of him. I land one hit after another on his pathetic body. I hear his nose break under my fists when I land a vicious punch there. Picking up the pipe when I feel my arms getting tired, I land a brutal hit against his jaw before proceeding to hit him all over his torso. All I see are the images of him stabbing and beating the fuck out of me in the past. I scream as tears roll down my face but I don’t stop until there is absolutely nothing left in my body.

Once again, I drop the bar to the floor and kick it away from Terrence. His eyes are closed and his chest is barely moving up and down as I look at him through my tears. Pure hate fills me as I spit on his body before bending over to grab the knife where I dropped it before.

“I fucking hate you and the way you’ve made me feel over the last year. You’ve stripped me of every ounce of confidence and self-esteem I once felt. You have made me feel less than dog shit you’ve stepped in and treated me horrible all because you’re an insecure little bitch. I never once deserved to be treated the way you did and never again will I allow anyone to belittle me. I’ll build myself back up with my family at my back and the love, support, and encouragement of my men. I hope you rot in fucking hell, Terry,” I yell, my voice breaking more than I’d like as I drop down to search him for a phone and keys.

Going through his pockets as quickly as I can, I pull out a set of keys and an old flip phone. I automatically know it’s a burner phone so it can’t be traced. Thankfully, I’ve memorized numbers and have several I can call when I get out of here after looking at the screen and seeing there’s no signal. I’m not sure if he managed to put some kind of signal jammer in here or if we’re just that far from the city.

My body is on fire even more than it was before I beat the hell out of Terrence. Every step feels as if I’m about to collapse as pain radiates up through each of my legs. It feels as if the heaviest weight in the world is currently sitting on my shoulders and I can’t get it off. Most of the time I find myself leaning against the wall just to take a few steps down the narrow hallway. At this point I’m not even sure if I’m heading in the right direction.

“Alana!” a muffled yell comes at me as my vision starts to fade to nothing. “Alana!”

As my body starts to hit the floor, I feel strong arms wrap around me. Looking up through the haze, I find my brother Kyle holding me with Brandon and Playboy at his back.

“Alana, I’ve got you. Keep those eyes open for me, Sis. I need you to look at me,” Kyle pleads, lifting me up in his arms before carrying me out of the hell Terrence brought me to.

“I’m callin’ Ghost and Geek,” I hear Playboy announce to no one in particular as they move through the house.

Time passes in a blur and I can’t seem to follow anything that’s happening right now. Kyle is carrying me as gently as possible and barely jarring my exhausted, sore body as we finally exit the building and I’m assaulted with bright sunlight and fresh air. My eyes flinch closed on their own as I whimper. I don’t open them as I feel my body being lowered to the ground where several bodies surround me.

“Alana, is Terrence still in the house?” Playboy asks me, his voice gentle as I try to open my eyes again.

“Just past where you found me I think. I think I killed him,” I tell them as I close my eyes once again against the bright sunlight. “Am I gonna go to prison now?”

I’m not sure who I’m asking as I hear some of the guys who were just surrounding me leave. Each of my hands are being held as I fight with every ounce of strength I have left not to let myself sink into oblivion.

“You’re not goin’ to prison, Sis,” Kyle says, his voice trembling as I fight again to open my eyes. “We’ll make sure nothin’ happens to you. Keep talkin’ to us though. I won’t make you keep your eyes open if you can keep talkin’ to us.”

“I’ll try,” I whisper, feeling myself lose the fight against the darkness.

“Don’t try, Alana. You’re stubborn as fuck and stronger than this,” Brandon practically yells as his voice breaks just like Kyle’s. This is some sick twist of fate to have my brothers find me in this situation. I’m not sure who thought it would be a good idea for them to be here right now, but this has to be hard for them. “Ghost and Geek are on their way here. If you’re not talkin’ to us when they show up, they’ll kick our asses. Or are you tryin’ to get your men to beat the hell outta your brothers for payback against all the jokes and pranks we played on you growin’ up?”

Brandon’s words make me laugh as a million images flash through my mind of us growing up together. Jameson, Kyle, and Brandon were always playing pranks on us girls. They’d try to see which one of them could make us scream the loudest on a daily basis. Half the time they managed to convince our dad Joker to join them while Cage would always come to our defense and get them all back for us. I’m not sure how our mom managed to get through the years with all of us. I swear she jumped and screamed more than the rest of us did and the pranks weren’t being pulled on her.

“There’s the start of that beautiful smile you have,” Kyle says as one of my hands is released and I hear whispered words behind me. “How are you feelin’, Alana? Where does it hurt the most?”

“My wrists and stomach. He got a good hit to my stomach before I went off on him. I fought him this time, Kyle. I didn’t freeze and let him beat the hell out of me. Did I do a good job?” I ask him, needing someone to know that I didn’t let Terrence get the better of me this time. That I showed him how strong I am and what my family taught me over the years.

“You did so good, Sis. I’m so fuckin’ proud of you,” Kyle says, wiping a tear from my face gently as my face scrunches up in pain. “I’m sorry, Alana.”

“Tink! Where the fuck is she?” I hear Kaden’s rough voice breaking as my eyes fly open and I groan against the pain filling me.

I try to move my body so I can get up and get to him but Kyle holds me down. My body is so weak I really don’t have the strength to fight against him but the need to get to Kaden and Colton is overwhelming. Just as I go to say something to my brother, a body drops next to me and all I can see is Kaden’s broken face filled with relief and pain. His eyes show me how much me being taken has broken him. After pressing the softest kiss against my lips, he moves back just enough for Colton to lean over me. Colton’s eyes are filled with tears as he doesn’t look anywhere else but in my eyes. Like Kaden, he presses a soft kiss against my lips before they lean back and take in my body from head to toe.

“Fuck, Sweet Angel,” Colton whispers, a lone tear sliding down his face as our eyes meet once again. “Someone get the fuck over here to help us move her.”

“No, Colton,” Playboy says, walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder as my man goes to explode on his dad. “We don’t know what injuries she has. I’ve got an ambulance on the way and Vault’s already called your friend on the force to make his way here before anyone else.”

I don’t miss the look that passes between the men at my side and wonder what the fuck is going on. Trying to lift my hand so I can wipe the tear on Colton’s face away, he carefully keeps my arm on the ground next to me as I hear faint sirens in the distance.

“Don’t move, Tink. We don’t want you to get hurt more than you already are,” Kaden says, gently lacing our fingers together as the sirens start to sound closer and make the pounding in my head worse.

“I fought back this time. I didn’t let Terrence beat me,” I tell my men as the blackness starts to pull me under again. “I think I killed him so I’ll be in prison. I don’t regret my decision to stab him in the neck the way I did. He hurt me so much but hurt my family and the two of you so much more. I love you both. Daddy . . .”

“Alana!” Colton and Kaden scream my name as I finally succumb to the black peace I’ve been fighting since I walked away from Terrence in hell.

Images of my parents, brothers and sisters, nieces, nephews, and my men fill my mind and play on a loop as I float in nothing. Here I don’t feel any pain and every thought vanishes from my mind. The only thing I feel is the love I have for my family and knowing that I managed to overcome my fears and managed to fight my biggest demon. Terrence didn’t get the better of me this time and if I have to spend the rest of my life in prison, then I’m okay with that. Terrence will never be able to hurt another person because I’ve rid the world of him. That’s the last thought I have as I finally let the peace fill me and my mind go completely blank.