Chapter 4

SCARLET

4

My gaze drifted across the living area, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings with a detached sort of curiosity, still trying to force away the hangover riddling me. I'd not really taken it in last night, not with Cristian's hands and mouth claiming every inch of me. The reminder made me shiver, and I cursed my body inwardly for its reaction as I eyed the area. Bare walls, minimalistic art, everything screamed controlled aesthetic. Cold. Calculated. Definitely mafia men style. Then again, it could just be a bachelor pad.

My focus moved to the frame and plaque on the far wall, and I tiptoed closer, wondering where my boots had ended up. No matter, I'd buy another pair.

I frowned at the framed plaque, taking in the strange artwork there. It looked like leather, and my eyes rolled over the words engraved into the plaque beneath it.

I recoiled, the realization hitting me.

That wasn't just some artwork, it was a damn tattoo. They'd fucking skinned someone and hung the piece on the goddamn wall. What the actual fuck was wrong with these people?

"They have someone's fucking tattoo on the wall, they skinned some bastard. Some Johnny Brandt," I hissed out, my eyes wide at the section of tattoo. It looked to be a family crest with guns around it, perfectly preserved and showcased.

"What. The. Fuck." Noms relayed what I said to Ray as I forced myself to slip into the hall.

I could only pray Cristian was here alone today. I needed to get my ass out of here before he woke up. I'd hightail it out of here and never look back.

Hell, maybe he had left me here. Then again, did that mean I was now a prisoner? There was no leaving through the front door without some assistance.

I paused, glancing at the four doors in the hall. All were closed, and I chewed my cheek, my heart pounding wildly in my chest as my stomach flipped. Fuck, I shouldn't have drank so much last night.

What if Cristian wasn't the only one home?

"How many brothers are there?" I whispered, my voice so low I was lucky Naomi even caught them.

"Three. Although Ray says he believes only Cristian was around the past few days. He hasn't seen the other two in the past four days." Her words were just as soft, as if she feared they'd magically hear her over the receiver.

I prayed Ray was right, because that meant I had a three-to-one chance of finding a room with a window. The fourth would be a room with the sick fuck from last night who liked to flay people.

And fuck like a wild beast.

I gritted my teeth, forcing the wicked thought down. I stepped to the first door on my left, resting my hand on the slim handle, my heart skipping a beat.

Please, let the room be empty.

I painstakingly turned it, thanking the powers above that it didn't creak as I gently swung it open.

A bathroom greeted me, one that was far bigger than any damn bathroom I'd ever seen. This one contained a four-person spa in one corner, a shower with jets all around, and then the lone toilet. It was bigger than any entire bedroom I'd ever had, and I just balked. Black stone glared back at me with gold trimmings and finishings, while the black marble counter ran the entire length of one wall with two sinks and far too much storage space underneath. It was a dark room, only illuminated by the small windows up high all around.

Yeah, I was not making my great escape from any one of those.

I pursed my lips, glancing over my shoulder at the door behind me. The likelihood of that being the room with Cristian was terrifying, and I wondered if he'd shoot me upon opening the door. The thought made my skin itch uneasily, and I took what little comfort I could in Noms soft breathing on the other end of the phone. At least I wasn't entirely alone, not really.

She was remaining quiet, along with Ray, and I was beyond thankful for that. I turned, pulling the door almost shut behind me, when movement behind the opposing door had my back snapping straight.

My breath caught as it creaked open, my heart kicking against my ribs.

Fuck my life.

"Looking for these?" His voice was gravel mixed with honey, Mr. Covered in Tatts standing there, my panties dangling from his ink-swirled hand.

Cristian was a sight for sore eyes in nothing but some sweatpants, which only accentuated that damn weapon between his legs as he leaned on the door frame. His dark eyes moved to the phone against my ear, his smirk faltering.

Fuck me.

"Perfect timing," I shot back, my heart pounding against my chest, threatening to break free. "Was actually going to do my walk of shame. Got a ride, just couldn't find the handle for the front door."

"Walk of shame?" He arched a brow at me, his gaze glossing over me before settling on my phone again. There was something unnerving in those dark eyes as he still held my panties up like a damn trophy.

"It was fun, I needed it, a bit rough though," I stated as I touched my throat. "But I think I should get going."

"I think you should stay, little firestarter." Those dark eyes were trained on mine, unyielding as he stared me down.

I fought the urge to cower under that devilish look, wondering if Noms was hearing him.

"I don't think I should, I'm not feeling too good. Too much to drink."

"It wasn't a suggestion, kitten."

My skin crawled as my heart sank, fear coursing through me at the intensity of his gaze, that wicked smirk settling on his lips.

"I need to go."

"That's not how this works, Scar. I did you a favor, you're mine, now."

Those words caged me in, and I felt the bars slamming up on all sides of me, the darkness in his eyes claiming me as his own as he stood there, unmoving. He knew I couldn't escape, there was no way out of this damn place without his help.

"What favor? The sex?" I hissed, fighting every instinct to take a step back and put some space between us.

"Oh, no, sweetheart, that was for both of us. I just covered up that little fiery mishap of yours. I said I could make it go away, so I did." He cocked his head at me, and the realization sank in. I didn't get lucky. Not at all.

Noms' small gasp reached me over the phone, but she didn't say a word.

"Now, hang up that phone, kitten." There was an authority to his tone that made me not want to rebel. Then again, I'd always had issues with authority.

"You can't keep me here, I'm not some prisoner," I hissed. "I never asked for your help."

"But you got it anyway, you agreed to it." He didn't budge from the doorway, his tattooed body far too appealing. Why did I have to be attracted to men who were the embodiment of goddamn red flags? My spirit animal had to be a damn bull.

Wait… Tommy had said I'd sent fuck buddies around to his place.

"What'd you do?" I breathed, fear slicing through me like a knife. I'd not had a single call or text after that message. Had they just scared him? Or worse?

"Don't look so concerned, kitten. He hurt you, remember?" That deep, dark chuckle made my blood run cold as I backed against the bathroom door, glad I hadn't pulled it fully shut. "Now, be a good girl, and drop the phone. My brothers will be here soon, and I told them I'd found us a new pet."

"Fuck you, you psycho!" I snarled as I stumbled back into the bathroom and slammed the door, making sure to lock it tight.

His laughter rang out on the other side.

"You'll come to obey, kitten."

"He's insane!" I barked into the phone.

"Scar, we'll call the police, we'll get this fixed!" Noms hissed.

My heart pounded as I looked at my phone, the fear hitting me hard. Would they hurt Noms and Ray for trying to help me? They were the closest thing I had to family, and I didn't want to drag them into this. Besides, if he could make my fiery rage look like an accident, then I was sure he had the boys in blue on his payroll. Tommy would've told them everything, and yet, no one had come for me. Hell, not even a call from the police.

Cristian had made it all go away, just like that.

"No, don't, I don't want them coming after you too," I said after a moment of deliberation. I'd learned to act fast in situations where the world was practically burning. I'd had to survive far too much in my life already.

We both had.

"I'm not leaving you there, Scar. I'll come tear that fucking door down if I must," Noms snapped.

"No, please. I can't stand the thought of anything happening to you," I hissed as I looked around the room for anything I could use as a weapon.

"Nor can I. We're in this together, ride or die, remember?"

I gritted my teeth, wishing I'd never even looked at Cristian at the damn bar.

"I'll be okay, I promise."

"Don't lie to me." Her voice was pained, and we both knew it was a pathetic lie, an attempt to make us both feel better. "I'll get you out of there and we'll run away."

"You said it yourself, they're bad men. I'm not dragging you down with me. We don't both need to burn."

"Bitch, I'm always ready to burn with you."

"I love you, you know that, right?" I whispered, surprised that Cristian had gone silent outside the door.

"And I love you, Scar. Now, I'm going to find a way to get you out of there."

"Just don't risk yourself. I'm going to hang up now. I need to call Tommy." I didn't want to hang up, but my gut was churning, and not just from last night's wretched decisions.

"You call me straight back, Ray and I will figure something out." Noms was stressed, and I wished I'd not made the disastrous decisions of the past twenty-four hours. I was paying for them now.

I hung up, my thumb smashing onto Tommy's name hard, as if I could force him to pick up by sheer will. I hated him for what he'd done to me, but it didn't mean I wanted something truly bad to happen to him.

All I got was the cold shrill of a ringtone, and my stomach sank.

Please don't be dead, you prick

Once, twice, thrice—the ringing cut through the silence of the room, each trill a laceration in the ominous quiet. Then nothing. Not even the damned voice-mail I knew all too well, commanding me to leave him a message that he may or may not get back to. Just the dead air of a line cut short.

I may have wished him dead yesterday, but I hadn't meant it.

"Fuck," I hissed as I stared hard at the screen.

"My brothers will be here soon, kitten, and I daresay they'll want a taste of you as well. Why not shower while you're in there? And no more calls, sorry, sweetheart. We own the law."

"Fuck you," I snarled, hating his sharp laugh on the other side of the door.

"Oh, please do. And let those claws back out. I do love it when you fight."

"You sick fuck," I muttered as I tried to call Noms back. Too bad my signal had dropped out, and the pit in my stomach grew.

I opened up my social media to no avail, my phone not connecting to anything. Had this psycho jammed the signal? What the actual fuck?

"Breathe, we got this," I murmured to myself as my heart rattled around inside my rib cage.

"Why not shower, kitten? Calm your nerves?" Cristian's mocking voice had me bristling. Calm my fucking nerves? This man intended to keep me prisoner here and use me as a damn sex toy for him and his brothers.

I turned on my heel, eyeing the tiny windows up high and cursing inwardly. Even with a decent footing, there was no way I could get through those tiny things.

Would Naomi come through for me? What if they hurt her or Ray? I couldn't shoulder that knowledge, but I also knew I'd do the same for her. We were family.

I closed my eyes, wishing the sickness churning in my gut would pass. It was a mix of unease and hangover, but at least the shakes had eased. I'd have to thank the adrenaline pumping through me for alleviating some of it, enough that I could function.

Voices out in the living area caught my attention, and I slunk closer to the door, wanting to make out what they were saying. I heard Cristian's receding footfalls, and my heart lurched to my throat.

So his brothers were here, I guess this was going to be a family affair then.

I pocketed my useless phone after checking the service once more, and then moved to the cabinet in search of a weapon.

This little kitten had claws, and I wasn't about to go down without a fight.