Chapter 21

21

Tank

M y eyelids slowly slid open. My head was throbbing, the pain radiating from the back of my skull. Dried blood rested on the back of my neck, pulling at my skin when I slowly turned my head to take in the room I was in. My arms were shackled above my head, held up by chains hanging from the ceiling. Chains I knew they could tighten to make me dangle from the floor, my toes just barely skimming.

The place hadn't changed. They were operating right under our noses, hiding in plain fucking sight. We'd been so goddamn stupid . I had been stupid. Completely fucking blind.

It was my old room in the same fucking basement. The floor was concrete, digging into my bare ass and thighs. My boxers had been removed, and the freezing cold air of the room had goosebumps raising on my flesh and my cock basically trying to hide inside my body.

Carter Bradley was playing a fucked up game, and I had no good cards in my hands right now.

Shit .

I was completely at his mercy, and it made my gut churn.

I sighed and leaned my head back against the wall behind me, a shiver wracking through my body. How long had I been missing now? Were Beck and Clarke safe? Had anything happened to them? Was the club aware that I was MIA?

"You look like you're thinking hard," a woman mused as she stepped into the room, her blood-red heels clicking on the floor. She was only wearing black, lacy lingerie with an open crotch. I gritted my teeth when Carter trailed in behind her, looking highly amused, his dick already hard in his slacks. "I can help take your mind off whatever's bothering you, Ash."

The sound of my real name falling from her lips made me want to vomit. I gritted my teeth, refusing to say a word. She sighed and crouched in front of me, her legs spread open so she could bare her cunt to my eyes. I curled my lip in disgust. Fucking trashy.

"Oh, there's a little bit of that fight I heard you might have," she cooed, sliding her palm across my abs. My stomach roiled, but I didn't have anything to throw up. I hadn't had anything to eat since dinner… however long ago that had fucking been. "Do you miss Beck and Clarke, Ash?"

I glared at her then. "Keep their fucking names out of your goddamn mouth," I snarled.

Her nails cut the skin of my cheek when she slapped me, blood slowly trickling down my skin. I worked my jaw around before spitting out blood from where my teeth had cut into the inside of my cheek. She then gripped my chin, forcing me to look at her again. "You hid my precious hardware well, Tank. They've gone MIA. Been three days since we snatched you, and we still can't find little ol' Clarke and her pain-in-the-ass stepbrother."

Every muscle in my body relaxed, and then, I laughed. Just fucking laughed . The booming sound filled the room, my shoulders shaking. Relief flooded every ounce of my being.

I could face anything so long as they were still safe. And they were. If they couldn't be found, then that meant everyone was doing what I'd asked—protecting them, no matter what happened to me.

"Why the fuck are you laughing?" Carter growled, growing irritated.

I grinned at him. "You'll never get your hands on them." I laughed again before letting a smirk tilt my lips. "You lost ."

A low growl sounded from his throat, and he took a threatening step toward me. But he halted the moment the woman began speaking again.

"Do you remember me?" the woman asked, circling her hand around my flaccid cock. I just arched a brow at her, easily shutting off the part of my brain that panicked at her unwanted touch. "You used to call me Auntie Sara."

I barely fought back my grimace. Fuck, how many had escaped the feds? How many had somehow negotiated their release from prison? Money could buy just about anything, and it was clear they'd used their money to their advantage. If they'd been arrested, there was no way they should be out right now.

" Mmm ," I hummed noncommittally, finally somewhat recognizing the woman in front of me. She'd aged, and time had hardened her features. Guess going too long without botox would do that to a woman. "Time has been hard on you. I didn't even recognize you."

I should have been expecting the slap, but I hadn't. I spit more blood out, feeling the cuts on my cheek trickle blood down my skin slowly. Just as slowly as I knew time was about to begin passing now that I was awake and the torture could begin.

She held her hand up to Carter, and Carter placed a familiar, blue pill in her hand. She waved it in front of my face. "You have to know where they might be hiding, Ash, and we intend to find out. When you begin cooperating, we'll make it hurt a little less."

I leaned forward, bringing my face close to hers. "With all due disrespect, fuck you ," I growled.

She shoved the blue pill in my mouth, and Carter held my head back, my jaw closed until I was forced to swallow the damn thing. She smirked then. "Let the fun begin, Ash."

I licked my tongue along the top row of my teeth before baring them at her. "Do your fucking worst," I dared her.

She stood to her full height then, and Carter crouched in front of me, pulling out a sharp, shiny knife. I buried my fear. If bleeding meant Beck and Clarke remained safe, then I'd let them bleed me out.

No price was too high to pay.

I tilted my head to the side the slightest bit, antagonizing him. I hated playing the waiting game—always had. He liked to draw things out, and back then, I had. But now, I was older. Stronger. More resilient. I could take whatever he dished out. "I'm getting bored," I drawled.

His lip curled in disgust. "Prepare yourself to lose that fight inside you, Ashy baby," he said, his tone darkening. "I plan to bleed it out."

Vomit rushed up my throat when the first slice began, starting at the base of my cock and slowly working its way up to the base of my throat. I barely swallowed the bile down and closed my eyes, forcing myself not to tense. To stay relaxed. Tensing would only make it hurt worse.

Over and over again, that knife sliced through my skin like butter. My stomach threatened to revolt every time, but I tamped it down, trying to find my happy place like I used to do when I was a kid. Back then, it was a beach I'd gotten to read about in the only book I'd been allowed to read back then. I read that book so many times, I could probably recite it word for word from memory if I tried hard enough. The beach in that book had been beautiful with white sand, crystal clear blue waters, and laughing, loving families.

Now, my happy place was back in that safe house with Beck and Clarke.

By the time I was soaked in my own blood and Sara was sinking onto my now hard cock, I'd sunk deep into my head, a small smile playing on my lips as I imagined it was Clarke riding my cock. That it was her fingers clinging to my shoulders. Her nails digging into my skin. I imagined it was Beck forcing my thighs open and his fingers toying with my balls.

And when my cum was forced from my body against my will, I imagined it was Clarke I was potentially breeding. Imagined her voice in my ear instead of Sara's.