12. Ava

12

AVA

Kiel doesn't come for me in the morning. Instead, I'm woken by a timid woman who opens my curtains and delivers breakfast. She doesn't say anything to me, which I'm partially relieved about. As much as I would like to ask her a dozen questions, I'm sure she couldn't answer me without endangering herself. She leaves without a word, and the smell of eggs and pancakes causes my stomach to rumble.

I roll out of bed and eat facing the window. The sunrise is like nothing I've seen before. In fact, I start to consider that I might not be in the United States anymore, because the view is more beautiful than anything I can think of. The ocean is somewhere in the distance, and for some reason, it gives me some resolve. There's a way to escape if I'm clever enough.

My mind feels clearer than it's been in days. I feel the craving for a hit and know his poison must be making its way out of my system. The stirrings of white-hot anger bubble up in my chest as I think of everything this man has put me through. I hate myself for acting so submissive, even if it's kept me alive this long.

He took me away from my home, my life, my family, and my friends. He took me away from Cal.

The thought of Cal brings tears to my eyes, and a sob gets lodged in my throat. I brush aside the memory of him and focus on my plan. I know the ocean is out there somewhere, but considering the size of Kiel's estate, I doubt we're close to a town. It's hard to believe he could maintain a compound like this anywhere near civilization. That means I would have to travel far if I even managed to escape the perimeter.

Hopelessness starts to creep in again and I lay back on my bed.

Images of my brothers flash through my head. This time, I don't fight the tears. The boys had always been so good to me when I was a kid. Even though they were all a decade older than me, they made time to play with me. My favorite game was Pretty, Pretty, Princess. Jax would win every time without fail. He'd be decked out in fake costume jewelry and a cheap plastic tiara, but you'd think he was a real monarch on a throne. The memory makes me smile and cry harder. I know they'll find me, but I can't just sit here and wait.

Hours pass. In some ways, I feel more cooped up than I did in the basement. The basement didn't feel real half of the time anyways. Here, I can hear the ocean and see outside. Escape feels possible now.

As hours go by, my anger grows. I hate Kiel in a way I've never hated anyone before. In my mind, Eliott was a saint in comparison.

When the guard tells me I've been summoned for dinner, my rage takes control of my mouth. I refuse and shut myself into the bathroom. Fear takes root in my stomach, but I try to keep my ground.

The bedroom door slams open a few minutes later. I flinch at the noise before the same thing happens to the bathroom door. Kiel stands in the entrance, fuming. His eyes are wider than ever, and I think he might actually kill me. His voice promises violence.

"Day two, and you're already failing to meet my expectations. You will do as I say, when I say it. When I tell you to breathe, you breathe. When I tell you to sleep, you sleep. When I summon you to dinner, you come to fucking dinner." I can't make my voice work, so I sit in silence, terror making my limbs feel hot. "And when I tell you to disrobe and get into bed, you get into bed." His voice is a whisper now as he approaches me. He leans in and his mouth brushes my ear.

"Get into bed, Ava." It is an unmistakable command, but I can't allow myself to back down.

"No," I whisper. My voice trembles at the word, but it doesn't matter. The shock registers first, and then rage. I don't see the hit coming. He backhands me across the face, making me fall to the ground. I pull myself up using the side of the bathtub with a glare. He grabs me by the throat, and I claw at his hand.

"You dare defy me? Do you think it will convince me to give you a hit, baby?" He brings his lips close to my mouth. I try to bite him but his grip holds me tight. "You can kick and scream all you want, but you're going to be sober, and you're going to feel everything." He pulls me up by my throat, and my vision begins to go dark. Kiel drags me into the bedroom, throwing me onto the mattress. I immediately squirm toward the now closed door, but he grabs my leg and hauls me back.

Before I can make another move to the exit, he climbs atop me, straddling my hips. He bunches my gown in his hands then rips it down the middle. I gasp as cold air hits my skin.

He pinches one of my nipples hard while I claw at him frantically. Blood beads on his skin as he backhands me again. I feel him pulling the scraps of my gown from underneath me, but I'm too disoriented from the hit to try anything.

I feel pressure around my wrists and realize too late that he's used the scraps of fabric to tie my wrists to the headboard. I pull at the restraints, but they don't budge. Tears burn in the back of my eyes as I take in the predatory look in his eyes.

"I don't know what's gotten into you," he hisses, "but I will remind you of your place. Callum forfeited you to me which means you are mine, soul, mind, and body." Cal's name is like a blade to my heart. I don't know what he sees on my face, but he laughs. "You didn't suspect? I used you as bait to draw him out. Callum was my real target after all. He told me you weren't worth it and to have my fun with you. I'm sure he hasn't thought of you since."

His smile is cruel, and even though I don't want to believe him, I know he's telling the truth. I was probably just a quick fuck to Cal. Somehow, he had me convinced that he might actually love me. I'm sure he packed up and ran the moment he got word of the abduction.

"I don't belong to anyone," I hiss, before spitting on his face. He grins and grabs my jaw, forcing my mouth open. Leaning over me, he spits into my mouth.

"Wrong. You're my whore." Kiel unzips his pants to pull out his dick. He strokes his already hard length as I begin bucking underneath him. That stupid grin is still plastered on his face as he grabs underneath my knees and forces my legs against my chest.

"This is going to hurt, pretty girl," he says before forcing himself inside me. I'm so scared, my interior muscles are more constricted than normal, making the intrusion burn. "So tight tonight. You fucking like this, don't you, pretty slut?" Tears well in my eyes and pour down my cheeks. His wide eyes never leave my face as he relishes in my agony.

He's right about one thing. This is not something that I can endure while sober. The pain between my legs increases exponentially as he rolls my pelvis back. The angle forces him deeper, and my anatomy was never meant to receive this treatment. He slams against my cervix over and over as if he's trying to break it open and fill my uterus. A scream bubbles out of my throat. He grins down at me.

"That's it, baby. It hurts so bad, doesn't it?" I'm hyperventilating. My vision begins to darken when he drives into me one last time. He groans as he empties himself, keeping me pinned beneath his body for a few more moments. My fight is gone by the time he pulls himself free.

"That's better. This is what I expect of you. Obedient, submissive, and silent. The tears are a nice touch, too," He adds with a wink. I hate this man more than words, but I'm quiet as he studies me.

"I won't call on you again until dinner tomorrow. You will be there." I nod in agreement, and he releases my restraints before climbing off the bed. He leaves without a word, the door clicking shut softly behind him.

Tears drip down my face in a steady stream, soaking the pillowcase beneath me. Hours pass like that, but I'm not in my body anymore. The cool evening air from my open window brings goosebumps to my skin.

I mechanically climb from the bed and make myself use the bathroom before climbing under the covers. Despite the horrors of the night, I relish the soft mattress. After spending so long on a hospital bed, this is a luxury. Either way I was violated,

but at least now I have a comfortable place to rest.

The soft mattress reminds me of Cal's bed, and then horribly, I'm thinking of Cal. The tears come back in full force as I remember how safe I felt with his arms around me. I finally manage to fall asleep as I pretend he's next to me again.