4. Cal

4

CAL

The pain in my head is familiar now, but the grogginess takes longer to dissipate. Even still, my mind is immediately on Ava. It takes me too long to remember where she is, and even longer to remember why we're here. I vaguely remember a person approaching me with a needle, but I don't remember anything after.

I'm in a new position too. Someone removed my clothes and has rechained me to the back wall of the room. The idea of Kiel coming that close to me while asleep has me ready to knock his teeth out. There's a bucket nearby that I imagine I'm meant to use as a restroom.

The room is still dim, but I can clearly see the bright lights into Ava's room. I don't know how much time has passed, but she's still covered in dried blood.

Hopelessness settles into my chest. I fight the feeling away and focus on the activity in front of me. Kiel approaches the bed with a bucket and places it on a nearby stand. I feel my body tense as he places a hand inside, but relax a little when he withdraws a sponge. He wrings it out, letting the fluid drip over Ava's unconscious form.

He pats the sponge over her wounds, wiping the dried blood from her skin. Dread coils in my gut as I watch his measured and tender movements. I recognize the expression on his face, and I'm sick to see it on him while he tends to Ava. Kiel performs his task slowly, taking the time to change out the solution in the bucket several times as he cleans the blood.

He drags the sponge across her breasts reverently and grips one of them in his bare hand. My face feels numb as I watch in horror when he traces the sponge down her torso to her inner thighs. My chest is rising and falling irregularly, and I can't seem to catch my breath.

I'm again thankful she's asleep, that she won't remember this moment, but I nearly come apart as he tends to the wound on her vulva and the blood gathered on the inside of her thighs. She could have bled out. I don't know how she didn't. A horrible part of me wishes she had if it meant she could be spared from whatever he has planned for her.

Kiel places a hand on the inside of her thigh, the movement offering an unobstructed view of her vagina. I can't contain myself anymore, my rage bubbling past my mouth.

"You motherfucker!" I thrash in my chains. "I will eviscerate you, you piece of shit!" I keep shouting at him, but he doesn't so much as flinch. Realizing the room must be soundproofed, I slump against the wall. Vomit rises up my throat as I prepare to witness the worst.

A moment later, he stands up to dump the bucket. As he washes his hands at the sink, I take the opportunity to watch Ava. I pray for her to have the strength and courage to hold on a little longer. I know her brothers have to be looking for us - and if I know the Giovanni brothers as well as I think I do, they will find us.

Too soon, Kiel comes striding into my room, his expression indiscernible. He paces in front of me a few times, then stops in front of the window to watch Ava.

"Have you ever felt as worthless as you do now?" Kiel asks softly.

"What? Are you my conscious now?"

He smirks as he turns to face me. "Always the smartass. Tell me, Callum, when you abducted and slaughtered my wife, did you imagine our story would end like this?" I flinch and he continues. "You killed my wife in front of me. You tortured me. And yet you still couldn't stop me. My empire is flourishing. You couldn't stop me from taking the woman you love. Everything you did was worthless." He may be trying to manipulate me, but it's hard to deny that he's right.

"The only reason Ava is mixed up in this, is because of you. She's suffering because of you, Callum Drake. And she will never forgive you." I close my eyes,

unable to face the truth of his words. He laughs wryly. "Not that you'll live for long. Ava, however, I might keep. If only so you can go to your grave knowing that she'll be mine for the rest of her life."

Kiel leaves me then, and I watch Ava in the silence.