Chapter Forty-Four - Ivy
I wake up lying on a cold concrete floor. My eyes flutter as I try to open them, but all I see is a fuzzy glare. My head is splitting with a headache and everything is silent.
There is no one here.
“Help,” I say, my voice hoarse. “Help,” I try again, a little louder.
But then a black shadow moves in one corner and someone walks towards me wearing a ski mask and bulky clothing.
“Why are you doing this?”
A photograph floats down to the ground in front of me. I can’t even focus yet, so it takes time for me to get a good look at it. To realize what it is.
Nolan and me. Outside near the pool. He’s ripping my panties off and I’m just standing there, letting him. Someone has written Rape Me over the top of the photo.
I look up at the masked person and shake my head. “That’s not what happened.”
My captor says nothing. Just walks slowly towards me.
I panic and start thrashing. My hands are tied behind my back, and every time I twist, my raw skin screams for me to stop. I manage to get into a sitting position, but only because a hand reaches down and grabs me by my hair and pulls me up.
The person leans down and a familiar smell permeates the air.
A sickly smell that tells me exactly who this person is.
I wait for words to explain why this is happening, but none come. I am dragged across the floor until I’m at the entrance to a bedroom. The figure points to the bed inside, lit only by a small lamp of a bedside table.
I shake my head and say, “No.”
I am slapped and kicked and pushed until I am absolutely on that bed, lying down, in my pretty lingerie as my feet are tied to a bedpost.
Where am I? Where is this place? There’s no windows, just this bed and just this one light.
I struggle to free my hands and realize I’m tied up with the same rope Nolan used. His words come back to me. If you ever get stuck the rope stretches. Just wriggle around until it loosens. It might take a while, but you’re not stuck.
I struggle some more and realize he was right. The rope is stretchy. I’m not stuck. And I’m not going to let this happen either. I get one burning wrist through one loop and the whole rope becomes loose. My hands are flying behind my back as my legs are tied tighter.
And then the black ski mask faces me. I know before he takes off the mask who he is.
Richard.
He kneels on the bed and then straddles my waist, gripping my breasts firmly. “Is this how you like it, Ivy? Is this why you never let me fuck you? I’m not abusive enough?” His smile, mixed in with that sick cologne, makes my stomach turn. “Well, if this is what you need, I’m happy to accommodate you.”
I reach for the bedside lamp and swing it against his head. He goes reeling to the side, falling off the bed, and I’m already trying to untie the knots at my ankles. I mess up so many times as Richard comes to his senses on the floor next to the bed. My heart is racing so fast. My breathing is nothing but panic.
I get one leg free just as he stands back up and lunges for me. I kick him in the chest with the heel of my foot and he goes down again, this time shaking his head like I stunned him. Blood is pouring down his temple as I scramble back to the other side of the bed. But I’m still prisoner. I’m held in place by the one length of rope. I scream when he gets to his feet again. “Nolan!” I scream. “Nolan!” I don’t know where I’m at, or if he’s even close by. But I know that there is no way I can get my foot untied before Richard gets to me.
“He’s coming,” I say, still frantically trying to get the last knot out of the rope. “He’s coming. And… and… his friend is coming too. The bad one. You know that bad one. Mr. Mysterious,” I spit.
“You’re gonna let them all fuck you, aren’t you, Ivy? You stupid little whore.” He slaps my face so hard, I almost black out. “This is what you’re been holding out for? A gang rape from the most infamous rapists in the country? Well”—he laughs—“I’m sorry to disappoint you with just little old me tonight. But I’m sure you’ll still love it.”
From some far off place I hear Nolan’s voice. Richard stops everything. Goes completely still.
“Ivy!” Nolan is yelling. “Ivy, Ivy, Ivy!”
“Here!” I scream.
And then Richard’s hand is over my mouth and the cold blade of a knife is pressed to my throat.
“Scream nice and loud for your boyfriend, Ivy. Nice and loud now.”