Clara
My phone rang. I picked up, not even able to get a word out, Dante barking down the line at me. “Where are you?!”
“Out west. Georgie was attacked. They took her to Waitakere Hospital. I’m so scared, they said she could die.”
“Don’t bullshit me!” he yelled, jolting me. “I spoke to that bitch a few minutes ago, she wanted to talk to you.”
“What?” I said, in shock.
“Yeah, I fuckin’ spoke to her. She sounded perfectly fine to me. So, don’t try to spin more bullshit, Jade saw you leave with Simon.”
“Oh God, oh God, I’m not lying,” I said, fear kicking in, Simon’s slip up over where Georgie had gotten hurt coming back. “I’m so stupid. So, so stupid. I should never have trusted Simon. He’s the one who told me that Georgie was attacked.”
“That fucker! Where are you? I’ll come get ya.”
“I’m in his car, waiting for him to get Georgie’s stuff from this rundown house in the middle of nowhere. He has the keys. What do I do, Dante, what do I do?”
He swore. “Gimme the address.”
“I didn’t see the number. All I know is that it’s off Henderson Valley Road.” I described the road and the property, my heart pounding out of my chest.
“Get the fuck outta there. Head for Henderson Shopping Mall.”
“Okay.” I opened the door, knowing I had to make a run for it. I pocketed my phone and went to do just that, only getting a few yards before hearing Simon’s voice.
“Where are you going?” he called out.
I turned, spotting him rounding the side of the house. I took a step back, knowing I couldn’t outrun him. “I want to leave.”
He strode towards me, his blue-green eyes hard. “You’re not leaving, and it looks like you know why. Who have you been speaking to?”
I continued walking backwards. “No one.”
“Liar!”
He lunged for me. I screamed and went to run, but he shoved me, causing me to trip and fall. I cried out as I hit the ground, my whole body jolting from the impact. He climbed on top of me, forcibly removing my phone from my pocket. I tried to grab it back, but he slapped me across the cheek so hard I lost my voice for a moment.
“What’s your password?” he snapped.
“You-you d-don’t need it,” I pushed out, my whole face hurting. “I didn’t speak to any-anyone, Georgie le-left me a voice message,” I lied, scared he would take me elsewhere, somewhere Dante wouldn’t be able to find me. “You lied. She isn’t hurt.”
He sneered at me. “No, but you will be if you don’t do as you’re told.”
“Why, Simon? Why are you do-doing this to me?” I sobbed, the pain and terror overwhelming me.
His upper lip twitched, hurt crossing his face. “I did everything to keep you, was nice to you, bought you roses, got down on bended knee, even offered you a priceless engagement ring, a fucking heirloom. And what did you do? You left me for scum, and not just any scum, the bastard who got you sent to jail.”
“I love him.”
“But he’s scum! How can you love someone like that?”
“He’s not scum,” I sobbed. “He’s everything to me, has been ever since I met him. You can’t change that, no one can, not even me.”
“I will change it, because you’re never going to see him again.”
“You can’t do this!” I yelled, hitting out at him.
He dropped my phone and grabbed my wrists, pinning them to the ground. “I can do whatever the fuck I like, you stupid bitch, and you are stupid if you think that worthless piece of shit is worth loving. Andrew recognised him, said he was involved in a porn party. He showed me a website where there are hundreds of pictures of your boyfriend. Disgusting porn images of him fucking women. Not only that, Andrew told me the scum also sold drugs.”
“He doesn’t sell drugs, he’s a singer.”
“Maybe now, but not in the past, which is why I tried to protect you from him, offering up my home so you’d be safe. But what did you do? You ran straight into his arms after our misunderstanding.”
“I wasn’t living with him when you offered for me to stay. You offered it because of the break-in.”
He laughed, the sound cruel. “You are so gullible.” He rummaged in his pocket, pulling out his keys. He selected one, dangling it in front of my face. “There was no break-in. I used the key you forgot to take back after you dumped me to leave that note and roses.”
“What?” I gasped, Simon hitting me with one shock after another.
His sneer grew. “I wanted to scare you in to staying at my place, but you tried to go to that drunk whore’s house, so I had to take care of the situation.”
My eyes widened. “You had Georgie’s friend hurt?”
“Just enough to stop you from going to her house.”
Fearing for my life, I lashed out at him, screaming as he hit me back, this time with a fist. My head banged against the ground, momentarily stunning me. He grabbed my arms and hauled me to my feet. Wrapping his arms around me, he half-dragged, half-carried me to the house. I screamed, “Help!” and kicked his shins, getting a yelp in reward. He shoved me through the front door, causing me to stumble into the passageway. I righted myself and went to attack him, but he shoved me again. I tripped over, landing on my back and elbows. I cried out as pain shot through my body, everything hurting. He yanked me up, manhandling me into a room. He pushed me onto a bed, a bed with...
Kara on it.
Dante’s ex was lying spread-eagled across the mattress, not to mention naked. She was tied to the bedposts, looking either dead or unconscious. There was another bed next to hers. I knew it was meant for me.
I spun around to face Simon. “What the hell are you doing?!”
“She’s payment.”
“For what?”
“Me,” another voice answered.
Andrew appeared in the doorway, the security guard from rehab smiling at me. “I get a woman; Simon gets a woman.” He walked past us, stopping by Kara’s side. He ran a hand over her breast, squeezing it.
She opened her eyes and smiled up at him. “Mmm,” she said, licking her lips. “I was hoping it was you I’d get, not the skinny blond boy.”
He raised a brow. “That’s not what you said earlier. You insulted me, called me a pig’s arse.”
“No, I said a cow’s arse.”
“That’s not much better, and I got the feeling whatever you said in Croatian was a whole lot worse.”
“True, but in my defence I was angry you kidnapped me, while now...” She groaned, biting her lower lip. “I’m horny. You know I’m a nymphomaniac, Andrew.”
His eyebrows shot up even higher. “You know my name?”
“Yes, you’re Big Mack’s baby brother, one of the new guards at the porn party. I didn’t recognise you at first, but you look a lot like your brother.” She smiled. “Just handsome.”
“Dante didn’t recognise me.”
“There were a lot of guards, plus that place was packed. He was also too busy fucking me to notice anyone else.” Her gaze shifted to me, a wicked grin forming, the woman obviously enjoying my upset.
“True,” Andrew replied. “So, you gonna play nice now?”
She nodded. “You can have me anyway you want, just as long as you give me a roof over my head and put food in my belly.”
“I’ll give you more than food,” he said, massaging his crotch, what he meant abundantly clear. “And I’ll bang you better than Dante.”
“I’m sure you will,” she purred, her eyes moving to his crotch as he unzipped his pants. She licked her lips. “Show me your big cock.”
He slipped it out, his cock not so big, average at best. Disgusted, I looked away. Simon yanked me over to the other bed, pushing me onto it. His gaze moved to his mate. “You got condoms?” he asked.
Andrew pulled one out of his pocket and threw it to Simon, the packet landing at his feet.
Simon shook his head. “Not for me, for you. I wouldn’t put anything in that infested whore,” he said, indicating to Kara.
“You still should rubber up for Clara,” Andrew said, nodding at me. “Especially if Dante’s been fucking her. He’s more of a whore than Kara.”
“My cock’s still too sore to fuck anything.” He smiled at me. “But my tongue is perfectly fine.” He wriggled it at me, making me scoot back fast. “I love eating your pussy.”
“How about I do it for you?” Kara said. “Or maybe I can suck on her tits for pre-entertainment.”
“No!” I yelled.
Andrew laughed, his gaze going to Simon. “You up for some girl on girl action?”
Simon smiled and nodded. “Do it. But first lock the door.” He pulled out a gun from under his jacket and pointed it at Kara. “Just a precaution,” he said.
Andrew flicked the lock, then untied the restraints around Kara’s ankles and wrists. “Undress her,” he ordered, indicating to me.
Kara smiled at him. “Sure, baby.” She climbed off her bed and onto mine, crawling towards me. I pushed my back against the headboard, shaking my head at her.
“Ssh,” she said. “I’ll make it good for you.”
“No,” I said, going to jump off the bed.
Simon raised his gun. “Do as you’re told, Clara.”
“But you hate gays,” I said. “Why would you want to watch—”
“Gay men, not women, and you two aren’t gay, it’s just entertainment.”
“Hypocrite!”
“Don’t care.” He waggled his gun. “Get to it.”
I started crying as Kara climbed on top of me, the feel of her naked body making me shrink into the bed.
She placed her lips next to my ear. “Play along,” she whispered. “I’ve got a plan.”
I breathed out, relieved it was an act. “Dante’s on his way,” I whispered back.
She smiled and started unbuttoning my blouse. “Then, we’re going to have a lot of fun.”