I come to and I’m in a cabin, of all places.

I expected a warehouse. The back of a van. Anything. But not a cabin. I blink a few times, and glance around, studying as much as I can before he notices I’m awake. I’m cuffed, and my ankles are bound together. I’m on my back on the sofa, staring up at the ceiling. I turn my head to the side, and take in my surroundings. It’s a nice cabin, big and roomy, with lush furniture.

I can’t see much in this position.

I look to the other side, and jerk when I meet the eyes of my captor.

He’s staring down at me, leaning over the couch. “You’re awake.”

He says that almost casually, like we’re two lovers who have spent a romantic evening away.

“Where am I?” I say, letting my voice sound frantic.

It isn’t hard. I spent years with this man.

I know how I acted.

I know what works, and what doesn’t.

“In a safe place until we can return home. I’ve been waiting for you, Raven, and my patience was wearing thin. And then, you so stupidly ran out on your little boyfriend. Have you learned nothing?”

I stare at him. “Let me go. Don’t you think you’ve had me long enough?”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “Sweetheart, I own you. I paid for you. That means, you’re mine for the rest of your breathing days.”

I bare my teeth at him. “They’ll find you this time, and they’ll kill you.”

He laughs. “I see you found some fire while you’ve been gone. Fair enough, I’ll let you have it, for a time. But you will bow to me again, Raven.”

“My name is Ellie!” I yell.

His eyes flare, and his hand comes down, curling around my shirt and hauling me up so our faces are only inches apart. “Speak to me like that again, and I’ll remind you of what I do when you disrespect me. Or have you forgotten already?”

I clench my jaw, and glare at him, but I don’t say anything.

My heart is racing.

I’m terrified.

Because, of course I remember. I see this man every single time I close my eyes.

“I escaped you once,” I breathe, angrily. “I’ll escape you again.”

He laughs, bitterly. Then he drops me back down. “You escaped me, because Riley helped you. That won’t be happening again. Riley is dead.”

My chest clenches, and I stare at him, so stunned by this revelation that I have no words.

“That’s right,” he snarls, then grins, “you think I didn’t know it was him? You think I wasn’t going to find him, and make him suffer for betraying me? Riley paid the price for his actions, and now you’ll pay the price for yours.”

“How could you?” I cry. “How could you!”

He shrugs. “Quite easily, actually. He was a thorn in my side. A waste of precious air.”

Monster.

Cold hearted monster.

And my heart breaks for Riley. It tears in two. Because he is the only reason I escaped this monster. He is the only reason I even have a chance at freedom again. It took so long for him to come around to me, and when he did, he gave me everything. He made sure I got free. For that, I’ll owe him my gratitude for the rest of my days. He didn’t deserve to die for me.

My heart tears in two.

But I keep it together.

Even though the thought of yet another life turned upside down because of me, makes me want to scream.

“You’re a horrible man, and one day, you’ll pay the price for your actions,” I say, my voice wavering.

He leans down close. “Maybe I will, but not until I’ve made you live with me for the rest of my days. After that, I don’t really care what happens, now do I?”

“What have I ever done to you? Why can’t you just let me go?”

He grins. “Because, you’re mine. And when I own something, I own it. I simply do not let it go. If I were to let you go, I’d sell you, Raven. I’d sell you and get my money back. I don’t wish to do that, no, I wish you to be mine for as long as I’m breathing on this earth. It’s what I paid for, after all.”

“I won’t be,” I mutter.

He smirks at me. “Oh, but my sweet Raven, you will be. I promise you that.”

I don’t like the way he says that.

I don’t like anything about his confidence.

I look away, and stare at a window.

I hope they don’t leave me here too much longer.

I don’t even know how long I’ve been out.

All I know is that I want to end this. Once and for all.

I need this monster out of my life.

“Don’t look away from me, dear Raven,” he murmurs, coming around to the other side of the sofa.

The way his voice sounds, the low purr, has my head whipping towards him. He has never spoken to me like that before, in such a sultry tone. My insides instantly clench, and panic grips me from all angles. Why is he looking at me like that? Why is talking to me like that?

I want to vomit.

I don’t like it.

Something inside of me screams it’s time to go.

Now.

“Leave me alone,” I say, my voice trembling.

Real fear.

The one that you feel right down to your bones.

He sits beside me, and his hand runs up my leg.

I jerk, but I have nowhere to go. Suddenly, I’m very alone, and so incredibly frightened.

He wouldn’t...would he?

He had me for ten years, he never touched me sexually.

Why would he now?

What has changed?

I assured Malakai that he wouldn’t. That he wasn’t like that.

Was I so very wrong?

“You had no problem letting Slater touch you, now did you?” he murmurs, running his hand up my thigh.

I feel sick.

I’m going to be sick.

I’m helpless.

I can’t escape him.

I can’t get away.

“Don’t. Please.”

“I always saw you as innocent. Mine. I knew you weren’t, of course, but in my mind...you were. Now, you’re different. You’re louder, more sassy, and your body has changed in the short time we’ve been apart. I can’t help but wonder...how would it feel?”

No.

God.

Please.

Someone. Help.

Help me.

“Please, don’t touch me,” I say, my voice shaking.

“I wouldn’t usually, but my desire with the new you, is strong. There is an urge in me. I need to know what you’d feel like, my captive. I need to know, and I need to know now.”

No.

“Please,” I screech, thrashing as his hand climbs higher and he strokes my inner thigh.

I twist and turn and thrash as much as I possibly can.

This only seems to make him want it more.

A low moan leaves his throat, and he groans as he leans down, sniffing my hair.

I lurch my head forward, smashing into him. He hisses and reels backwards, and I cry out as stars dance in my vision. This earns me a hard punch to the cheek, one that nearly knocks me out. I cry out, trying to jerk my arms up, but I can’t. I’m stuck. I try to thrash my body off the sofa, anything to get away from him, but he’s having none of it.

“Sit still, or I will make you sit still,” he warns, pressing his forearm against my chest and holding me down with his body weight.

“Don’t. Please. I’ll do anything. Be anything. But please don’t do that.”

He grins at me, and I can see the harsh red mark on his forehead where I hit him. “But Raven, I own you. Which means, I can do whatever I like. That’s what I paid for.”

No.

Vomit rises in my throat, and I twist my head, trying to bite him, trying to do something.

His hand curls around my throat, pressing me into the sofa. My heart starts racing immediately as my oxygen is cut short. I see stars as my vision begins to fade, and everything in the room starts to spin. My body goes into overdrive, and panic sets in. I squirm and thrash, but with each passing second, I’m getting closer to being taken into darkness.

He leans over me, his hand travelling off to discover my body.

And I can’t stop him.

I’m helpless.

Please.

Someone.

Help me.

Slater.

Please.

~*~*~*~