Chapter 14

 

The Betrayal

 

Melissa

 

 

Late Sunday afternoon, security called up to let me know my takeout had arrived, and the deliveryman was on his way up. I grabbed my wallet from the bedroom and headed for the door, just steps away when he knocked. I swung the door open and looked up into the blue abyss—eyes dark and cold.

“How the fuck did you get up here?”

He held up the bag of food. “I brought us dinner. Wasn’t that nice of me?” Bryce sneered.

“You need to leave. Now,” I demanded.

“Melissa, is that any way to thank me for thinking of you?”

“Bryce, you need to leave now, and don’t come back.”

He reached up with his free hand to pull a strand of red hair into his fingers, and I backed up, which was a mistake. Bryce’s tone was calm and playful, but his eyes were full of hate. The look reminded me of the other day when I tried to touch his necklace—only he looked deadlier today.

“Bryce, you need to leave before I call security.”

Lord, I silently prayed, don’t let him hear the panic in my voice.

I grabbed the door handle and tried to calmly shut the door. The key was already in the deadbolt, I just needed to close and lock. Three seconds tops and then I could call security and have him removed. Stepping away from the door, I tried to shut it, but it would budge. Bryce had slammed his hand over the door and held it open. I wasn’t strong enough to push back.

Fear as I had never known surged through me as he pushed the door open and walked inside. My heart was a beating drum as my body trembled with fear, intensifying with each step as he came nearer. One step forward for him and one step backward for me, and then he stopped.

“Alexandria, I’ve missed you.”

Alexandria? Did he really think I was his fiancée? “Bryce, listen to me. I’m not Alexandria. It's me. It's Melissa,” I pleaded with him.

Seconds passed in silence, and he turned around, headed back for the door. I prayed he would leave, but I wasn’t that lucky. With one hand he slammed the door shut and the other he turned the key in the deadbolt and removed it.

“You need to leave, Bryce!”

The key twisted between his fingers and flipped in the air as he turned toward me and slid the key into the front pocket of his jeans. Instinct took over; each step he took toward me, I took backward, step by step until I bumped into the Victorian chair at the edge of the area rug. A step to the right led me toward the couch; my legs stopped at the sofa with no escape. The farther I moved away from him, the redder his face turned. Eyes full of hate and rage, his lip curled up, and he bared his teeth. Bryce was gone and whoever just emerged showed no feeling.

“Alexandria, did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“What? Bryce, I’m not Alexandria. Remember? It’s Melissa.”

“Shut up, whore.”

I needed to buy time until I could find a way out or bring the Bryce I met at the club back from whoever this monster was. Bryce had the only key in his pocket, and I sure as fuck didn’t want to get close. My phone was my only option, and it was under my books in the dining room. I just needed ten seconds to swipe Peyton’s preprogrammed number on the keyboard—speed dial one. He might have been distant lately, but he wouldn't let someone hurt what was his—at least that was what I hoped.

Bryce continued to move closer, and I moved to the left on the far end of the sofa. From there, I’d have a straight shot to my phone. It would be my only chance to get past Bryce first. Slow motion took over as Bryce inched closer, and I moved closer to the back of the couch.

His fingers traced and tapped his lips. “I’ve been thinking… you never adequately thanked me for all the dinners and drinks.”

“What?” This had to be a dream. This wasn’t the sweet man I’d met just a few weeks ago, the man who held me and made me want to tell him all my secrets.

“You owe me. I paid for a service—for you.” His hand reached down and rubbed the front of his jeans. “I’m here to collect my money's worth.”

“What?” My mind raced with what the fuck he was talking about; I never promised shit. He paid for our meal when we went out but… OMG—I told him about Peyton.

“Bryce, please. I’ll pay you money, please,” I begged. “How much do you want?”

He walked closer, and I made my run toward the table and freedom. Bryce had expected it and rushed over the couch, grabbed me by the arm, and pulled me closer. “I don’t want money. I want this.” His fingers burrowed into my crotch and his hands ran over my ass and up to my lips. “And this... and this.”

“Please, Bryce. Don’t! Just leave. I won’t tell anyone you were here.”

“Oh, Melissa, I don’t care what you tell people. You’re just an overpriced whore. I’m collecting a debt.”

“Bryce, please.”

“Well, since you begged so nicely.” He let my arm go and took the key out of his pocket and headed toward the door. Relief only lasted a few seconds before he turned around and slapped me across the face. The force knocked me down, and my head slammed into the sofa table.

“Now, where would you like to pay your debt? On the floor like the dirty whore you are or in the comfort of your bed?”

He snatched my hair and dragged me into the bedroom and slammed me into the side of the dresser. One glance at the bed and my heart stopped. The bungee cord Peyton used to secure me during sex stuck out from the mattress.

Fuck, please don’t let him see it, please.

“Well. Well. Well. It looks like Miss Summers is a kinky whore, too,” Bryce said as he bent down and pulled the cord.

Fuck, this wasn’t good. I needed to get the hell out of there.

The bathroom.

I could lock myself in there until he left or Peyton arrived. But he could probably break the damn door down. I needed my phone to call for help. As he walked around the bed, he pulled the bungee cord, and the gleam sparkled in his eyes with even more excitement.

His focus never left me. I wasn’t sure if I would have time, but I needed to try. I ran. Bryce jumped over the bed and had me by the hair before I even left the room.

As he pulled my back to his front, he rubbed his dick into my ass. “Do you feel that, Alexandria?” 

My arms were held at my sides, but my legs were still free. I tried to kick, but he was much stronger than me.

“Fucking bitch, don’t kick me.”

He trapped my legs with his and twisted my body to face him. One of Bryce’s hands reached around my neck and squeezed. Little black dots appeared in my vision as his hands squeezed tighter.

“Why. Can’t. You. Just. Fucking. Listen?”

With each word, my body slammed into the wall, leaving me dazed.

“Oh, you like it rough, don’t you, whore? Alexandria, did you fuck all the college boys at Stanford or just the one?”

More pain shot through me as he slammed me against the wall a few more times before he released me. I dropped straight to the floor. Anger and disgust overtook him, causing his face to redden and his eyes to glaze. It was like he was possessed; his mind was in its own world—one minute I was Alexandria and the next Melissa. I wasn’t sure if my life was in more danger as Melissa or as whoever this Alexandria was.

Pain radiated through my entire body; my head pounded and ribs ached from his abuse. His hands wrapped around my neck, smashing me into the wall one more time, and then he threw me on the bed. I tried to fight him, kick, or scratch him, but he overpowered me. Bryce had my hands secured in seconds and my feet within minutes. There was no escape for me tied down and him on top of me.

“Melissa, it time to play out your fantasy.” He stood over me with the most sinister smile. “Well, I planned just to fuck you on the floor, but here you have everything already set up. Fuck me. I do know how to pick the perfect whores to fuck.”

Tears clouded my vision. “Please, Bryce. Please, don’t do this!” I screamed over and over, my voice hoarse from being strangled.

He carried on as if I wasn’t even there. “Now, our safe word will be… hmm, let me think.” Bryce looked up as if he was thinking and tapped his finger to his temple.

“Please stop. Please let me go,” I pleaded. I needed to reach him, to bring Bryce back to the real world.

“You win—no safe word.” He threw his head back and laughed.

Bryce’s fingers dug into my thigh and then reached under my dress and pulled it up. “I like these.” He traced my panties. “But they seem to be in the way.” Bryce slid a finger under the seam and ripped them open to gain access to my most private area.

I twisted and turned, but restrained as I was, I didn’t have much movement. Bryce gripped and squeezed my breast leaving a trail of pain. He climbed off me and unbuckled his belt, lowered his pants and boxers, and rubbed his hand over his dick. I wasn’t sure who he thought I was. I just prayed he’d come to his senses before he hurt me anymore.

“Where would you like me to start—your pussy, ass, or mouth?” He reached down touching every spot he planned on invading.

“Bryce, please don’t. Please just leave. I won't tell anyone,” I begged over and over.

“There is nothing to tell. This is your rape fantasy. I’m just trying to make it as real for me as it is for you.” A moan escaped as he gripped his dick and pulled. “Don’t worry, I’ll meet your needs, too. Isn’t that what most women complain about?” He laughed.

“Please.”

“Open your mouth. I need you to get me ready.”

Ready? Fuck, he was already “ready.” His hand ran up and down the length, waiting.

“Like what you see?” He stood proud of himself. “Don’t worry; I’ll fill every hole you have with my cum before the night is over.” He laughed. “Maybe even twice if you’re lucky.”

Bryce climbed back on top of me and sat on my chest. “Open your mouth.”

I sucked my lips into my mouth as a refusal. When I did, he placed his hand over my nose and cut off my oxygen until my mouth opened.

“Now, if you bite me, you’ll regret it.”

I closed my eyes and prayed for someone to help, but no one would. I was tied to a bed and locked in an apartment with a lunatic. He shoved his dick into my mouth repeatedly. He didn’t care if I gagged. Tears flowed from my eyes as I gasped for breath, and my mouth filled with his cum.

“Drink it all up like a good girl. I’ll let you rest until I am ready for the next hole.” He walked out of the bedroom, and I heard him move around the other room.

Glasses clinked together. Fuck, he found the alcohol. I coughed and spit, ridding my mouth of his vile taste.

Bryce smiled as he walked back in a few minutes later, shot glass in hand. One look at me and he realized what I had done. Redness spread across his face, and he glared at me with hatred. “You fucking whore, I told you to swallow it, all of it.”

He leaned down and picked up his belt. “Now I have to punish you.” He wrapped the leather end in his hand as he swung the buckle against my bare skin over and over. Each time he smacked me, it caused his dick to jump with excitement.

Agony from the metal smashed across every inch of my upper body, and angry red welts marked my skin as Bryce smirked in enjoyment.

I had two ways out of this nightmare: Peyton coming early or Bryce leaving soon, and neither seemed feasible. The thought that Bryce would be able to do whatever he wanted with me turned my stomach, but I was tied up with no way out. I didn’t want to give up, but I also didn’t want to live through any more of his torture. I only had one more option, to close my eyes and not wake up until it was over. I prayed darkness would take over before he used me up.

That wish wasn’t granted.

I suffered for hours before the pain finally took over, and the world went black.