It was midnight or early in the morning. I wasn’t sure which, but as usual, I found myself opening my eyes, a cold shiver running down my spine. My heart started to race as the fear inside me made itself known, taunting and feeding me with thoughts of a disgusting beast full of horror and revulsion that made me sick—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Soon, it would start. Soon, it would appear, this monster. And soon, I’d start screaming inside my head until I was exhausted, until I was numb from the pain. Then I’d push the memory of the horrendous episode into the deepest part of my mind, locking it away along with so many others, never allowing it to see the light of day again.

I raised my eyes to look at the window where a scatter of moon rays sneaked into the small, dark room. The pale light seemed cold, detached, and soulless. The longer I stared at the colorless luminosity, the more I craved the warmth of sunlight. God, I wanted the sun to rise. I wanted to see the beautiful, bright red-orange glow that articulated warmth, connection, and love. But of course, it was now in the depth of the night where shadows lurked and monsters preyed.

I shifted my gaze to Andy sleeping not too far away in the other bed.

“Andy.” I whispered my brother’s name between my lips, my heart aching for him, for us. Why did we have to go through this? Why? He was only fifteen years old, and he had to endure so much pain and suffering. Oh, Andy.

The door cracked open, and I held my breath as my heart pounded hard inside my chest. I snapped my eyes shut, as if doing so would alleviate the anxiety and fear that was erupting inside my being. As if in doing so, I’d banish the very idea that the monster I dreaded and hated wasn’t creeping into our room at this ungodly hour.

I whimpered inside my throat as I felt the heavy presence come toward my bed.

Please just leave, I wanted to yell out. I don’t want you here.

But the huge shadow of the man, of our Uncle Herbert, only loomed closer, suffocating and paralyzing me with fear.

I felt the heaviness of his weight on the side of my bed as he sat down. It was then an assault of his disgusting smell of sweat and excitement and something that was disturbingly his reached my nose, and I felt nauseated.

“Mia?” he called to me, and I shivered coldly in response.

I feigned sleep as I forced myself to breathe deeply and slowly, pretending I hadn’t heard him.

“Mia, sweeting,” he said as he moved even closer, so much so that I could feel his heavy breathing on my skin, which made me want to shove him away from me.

I flinched when I felt his thick, sweaty hands touching my face. “Mia? Are you awake?” he asked, his fingers stroking my cheek. “God, you’re so beautiful.”

Then it began, the routine of his dark visitation, of his unwelcoming touches, and I stayed silent as I blocked out his monstrous presence, this dreadful episode.

When I came to, my heart was racing and fear surged through my being like a tsunami, knocking into me so hard that I felt breathless and dizzy. I stared up at the discolored ceiling, which was covered in brown stains, dust, and cobwebs. The musty air, wet and foul, assaulted my senses as I tried to clear my head of the foggy haze that hung over me like a thick, dark cloud.

I shut my eyes, trying to think.

Nothing. I could think of nothing. My brain wasn’t working.

When I opened my eyes again, I scanned my surroundings, wondering where I was in confusion.

Where am I?

James? Where was he? And Aria? And why was I here alone in this place?

I shut my eyes again, willing the heavy fog that invaded my mind to leave. But the thing was determined to stay and pester me, slowing my thinking.

I groaned as I realized my whole body was aching and in pain, especially my wrists and arms. I snapped my eyes open and tried to move my body, but found I couldn’t. What?

I raised my eyes and found I was tied up, my hands over my head whilst I lay in bed.

Panic seized me as fear once again overwhelmed me so much that I started choking, tears brewing in my eyes.

What is going on? Why am I tied up?

I wriggled my wrists, and the rough, thick rope rubbed against my sensitive skin, intensifying the pain that was searing throughout my body.

I groaned in agony and decided to stay still, to catch my breath and alleviate the dark fog. I shut my eyes again as I told myself I needed to relax if I wanted to think clearly. I did that, taking slow, deep breaths and ignoring the pain throbbing throughout my body, certain parts stronger than others.

It was sometime later that my head started to clear and the fog lifted. I opened my eyes and studied my surroundings again.

I was in a room—small, dark, and dingy. And yes, it smelled awful. An abandoned building, perhaps? I didn’t know and thought that right now, I needed to think back to what had happened to me and why I ended up here.

I moved a little, trying to make myself comfortable because my arms were going numb. I somehow managed to push myself up and half sit, leaning my back against the head of the bed. In this position, I could see the whole room better and noted there was a window to my left next to the door where the torn curtain was drawn shut. Because the material was thin, street light managed to scatter in, which told me it was still nighttime.

Feeling less painful, I thought back to my last memories.

James.

That was right. He had confessed his love to me, hadn’t he? He had said that he loved me.

Instantly, my heart soared with happiness. Oh, James, I love you so much. And Aria, too.

I bit my lower lip as I felt emotions swelling up inside me. I remembered our ardent, wild lovemaking, his beautiful and passionate Prussian-blue eyes, and his handsome smile that made my whole body spark with lust. I remembered his warmth and his unique scent that gave me a sense of belonging, love, and happiness.

James. Scott. Eric. I remembered the brothers at dinner… Dinner? Had it only been yesterday evening when the two younger brothers came over for dinner? I wasn’t sure since I had no idea how long I had been out.

I narrowed my eyes as I thought hard on what had occurred when Scott and Eric came. I remembered Scott’s friendly embrace and Eric’s aloofness. Suddenly, the name Sophie Wilson flashed into my mind.

Sophie. I had met up with Sophie after that dinner, hadn’t I? Just outside James’s house along the street, and that was when…

I sucked in my breath as everything came back to me in one forceful blast.

“Shit!” The profanity flew out of my mouth as I began to have a panic attack.

Herbert! Uncle Herbert had kidnapped me with the help of Sophie. Shit! Shit! Shit!

Cold sweat beaded on my skin as my gaze flew to the door, my heart pounding like mad inside my chest. Any moment now, that disgusting man was going to walk in through that door and…

I squeezed my eyes shut. My whole body felt paralyzed at that very thought. God, what was I going to do when he turned up? More importantly, what is he going to do to me?

How stupid! Of course I knew what he was going to do. He was Uncle Herbert, after all, the monster that lurked and sneaked into mine and Andy’s bedroom at night and molested us. The man who preyed on his weak relatives.

Suddenly, bile rose from my stomach, and I felt like throwing up. I gritted my teeth as I willed away the nauseating feeling, determined not to show any weakness at a time like this, even though no one was around. I needed to stay strong until James came for me. I knew in my gut that at this very moment, he, his brothers, and team were busy working on finding me. And when they did, things weren’t going to be pleasant for Uncle Herbert; that was for sure.

The thought of James coming for me made me feel a lot better. It wouldn’t take him long since he and his team were pros, after all, just like what had happened to Andy back in Vegas. Of course, there’d be bloodshed.

And Sophie? The vile woman who had conspired with Uncle Herbert, what would James do to her? I didn’t know, and honest to God, I didn’t want to think about it.

I pushed that thought out of my mind and tried to figure a way of untying myself instead.

I wriggled my wrists again, gritting my teeth as I held back painful groans that desperately wanted to escape. Shit! Why were the binds on so tight? Why did Uncle Herbert have to tie me like this? Surely, knocking me unconscious and locking me in this room was enough.

I growled loudly when I got too frustrated. Just as quickly, I silently cursed myself. Shit! I shouldn’t have done that. What if Herbert heard me? I prayed he hadn’t, but of course, it was too late when the noise of footsteps from the distance, I assumed from the other room, reached my ears.

Shit! Shit! Shit!

The footsteps were getting louder, obviously getting closer. I shut my eyes, my heart racing in dread as I waited. Then I heard the clicking of a door being unlocked, which was followed by the door squealing open.

I turned my face to the left, away from the door, my eyes shut tight. Just as I heard the door bang against the wall in a collision, that godawful smell assaulted my senses, the disgusting stench that belonged to Herbert Weston.

My body started shivering in a cold sweat as the reek got stronger and the footsteps on the concrete floor louder. Then I felt his monstrous presence hovering over me at the side of the bed, and I silently groaned, sick.

“Mia?” I heard him saying my name. “You’re awake?”

I stayed dead silent as my body remained still.

Suddenly, I heard him chuckling. “You’re playing dead again, aren’t you? You’re good at that, you know.”

I felt his heavy body sit on the side of the bed, and I wanted to scream out so badly, yelling at him to leave me alone, for him to stay the hell away. But of course, I remained silent, playing dead, as he had said.

I felt his thick, sweaty hands on my face, stroking me. Then I smelled his stinky breath and knew his face was inches from mine, which made me want to vomit in repulsion.

“You’re even more beautiful than before, Mia,” he said, giggling in excitement. “All grown up.”

I didn’t have to open my eyes to know he was currently assessing my body from head to toe because I could feel this uneasy, nauseating feeling inside me.

“Uncle is going to make you so happy. Uncle is going to make you feel so good.”

God, his words and actions made me sick with disgust. I want so badly to open my eyes and tell him to fuck off. I wanted to kick him in the groin and bash him on the face until I was satisfied. But of course I couldn’t because I was tied up and, more importantly, I doubt I’d manage to bash any sense into him because he was way bigger than me.

So silent and playing dead I stayed until a moment later when he decided to leave, seeing that I wasn’t going to respond to him after all.

“I’ll be back, Mia,” he said. “You just wait. Uncle needs to take care of some business.”

He didn’t leave quick enough for my liking, and once I heard the door click shut and the lock back on, I opened my eyes, sighing a breath of relief.

“James,” I said softly under my breath. “Please hurry.”