“You cut your hair,” his voice is deep, menacing and it sends a chill down my spine. He takes another step toward me, closer now, he thread a hands into my hair, pulling painfully. “I don’t like it.”
I knew he wouldn’t like it, which is one of the reasons I let Marge cut it. Even if it hadn’t been damaged beyond repair from my bad bottle bleaching, I would’ve made the request. His fingers brush my rib cage, trances the lines of my rib bones. He yanks me to him.
“You’ve been such a bad girl, Alleycat,” he’s voice is husky, lecherous, against my ear. I shiver as the length of his body presses into my naked one. His hands roam my body, stopping at my ass. He roughly kneads it before lifting a large hand and bringing it down forcefully, the sound sharp, piercing the air. I gasp behind my gag, tears welling up. Thoughts of Hudson flood my mind, an attempt to block the pain.
Erik nuzzles my neck, breathing in deeply. His hot lips pressed wet kisses against my skin and I struggle to keep from flinching. “I’ve missed you Alleycat.”
I keep my body frozen, stifling the fear and disgust rolling through me. I can’t show him any emotion, he wouldn’t like it and my punishment, whatever he has planned, would be much worse if he knew. I have to be his Alice. She would take what he gives her standing, no fear, no emotion and then she’d get down on her knees and suck him off. My stomach rolls again thinking about what he used to make me do. I send up a silent plea hoping he just kills me instead. Something dawns on me though. Alleycat. She was my ticket out and if I played the part well enough, she just might save my life too.
“Have you missed me,” his other hand finds my nipple, pinching it painfully. I can’t help the squeal that escapes my throat and he chuckles, finding pleasure in my pain. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
Erik let’s go of me abruptly and I panic as the blindfold keeps me from seeing anything. I have to remember my part, my role. Alleycat. I strain my ears, listening for everything. His feet move away, stopping a short distance from me. The clanks and jingles coming from his location, sends chills down my spine. I knew those noises. They were the sound of his torture devices. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
“Yes, I’ve missed you but you’ve been so bad,” his voice is muffled confirming he’s turned away. I wiggle my hands, trying to get the circulation running but it’s painful. There’s no point tugging on the ropes holding my arms above my head, they’re firmly in place.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t find you?” he asks his voice no longer muffled and suddenly closer. I hadn’t realized the clanking stopped. I can hear each step, circling me. “Did you think your new boyfriend and his friends would keep me from you?”
He stops behind me, his hot breath on my shoulder. My ears perk up, waiting for some kind of sound to prepare me for what’s next. Something cold runs down the length of my side and I can’t help it, I flinch. He presses it harder causing a slight stinging feeling, something warm trickles down my side.
It’s blood.
“Tsk, tsk, Alleycat, you shouldn’t have moved,” his voice hardens, dripping with disappointed. I can feel him behind me. He leans into me placing his lips against my ear. “Why do you always insist we rush things?”
He reaches around the back of my head, releasing my ball gag. I flex my jaw, careful not to bring too much attention to the movement. I sputter and gag as he brushes the coppery wetness of blood across my lips. He laughs in my face and plunges his fingers into my mouth, pushing them past my gag reflex. “Suck them clean, like a good little Alleycat.”
I dry heave against his fingers.
“You know better than that,” he grabs my jaw, gripping it roughly. He pushes me away, nearly yanking my arms out of the socket. I yelp from the movement. “Your new boyfriend’s cock must not be up to your usual standard, your gag reflex is suffering.”
“Erik, please,” I croak, my voice scratchy.
“I’m sorry did you say something?” his hands are on me again. My arms are on fire, the movement and friction doing nothing for my circulation. “Who do you think you are speaking my name?”
“I—I’m sorry,” I manage, trying to reign it in. I needed to calm down and recollect myself if I had any hope surviving this nightmare. This was a game for Erik and the only one with anything to lose was me. I needed to be smart, choose my words carefully. It’s what Alleycat would do. “I won’t do it again.”
“Good,” his voice softens slightly, allowing me to see a weakness. I can still feel his anger radiating around me but he waits on baited breath for me to speak.
“I shouldn’t have run,” I whisper, the words feel wrong on my lips but I ignore the feeling. My words are for Erik and his ego, designed to compliment him. Something I learned to do long ago. Men like him loved to have their egos stroke almost as much as they like to have their cock sucked. “You were good to me and I was ungrateful.”
I hear his breath hitch, the atmosphere around us changes ever so slightly. He steps back and away from me but I lean towards him playing my part. “Please, don’t leave me. I promise to do better, to take my punishment and to be your Alleycat.”
He’s silent. My words fill the room, disintegrating some of tension. He was beginning to relax, rethink things even. He wasn’t expecting me to relent so easily and he isn’t sure how to react. Knowing Erik, he had the entire punishment planned out. Now, he wasn’t sure what to do.
“Let me show you I can be good, let me prove it,” I beg, my voice desperate enough I might believe the lines I’m feeding him. “Please sir, let me prove it.”
“Little minx,” he whispers as his fingers run the length of my face. He pulls my blindfold off, his olive green eyes bore into mine. Alleycat would avert her eyes but I sense he doesn’t want me to. I’m right. He looks deep, pushing me to believe in my own words. “Do you want to play?”
My stomach rolls. I’m afraid of his definition of play but I’ll agree to anything right now. I’m desperate enough for a sliver of his trust. I may not be able to pull off my escape tonight but I can appease him long enough until I come up with something.
“Yes, please sir,” my voice sounds foreign to my ears but I lean towards him without causing any more discomfort to my arms, my eyes pushing into his, intensely. “I want to play.”
I can see he’s torn. I’ve never been this compliant for him before, only after he turned me zombie-like and he likes it. He steps closer to me, his hands at my waist, grinding his hard cock into my stomach. I mewl to cover a groan of disgust.
“Alleycat,” he whispers into my neck and I open for him. He needed to believe I wanted him, so I push my hips into his and whimper. His cock twitches at the sound and added pressure. I know I have him when he doesn’t pull away.
“Please sir, let me please you,” I purr, taking a deep breath. “Let me touch you.”
He groans, biting into my neck hard, lifting his hands to releases my ropes from above. He rubs my arms as they slowly come in between us. I cry out, the pain like a ten thousand needles stabbing me at once. He groans, lifting me up and walking me over to a makeshift cot in the corner. I manage to scope the room and tools laid out. He has a series of knives spread out on one of the tables and I begin to plan a way to get my hands on one.
He lays me down on a cot tucked away in a dark corner and unzips his pants. The sound causes my nerves to jump and my mind to spin. I shut off the feeling part of my brain and offer him what I hope is a coy smile. I lift my tied hands to him, beckoning him to me, the strain visible on his face.
A sudden shrilling sound fills the air, breaking the spell I have him under.
No! my mind screams as he shakes his head, the affects of my compliance fading. His eyes grow dark and menacing. He knows my game.
“You sneaky little bitch,” he reaches for my hands and lifts them above my head. He attaches the rope to a pipe on the wall.
“Sir?” my voice is shaky, my confidence wavering. He steps back, a smile on his face. The shrilling fil
ls the air again, it’s coming from outside the room.
Shit, shit, shit!
“You almost had me Alleycat,” he shakes his head, his eyes glance at the door across the room. I had him, damn it, until the noise. Must be a phone or an alarm, maybe it’s Hudson. My eyes move past him to the door, silently wishing for someone to walk through and put a stop to this madness.
“Stay put,” his voice is gruff and there is a look on his face I can’t place. He spins on his heels, the shrill stops as he reaches the door but he continues on. As soon as I hear him slide the lock into place I begin the task of freeing myself from the ropes. I’m sure he has a camera on me somewhere so I’m careful not to make any sudden movements. From this angle, I’m able to loosen the knots a bit, just enough to compromise one wrist.
The shrilling pierces the air again and I hear his voice interrupting it, confirming my suspicions of a phone. The idea to scream or call for help stalls in my brain. I’m only going to have one chance at this and hollering for help will only hurry him back. My breathing slows enough for me to hear the deep rumble of his voice, slowly fading until I hear another door open and close, blocking it out entirely. He’s no longer in the room next me to. I have maybe seconds to spare.
Slipping my hand carefully out its noose, I slowly work the other side. It too doesn’t take much to loosen just enough for my small hand to slip through. The man was never good at tying knots. With my hands free, I look around the room, plotting my next move. There’s no way I would be able to overpower him with my small frame, so my best course of action is a surprise attack. Measuring the distance from the bed to the table I saw his knife collection on I spring up out of the bed, hoping with all hope he doesn’t hear or see me.
I make it to the table quicker than I thought. The adrenaline pumping through my body, I can’t feel any of my earlier pain, which is good. I contemplate what knife to grab, nothing too small because I need to inflict damage but nothing too big either. I couldn’t take the chance of him seeing it in my hand. I select one of the smaller hunting knives. I don’t know anything about knives but I figure if I angle it just right I can twist it and cause more damage. I rearrange the set, hoping he doesn’t notice one missing and retreat back to the cot.
I barely have enough time to lie down and lift my arms over my head when I hear the outer door open and close. He’s silent. I angle my hands with the ropes hoping it lines up good enough to conceal my weapon. It helps the corner I’m in has very little light. I try to relax my body as well. The last thing I needed was for him to suspect anything and I know he’s watching me right now.
Seconds feel like years and my mind races, playing out every scenario I can think of, preparing for each one. Minutes feel like decades when I hear the lock release on the door. I tried not to tense, keeping loose and calm as he pushes the door open, stepping inside. His green eyes meet mine and I see the evil lurking behind them. Something’s changed.
“Miss me?” he smirks walking over to the table next to the knives. He fiddles with something before crossing the room to me. I grip the knife tightly, as he stalks up on me. Something silver flashing in his hand, a blade of some sort I assume. Nothing like the one I have. He comes closer, his eyes focused on the cut he made earlier. It was superficial, now dried over with blood.
“Out of all my girls, I think I’m going to miss you the most,” his words suck the out of my lungs and I search his face for some kind of explanation. His smirk fades as his features grows more serious. “You didn’t really think you were my one and only, did you?”
I believed it once up a time, now I knew better. I never thought there were any others like me though. The house I lived in wasn’t very big, so it would have been difficult for him to hide another from me. He must have had other places set up like mine.
“I can see your mind working behind those dark eyes of yours,” he chuckles. “There were three of them to be clear, you were the fourth.”
“What happened to them?” I ask, my voice is a whisper.
“They’re dead,” he smiles darkly, showing me his blade. I feel the blood drain from my face and my stomach lurches. “Unlike you, they couldn’t handle the lifestyle. They were weak. So really, it’s a shame you ran. I mean, you were pulling enough money in I didn’t need anyone else. When they died, I didn’t bother looking for a replacement.”
“Did you kill them?”
“I wish I could take credit for their deaths, but alas, I cannot. Their deaths were accidental, well, as far as the john’s were concerned they were accidents. Can’t tell the client they killed a girl, not if I want repeat business.”
“What are you going to do with me?”
“I’m going to have some fun of my own with you,” a sickening twinkle lights his eyes. “See, while you could handle most everything I threw your way, there were a few things I held back with, mostly because I didn’t want to damage the product. Leaving those kinds of marks wouldn’t have been good for business.”
“You’re sick,” I let loose my revulsion of him, plastering it to my face.
“Apples and oranges, I prefer adventurous,” he laughs loudly, his ego filling the room.
“What happens after me?”
“Veronica happens,” he thumbs the blade in his hand, concentrating on it. “She isn’t as spirited as you and I doubt I’ll have much fun breaking her. But I’ve got to start somewhere, right?”
“You won’t get away with this,” I say, trying to bait him. It wasn’t my life on the line anymore and there was no way I was going to walk out of this room alive if I didn’t do this right. I wasn’t going to let him destroy another life.
“I already have,” he chuckles, stepping toward me. “The only one who can do anything about it, well, he’s nowhere near and I’ll be long gone by the time he arrives.”
“He won’t stop until he finds you,” I know I’m right about Hudson. He’ll never stop looking for Erik, whether I live tonight or die by his hand. Erik will never be safe while Hudson is alive.
“Enough talk, I’m bored,” he’s close enough now to lean over me, and he does, the blade pointed at me. “This won’t be quick and it’s going to be painful, so please feel free to scream.”
I see my opening as he tilts his neck, his eyes wide with excitement as he presses the blade into my skin. It’s now or never. I move quickly. Gripping the hilt of the knife in both hands I plunge it downward, towards him, hitting my target. He tenses and drops his blade against my skin. The smell of copper fills the air and I twist my knife. His hot blood spills out from the edges of his wound and down my arms. I let got as he straightens and lifts his arms trying to grasp the hilt. He falls to the ground his eyes on me, wide and disbelieving. I swing my legs off the bed and skirt past him, making a beeline for the door. He lunges for my legs but he misses slumping over instead. I turn and watch the darkened light weaken in his eyes as the blood drains from his body.
He gurgles once and lifts his hand out to me. I stand frozen, unable to take my eyes off of him. Seeing him on the floor the life draining away from him, it’s like watching a dream come true as the threat of him fades from the world.
It isn’t until the door behind me pushes me forward I begin to scream. A pair of arms locks around me and I panic, struggling to break free.
“Alice,” a voice calls but I push and pull, trying to free myself from its grasp.
“Precious,” the same voice but the word is music to my ears and the fight leaves my body instantly.
Hudson.
I turn borrowing myself into his arms and the screaming stops.
Chapter 34
Hudson
I take a deep breath. My heart beats like a drum in my chest as the adrenaline settles into my veins.
Alice is in my arms and her cold naked body pressed tight against mine, is covered in blood. I run my hands across her body, looking for its source but find none.
“Precious,” I murmur into her hair, shielding her from the men enteri
ng behind me. Bear is one of them. He hands me a blanket and I wrap it around her. His eyes look across the room to Erik’s lifeless form. He nods knowingly and I turn, lift Alice into my arms and take her out of the room. Detective Edwards tries to stop me, his eyes questioning mine but I keep moving. All I can think about is getting her away from here and somewhere safe.
“He’s in there,” I call over my shoulder exiting the old warehouse, walking directly to the ambulance. I refuse to let go of her during her examination. They care for the superficial cut on her side and provide her with a pair of sweatpants and a sweater. The clothing drowns her but I know she’s grateful for their warmth and coverage. I try dodging the police for her until she’s ready but Edwards arrives and refuses to give up.
“Hudson,” he shakes his head, stopping before me. “We need to talk to her.”
“She’s not ready,” I reply, ready to stand between her and the world if it meant keeping her safe.
“Hudson,” her voice is scratchy but firm behind me. It’s the first time she’s spoken since she stopped screaming. I turn, facing her. She looks past me to Edwards and then back to me. “I’m fine. I don’t mind.”
She steps forward, her fingers laced with my own. I watch her, seeing the strength flow through her. She’s been drugged, kidnapped, abused, she even stabbed a man, all in less than a day but she’s standing here as if none of it disturbs her. She gives Edwards a small smile that doesn’t reach her eyes and waits for him to begin.
“Ms. Michaelson, I know you’ve been through a great deal today but we’re going to need a statement,” he clears his throat, motions for an officer to step forward. “Would you like us to give you a ride to the station?”
“Can Hudson bring me?”
Lost in Silence (The Lost Series Book 1) Page 23
