Secrets Room

by Kim Faulks

  A woman’s voice drew her attention. She glanced back to the blonde who appeared to be picking an argument with Colton. Rachel cast her gaze around the room. At least now, no one was watching her. She should do something. Maybe she could talk to her and calm her down? Colton glanced toward Rachel. His gaze was cold and unwavering. She knew a call to arms when one was given. He was her only alliance in this damn room and she knew without a doubt, he’d turn on her in a second, if he thought she’d do the same to him. Her legs felt like jelly, but she managed to find each step until she stood next to him. “What's going on?”

  The blonde spun, turning on her. “You... you're in this as well, somehow. I don't know what sick thing you’ve got going on here. I can’t quite remember, but I want out of this, now!”

  As the woman screamed, the memory that had evaded Rachel came crashing down. Rachel remembered the woman now. The blonde had a body that no one could forget. The Hilton was where Rachel remembered her from. The blonde had been sitting at the bar, her long legs crossed. The slit in her dress was showing more than a hint of thigh. She toyed with the glass in front of her, as though she was waiting for someone. Rachel’s memory sharpened as she turned to the man across from her in the Hilton and spat. “Well, that should keep you busy, for tonight at least.”

  Colton Morris took turns staring at Jade and then her, before he grabbed hold of Rachel arm and snarled. “Don't try to change the subject, Rachel. We all know how this is going to end. Corporate fraud is one thing, but drug money is goddamn crazy.”

  He reminded her of a pet snake, one that although used to her touch, still reared back to strike once and a while. She guessed it was her job to make sure that he didn't.

  “I don't make the rules, Colton. I follow them, just like you.”

  He stared at her for a moment and then shook his head. “He's going to get himself killed.”

  Rachel trusted Colton, as much as she trusted any of the hired help. He’d served her father for years now. Still, she needed to keep him on a tight leash. “Look. This will get easier. You just have to keep these… animals under control. Father wouldn't have done any of this, if it wasn't going to be worthwhile.”

  “So, just shut up and do my job, huh?”

  She smiled. “Exactly.”

  He glanced at the blonde once more and caught her eye. The woman smirked and looked away, playing hard to get. A chill ran through Rachel like a blade. She didn't need to stick around any longer. Her job here was done. Rachel stood and reached for her purse, giving the blonde one last look before leaning close to Colton's ear. “Have fun tonight. But come tomorrow, you’ll do what Father expects. You know as well as I do, he doesn't like to be let down.”

  She could see the muscles in his jaw bulge. Her words had hit their mark. He’d do the right thing, she had no doubt about that. He always did.

  Rachel smoothed her caramel slacks. Now that business was done, her thoughts turned to her own pleasure. Their love wasn't conventional by any standards. But it was real. He’d always been there for her. He’d given her everything and she’d done the same for him. Rachel was and always would be Daddy's girl.

  “You, get me the fuck out of here. And you… you stay away from me!” Rachel came back to the filthy room and the blonde who stabbed the air in front of her. This was the same woman. She had no doubt about that. Although now, she didn’t look quite so seductive. Now she looked like a wreck. Her eyes were wild. Her lips curled to expose swollen gums. Spittle flew from her mouth as she shrieked. “You're involved in this. I... I saw you arguing with him! The two of you set this whole fucking thing up!”

  Rachel could feel the walls move around her. She spun, watching the others in the room climb to their feet, their beaten expressions now angry and hostile. No, this is all wrong… this is all wrong. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

  “Is that true, Rachel?” Dee elbowed her way in front of her. “Is what she’s saying true?”

  “I don't understand what she’s saying. I didn’t set any of this up. Why would I subject myself to any of this?”

  But the blonde was gaining momentum. Encouraged by the excitement around her, she lunged at Rachel. “I'm talking about you and him, drugging us and locking us in this fucking room.”

  Dee's voice screeched like nails on a chalkboard. “Rachel... Rachel, is what she saying true?”

  Philip and the others crowded around her, their voices snapping at her heels as she stumbled, trying to find a way through the crowd. She didn't know who touched her. Their accusations felt like blows. She whipped her hand out, catching someone on the side of the face. The blonde, mouth agape, her cheek flushing in the shape of Rachel’s hand. Rachel realized what she’d done was a mistake, a split second before the woman reacted. But, by then, it was far too late.

  “Bitch!” Nails tore at Rachel’s face. She held up her hands to ward off the impending blows—but none came. Colton wrenched Jade off Rachel, holding her by her arms as she kicked and bucked.

  Unknown voices screamed. “What’s going on Rachel? Tell me what’s going on!”

  Faces came too close to hers. Get away from me… Hands grabbed her body, overwhelming her. She needed to get out of here. She needed to get out of this place. “Get the hell off me! Get off me!”

  “Jade, calm down. Jade!”

  From the corner of Rachel's eye she saw Colton strike Jade. The impact sent her flying and she fell to the floor.

  “You like to hit women, huh?” The brunette who sat with the biker stepped in his way. She swung her fist like a man, the blow aimed at his face. But Colton was quicker. He grabbed her hand as it skimmed past his jaw and pulled her hard against him. She couldn't move. His grip trapped her. She kicked and bucked, but she was easily overcome. Rachel watched as he drove his hand in between her legs.

  “Get the fuck off me!” The brunette lowered her face to his arm and sunk her teeth into his flesh. The biker swung, connecting with Colton’s face. Fists were thrown in every direction. The room erupted in screams of terror and rage. A fist glanced off her shoulder and nails clawed her face in the melee. She lifted her hands to protect her face as the sounds of fist on flesh echoed around her.

  Mayhem. The room was in total mayhem. A blow caught her on her ribs and threw her backwards. Rachel felt the bones in her back crunch as arms grabbed her and a hard body dragged her to the ground. She tried to protect herself, but the blows never ended. Instead, she grabbed at the hands that beat her. Jade’s blonde hair was now a balled-up mess. The corner of her lip was swollen and bleeding. She sat on top of Rachel, her long legs straining the material of her golden dress. Rachel thrust her hips into the air, unbalancing Jade. She shoved the bitch off with a blow to her kidneys and pounced. Jade hit the floor while chaos raged above them. Rachel used the opportunity to nail her to the ground by kneeling on her upper arms.

  “Get… the… fuck… off… me!” Jade wheezed.

  Rachel inhaled deep. The gouges on her face stung and her head throbbed. She glanced at Jade’s hand and to Rachel’s perfect blonde highlights which now dangled from Jade’s clenched fist. The ends of the strands were bloody, weighed down by her missing scalp.

  She felt no anger or hatred for what this woman had done to her. All Rachel felt was an overwhelming sense of responsibility, to protect those she loved and the power her family held.

  Jade had seen Rachel and Colton at the bar. And, although the deal by now would be done, and the President dead, Rachel still couldn't take the risk that this woman could talk... ever… again. She lifted her eyes to the fighting around her. Everyone else was busy protecting themselves. Rachel and Jade were forgotten for now. This was the perfect time to act.

  Rachel dropped her gaze to the woman underneath her. She gripped the blonde's jaw with one hand, while she reached round to the back of her head with the other, closing her eyes to the sight.

  “Get off me. What are you doing? Jesus, what are you doi—”

  The crunch of
the bones shortened Jade’s sentence, replacing words with hiss. Her body went limp, her eyes glazed. There was no fight left in the bitch anymore. Rachel slid off her and made for a break in the fighting, crawling through to the other side.

  Hands wrenched her upwards. Rachel was shaken and twisted. The balding, pompous prick Philip shoved his face dangerously close to hers. “What is going on here? What have you done?”

  Fists flew around Rachel. One caught Philip on the side of the jaw. He dropped to his knees. She scrambled away. Through the kicking and punching, Rachel saw one of the other women rebound off the wall to fall across the doorway of the smaller room. Rachel surged forward. She searched her memory for her name… Amy? April? She was sure it was Amy. Maybe she could hide in there with her? The woman lay in the doorway, unmoving. For a moment Rachel thought she was dead—until she moaned and reached for her head. She must’ve been stunned, that's all.

  Rachel lunged through an opening in the melee, heading for the doorway of the smaller room, until movement inside the doorway stopped her. Something reached for Amy. A creature like Rachel had never seen before. He towered above Amy in the doorway and stared at Rachel. Mud… his body was slick with mud, as though he crawled out of the earth. His hair started halfway along his scalp and disappeared down his back. His body resembled a man's, hard and muscular. His groin was covered by a thin cloth. Rachel cowered on the floor and whimpered. She knew in her gut that this was no man. Its lifeless eyes told her so. He smiled at her and rose to his full height. She felt her body let go and the stench of urine overwhelmed her. This was the monster Dee had seen. It was here, and it was real, and it stared straight at her.

  The beast grabbed Amy by her hair and dragged her into the room, never once taking its eyes off Rachel. Amy screamed and reached for whatever had hold of her. But Rachel knew it was no use. She was no match for what had come for her. In an instant, she was gone, leaving only her screams behind.

  The first thing Rachel became aware of was that the room around her was now silent and still. The sounds of labored breathing replaced what had been blows only moments before. She couldn’t see their indignation and hateful stares.

  She knew now that she couldn’t find salvation anywhere.

  Her body shook so hard it ached. Rachel closed her eyes and wept. The faint chattering of her teeth sped the words racing through her mind—words that’d long ago been taught to her, but she’d never used. Those words came flooding back to her now, bringing with them a sense of urgency. Rachel stared into the abyss of despair and prayed.

  SCREAMING STOPPED COLTON MID-PUNCH. It wasn't a scream of anger or revenge. It was a primal scream of terror. Chills raced along his spine and his bladder turned weak. Someone was about to die. He let go of Slade's shirt and turned his attention to the doorway, like everyone else.

  The attack was quick and brutal. Colton caught a glimpse of feet flailing mid-air. He stared at the fingers curling around the doorframe, digging into the wood. He watched the long, painted fingernails rip throughout her desperate attempt to hold on, as someone—or something—wrenched her back into the smaller room.

  Slade moved first, taking off towards the horrified screams. They stopped, leaving only silence to fill the air. Instinct kicked in and Colton took a step forward, before his intelligence overrode his actions. He stilled, listening for the biker’s screams, for anything that might indicate he should hang back. If the stupid sonofabitch got himself killed, he’d be o-fucking-kay with that. Someone behind Colton burst into tears. He spun, looking for danger and was grabbed by the fat hippie woman, Dee, who blubbered in his face. “What's happening? Please, tell me, what’s happening? Was that Amy? Dear God, I think that was Amy!”

  He didn't know what was happening. He was too busy trying to catch his fucking breath while his body ached from the blows. Colton shoved her hands away. “Shut the fuck up, you fat slut.”

  Dee’s mouth dropped open to match her bulbous face, but he was past the point of caring now, past the point of holding the real Colton back. He turned back to the doorway and his gaze dropped to Rachel, who knelt on the ground on all fours. Her hair was a mess and there was blood on her arms and on her cheek. He couldn’t quite see all of her, though. Her head was lowered and she stared at the floor.

  His own face felt swollen. The skin on the right side pulled tight. Fuck… He sought out the bitch, Morgan. Her punches had been fast and her kicks were lethal. His shins felt splintered and his balls throbbed. He swallowed hard and turned back to the doorway. His pulse raced. If Slade’s dead, I'll take that bitch in there. I'll take her in there and she'll never... come... out.

  “Where did she go?” Slade appeared from the doorway and the hope inside Colton died. “Did you see what happened? Anyone?”

  “Where is she? Where’s Amy?” Dee stumbled toward the doorway. “I don’t understand what is happening here? Can someone please, help me?”

  No one said a word.

  “She’s gone isn't she? She's been taken by the bastards who’ve kept us here! I want to go home! Do you hear me? I want to go home!”

  Colton couldn’t help but smile. Everything about this woman was amusing, her pain, her pathetic anger. She kicked the wall in an amusing rendition of a kung-fu move. Colton was sure the strike came off better in her head than it actually looked. Her foot froze on its decent and she overbalanced, landing on her ass. Colton sniggered. Stupid cow. Her blank eyes filled with tears as she turned to stare at him. He felt a surge of pleasure at her defeat, until she looked away, and then started screaming.

  He flinched at the deafening sound and followed her gaze. Jade had collapsed on her back, one arm flung out to the side like a discarded rag doll. The nail on one finger was ripped from the cuticle, leaving it bloody and raw. He jostled around the moving bodies in front of him, trying to get a better view. Jade looked more than a little worse for wear. Her eyes were glazed and half-closed. It was a sickening, flirtatious look, considering the unnatural angle of her head. Morgan shoved him aside as someone asked the obvious.

  “Is she dead?”

  The feral little bitch turned on him. “You did this, you fucking bastard!”

  Colton shook his head and stared back to the motionless body. “There's no way I did that. I hit her once, and that's all, I promise.”

  Those words tasted bitter and vile. Somewhere inside of him he knew they were a lie... Colton jolted, as a memory shocked him. The atmosphere around him changed suddenly. He was yanked from the filthy room and pitched into the past.

  He inhaled the crisp air. He loved the Hilton. The hushed tones of gracious conversation were overshadowed by the shine of the bar and the expensive champagne.

  “These animals need a firm grip. Father expects that you'll be able to deliver. Is he wrong with that assumption? Do we need to find another man for the job?”

  He turned to present company, although another had caught his eye. Rachel Banks sat across the table from him. Her hands were positioned perfectly. Her tone neutral, even though he knew, she was anything but.

  “No. I'm the man for the job, Rachel, just like I've been the man for the job for the last three years. Now please, get off my fucking case.”

  Colton turned back to the blonde, this time catching her eye. She smiled coyly and dropped her gaze to his hand, searching for a ring. Gotcha! He lifted his hand and wiggled his fingers.

  The conversation at his table stalled. Details, to him, were so fucking boring. The soft scrape of her chair called his attention back to Rachel as she stood and straightened her clothes. She rounded the table to whisper in his ear. “This needs to go exactly as planned. My father's ascension to the Vice Presidency is depending on it.”

  Colton's pulse raced under his skin. Those magic words never failed to trigger this kind of reaction. The promise of power. The assurance that he’d be dragged along by the soon-to-be Vice President, Richard Banks, kept him going. The arrangement to retire the President was all but complete. Unlike all the oth
er failed attempts, this one was sure to succeed. Because this plan was orchestrated by his own office.

  Colton shoved his chair from under the table and nodded. He reached to pat Rachel on the arm, only to watch her flinch. The reaction spoke volumes.

  “Excuse me, Rachel. But, I think I've just found myself a date for this evening.”

  He never looked at Rachel again. His interest was now held by the blonde, from her face to the low neckline of her golden dress, as he made his way over to her. He stopped and leaned on the bar, he kept his voice low and personal.

  “He’s an idiot, you know.”

  She lifted her gaze to meet his. “Who’s that?”

  “The one who stood you up.”

  She broke out in a throaty laugh. “Hmmm. How do you know it isn’t a she?”

  “Because you've been sitting there for an hour now, and the entire time you've been staring at me.”

  Her smile widened and she sighed before answering. “You're right. Pathetic isn't it?”

  “No. Not pathetic, just lucky. Well, lucky for me that is. Now, the only thing your eyes haven't told me is your name?”

  She held out her hand. Her fingers were long and elegant. “Jade.”

  He took her hand, gently. “Well, Jade. I'm Colton and I'd love to buy you a drink.”

  Colton's vision brightened. The stink of sweat was an unseen assailant and he felt himself dragged from the past into the present. His eyes ached from the light of the derelict room. A face came in close… he tried to reach for her, tried to plead for help. Morgan’s wild eyes and dark hair sharpened, but her voice sounded distant.

  “Are you hearing me, you piece of shit? You fucking did this to her!”

  The roar of her voice was replaced by the softness of his own, as the vision took hold once more and dragged him back under.

  “I'd like to take you home with me.”

  Jade pulled away from him. The squeal of the chair dragged across the floor tore through him like nails on a chalkboard. At his side Jade stood. Her eyes shone like her empty glass. She made her way around the table to murmur against his parted lips. “I thought you'd never ask.”