by J. E. Taylor
The video switched between vile scenes in the hospital to the scenes at their cottage a year ago, alternating from one sick violation to the next and Steve leaned his head back against the wood and screamed a wordless roar of fury.
* * * *
Jessica ground her teeth together, she couldn’t see the video, but the agony etched into Steve’s features was enough. She didn’t need to be a mind reader to understand what was playing on the screen behind her, but she needed his attention, needed him to be in the present, to be smart and aware because things were only going to get worse.
Where is my husband? She silently sent the thought, gaining Steve’s attention, bringing him back to the present situation, his gaze shifting to hers.
I don’t know. He left a note this morning.
Kyle approached her. He stepped behind the chair and yanked her head back, running his knife over her cheek and drawing a thin line of blood. “Did you know she’s worth billions?”
Steve tightened the muscles in his jaw and blinked back the tears that made his vision warble. “Her husband will tear you to pieces.” The words growled from his throat and he kept eye contact with Jessica. Can you call him?
I’ve tried but I can’t reach him.
Steve closed his eyes and Kyle chuckled, rounding the front of her chair, his grey eyes intense and focused on Jessica’s. “I’ve never fucked a billionaire.” He ran the knife over her camisole, moving his gaze over her.
“My husband will kill you.”
Kyle planted the knife into the chair between her legs and laughed at her sudden jerk.
“Do you know what my husband did to the last man who raped me?” Jessica asked, tilting her head.
Kyle backhanded her. “Do you know what I did to the last woman I fucked?” he asked, ignoring her question. “Not counting coma girl over there.” He pointed toward the table in the far corner. “The last conscious woman I fucked, I had the pleasure of slitting her throat wide open while I came.” He yanked the knife out of the chair. “I’m looking forward to doing that to you once I get my money.” He nicked her chin and smiled. “Your brother-in-law needs to be taught a lesson,” he added. “No one fucks with me.”
Jessica tilted her head, glancing beyond him at Steve and then back at Kyle. “Ty Aris is dead.”
“He stole ten million dollars from me with the help of the FBI.” He pointed his knife at Steve.
Jessica chuckled.
“What are you laughing at?” Kyle snapped.
“You. You’re pathetic and I can’t wait to watch my husband tear you limb from limb.” She spat back at Kyle.
Kyle lashed out with the knife cutting through the fabric of her camisole and into the tender skin across her chest. “You’re going to be sorely disappointed when I kill him.”
Jessica belted out the laughter, which earned her a punch square in the nose. Her head slammed against the wooden backdrop of the chair, dazing her.
* * * *
Kyle stepped back, looking between the two remaining women and headed in Jennifer’s direction with the knife in his hand.
Steve willed the words to form and come out of his mouth. “I’m going to kill you,” he said clearly from his post on the cross. The pain dulled to a slight roar from the scream it had been but it was becoming increasingly hard to breathe and he still didn’t have control of his muscles to push himself up the fraction to ease his breath.
Kyle glanced back at Steve and stopped, turning fully toward where the cross hung. “I hate to disappoint you, but I think you’re going to die today, along with these lovely women.” He pointed the knife in the direction of Jessica and Sarah.
Kyle diverted to the table behind him, bypassing Jennifer, and traded the knife for a cigar cutter. He crossed to Jessica and slipped the cutter over her pinky, threading it through the hole and snapping the cutters closed.
Kyle smiled at her sharp inhale, her first real reaction. “It’s going to be fun to break you down.” He waved the pinky in front of her and plopped it into a box along with a hand written note for ransom.
“Fuck you!”
Kyle ignored the slur and turned his attention to the cop tied to the table. He stepped into the center of the room, running his fingers down Sarah’s back staring up at Steve’s cobalt eyes. He saw the nuance of change in Steve’s expression. “Pretty little thing isn’t she.” He stepped closer.
“Get away from me.” Sarah snapped. She raised her eyes to Steve, watching the threads of blood flowing out of his wrists and sliding down his arms. Thin red trails of life seeping out of him. It made her both furious and sad at the same time.
Kyle smiled up at Steve, moving between her legs and running his hands over her back and around front, squeezing her breasts. “Have you fucked her?”
Steve pressed his lips together and flexed the muscles in his aching arms.
“Get away from me.” She struggled against the bonds holding her firmly to the table.
“I’m going to have more fun with you than I did with your sister.”
Sarah screamed, struggling against the restraints. His fingers slid over her back and ass, all the way to the back of her knees and he pressed his body against her.
“Stop!” Steve found the strength to yell the futile command.
“Where can I find Ty Aris?” he asked running his hands up the insides of Sarah’s thighs.
Steve closed his eyes. “I don’t know,” he said. “But you might be able to find his brother at the Park View Condos. He owns the penthouse.” He opened his eyes to Kyle’s hideous grin.
Kyle ran his finger inside Sarah and she renewed her struggle.
The muscles in Steve’s jaw clenched. “I told you what you wanted, now leave her alone!” The mental anguish bubbled to the surface, Kyle’s violation of Sarah just as harsh to his chest as the continued loop of Jennifer’s rapes on the screen.
Tilting his head to the side and keeping eye contact with Steve, his eyes sparkled with warped humor. He moved his fingers roughly inside her and she sobbed, struggling against his assault. “Don’t worry, doll, I’ve got plans for you when I get back.” He pulled his fingers out and swatted her ass.
Steve found the strength to push himself up a fraction. He looked at his right arm, flexing the muscles and trying to pull the screw out of the wood. He let out a guttural cry and pain shot up his arms into his shoulders. He slumped again, the strength sapped out of him. “I swear to God, I am going to kill you,” he bellowed. “Even if I have to rise from the dead to do it.”
Kyle laughed and looked up at Steve. “I’m sure your wife will like the things I have in store for her when I’m through with these two.” He smiled and left the room with the box in his hand. Steve’s roar followed him out.
Chapter 58
Chris’s stomach growled again. He had raided Kyle’s refrigerator earlier but now he paced, still hungry and getting more uncomfortable as the day wore on. Something wasn’t right. He felt the tickle of a voice in his head and looked around.
It was after four and Kyle hadn’t returned home yet. Chris took another walk through the apartment, shuffling through the papers on the table. A nagging feeling gripped his stomach.
“He isn’t coming back,” Chris said to the empty room. Silence was his answer. He turned and left, grabbing a hamburger, fries and a milk shake at the McDonalds before the highway entrance and headed back to Manhattan.
Chapter 59
Kyle drove to the address and walked in with the box wrapped in brown delivery paper.
“Excuse me.” The desk attendant stopped him.
“I have a package for Mr. Ryan.” He held the box out for the attendant to see.
The attendant smiled at Kyle. “You may leave the package here. I’ll see to it that Mr. Ryan receives it.”
Kyle nodded and handed the package over.
“Can I tell Mr. Ryan who it is from?”
“Tell him Kyle stopped by.” He smiled and headed out.
Chapte
r 60
“Jenny.” Steve said after the door shut and the footfalls fell silent. He looked at his unconscious wife and let his head hang. Random visions of what happened ten months ago filled his head and just like then, he was helpless to stop what Kyle had planned.
There was nothing he could do to protect any of them.
He tipped his head back and let out another roar of frustration.
Sarah’s entire body shook, rattling the table with silent sobs, her fear, like Jessica’s radiated in his mind, clouding his own thoughts. He clenched his teeth together, grinding them to control his temper, his despair and his pain.
“You don’t know where Chris is?”
“He doesn’t have Chris,” Steve answered her fears, tilting his head against the wood. He found he could support himself for small amounts of time by his feet before the pain became too overwhelming. He focused on Sarah again. “Sarah,” he said, gaining her attention.
Sarah slowly turned her head in his direction. “He’s going to kill me.”
Steve shook his head. “Not if I can help it.”
She actually laughed. “You’re screwed to a cross.”
Steve glanced over at Jessica. “Yeah, well.” He glanced back at Sarah. “I’ll figure something out.”
Sarah started sobbing again.
The video looped, replaying the hospital rape and a rape that looked like it happened in the back of the ambulance followed by those scenes at the cottage that Kyle sent on the disc. Steve’s hatred flared.
Killing Kyle was the number one to do on his list and he’d see to it that the bastard suffered.
Steve tore his eyes away from the screen, glancing in the direction of Jenny, his eyes glossing over with tears. It looked like Jennifer had shifted on the gurney and he blinked the tears back.
“Jenny?” He shot a glance toward Jessica. She was looking at his wife with the same perplexed gaze—she turned her head toward Steve.
“Stop crying, Sarah,” Steve said, annoyance now riding his pain riddled body. Acute agony in his wrists and shoulders wore on his patience. “That only makes him get off more.” He sagged again, his legs giving way, a low groan escaping. “Does anyone know how long it takes for someone to die from crucifixion?” he asked looking at the ceiling. His chest felt like a thousand pound boulder had fallen on it, constricting to the point of crushing.
“Chris was only up there for an hour,” Jessica said. “But he died from blood loss, not the crucifixion itself.”
Sarah turned her head and stared at Jessica. “He walked out of here without a scratch.”
Jessica shot her gaze in Sarah’s direction. “I’m aware of that.”
“I hope he gets here soon,” Steve said trying to prop himself back up and diverting the conversation as much as he could.
Cause we don’t have Tommy or CJ here this time. And if he doesn’t get here soon, I’m toast.
Jessica bit her lower lip and her eyes welled with tears. The front she had put up crumbled at the mention of her children and she leaned her head back, letting the tears flow.
“Shit.” Steve swore. Now he had two women in the room crying. “Get yourselves together, girls,” he said, clenching his teeth against the pain.
He propped himself up with his feet and flexed his right arm, straining against the screw that held him in place. A roar of pain filled the room and he pulled with all his might. The screw didn’t budge and blood seeped from the wound, tickling as it followed the line of his arm and trickled down his side. He slumped again, closing his eyes and leaning his head back.
“Why are you here?” he finally asked, looking down at Sarah.
Sarah turned her head away.
“You were investigating me?”
Sarah snapped her head back in his direction. “I never said that,” she whispered. Her eyes alternated between fear and confusion.
“I know, but you thought it,” he replied. “And I can read your mind,” he admitted.
Sarah raised her eyebrows. She didn’t know whether to be pissed or awed.
He started to laugh a little and then his own tears began as he looked at his wife. “I wish you knew her,” he said and clenched his jaw, shifting his weight.
Steve?
Jenny’s voice invaded his head and he shot a quick glance at Jessica.
“Jenny?” No response and he wondered if he was hallucinating.
The door swung open and Kyle stepped inside. “Looks like I’ll just have to wait a little while for my money.” He crossed the room and dropped a brown paper bag on the chair next to Jessica. “I bought a toy.” He smiled and pulled out a riding crop. “I figured I’d have some fun with you girls while I wait.” He glanced back at Steve. “Any preference who I fuck?”
“Yourself.” Steve managed to breathe the word.
Kyle laughed and picked up the riding crop and his knife. He crossed the room to Sarah planting the knife in the table and running the crop down her back.
“No,” she whined pitifully as he began his horrific violation.
“Oh, yes. And you’re going to cum for me.” He turned on the handle of the crop and pulled his fingers away replacing them with the vibrating metal, rubbing it in slow circles, watching her struggle in the bindings holding her to the table.
Kyle laughed, glancing up at Steve. “I bet you’re wishing you had the chance to fuck her,” he taunted.
“Son of a bitch.” He shifted his weight to his feet, feeling a little relief from the pain in his wrists and shoulders.
Kyle shrugged. “She’ll still cum, just like your wife did.”
The mention of Jenny made Steve see red. His jaws clenched and he tried to pull the screw out of the wood again, bellowing with anger and frustration when the pain overwhelmed him. Again, the screw didn’t budge.
Kyle laughed and focused his attention on Sarah. “Sweet fuck, it’s too bad you won’t live to see night fall.” He unzipped his pants.
“No!” she screamed and renewed her struggles.
Steve closed his eyes, hearing her cry was enough, seeing the assault just made the anger unbearable. There wasn’t a thing he could do to stop this bastard.
Sarah’s cries increased, mixed with swear-laden sobs.
“I hate you!” she screamed.
Kyle laughed and reached for the knife.
Steve’s eyes flew open. He knew what Kyle was going to do. “No,” he whispered and spread his right hand wide.
Kyle grabbed a handful of Sarah’s hair, jerking her head back. She cried out in pain and fear, the knife disappearing from view under her chin.
Oh, my God, I’m going to die!
The thought flashed through her mind and the metal blade bit into his hand and not her throat. Steve concentrated with everything he had, envisioning his hand between her throat and the knife despite the searing pain.
Steve cried out as the flesh of his hand split open at the same time Kyle raked the knife across Sarah’s throat. He prayed Kyle saw the vision of blood spreading over the table courtesy of Jessica and her silent command.
Kyle pumped a couple more times and pulled out, satisfied. He zipped up and wiped the bloody knife on his pant leg.
Steve closed his hand into a fist, ignoring the pain and keeping eye contact with Sarah. Don’t move and don’t breathe. He sent the thought to her, praying she would hear him. Warm blood dripped from his fist.
Sarah blinked when his voice filled her mind. She took the smallest of breaths and her eyes filled with doubt. This isn’t going to work.
Kyle turned focusing on Jessica. He walked back to her, waving the crop in front of her face.
Jessica looked between the riding crop and his face without speaking.
Steve gave her credit—her face never gave away the screams locked in her mind.
He knelt and slid it inside her, flipping the switch to maximum vibration. “You’re pretty hot for an old lady.”
Jessica spit in his face.
Kyle wiped the spit
off and continued to fuck her with the vibrating handle. “I want you to cum for me.” He smiled at her, wiping his hand on his jeans.
“Ain’t gonna happen.”
Kyle’s smile faded. She wasn’t as much fun as the sobbing cop. He stood and grabbed a fistful of her hair pulling her toward his crotch, unzipping his pants.
“The last time a man tried to force his dick in my mouth, I bit a chunk off. Care to take that kind of a gamble?” she said through clenched teeth.
Even Steve shivered at the thought, his family jewels shrinking away trying to retreat into his body.
Kyle faltered and let go of her hair. He stepped away, ignoring the labored chuckling coming from Steve. He picked up the knife, sliding it between her breasts. The blade sliced into her skin. “I don’t like you.” He grasped the riding crop and slammed the full length inside her.
Jessica gasped in pain and clenched her teeth again, blinking back the sheen of tears the pain produced.
The phone rang, interrupting Kyle’s assault.
Chapter 61
Chris pulled into the garage at close to seven. The sun dipped behind the tall skyscrapers. He waved to the valet and drove to his parking spot, glancing at the empty slot where Steve’s car had been, wondering if he had gone to find that hot little number after all. He stepped into the elevator and rubbed his face.
The message light on the phone blinked when he stepped in the apartment and he pressed the button.
“Mr. Ryan there’s a package at the front desk for you.” The telltale beep followed signifying that was the only message.
Chris picked up the phone and dialed the front desk. “Hello, it’s Chris Ryan. I understand there’s a package down there for me?”
“Yes, there is. Would you like me to bring it up sir?”
