Seizing Control

by Kylie Hillman

  Licking the side of my face, he wrestles me for control of my arms. He overpowers me after a short struggle, grabbing my wrists and securing them above my head with one of his hands. I try to bring my hands back down so that I can defend myself, but he’s too strong. Using the leg he wedged between my thighs he lifts me up the wall, spreading my legs with his hips, so he can move between them and press his denim clad erection against me. My skirt has ridden up, exposing my lace covered junction. Feeling his hardness against me through my thin panties, I try to squirm away. I kick him in the back of his thighs with my heels but he doesn’t budge.

  “Stop fighting me, bitch! I don’t give a fuck what Stu says, you’re too hot to hand over without tasting,” he tells me with his mouth to my ear.

  Ignoring him, I continue yelling against his hand because I know he isn’t supposed to touch me, but it achieves nothing. The sound is too muffled to carry down the long hallway. He releases my mouth only to punch me hard in the face for disobeying. My head hits the wall again and I see shooting stars. Fear that I’m going to pass out from the impact overcomes me when he roughly grabs my breasts and grinds himself against me and my vision dims. Cain is breathing heavily in excitement and his mouth tastes of stale coffee as he forces his tongue into my mouth. I cringe at his invasion, despair winding its way through me.

  His hold on my hands loosens as his groping gains enthusiasm so I wrench my hands away from his slackening grip and strike out at him. My swing misses because Cain is suddenly pulled off of me and thrown to the floor. I hit the ground with a thump from the sudden loss of his weight holding me against the wall.

  A large man with dark brown hair starts pounding on Cain and hope rises within me that I might be about to be rescued. It quickly dies when nobody comes to investigate the growing commotion.

  I wriggle my skirt back down my hips and then sag to the floor, trying to hold my top together. My mind is racing and my body is trembling. I can feel blood running down my chin from Cain’s hit, my lip throbbing in time with my racing heart. There’s nowhere for me to run because they’re blocking the hallway and this scares me almost as much as Cain’s attack.

  Abruptly the man stops beating Cain, lifting him up by his shirt and dragging him back down the hallway. He doesn’t acknowledge me, he just drags Cain’s prone body away. I can hear him yelling and his commanding voice sends chills through me. It dawns on me that he's the other guy they were waiting for.

  “Get this piece of scum out of my house. The rest of you can go as well, this part of the job is done. Stu will be in touch to organize the next phase.” I assume he’s talking about Cain when he continues tersely, “Find someone to replace him. If I see him again, I'll kill him for touching her. She's mine.”

  I creep to the end of the hallway and peek around the corner. Cain is lying on the floor near the front door, still unconscious, while the others are standing near the breakfast bar with their backs to me watching the newcomer as he goes through my handbag. Even though I’m looking at his back, he seems ominously familiar. As I struggle to place him, he leaves the room and my range of sight.

  I hadn’t realized that my bag made it into the van with me. That means my handgun and my phone are here somewhere. The first burst of real hope I've had since I regained consciousness explodes within me. If I can’t get away right now, I might be able to get to my phone to call Mik or my gun to protect myself.

  Duke and the blonde guy whose name I haven't learned turn away from the breakfast bar, nodding to Stu in farewell. They pick Cain up by his arms and drag him through the front door, closing it quietly behind them. I don’t hear it lock which makes my heart race with anticipation.

  Quickly glancing around for any of the remaining men, hope blooms in my chest when I don’t see any of them. Spotting my phone lying on the, I can hear it vibrating loudly. I would bet everything I own that Mik is calling me non-stop to see where I am. He’d be home by now and losing his mind since I’m not there when I told him I was. I’d give anything to go back in time and wait at the office for him like he asked.

  My mind is finding it hard to wrap itself around what’s happening so I take a few steadying deep breaths, exhaling slowly through my nose to calm myself. Peeking again, I see that they are still gone so I decide it’s now or never to make my run for the front door. I button my shirt up as well as I can and slip my heels off so I don’t slow myself. My favourite pair of Manolo Blahnik’s are about to be sacrificed for my escape and my father will be replacing them. Edging around the corner of the hallway, I spare one last glance in their direction before rising from my crouched position and running as fast as I can to the front door.

  I make it to the front door without detection. I turn the handle to open the door with urgency but my shaking hands are making a mess of it.

  “What the hell?” A deep voice exclaims and someone rushes towards me.

  Turning the handle with increasing desperation, I can't help my squeal of delight when the door finally flies open. My first step towards freedom is aborted when I’m grabbed around the waist and slung over a large shoulder. My breath leaves me in a rush at the impact. A large hand swats my backside with a stinging slap, causing me to gasp in shock and pain. The sudden intake of breath forces the cologne from the bedroom to flood my senses. My sedative addled mind finally remembers why the smell was familiar and made me feel nauseous.

  Terror rising within me, I start to struggle in earnest, kicking my legs and punching my captor in the back with all of my strength.

  “Now, now, Lainey. Calm down, darling girl. You don’t want to end up hurting yourself, do you?” His deep, velvety smooth voice mocks me.

  Realization dawning, it sinks in that my abduction has nothing to do with the MC and everything to do with me and the stupid choice I made when I was eighteen. No! This can't be happening.

  My body is shaking uncontrollably and I feel like I’m going to faint. My mind is racing, refusing to admit who has me. He’s my worst nightmare. I’ve spent the last four years putting myself back together after escaping this man, and just as I started feeling safe in the life Mik and I have been building, he turns up to wreck it all.

  “Put me down, Brendan. Please,” I plead in a shaky voice, scrambling to find some much needed composure. “You’re not supposed to be anywhere near me, you know that. If you let me walk out of here now, I won’t tell the police and your parole will be safe.”

  He chuckles at my request and slowly lowers me down his body, thrusting his hard bulge against me when our pelvic areas meet. The second my feet touch the ground I back away but he won’t let me go. He grasps the tops of my arms and pulls me onto his lap as he sits down on the brown leather settee. All fight leaves my body at his touch and my anxious shaking increases.

  Hearing the door locks engage and buttons being pressed on a keypad, I realize that my pleas to leave are going to fall on deaf ears. I’m stuck for now—not only because of the locked door and security system—but because this man scares me to death. I know if I mess up my escape again, he will make me pay in a painful and humiliating way.

  “I’ll leave you two lovebirds to your reunion,” Stu chuckles as he walks past us and out of sight. I stare, almost with longing after him, willing him to come back and take me with him. He’s definitely the lesser of two evils at the moment.

  Brendan gently grasps my chin and lifts my face until I’m forced to look at him. His eyes are still a warm chocolate brown, his skin is still lightly tanned and his lips are still rosy pink and kissable. The dark chocolate brown hair that sets off his traditionally handsome features is still full, luscious, and wavy. His time in jail hasn’t taken any discernible toll on his looks, which is a pity, because I was certain that Mik had arranged for some of the MC’s boys on the inside to visit him a few times. It’s disappointing that the evil soul that lurks behind his angelically handsome face is still hidden from the world.

  “Lainey, what is today’s date?” he asks, almost purring the w
ords at me in sadistic pleasure.

  The voice that was once one of the most pleasant sounds in the world to me, now sends slivers of icy fear down my spine. In a rush, I realize the date and tears of anger and frustration leak from my eyes. I’m so angry at myself for dropping my guard. I understand now why Mik didn’t want me to go to work today.

  Today is Brendan’s first day off of parole for raping and nearly beating me to death just over four years ago. He was sentenced to two years jail for my assault with a non-parole period of eighteen months. He’s been out of jail for six months, and had left me alone until now, so I’d become complacent in watching my back even if Mik hadn’t. Obviously, Brendan was waiting to be free and clear of the law before he forced our reunion.

  “Ssssh, sweetheart. I'm not here to hurt you,” he soothes me, rubbing his hands up and down my arms.

  He clearly thinks I’m crying in fear. I jerk away from him because his touch makes me feel dirty but he curls his fingers tightly around the tops of my arms and pulls me to his chest. Anger grows within me as I take stock of the fact that the only reason he’s sitting here tormenting me right now is because I only had him charged with assaulting me on one occasion. I never told the authorities, or my family, about his repeated beatings and rapes or his blackmail. They believe we had a one-off physical fight and that he threatened my family because I was leaving him. That was bad enough.

  There are only three other people who know the full truth of what he did to me and that’s how I wanted to keep it. Mik was adamant I should make him pay for everything but I couldn't face the embarrassment and pity that telling the truth would bring. I also couldn't throw Benji under the bus. At this moment I wish, that in spite of all that, I had told everyone every horrible detail. At least I wouldn't be sitting on his lap right now, unwilling and scared.

  “It’s so good to be able to touch you again, Lainey,” he whispers against my cheek. “I have missed touching you more than you would believe. Watching you since I got out of that hellhole has been torture, especially knowing I had to wait until today to touch you again.”

  I gasp at his statement and pull as far away from him as he will let me.

  “How have you been watching me? Mik has precautions set up. You haven’t been anywhere near the city or we would have known.” The second Mik’s name falls from my lips, I know I’ve made a big mistake. Brendan has a long history of irrational jealousy towards him.

  Brendan’s face changes from loving to irate in a split second. He lets go of my arms and stands with calculated abruptness, making me topple backwards off his lap and onto the carpeted floor. He slaps me across the face, splitting my damaged lip further. My face feels like a pulsing, bruised mess.

  Reaching for me, he pulls me to me feet by the front of my shirt. I'm barely upright when he grabs my hand and tugs me behind him, through the modern kitchen and into a formal living area. I want to pull my hand from his but it’s the only thing keeping me upright as he strides in front of me.

  There’s a huge telescope pointing towards the large bay windows. A room like this should be filled with expensive chaises, televisions and coffee tables but instead it has three desks, numerous filing cabinets and a large open gun safe lining the perimeter. The walls have paperwork and photos pinned all over them and a quick glance tells me that I am the subject of most of the photos. Brendan rudely shoves me into the chair behind the telescope.

  “Have a look,” he grunts angrily. “I have been watching you, making sure that dirty biker doesn’t touch you. I was always coming back for you. You are mine. You always will be, even though you try to fight it.”

  Brendan grabs me by the back of my neck and forces my face towards the eyepiece. Resistance is futile, I learned this years ago, so I let him position my head where he wants it.

  “Given your slutty tendencies I’m not surprised you ran to him the second I was gone. You will be making up for that and every other damn thing you’ve done to me very soon,” he tells me, certainty colouring his tone.

  Attempting to tune out his threats, I peer into the telescope praying that I'm not about to see what I fear he's showing me. Sure enough, just as I feared, it’s my house. There is a large nature reserve between this house and mine with a playground, bike track and public amenities, but I can see my car in the driveway with Mik’s Harley parked next to it. Mik is pacing on the front deck and running his hand through his hair in jerky, agitated movements. He has his phone to his ear and I can see his mouth moving rapidly.

  Dragging my eyes from my stressed fiancé, I take in the whole view and realize that I can see straight through the open curtains into my living room. Brendan has been able to see into my home for God knows how long. The one place I have felt safe for the last four years has not been the sanctuary I thought it was. As is his way, Brendan has managed to make my feelings of safety and freedom nothing but an illusion. I didn’t think my heart could sink any further than it already had in this situation, but this revelation completely knocks the wind out of my sails.

  Brendan laughs at my appalled expression, his eyes filling with enjoyment when he sees the situation become clear to me. Even though I know rationally that it's the wrong move, I can't stop myself from losing my temper. Rising to my feet, I swing around to face him.

  “What is wrong with you?” I question, pushing him as hard as I can in the chest with both hands. He staggers back a couple of steps in surprise at my attack.

  “Why won't you just leave me alone? You need to go away. You’re completely crazy. I’m not yours and I never will be. I hate you!”

  I swing at him, hitting him in the chest and the stomach as I unleash my fears and frustrations. Pulling my right arm back, I punch him as hard as I can in the mouth. Blood blooms from the corner upon impact. I shake my fist out before rearing back and swinging again. Five years of fear, anger and hurt are finally finding the correct outlet. I’m out of control and ready to kill him with my bare hands.

  I want hit him, choke him, and humiliate him.

  I want him to feel everything he made me feel.

  Unfortunately Brendan ducks my follow-up punch and grabs me tightly by the throat, subduing me with little effort. He forces me to stumble backwards on my tiptoes until my back hits the wall. Then he lifts me until my feet are no longer touching the ground. A sick sense of déjà vu engulfs me as my consciousness recognizes the position I am in.

  I scratch at the hand he has around my neck with both of mine so hard that two of my nails snap trying to pull him off. Kicking at him with my legs, I attempt to head butt him. I’m fighting for breath and black spots are floating through my vision but I don’t give up trying to hurt him. Even lost in my anger, the only thought going through my head is that I’m not going to let him hurt me without a fight this time.

  He licks away the blood from his split lip before leaning down and whispering in my ear, “I’ll let you hit me once without punishment, Lainey, because I know I hurt you in the past. Just this once though. Every time you step out of line like this from now on, I’m going to punish you or one of your family.”

  He licks the shell of my ear before he continues w ith menace. “Is Lachie still catching the bus to practice by himself?”

  My body falls still in shock at his mention of my youngest brother. Brendan must be watching all of my family—not just me—to know that my fifteen year old brother is living in Brisbane now and catches the bus to football practice. My entire beautiful, crazy family moved down here after I was injured. I refused to move home, not only due to the terrifying memories they knew nothing about, but because I was determined Brendan wasn’t going to derail my plans for my future entirely.

  My mind quickly dismisses his words and I calm myself. He doesn’t realise that one of the MC’s enforcers escorts Lachie everywhere for this exact reason. Everyone was worried Brendan would try to use my family against me when he was freed from jail so Mik has used the MC to put multiple layers of safety precautions in place. Lachie do
esn’t know he’s being protected because of me. He has just been told ‘club business’, which is our Dad’s go-to excuse when he doesn’t want to explain something.

  He squeezes his hand tighter around my neck and continues to torture me.

  “Do you understand what I’m saying, Lainey? You're mine and you're going to stay with me this time. The people you love are going to get hurt, one by one, every time you try to leave me.” Brendan leans down and stares at me with hard, glazed eyes. “Nod if you get what I am telling you. I’ll let you go when you prove that you understand me.”

  Stubbornly I stay still, keeping eyes on his and ignoring his demand. The strong, defiant, and wilful parts of my personality that Mik has spent the last four years helping me putting back together won’t let me bow down to this monster again. He can threaten my brothers as much as he wants because I know that they are safe this time. There is nothing he can do.

  Mik is going to put this madman in the ground for daring to touch me again. I can feel it in my soul that my wild and unyielding fiancé is going to rescue me. I continue eyeballing Brendan. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of making me nod. He regards me for a moment and a smile curls his lips.

  “This is what I love about you, Lainey. You challenge me like no one else.”

  He nuzzles my ear and puts his free hand around my breast. Vomit rises in my throat at his action. He knows how to get to me. Letting go of my breast, he manages to rip the last of the buttons off of my shirt with his free hand. It falls open, exposing my bra. Touching me again, Brendan tweaks my nipple until it goes hard and then he pinches it until I whimper.