Screaming in the Silence

by Lydia Kelly

  Kaden carried me into a room, my hands gripped the doorframe. I held on with all my strength but he was too powerful and I screamed in terror at the force he used to pull me inside. My arms flailed in vain for something else to grab. He threw me into the air and I landed on a soft mattress, my head hitting the wall behind the bed.

  Kaden tugged his shirt over his head, his chest and stomach heaving from anger and exertion. I pushed away as far as I could, my back pressed against the wall, but his hands were quick and around my ankle before I could kick them away. With one strong tug, my body went flying toward his. He descended on me like an eagle would its prey, his hands spread wide while his body quickly but gracefully bent down toward mine.

  I struggled to turn onto my stomach, attempting to crawl away from the beast of a man, but the smooth satin finish of the comforter provided little traction and all I managed to do was pull the top layer back from the pillows. Kaden’s hard torso pressed against my back and he yanked my hips from the bed. One strong arm came under my stomach to hold me up and the free hand nimbly freed the button of my jeans and released the zipper.

  I clawed at the mattress, having already pulled all of the sheets and fittings away.

  “Please, don’t do this,” I begged, still too terrified to cry. But Kaden’s large hands quickly had my jeans below my hips and around my knees. He ripped my underwear off in one strong swoop of his hand and I screamed again for him to stop. “No!”

  I pushed my body flat against the bed in a last attempt at self preservation but once again, Kaden’s hands pulled at my waist, bringing my hips off the mattress and into his naked stomach. He felt warm against my bare skin but didn’t stay that way for long. His fingers tangled in my hair, gripping hard enough to pull my head back, his elbow in the crook of my vaulted back. I waited, my craned neck and arched spine making it hard to breathe and impossible to move, but soon I felt the mattress shake as he climbed onto the bed behind me. His knees spread my thighs as wide as my jeans would allow and then I felt his fingers, wet with his own saliva no doubt, stroking between my legs.

  “Please stop,” I whimpered between my feeble cries, closing my eyes and fighting to forget the pain in my back and neck.

  His fingers rolled between my clenched lips and pushed deep inside of me only once before being replaced by something much larger. I could feel his impatience and I screamed, rolling my hips under to postpone the inevitable. With one hand, he lifted me from the bed completely, as he forced himself into me with one powerful movement. The pain and the humiliation silenced my cries as the air caught in my throat.

  I tried not to feel anything as Kaden pulled my hips against his, deeper this time and with more conviction. But that was impossible. He filled me completely. “Please don’t do this,” I begged again, although I knew it was past the point of mattering.

  He pulled my hair back and pounded into me for a third time.

  “Kaden, please?” I croaked from my strained throat.

  Without warning he pulled out entirely and released my hair, flipping me onto my back and pinning me down by my shoulders.

  “What did you say?”

  I blinked, unable to react to his question. His face was so close and so incredibly difficult to read that I couldn’t tell if I had offended him or appeased to him.

  “What did you say?” he repeated, his eyes closing as he screamed.

  “I said, ‘please,’” I repeated, my mouth still dry.

  But Kaden shook his head. “No, you said my name.”

  I turned my head away, trying to remember if that was true. I had said it to myself so many times before but had never spoken it aloud.

  “Say it again,” he commanded as his fingers turned my face back toward his. His green eyes bore into mine so deeply that I couldn’t refuse.

  “Kaden,” I said, using as little of my voice as possible. But that was all he needed. His lips were on mine before I could take a breath and his hands worked to free my knees from my pants.

  His kiss wasn’t how I remembered it; this one was forceful and demanding. But he tasted the same: the sweetness of his tongue and the fullness of his lips. His tongue danced with mine while he pushed my t-shirt up my chest. He pulled away, sitting up and tugging the shirt over my head, throwing it on the ground next to the bed. My pants were next as he guided each knee up and out of the denim.

  “Again,” he repeated.

  “Kaden.” I took a deep breath. He was kneeling in between my legs, which he had spread wide with his knees, and staring down at me with a crooked smile on his perfect face. I stared back at him, waiting for him to do something. His piercing eyes never wavered as he hooked his arms under my knees and brought my hips off the bed.

  I wanted to look away, but I was terrified I would miss something, some chance at escape, some glimpse of sympathy from him. Kaden started again slowly and deliberately. I felt everything. My arms were useless and sprawled to my sides, my hands lightly gripping the comforter as he held my gaze. His face was full of emotion and concentration. Clearly enjoying himself, his mouth stayed curled in a slight smile and his eyes sparkled with anticipation.

  I wish I could have felt the same. But I only wanted it to be over. I didn’t want to like it, I wanted to hate it, but as he started to move, my senses became sharper, my body reacting against the better judgment of my mind. Kaden must have known that I was fighting this, but he also knew that part of me couldn’t deny him even if I wanted to.

  All too soon, my eyelids became heavy and my unwanted pleasure began to peak. I so badly wanted to squeeze them shut and scream out his name, but I fought it with every ounce of energy that I had, and continued staring into Kaden’s green eyes. My legs started to tingle as heat spread from my womb, my toes curled, and my fingers clenched the bedding beneath me.

  “Don’t fight it,” Kaden smirked. He showed no signs of stopping, not even a sign of fatigue.

  “I���I can’t���” But I couldn’t finish my sentence. I didn’t even know what I had wanted to say.

  I felt one of his hands move from my hip to my inner thigh. “I told you I would make you scream,” Kaden said pressing his thumb between my legs. He didn’t move his finger, just let the motion of his body pounding into mine create the friction he desired.

  It was more than I could endure. The heat spread throughout my body, my eyes closed involuntarily, and I finally cried out in pleasure. My reaction was so intense that through my convulsions, I didn’t even feel Kaden pull out only to finish on my stomach. The hot, sticky substance was a tangible reminder of the fight he had won. He had taken whatever confidence and innocence I still possessed from me.

  I opened my eyes watched him bend over and pull up his boxers, the sight of his naked body terrifying but impressive. He caught me staring and bent over to pick up his shirt from the floor.

  “Clean yourself off,” he commanded, throwing his shirt at me.

  I sat up and looked away from him, picking up the shirt and wiping off my stomach. My hands were still shaking slightly, a shameful side effect of the climax. Kaden handed me my clothes, a hint of concern in his eyes, as he finally looked at my nearly naked body on his bed.

  I dressed quickly, conscious of his eyes on me the entire time. He was still standing in his boxers when I finished, his body gleaming with a thin layer of sweat, his hair pushed from his face. He opened the door to his bedroom and nodded for me to leave. I practically ran from the room, down the stairs and into the basement. I knew Kaden was behind me. I knew he would be locking the door as I descended the stairs into the dim light of my room.

  I threw myself onto my bed, crying in heavy, painful sobs that shook the mattress. Kaden had known me completely, touched nearly every inch of my body, but I had never felt so alone. I felt that if I didn’t have someone to comfort me, someone to hold me and cradle away my fears, I would melt away into the cement floor of the basement, never to be seen again. I wasn’t thinking about what had just happened, how I had been
taken without my consent, how the pleasure I experienced was more humiliating than the act itself. No, I was only feeling abandoned.

  Chapter 9

  Tears still fell from my eyes as I stared at the ceiling that night. No one had bothered to bring me dinner and my stomach ached. I could tell they were all upstairs. The dust falling from above was heavier than normal and I wondered what they could be doing. Had Kaden told them about Julie? Perhaps he was trying to convince them to take the twenty five thousand dollars.

  The sense of abandonment I had felt earlier in the day only increased with time. Kaden had promised to keep me safe from Ray but I had no one to keep me safe from Kaden. Being raped wasn’t something I liked to think about, but being raped by Ray was almost an unbearable thought. What made Kaden a more agreeable rapist was what confused me.

  I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn’t notice Kaden walking down the stairs. His shadow passed over my eyes and I looked up, startled.

  “Ray wants to ask you a few questions,” he said, standing above me, his arms crossed at his chest.

  I stared at him. What kind of questions? I signed.

  “About the other girl. About who saw you two together.”

  Does he know about my father?

  “No, he thinks both of your parents are dead.”

  I stood up and shrugged my shoulders. If Kaden wanted to keep things from Ray, he must have some sort of plan. Since this plan no longer benefited me, I was going to do anything I could to sabotage it.

  “Let’s go upstairs, then,” I said.

  Kaden’s hand was over my mouth in a flash, his eyes full of surprise and anger. “You keep your mouth shut, you understand me?”

  I answered him with a glare. Of course I understood him, but I no longer cared.

  “Look,” he took a deep breath and released my face. “I can’t change what happened this morning. You got everything you deserved, but Ray won’t stop where I did. He’ll kill you.”

  Maybe he will and maybe he won’t. Daddy’s money may appeal to him, too.

  “It will, trust me. But then he’ll realize the trouble that comes with it and get scared.”

  Why don’t you just take the twenty five thousand and be done with me? You and I both know you won’t get any more without an added bonus of a prison cell.

  Kaden’s eyes squinted with what looked like pain and perhaps a little anxiety. “I’m not ready to give up yet. I want more time.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. Time was not taking sides in this case. The longer I stayed here, the more degradation I was subjected to, and the less his chance of not getting caught. Kaden reached for my arm but I pushed past him, stomping up the stairs and into the living room.

  Ray sat at the table with the crumpled newspaper in front of him. He looked up when he heard me coming and stood, towering over me even from across the room. His dark eyes glared at me and his round face was red with frustration.

  “How well did you know this girl?”

  What girl? I signed. Kaden acted as as translator.

  “This girl!” Ray picked up the paper and pointed to the picture at the bottom of the page. “This dead girl!”

  The one you killed? I only knew her for a few weeks.

  I watched as Kaden translated only the last part of my answer.

  “How many people saw you together?”

  An old man gave us a ride from Tennessee to Greenville . We were picked up by a van full of college aged kids and dropped at the beach.

  “How many?”

  Three, two boys and a girl.

  “And that’s it?”

  Them and the couple hundred people we passed on the beach that day.

  I waited for Kaden to translate and watched Ray’s face turn even redder.

  “Fuck!” Ray threw the paper to the ground. “We’ve got to get rid of her, Kaden. This is serious now.”

  Kaden turned to face Ray, his back to me so I couldn’t see what he was saying. Marshal sat on the couch, watching us like an episode from a TV drama. He saw me looking at him and signed ‘hello’ with a quick flip of his hand so his brother wouldn’t notice. I shot him a small grin before resuming my frown.

  Ray took a few steps toward Kaden and my attention returned to them.

  “How much?” Ray looked like he was forcing himself to stay calm.

  Kaden shrugged his shoulders and Ray glanced at me. His eyes danced over my body and face and a sudden understanding passed through his eyes. He took a few steps forward, pushing Kaden out of the way and staring at me like I was a piece of meat.

  “I need you to tell me how much money is in your bank account.”

  Behind him, Kaden eyed me cautiously. Ray pulled my chin up.

  “Don’t look at him, look at me. Tell me how much is in your bank account?”

  I froze. Did Kaden tell him the true amount or did he lie? And if he lied, by how much? What would happen if Ray found out that Kaden or I had lied to him? He would probably take my money and then kill me for spite.

  I held up my right hand. 1 - 5.

  “Fifteen?”

  I nodded my head.

  “Thousand?”

  I nodded again.

  Ray’s massive body turned back to face Kaden.

  Kaden shook his head, his eyes never leaving mine. “No, I didn’t know.”

  Suddenly, Ray twirled me into his arms and pressed his chest against my back, his massive arms coiled around my body, holding me in place. I twitched and squirmed, trying to free myself, knowing I was helpless. Ray’s arms squeezed me so tightly I felt my lungs being compressed against my ribs.

  “I think we can get more. Just let her go.”

  Ray’s fingers wrapped around my arms and crushed them.

  “Because if we have her, we might as well try���You don’t need that.” Kaden looked like he desperately wanted to intervene but something held him back.

  Ray’s let go of my arm and reached for something out of the corner of my eye. Marshal handed him an object and I felt a cold blade pressed against my cheek. I closed my eyes and began to cry. The tip of the blade, sharp and menacing, made its way down my cheek and to my neck. My eyes flew open as it pressed into my skin.

  “I could care less about her, but killing her will only get us thrown in jail.” Kaden was pleading with Ray now but still not trying to physically stop him. I glanced at Marshal without moving my head. His hands were on the cushions, ready to push his body off the couch at a moment’s notice if necessary, but his face was turned away.

  “I know we can’t half-ass anything now. If it doesn’t work we’ll take her to a bank, empty the account and you can kill her on the way to Mexico if you want.”

  The blade pushed a little harder and I felt a warm trickle of blood ooze down my neck. I took a deep breath, attempting to prevent myself from hyperventilaing. The pain was nothing compared to my fear. Ray was going to kill me if Kaden didn’t tell him something he wanted to hear. I could do nothing to stop him. I couldn’t see Ray’s questions and I couldn’t defend myself. I was completely in Kaden’s hands.

  “A phone call? Are you fucking serious? They’ll trace that in minutes.”

  Who the hell did Ray want to call?

  “Have her write a letter.”

  A letter? Was Kaden joking or was he getting desperate? But the blade moved from my neck and I relaxed slightly in Ray’s arms. I felt his feet move behind mine as he pushed me toward the table and into a chair. I fell into the seat, my head spinning with confusion. Ray sat across from me. I wiped the blood from my neck with the back of my hand.

  “You want to leave here, right?” Ray looked at me and set the kitchen knife on the table.

  I blinked. Then nodded. What a thick question.

  “Do you have any rich grandparents or uncles?”

  I nodded again.

  “I want you to write to one of them, whoever can get me the most money in the least amount of time. And make sure they can be discreet.”

>   What do you want me to say?

  Ray didn’t even need Kaden to translate. Marshal set the paper and pen in front of me.

  “Write whatever will get you out of here the fastest so I don’t have to look at your fucking ugly face anymore! Tell them to wait for my instructions and if they say anything to anyone, I’ll kill you.” He pushed away from the table and stood up, leaving me to write my own ransom note.

  Christopher,

  I’m writing to beg your immediate help. The men who have taken me will be contacting you soon with instructions. Please give them whatever they want and don’t ask questions or tell anyone what you are doing. I’m afraid they’ll kill me. I’m afraid of never seeing you again.

  Raleigh

  I folded the letter, the blood from my fingers staining the edges of the paper. It was swiped from my hand and I turned to see Ray opening it and assessing my work. Kaden was reading over his shoulder and his eyes darted to mine as soon as he read the first name.

  “Fine,” Ray decided. “Give me the address and I’ll drop it off tomorrow.”

  “Not from here, you won’t.” Kaden said behind him.

  Ray spun around and pushed Kaden’s shoulders, challenging him to question him again.

  “You send that from around here and they’ll be all over us. We need to drive it somewhere else, write our own letter, with our demands, and mail it from some random location.”

  If only Ray knew how much trouble he would get in if he actually sent that letter. His fingerprints were already all over it and his saliva would most likely be on the envelope. But the letter didn’t matter. Kaden would never allow it to be sent, that much I knew. He was too smart and this was just a way of stalling.

  I stood up to leave, ready to be away from the madness and Ray’s anger. Kaden had been right, Ray didn’t think, he only reacted. I prayed that he wouldn’t stop to think before I was gone. I stepped around the two men, still arguing about something, when I felt Ray’s rough fingers grab my arm. I turned to face him, ready to see whatever it was he had to say to me, but he didn’t speak. His spare hand flew through the air and hit me across my cheek, knocking me to the ground with one blow.