SLAUGHTER

by Tessier, Shantel

  I chose a white sundress out of the closet and put a nude thong on with no bra, then made my way down to the dining room. A plate of scrambled eggs and toast already is placed where I had sat last night.

  He sits at the head of the table. His plate long gone. He looks up at me when I enter, and I look at the floor. I want to fall to his feet and beg him to get me off. I feel so empty, so lost, and my body won’t stop trembling.

  “I’ll be at work today,” he announces. I fall into a seat and say nothing. Instead, I stare at the table, unable to meet his eyes. I hear his chair move back and him stand from the table. “I saw where you tried to get into my computer.” I swallow nervously. “And tried to use the phone. Believe me, Bunny, when I say I’ve thought of everything. And if you think you can outsmart me, you’re wrong.” A silence follows. “Darrell, you know what to do if she attempts anything.”

  My body stiffens at his words.

  “Yes, sir.” I hear the man say from behind me. Then Avery walks out of the room, leaving me alone with Darrell.

  CHAPTER TEN

  AVERY

  “WHAT DO WE HAVE?” I ask my brother as I enter our warehouse, needing to get some work done. I take a sip of my second cup of coffee. I have yet to sleep. After I tied Bunny to her bed, I went back to my study and watched her. I needed to see her struggle more than I needed a nap. It was everything I thought it was gonna be. Even if it was only four hours.

  “Kayn delivered him three hours ago. He says he knows nothing,” Tristan announces.

  “He knows something.” No man just starts blurting he knows nothing before even asked.

  “I agree.” He nods and starts to walk toward the back of the empty warehouse. “But this is your rodeo, so I’m letting you run the show.”

  I snort. “Since when do you just stand by when it’s time to play?”

  He throws me a cruel smile. “Just being nice.”

  I come to a stop. “You’re never nice. So spill.”

  “It’s like your reward.”

  “Reward for what?”

  “For sticking to your guns with Presleigh.”

  I growl before rolling my eyes. Then I start walking again, ignoring his fucking laugh. I should have never told him what I did to her when he called me a couple of hours ago.

  I push the door open to the back room where we do all of our work and find a man kneeling before Kayn. Kayn has that look of hatred still on his face. “Where did you find him?” I ask.

  “He was at her house last night. That surveillance camera you put up was a great idea.”

  I knew taking Bunny wasn’t gonna be enough. Damon is smarter than that. Dennis had informed me that Preston told Damon I love her. So they will all expect me to let her go. That maybe she is just shacking up at my house for a few days.

  Wrong!

  “How did you know where she lives?” I ask.

  The man ignores me, so I walk over to him. “I won’t ask you twice.” I hate repeating myself. It’s a pet peeve of mine. A big one.

  He finally looks up at me. His thin lips pulled back in a scowl. Dark blue eyes narrowed on me. “I know nothing.”

  “So I’ve been told. But here’s the thing.” I crouch. “I don’t believe you.”

  “Fuck you!”

  I stand back up and walk over to the table. Kayn has already set out my favorite toys. I pick up the hammer and go to stand back in front of him. “Today is your lucky day.” I smile. “I’m only gonna break both of your legs. Then I want you to crawl back to your boss and tell him that I bought Preston’s sister for two million dollars.” His brows rise in surprise. “She’s my slave. Not his.”

  “Everyone knows who you are, Avery. And your father. You don’t own slaves.” He shakes his head. “You’re not like him. Never were.”

  I smile. “I do now.” Then swing the hammer.

  He screams out, throwing his head back, and I smile. His broken leg lies at an odd angle. “One down,” I say.

  “You fucking bastard!” he shouts, spit flying out of his mouth.

  “I’m no different than you,” I say with a shrug.

  He sucks in a breath through gritted teeth, and his chest heaves. “Whatever you do to me, he will do to her in return.”

  I lift my right hand and rest the hammer on my shoulder. “That is where you’re wrong. He’ll never touch her.”

  He nods his head quickly. “Oh, he will. He has men on his side.”

  I drop the hammer to my side. “What the fuck does that mean?”

  “It means that no matter what you do, she’ll end up at his feet.” He growls. “She will end up being his slave!” His voice rises. “She may be your little pet right now, but it’ll be his cock she sucks …”

  I swing the hammer on his other leg. He cries out as his head falls back.

  I start to circle him. “Keep going.”

  His cries turn to fits of laughter, causing his entire body to shake. “Enjoy your time with her, Avery”—he sucks in a breath—“because you won’t have her much longer.”

  I look at my brother, and he watches the man with an expressionless look. “Why were you at her house if you knew Avery had her?” he asks, tilting his head to the side.

  He grinds his teeth. “I told you.” His eyes turn to mine. “Damon doesn’t believe he’ll keep her. Not as a slave.”

  I walk back over to the table and place the hammer down. My brother walks up beside me. “You’re gonna have to prove yourself,” he says softly so only I can hear.

  “I know.”

  “Can you do that?”

  I look over at him with narrowed eyes, picking up a knife. “You doubt me?”

  He sighs heavily. “Keeping her tied and gagged to a bed is different than proving to Damon that she is your slave.”

  “I fucking know that …”

  “We all know how he treats his slaves. Most don’t even last a year.”

  I drop the knife and turn to fully face him. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying you’re gonna have to up your game, or you may just lose her to a man who will treat her like an actual slave.”

  PRESLEIGH

  After I eat, I find myself standing in the bathroom up in my bedroom once again, and I sigh. It seems to be the only place where Darrell doesn’t bother following me.

  I can tell Avery plans on keeping me a while because the bathroom and bedroom where I have been sentenced to have everything I’ll ever need. The bathroom has all the same products I used back at home, which means the bastard has been in my house. He has watched me, more than just that one time in the club when he confronted me. Or that other time he showed up at my house twice in one night. It makes my body break out in goose bumps how much I’ve missed. How careless I was. I’m not that person. Not since our parents passed, but I guess over time, I just got comfortable. Thought I was safe because I did what I was told. I roll my eyes at myself. I never had a choice in the matter.

  I dried my hair because I had nothing better to do wasting my time. Once done, I placed the hair dryer on the countertop and turned around to survey the bathroom. If I wasn’t here against my will, I could really enjoy the white tiled floor and gold trimmings. It has a standup shower with a glass door and a clawfoot tub. I’m not sure what Avery does for a living, but it wouldn’t matter. His family has money. Just thinking about his family has my chest tightening in fear. I have to get out of here. Being Avery’s slave is not an option. I have to fight for my freedom. After what he did to me this morning, I know there’s no way I’ll survive here. And I’d rather die trying than stay his prisoner. After all, if I remain here, death will be inevitable.

  My eyes go back to the clawfoot tub over by a huge window. Looking over at, I begin to form a plan.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  AVERY

  I KNOW I TOLD THE GUY I was going to break both of his legs, but after the little talk I had with my brother, I felt like breaking a little more.

  “Did you know that
you have two hundred and six bones in your body?” I ask, and he whimpers. “I’ve only broken about ten so far,” I say as the hammer hangs from my hand. I went back to it after I was done with the knife.

  Blood pours from his nose and mouth. One eye is swollen shut, and his front teeth are missing. “How did you know where she lived?” I repeat myself.

  He sucks in a long breath. “Dennis told me,” he mumbles. “I was supposed to meet him there that night you caught up with him.” He swallows.

  He’s giving up information much easier now. “Why?”

  “After following the woman for weeks, he was given the orders to take her just hours before he ran into her at the club that night. He had over forty hours with her and wanted to know if I wanted a piece before he delivered her.”

  My jaw tightens.

  “That doesn’t explain why you were there just yesterday,” my brother says.

  He tilts his head back to try to stop his nose from bleeding. It won’t. I broke that bitch. “To see if she was there.”

  “Why would she be there?” I snap. “I have her!”

  He shakes his head softly once. “No one believes she’s your slave,” he says shakily. “They think you staged the whole thing to scare Preston and show Damon you had her.”

  I take a step toward the man who bleeds before me. “I’m gonna kill you.”

  His eyes widen. “But… I’m just a messenger.”

  “Killing the messenger sends a message,” I inform him.

  “I was supposed to report back to Damon—”

  “Oh, you will,” I interrupt him. “I will ship your cut-up, rotting corpse back to him. You will be the message.”

  _______________

  “Good evening, sir.” Marvin greets me when I enter the front door to my mansion along with my brother.

  “Evening, where is Bunny?” I cut to the chase, not caring to pull up the surveillance.

  “Up in her room, sir. Been up there since she had her breakfast.” Nice to know she finally ate something.

  I nod and place my hands in the pockets of my slacks.

  “I’ll wait for you in your study,” Tristan announces.

  I start climbing the stairs to the upper level. I kept watching her tracker on my phone, thinking she was gonna run. But she didn’t even try to get out of the house. Which was smart on her part because I had the alarm set. If any exterior door or window opens, my men and I would know that very second. But it also ate at me. Why wasn’t she trying to run? She fought my men too much the other day to just give up today. It didn’t make sense.

  I enter her bedroom without knocking because I own this fucking house and she doesn’t need to allow me in. But don’t see her anywhere.

  “Bunny?” I call out.

  Nothing. My irritation of being ignored rises. When I call for her, I demand her presence.

  I turn to see the bathroom door shut. I shove it open without a knock as well. I see her lying in the bathtub, facing away from me. Her neck resting on the edge, her head falling back and her long dark hair spilling onto the tiled floor.

  Knowing she’s naked and not caring about her modesty, I walk over to her.

  But my irritation quickly turns to fear when I see her hands lying on her thighs, palms up. Blood covers her arms, legs, chest, and stomach.

  What the fuck?

  “Bunny?” I demand, dropping to my knees beside the tub. I finally look at her face and see her eyes are closed, lips parted.

  “Bunny?” I feel for a pulse on her neck; it’s rapid but weak.

  Where is it all this blood coming from?

  “Bunny! Goddammit!” I cup her cheek, and her blue eyes flutter open. Her pupils are dilated, and she looks around as if confused. “Bunny, what did you do?” I ask, unable to keep the fear out of my voice.

  She opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out. “Come on, Presleigh. Talk to me,” I demand, needing to know.

  Her head falls to the side, and she closes her eyes.

  Fuck!

  I start calling out for Marvin. For anyone in the house to hear me. To help. I stand and place my arms underneath her, picking her up from the tub. She weighs nothing. Her body is cold and clammy. My chest tightens. I place her on the tiled floor just as Marvin comes running in, gasping at the scene before him.

  “What the fuck ...?” Kayn barks, following him.

  “Call Lance. Get him here. Now!” I snap. “What did you do, Bunny?”

  She can’t die on me.

  That’s not the plan.

  I took her to protect her. Not kill her.

  Eighteen years old

  I sit in my parents’ game room, lounging in the same chair I always lie in. I have a beer in my right hand while my left runs through Bunny’s hair while she lies between my legs. Guys all around us talk as “Needles” by Seether blares through the speakers in the room. It’s well past three in the morning, and my eyes are starting to get heavy from the beers and the blunt I just finished.

  “Avery? Wanna play another round of darts?” asks my friend Derek from over in the corner, yanking the darts from the dart board hanging on the wall.

  I look down at Bunny to see her head on my thigh, eyes closed. “Nah.” I shake my head. “I’m gonna call it a night.”

  He just shrugs and then turns to another friend Mitch, asking him to play. I finish my beer, tipping it back, and watch him look over at Bunny. Things haven’t been the same since I punched him when I walked in on him pressing his cock into her ass while trying to show her how to play pool. Not sure why I never saw it before, but now it’s all I see. The way he looks at her. Watches her. The only reason I allow him to still hang around us is because my father taught me to keep my enemies close. And he has definitely become my enemy.

  I slowly shift her head off my leg and then stand, picking her up in my arms. I walk out of the game room and down the hall to my bedroom. I place her on my bed and then jump over her to lie down next to her.

  I place one hand under my head, propping it up and the other falls to my chest. The bass from the outside speakers that my brother has blaring for those in the pool shakes my walls, but it doesn’t bother me. I’m used to it.

  I close my eyes, but they open when I feel a small hand on my chest. I look over to my left to see a set of beautiful blue eyes staring at me. “Hey,” I say, turning on my side and cupping her soft face.

  “Hey,” she says with a yawn. “How long have we been in here?”

  “Not even a minute.”

  She glides her hand down my chest and stomach and under the hem of my shirt. I tense as her fingers softly burn my skin. “Why haven’t you pressured me for sex?” she asks.

  Her question doesn’t surprise me. She’s been dropping hints here and there for a while now, but I’ve ignored them all. “I don’t want to rush you. I can wait until you’re ready.” Tristan’s words come back to me—fuck her before they do.

  “What if I told you I was ready now?” she whispers softly like she is too ashamed to say it out loud.

  My cock hardens at her words, but my jaw tightens. I’ve had blue balls for years now. I’ve thought of nothing but her and I having sex for longer that I can imagine. Our age difference isn’t all that bad, but I am eighteen now. And I never wanted to push her into something she wasn’t ready for. Presleigh is the kind of girl you wait for. Plus, in a world full of women and sex, I’ve wanted her to stay innocent as long as possible.

  She sits up and pushes me onto my back. I go willingly. Then she’s straddling me. My hands going to her jean-clad hips. “Bunny …”

  She reaches down and pulls her shirt up and over her head. “I want you, Avery.” She bites her lip nervously. “Don’t you want me?”

  I sit up, my hands going to her hair instantly, and I pull her head back and she starts to pant. I press my lips to her soft skin and inhale the scent of vanilla. It’s intoxicating. “Of course, I want you.” I say roughly. No need to lie. She can feel my hardness in my jean
s.

  “Please,” she begs, panting.

  “Please what, Bunny?” I ask, trailing down to her breast that her bra covers. We’ve fooled around before, but she’s always been the one to initiate it. I never wanted to overstep that line with her or make her feel uncomfortable. I love this woman!

  “Make love to me.”

  The fire burns, warming my study while giving off a soft glow. I sit at my desk, holding a glass of scotch in my hand. I’m on my fourth.

  “At least she survived,” Tristan offers. His words sound like he cares, but his tone is indifferent.

  I know how he feels. He couldn’t care less either way.

  I take a drink. “For now.”

  He looks up at me. “I have to say I’m surprised with Presleigh. I didn’t think she had the balls to go that far. I thought she was more of a fighter than to give up.”

  I shrug and look down at the letter opener on my desk. I found it with her in the tub along with a washcloth. It’s still covered in her dried blood. And another bottle of my scotch that she needed in order to pull it off. “Everyone has a breaking point.” A part of me hates that she gave in so fast. I liked the fight in her. It was much more attractive.

  “True,” he agrees.

  There’s a knock on my study door. “Come in.”

  Lance, our longtime family friend and doctor, peeks his head in. He looks around nervously before his brown eyes meet mine. “She’s asleep and will be for a while.”

  “Thanks,” I say, taking another drink.

  His eyes shoot to my brother and linger for a second before they go to my cell sitting on my desk. Then they land on mine. His brown eyes are wide with fear, and sweat has formed on his forehead.

  “You okay?” I ask, wondering what the hell is wrong with him. It couldn’t be the sight of Bunny earlier. He’s been a doctor for longer than I can remember. He’s seen worse than the state I found her in.

  “Yes. Yes,” he assures me with a nod of his head. “I’ll be going.” Then without another word, he exits and closes the door.

  “What the hell is wrong with him?” my brother asks.