A sizzle and smoke from the cigarette, the whip slicing through the air, the sickening smack of his disgusting skin against hers. The sounds repeat in that order, continuing for what feels like an eternity but all I can do is look into Liv’s grassy eyes and disobey the order I see in them.
Growling as my own tears start to fall, I yank my left hand free and immediately reach for the other but something nails me in the head before my back is slammed against the wood again. Blood flows down my forehead and over my eyes, my vision blacking out momentarily as my body sags then suddenly drops from the cross and I land on my knees.
The room is spinning but I start to crawl, moving straight toward Liv despite the violent urge to throw up and the spots dancing in my vision. I’m hit again, the force causing me to fall flat on the floor before I feel fingers digging in my hair and gripping the strands tight enough to tear a few loose. My head is jerked up and my hands are pulled behind my back, wrenched high enough to make me go upright before I’m forced on all fours. I’m so dazed I have no idea what’s happening, I can barely see what’s going on right in front of me. I’ve been hit in the head way too many times and I’m holding onto the tiny shred of hope that I don’t black out again. Liv needs me. I need her. I have to stay conscious. I can’t pass out, not until I know she’s safe.
“Maybe she’ll talk,” Mr. Clean says right next to my ear. “She smells like you, smells like you’ve been fucking like bunnies. Not bonded yet but close, right? I bet she’ll say anything to save you.”
Without warning, I feel someone grab my hips and tear my boxers off in one hard pull followed immediately by something kind of hard and very dry ramming into me. A sloppy tactic from some asshole deciding to go the extra mile. Probably some sadistic dumbass looking to use me as more than a way to get Liv to talk. But he’s not going to be able to brag to his buddies about assaulting the alpha son of a Bratva king and as soon as he realizes it, I’m sure he’ll kill me.
I gag and heave as his semi-hard dick drags back out of me, burning my flesh slowly before plowing into me again. It steals my breath as I feel myself stretch until it’s as if something rips, my involuntary tears sliding down my cheeks and mingling with my blood on my face.
I’m going to pass out.
I’ve never had this happen to me before, never been assaulted like this and rendered completely helpless. It doesn’t do anything but piss me off, but even that’s not enough to stop it.
I can’t help Liv because I’m too out of it, I’m too weak. I’m useless to her. Worthless because I can’t protect my soul mate. I can’t save her because I’m going into fucking shock.
“Niko.”
My eyes flutter as I brace myself against the floor, pushing up on my hands the best I can in order to follow the sound of Liv’s voice.
“That’s it, honey,” she says as she gasps. “Look at me, look at my face.”
I lurch forward with each disgusting pump of the bastard’s hips behind me and I vomit, wretching over and over but I force myself to do as she says. I grit my teeth and force down the bile,squinting and blinking against the pain, against the blood in my eyes, and look at my girl’s face.
The asshole that was behind her is gone. That’s a relief even though he’s probably the one behind me now. I don’t care. I’d rather take his punishment than watch it happen to my girl. She’s still in the stockade, and they’re still whipping her, but the sexual assault has stopped and at least that’s something I can do for her despite the way they keep beating her.
Over and over those leather belts crack against her flawless skin, tearing strips of her flesh, blood splattering toward the ceiling each time it’s lifted in the air. It’s like I’m watching in slow motion, my vision fading in and out as it latches on to those tiny flecks of red.
“Niko, honey, I need you to focus on me.”
I drag my stare from her body to her face, my eyes connecting with Liv’s the best they can. “I’m… sorry.”
She gasps again but I can see her shake her head. “Not on you. Love you. Eyes on me.”
Her head bobs as her teeth clench but neither of us look away.
“It’s not fucking working.” Someone close by growls as I’m pushed down ad land on my face, my cheek smacking against the concrete hard enough to make my teeth rattle. “Let’s just kill them and get the money. Who cares about the extra.”
Something long and hot presses against my back, burning a large portion of my skin but I’m beyond reacting. I’m almost beyond feeling it. I can barely see Liv anymore and all I can think about is how I failed her.
I didn’t protect her, I can’t save her.
I’ve failed my girl, and I don’t deserve anything other than what I’m getting, and maybe the imminent death that could possibly follow.
LIV
“Niko.” I push his name out of my mouth, forcing it through my lips as I watch him go limp. My sweet mate stops moving and his eyes slide closed, and my heart starts racing over what that could mean. “Niko, honey, wake up.”
A belt comes down across the small of my back as another hits my thighs and just when I open my mouth to call out to my omega again, the back of someone’s hand blasts across my jaw instead.
“We will kill him,” the big bald guy says as the taste of blood fills my mouth. “We will kill him while you watch and then we’ll kill you if we don’t get our answers.”
“I don’t, I don't have answers.” I can barely think of anything outside of Niko. They’ve been drugging me off and on ever since this guy broke into my RV, all so they could take turns raping me before they brought me out to Niko. It’s their fault my ability to speak is so impaired and my vocabulary is stuck on a simple few words. How the fuck am I supposed to give them anything after that? “I… I don’t know what you’re… What you’re talking about.”
He grabs me by the hair and jerks my head up just as it lolls, holding my roots and chin to force my stare on my soulmate. “Do you need more incentive than that?”
More tears stream down my face as I watch them heat up another poker, pressing it to his skin and twisting until it’s ripped away from him. I can see little pieces of flesh tear from his back, sticking to the hot metal before the same asshole kicks him in the ribs and does it again.
