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“Please tell me you have something,” my voice was desperate.
“I know where she is,” Agent Greggs responded. For the first time since Lily disappeared, I felt hope.
28
LILY
“You’ve been very naughty, my pet.” He tutted at me like I was a puppy who’d peed on the carpet. Taking a few steps closer, he stopped just short of his expensive shoes touching my vomit, pity.
“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are but I’mnotyour pet,” I gritted through my teeth. My sore muscles were tense as I mentally prepared myself to attack, if he tried to touch me it would be the biggest mistake of his life thinking I’d be meek and subservient.
“Such a filthy mouth. I don’t like my pets to speak in such a manner, you’ll come to understand that. Tell me, do you know who I am?” His head tilted to the side, his question casual, as if we weren’t in the most fucked up situation.
“No, but if I had to guess I’d say you’re a rich piece of shit who thinks he can buy people with all his money and get them to do whatever he wants. You won’t get away with this.”
His responding laugh was booming, filling the room. My kidnapper joined him, the giant remaining silent as if this were just a normal Tuesday at the office.
“Oh, I had no idea that you were so spirited. We are going to have such fun together. However, I regret to inform you that I very much can do whatever I want and have been for longer than you’ve been alive. Money indeed buys everything one could desire and I’ve been looking for you for a very, very long time.”
Fear flooded my veins as I connected the dots of how I’d come to be chained on a filthy mattress in this room of horrors. My mind rebelled, I’d been careful, my father was dead and I had no ties to Lily Barrett anymore. There was no way he was the man I’d heard my father talking to all those years ago.
“You see, Jacob, she’s starting to put it together. My pet is very smart, isn’t she?”
He clapped his hands in approval, making me jump and a small whine come from Stephanie’s side of the room. He’d been solely focused on me until now and I didn’t want his sick attentions on her. I shifted my foot, the noise of the chain covering her sounds.
“She sure is, Mr. Ashwood.” I focused on this new bit of information. My original kidnapper’s name was Jacob and judging by the way he’d addressed him, Mr. Ashwood was undoubtedly in charge.
“Ah, I’m incredibly happy with my purchase, Lily. May I call you Lily?” When it was clear that I wasn’t going to be answering him he continued on. “Well, I suppose I never actually completed the sale, you managed to escape before I could finalize the deal with your father. My condolences on his passing, by the way. It’s horrible what can befall a man when he crosses the wrong people, isn’t it?”
This man, Ashwood, had had my father killed. Presumably because he was going to buy me from him and I ran away before that could happen. If he was looking for surprise or guilt from me, he’d find neither. He frowned, clearly displeased by my lack of reaction and I cheered inwardly from the small victory.
“Hmm, I suppose it’s befitting that you do not mourn him. He was a disgusting individual but I’m afraid those are the sorts you have to deal with in this industry. Your father was always going to be a loose end, but he had something I very much wanted and was able to use that bargaining chip to stay alive a little while longer.” Ashwood rocked back on his heels, hands relaxed in his pants pockets like he wasn’t in the midst of the horror story that was my life.
“How did you find out about me?” Ashwood was in a talking mood and I wanted to keep it going. Not only because I would finally know the truth but also because if he was talking, he wasn’t hurting me or Stephanie.
One hand emerged from his pocket and he waved it in the air like my question was ridiculous. “There isn’t a single person that I come in contact with even through my employees that I do not have a file on. Jacob handled the particular business your father was involved in and being the trusted employee that he is, knew that you were something that would catch my interest.
“You were such a good find and I have to admit your disappearance only had me more intrigued. I’ve never had to work this hard to procure one of my pets. Tell me, how were you able to escape and stay hidden? You had no money, no connections, you certainly don’t have the good breeding that gives you power.”
My jaw ached with how tightly I kept it clenched so that I didn’t question why he wanted me so badly when he’d all but called me poor trash. And if he expected me to give him the names of the people who’d risked their lives to help me, he’d be waiting a long ass time. I’d never betray them.
“That’s fine, you don’t have to tell me. Curiosity is a bit of a weakness of mine. In time I’ll find out all of your secrets little pet. I wonder, does your soldier know them?”
My entire body jolted at his words. He knew about Grayson? He was a Marine, not a soldier, but surely that’s who he was referring to. His lackey had said that he was supposed to get the girl, too. No,no. He had me now, why would he need to threaten them? To control me? It would work. My worry that he’d hurt them must’ve been showing on every inch of my face and he looked delighted to have evoked a reaction out of me at last.
“I sat down with your father in that horrible trailer you lived in and made him an offer.” He continued on as if he hadn’t just devastated my entire world.
“Dealing with guardians can be a tricky situation, you never quite know how they are going to respond to your proposal, but he reacted very favorably. He was even able to have me upping my price when he shared with me that you were untouched. It’s rare to find that these days, most spread their legs for some ungrateful boy by the time they are eighteen, whoring themselves out for male attention. You were the proverbial needle in the haystack. Considering where Jacob found you, I would assume that is no longer the case.”
Gross. He was asking if I was still a virgin like he was inquiring about a used car. In that moment I was beyond grateful that I wasn’t. It was one thing he’d never be able to take from me.
“How terrible you won’t get your money’s worth,” I spit at him. Fuck him for wanting to rape virgins.
He sighed, “I must admit that is a disappointment but not unexpected. Unfortunately, you’ll need to be punished for that. Knowing that you have allowed a cock between your thighs would normally have me losing interest. I do like to saver the look of pain that crosses a girl’s face when she is invaded for the first time. No matter, I’m sure I can come up with a way to recreate the experience for you.” His eyes twinkled when he mentioned punishment.
“Jacob, tell me, where is the soldier’s daughter?”
I flung myself upward, screeching as I reached for his neck, nails curved inward, prepared to dig into his throat. He’d come close to the edge of the mattress and I knew I could reach him; the chain was long enough. But I only had a moment to savor the look of fear on his bloated, awful face when large arms wrenched me away.
