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At Atlas’ club.
From that first day when Atlas told them to let me go, he tried to help me.
Joined the Iron Elite to get to me. Did deplorable things to people to gain their trust, to gain my freedom.
My heart cracks at the thought that I may never see him again. After all, how could he ever find me here? I don’t doubt he’ll look. That’s the kind of man he is.
A good one.
My mind conjures his face, the scars he pretends he doesn’t care about. I’ve seen the way others look at him and the way he acts above it. And he’s so much better than all of them. My dark knight, my brilliant monster, who did all he could to keep me out of the dark and then pull me back again when I fell farther than I should. Even rejecting me was his way of protecting me.
Because that’s what he does. Protects people.
He’ll come for you, a hopeful voice says.
Even with the ache between my legs, which makes me feel more used, broken, and dirty, I hold on to that thin thread of hope.
Atlas will find me.
He has to.
And until then, I just have to survive. Whatever Eli does, I need to survive.
Like a mantra, I fall asleep to the words running over and over in my mind.
I will survive this.
* * *
I thinkI spend the entire night tied up to that bed because when I open my eyes, I hear the vague sound of a bird song coming through the wall. For a moment, I close my eyes again and try to let myself pretend I’m somewhere else. Maybe I’m still a kid and camping with mom and dad, before he passed away. Or maybe it's just me and Sarah renting a cabin for a girls’ weekend away. Or maybe Atlas will come in the room any second with breakfast in bed for me, a smile on his uniquely handsome face.
I hear footsteps and the door opens, shattering my daydreams.
“Good morning, Vixen. How did you sleep?” Eli’s cheery voice says. He begins to untie the length of rope attached to the bed, and I groan as he pulls me up, my shoulders tight from a night of being stuck like that. When I get to a sitting position, I feel the pain of what happened last night, and an angry flush hits me.
Eli chuckles as he looks at me, a hand coming up to grab my chin. “God, you’re stunning when you’re angry. Shame I’ll have to beat that attitude out of you.”
I don’t register his words before the back of his hand hits my face and I crash back down to the bed, my ears ringing. Eli moves his face close to my ear.
“I told you a long time ago, I don’t appreciate rudeness. And glaring at your host is very fucking rude, wouldn’t you say, Vixen?”
I don’t reply, my eyes focusing on a small spot on the wall behind him. My lip quivers, but I don’t let fresh tears fall. He’s had enough of my tears.
“Good girl,” he says after a moment, standing up. “There is a bathroom in the next room. You can clean up, should you wish. When you’re done, meet me in the kitchen for breakfast. Don’t make me regret my kindness,” he warns before walking out.
Once he’s gone, I sit on the edge of the bed. My wrists are still tied with a length of rope between them, but my feet are free. The room I’m in has no windows, only a shitty cot and a small dresser. I go over and take a look inside and find it empty.
I briefly debate staying in the room, but I do feel gross. Plus, my head is swimming with dizziness from no food or water in what must be almost twenty-four hours now, not to mention the multiple hits to the head I’ve gotten. A spark of anger hits me when I think of it, but I push it down. That won’t help me. Not yet.
Don’t piss him off, just survive. Atlas will find you.
I take a deep breath before I peek my head out the door, scrambling to the next room where I find a small bathroom. I wish I could scrub my skin raw, stand under a hot shower until it scalds Eli’s touch from my skin, but I make do with what I have. There’s no hot water or soap, but I manage to sponge myself off with a small cloth.
I’m rinsing my mouth as best as I can when the door swings open. I pause and look up at Eli, whose eyes roam over my naked body.
“Come on,” he says gruffly. He waits until I step out of the room before taking the rope and leading me through the cabin. My cheeks flush at the thought of following him like a damn dog but I keep my anger in check, and follow.
“Eat,” he says, shoving me into a chair. In front of me is a plate of eggs and a piece of plain bread. My stomach rumbles loudly, and I surprise myself when I don’t hesitate to dig in, barely stopping to breathe between bites.
