Chapter 19
NINETEEN
FLORA
Days have dragged by, each one blending into the next. I have planned many ways to escape, each of them seeming impossible when I’m chained up like a dog.
We are outside on the balcony. They both smoke their cigarettes while I sit on the bench.
I look down at the chain wrapped around the leg of the bench, a stark reminder of my situation.
“Can I have a shower?” I ask.
“I didn’t hear a please ,” Lyka taunts, looking at me pointedly.
“Please.”
“That's better. Dax will join you.”
I freeze, rolling my eyes in disbelief. “Seriously?”
Dax and Lyka both look at each other and smirk. I hate how they find amusement in keeping me captive.
Without a word, Dax stubs his cigarette out, unwraps the chain from the bench, and leads me back into the cabin.
We enter the bathroom and he gives me a warning look as he uncuffs my wrist.
“Get undressed then…” he says, locking the bathroom door .
I peel my clothes off my body as his eyes watch me. Once, I would have loved this, but now it makes me feel terrified. I turn on the shower and step inside, feeling the water cascade down me.
I try to ignore Dax as I wash my hair and body. His eyes do not leave me. I see I have grown some hair on my legs and pussy. I look around for a razor, but I can't find it.
“Is this what you’re looking for?” Dax's voice breaks through the silence as he holds up the razor. I open the shower door and hold out my hand, expecting him to give it to me.
“You think I’m stupid enough to trust you with a razor?”
I look away as he starts undressing. He steps into the shower, fully naked with his cock semi-erect.
He looks down at his growing hard-on and smirks at me. My stomach churns.
I’m not having sex with him, he can fuck off.
He kneels down, takes my leg, and starts shaving gently.
“You’re tense, flower. Just relax,” Dax observes.
“How can I relax when I’m being held captive?”
He ignores what I just said and carries on shaving me. I close my eyes briefly as he shaves my pussy, getting in all the crevices. He finishes, opening the shower door and placing the razor on the floor.
“All done.”
The water drips off him as he stands up and, surprisingly, exits the shower. He puts his hand out to help me, but I step out without taking it. We both dry off and get dressed.
I notice that Dax hasn't put the cuff and chain back on my wrist. He opens the bathroom door and we exit to the hallway. I see Lyka bringing in logs from outside. The cool breeze shivers up my body as it touches my skin.
“Dax…” I whisper, my voice laced with seduction.
He turns around, but I press my lips against him before he can re act. I push him against the wall, and his hands touch my waist as we kiss.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Lyka stepping back into the cabin, carrying a heavy load of logs. The cabin door is wide open and I can taste freedom.
Sensing my opportunity, I deepen my kiss and bite down hard on Dax’s lip. I knee him in the balls and break away abruptly. He lets out a grunting noise as he drops to the floor. Without a second thought, I sprint towards the door.
“You bitch!” Dax moans out in pain.
My heart races as I burst through the threshold. I feel the ground beneath my bare feet as I continue to run.
I head straight to the trees, each branch that touches me cutting at my arms. I manage to look over my shoulder, expecting to see Dax and Lyka, but there’s no sign of them.
As I look around, the forest seems endless. I continue to sprint; my lungs feel like they are bleeding and my feet are getting cut up.
I hear in the distance, “ Flora! ”
My pulse quickens.
Ducking behind a thick oak tree, I have no choice but to try to hide. The forest is dead silent, not even a bird is chirping.
My body shakes with fear and adrenaline. Searching for any signs of them, I look around.
Then, I see Dax running off to my left, but he doesn't notice me. Relief floods through me and I exhale.
I stand up, keeping an eye out for Dax, step backward, and then collide with something hard.
“Going somewhere, baby?” Lyka whispers right behind me.
I don’t even have a chance to turn around before his strong arms wrap around me. I let out a piercing scream and thrash out my legs.
“Let me go!” I cry out .
He presses his lips against my ear and I feel his hot breath. “You really thought you could run away? That you could leave us ?”
Dax appears out of nowhere and grabs my legs. I try to kick out as they carry me towards the cabin. I scream as loud as I can, hoping anyone can hear me.
“No one can hear you, flower. Let's take her to the barn,” Dax says, his voice sounding sinister.
“Please. Let me go….please,” I sob as they haul me towards the barn.
They throw me down on the hard floor and pain shoots through my body. My feet are stinging from the cuts, and with each movement, I let out a whimper.
“It’s time for your punishment,” Lyka says coldly.
Dax rushes towards me, grabbing me and positioning me between his legs as he sits on the floor. He completely immobilizes me as his legs wrap around mine.
I feel utterly powerless. “What...What are you gonna do?” I tremble.
“You’re going learn your lesson,” Lyka hisses.
Dax's fingers dig into my arms, pinning them down.
I scream in terror as Lyka walks over to the workbench and picks up the branding iron and a blow torch. My whole body shakes frantically.
“Shh, it’s okay, little flower,” Dax whispers in my ear.
“Please…Please! No…No! I’ll be good!” I scream.
They don’t listen to me. Lyka turns on the blow torch and the flame turns blue.
He holds the branding iron over the flame and the letter F starts turning red.
“Please! I’ll do anything. Please, don’t do this!” I beg.
Lyka looks at me with predatory eyes and I try to struggle agains t Dax's hold. With each passing second, the branding iron glows brighter.
Dax manages to pull my shirt up and push my jeans down. Lyka walks over, holding the branding iron steady. His demeanor is so calm that it's frightening, like this is just another afternoon for him. “I’d stay still, if I were you,” he suggests.
My vision glosses over with my tears as I brace myself.
I’m trapped in a nightmare. I blink hard a couple of times, hoping to wake up.
“It’s only going to hurt more if you move,” Dax whispers in my ear.
Lyka closes the gap between us. I grit my teeth together and force myself to stay still.
The branding iron hovers above me and I can feel the heat radiate off it. Tears stream down my face and I can't help but squeal.
Lyka positions the branding iron on the right side of my pelvic area. He presses down on my skin and I let out an ear-splitting scream. The pain is excruciating as the branding iron sears through my flesh.
My body convulses against Dax's grip, but he pins me down. Every second feels like an eternity as I sit there in searing pain.
Lyka ensures the mark is seared deep into my skin. The scent of burnt skin and blood lingers in the air. Lyka grunts and removes the branding iron from my skin.
I can’t help but slump in Dax's arms. He kisses my cheek. “You’re a Faulkner now,” he says with pride in his voice.
I force myself to lift up my head and glance down. The letter F stares back at me. I am no longer me. I am theirs, a possession under their ownership.
I close my eyes, shake uncontrollably, and lay there, broken .
There is no escape. I am in hell.
LYKA
I watch Flora as she is fast asleep. I don't know how she looks so peaceful, considering the pain she must be in. Her dark blond hair frames her face, she almost looks angelic.
I gave her some strong pain medication and sleeping tablets. I lift the cover and pull it to the side, hoping I won't wake her up. I carefully inspect the brand, looking as it stands out against her pale skin. A slow smile spreads across my lips at the physical sight of our ownership over her. She stirs, moving her head slightly. With her eyes still closed, she furrows her brows.
I reach, moving a strand of hair away from her face, and place the cover back over her. Walking over to the other side of the room, I settle back down in the chair.
I admire Flora; she is very strong-willed. I’ve never seen someone as strong as her. This world was too cruel for her, leaving her alone with no one but Dax and me.
Dax insisted, telling me we were saving her and giving her a chance. Part of me didn't care if she killed herself in that forest. But the other part wanted to keep her. Claim her.
Now, she's marked and bound to us. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I didn’t give a shit if we went about it in a fucked up way.
I lean back in the chair and sigh, thinking about everything.
She was so lost and broken when we found her. I knew Dax was going to take her virginity; it was only a matter of time. The night it happened, I could see it in his eyes. He claimed her in the most intimate way. Of course, I wanted to be her first, but I was not worthy and never will be.
I’ve seen the other side of Dax, the side that he keeps hidden very w ell. He’s very good at putting on a fake mask, it helps lure people to us. But his darkness lurks beneath the surface. We’re equally as fucked up as the other. He manages to handle his emotions better than I do. However, despite this, we are brothers. We are Faulkners. And now, Flora is one of us, too.
She is ours.
I hear the door creak open and Dax enters the room.
“She’s still asleep then…” Dax says in a low voice.
“Yeah. The medication has knocked her out, thankfully.”
Dax gives a closed-lipped smile as he walks and stands beside me. We both watch her in silence. Flora makes a little whimpering sound, like she's having a bad dream. Too bad she won’t escape it when she wakes up. I sigh. It may take some time, but she will eventually come to terms with things. She doesn’t have another choice. When she gave her virginity, her trust, her art, her laughs, her broken heart, her shared desire to stay here forever with us…we knew that we would never let her go. A sick part of me loves watching her break in the process.
As much as I admire Flora’s strength, I admire her broken more.
We can only watch, wait, and hope she’ll understand in time.
The things we would do to keep this girl here. She has no idea.