Obsession (Raven’s Vale Psychos #1

Chapter Eleven

Hollis

Riot had been gone for hours, and I could no longer wait for him. Making my way downstairs, I listened intently, hoping Crash and Kane were gone as well. I tried not to leave the room without Riot, but I hadn’t eaten lunch, and it was now nearing dinnertime. There was no way of knowing when Riot would return, and I was starving.

“Going somewhere, Hollis?” Crash asked from behind me.

I tensed and glanced over my shoulder, seeing both him and Kane. Before I had a chance to second-guess myself, I bolted. I knew it wasn’t likely I could escape them, but I had to at least try. I didn’t make it far before Crash wrapped his arms around me, yanking me up off the floor.

“Get off me!” I screamed, struggling to break free from his grasp. But he was too strong.

“Riot won’t save you this time,” Crash whispered into my ear, his words making my blood run cold. They dragged me through the house and out onto the streets.

I didn’t dare scream. For one, it wouldn’t do me any good. Not unless Riot was nearby. And second, it might draw unwanted attention. What if Crash and Kane had people out here waiting to help in the event I did manage to get past them? I could barely hold on as it was. If anyone else decided to take a few swings, or worse, I wasn’t sure I’d last.

They forced me to keep moving, not stopping until we’d reached the edge of town. In the distance, a building loomed ahead, its decaying walls seeming to mock me with their crumbling facade. As we entered the derelict structure, horror began to twist its tendrils around my heart. What did they want from me? Why had they brought me here?

Crash shoved me into a chair, the rickety wood groaning beneath me as they bound my wrists and ankles with coarse rope that bit into my flesh, drawing blood. Panic surged through me as I realized there was no escape -- not from these sadistic monsters, nor from the terror that threatened to swallow me whole.

“Comfortable?” Kane snickered, circling me like a predator sizing up its prey.

“Fuck you!” I couldn’t let them see how scared I was right now. I knew that would only make things worse.

“Feisty little thing, aren’t you?” Crash remarked, smirking cruelly. “Riot must’ve had his hands full.”

“Leave him out of this.”

“Sorry, sweetheart.” Kane leaned in close. “But you’re our ticket to breaking him. And we won’t hesitate to do whatever it takes to get what we want from you. Crash and I may be killers, but we’re different from Riot. Not once have I detected any humanity in that bastard.”

My heart pounded violently against my ribcage. I couldn’t let them win. No matter what they did to me, I had to protect Riot, even if it cost me everything. What would they do to him if they discovered he treated me gently? It was one thing for them to think he’d grown attached to me, but I doubt he’d ever shown a tender side to either of them.

The flickering fluorescent light overhead cast ghastly shadows on Crash and Kane’s faces as they loomed over me. A cold sweat clung to my skin. I had a feeling I wasn’t getting out of here. Not alive at any rate. Would Riot be the one to find my lifeless body?

“Tell us, Hollis. What the fuck did you do to him? Why hasn’t he killed you like all the others?”

“Nothing!” I cried out. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Riot’s never given a damn about anyone before,” Kane said, pacing with restless energy. “So why the hell would he start caring about some pathetic little bitch like you? From what I can see, there’s nothing special about you.”

“I don’t have to tell you shit.” I glared at them. If I could just keep them talking, then maybe Riot would return and realize something was wrong.

“Watch your mouth, girl,” Crash warned. “Or we’ll find a way to keep it shut for you.”

“Go ahead and try.” I refused to give them the satisfaction of breaking me, even if every fiber of my being screamed for me to run as far as I could and hide from these two.

“Have it your way.” Kane cracked his knuckles. “But don’t say we didn’t warn you.”

“Riot won’t let you get away with this.”

“Believe what you want, sweetheart,” Crash mocked, leaning in close so his breath washed over me. “But Riot’s not going to save you. Nobody is. You can scream, and no one will come running. Beg and plead all you like. We don’t care.”

“Riot will kill you both,” I whispered. “And I’ll be there to watch you bleed.”

Although, I had to wonder if he really would. He considered Crash and Kane his family. What if his loyalty to them ran deeper than what we had together? He might have done his best to keep me safe from them so far, but it didn’t mean he’d slaughter them for hurting me.

“Now, let’s get down to business, shall we?” Crash asked.

The glint of a knife caught my eye, its cold steel reflecting the light that flickered in the room. Crash drew it from his belt, twirling it between his fingers with unnerving ease.

“I personally prefer guns,” he said. “I’m not into messy and bloody like Riot is, but for you, I’ll make an exception. Shall we see how tough you really are?”

“You can both go to hell,” I said.

“Wrong answer.” I felt the first searing pain as Crash sliced into the flesh of my arm. I bit my lip to suppress a scream, unwilling to give them any satisfaction. The blood began to flow, warm and sticky against my skin. I could hear the sound of it dripping onto the floor, even over the roaring in my ears.

“Ready to talk now?” Crash asked, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight.

I gritted my teeth against the agony and shook my head. No matter what they did, I couldn’t give in. If Riot came and saw that I’d relented, he’d be disappointed in me. I needed to be strong.

“Suit yourself,” he replied, tracing the knife across my other arm in a slow, agonizing cut. I couldn’t hold back the cry of pain this time, and both Crash and Kane laughed cruelly at my suffering.

“Still think Riot’s coming for you?” Kane taunted, leaning in close to whisper in my ear. “Trust me, he’s long gone by now. Off on a kill most likely. I’ve been watching, and he seemed a bit antsy.”

I fought against my restraints, the ropes biting into my wrists as I struggled to free myself. Every movement sent fresh waves of pain shooting through my body, but I refused to give up. I would not let them break me.

“Is that all you’ve got?” I glared defiantly at Crash. “You’re going to have to do better than that if you want to make me talk.”

“But don’t worry -- we’ve got plenty more in store for you.” Crash kneeled in front of me, twirling the knife again. What the hell did they have planned?

He sank the blade into my thigh, and I nearly blacked out. The sound of it being pulled out nearly made me sick.

“Riot will find you,” I said, clenching my teeth, my vision swimming as the pain became almost unbearable. “And when he does, you’ll wish you’d never laid a hand on me.”

“Keep dreaming, sweetheart.”

Kane came closer again, slapping my face with his open palm. My head whipped to the side and pain bloomed across my face. A tear slid down my cheek, and I heard him snicker. Asshole!

But even as my body racked with agony, my mind clung to one unwavering thought -- that Riot would come, and he would save me from this nightmare. Blood dripped from my split lip. Kane’s fist slammed into my stomach, and I coughed and sputtered, gasping for breath. I could feel the sting of each bruise and cut that marred my skin.

“Still not talking?” Crash asked, his fist connecting with my cheek. The impact sent a jolt of pain through my skull, and I tasted blood as I bit down on my tongue to keep from crying out. Even if Riot did come for me, I wasn’t going to look very pretty. Who knew how long it would take to heal from everything they’d done to me already, much less whatever else they were going to do.

They wanted answers, but I wouldn’t break. I couldn’t. My loyalty to Riot was unwavering, even in the face of this torture. It didn’t matter if he was able to love me back. I’d fallen for him, and I wouldn’t betray him.

“Feisty bitch,” Kane muttered, yanking my head back by my hair. “But she won’t last much longer. We still have a few aces up our sleeves.”

“Riot’s going to tear you apart for this. You’ve said it yourself. I clearly mean something to him.” My words were slurring, and my vision blurred. I hoped I could stay awake.

Crash chuckled darkly, his sadistic glee evident in every syllable. “We’ll see about that. As long as you’re alive, it means we have leverage. If he really does think you’re something special, then he’ll do what we want if it means keeping you alive.”

“What you want?” I asked. “I thought you just wanted me dead.”

Crash shrugged. “Yes and no. We’ve left Riot in charge for a handful of reasons.”

Kane snorted. “Yeah, like he’s crazier than either of us.”

Crash shot him a glare. “But if Riot really does care for you, then he’d do anything to get you back.”

“Let’s try something else,” Kane suggested, grabbing a rusty pair of pliers from a nearby table. He approached me slowly, a sinister smile playing across his lips.

I couldn’t hold on much longer. What was he going to do with those? Fear filled me, and I struggled to not let the darkness creep in and suck me down. Who knew what they’d do if I passed out?

“Such a brave little thing,” Kane taunted, gripping one of my fingers tightly with the pliers. “But let’s see how long that lasts.”

The pressure increased, and every ounce of my resolve shattered as the pain became unbearable. I screamed, my body shaking with agony and terror, but still, I refused to give them what they wanted. The pliers bit into my finger, breaking the skin and cracking the bone.

“What did you do to him? Why does he give a shit about you?” Crash asked.

I couldn’t have answered if I wanted to. My mind felt fuzzy, and if I hadn’t been tied to the chair, I’d have fallen to the floor by now. Only the ropes were holding me up.

Kane applied even more pressure to my finger. White hot pain hit me, and I screamed long and loud, no longer able to hold back. Tears flowed freely, but I wouldn’t beg for mercy. I knew they didn’t have any to give.

My head lolled to the side, vision nearly going black from the pain coursing through my body. I forced myself to focus on my surroundings, searching for any possible escape plan or weakness I could exploit to turn the tables on Crash and Kane. With the damage they’d done to my body, I wasn’t sure I could escape even if I were free.

They continued their sadistic work, and I gritted my teeth, forcing my mind to go elsewhere, someplace warm and safe. Whatever came next, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be fully present for it. If they knew Riot at all, then they’d have realized this was a terrible idea. Even if I died, I didn’t think they would get out of this unscathed. I might not be around to see it happen, but Riot would get revenge for me.

“I’m not sure why he thinks she’s so amazing,” Kane said. “Seems like all the others. Weak. She’ll break eventually.”

Never. No matter how much they tortured me, or what they said, I wouldn’t give in. Every blow, every insult broke me down a little at a time, and yet, I managed to hold on.

“He’s going to be so pissed,” I murmured.

“You’ll either be dead when he gets here, or close to it. Even if he comes back and realizes you’re gone, he still has to find you. This town may not be big, but there are tons of places we could have taken you.” Crash smiled. “But until then, I’m sure we can squeeze in a few more hours of playtime. You’re up for it, right, Hollis?”

“Count on it.” I barely got the words out and couldn’t hold my head up. I knew they had to find me funny. Talking all brave and acting like none of this mattered -- when they were clearly winning.

“Look, Hollis. I believe you have a visitor,” Kane said.

I managed to move my head enough to look toward the door. Had Riot come for me? My breath froze in my lungs when I saw Lyla heading toward me. How had she known where I was? Had she come to save me? No, the way she smiled at me reeked of evil and madness. She really had been working with Crash and Kane all along.

“Look who’s here,” Crash sneered as Lyla walked in hesitantly. My heart dropped like a stone when I realized she was part of this cruel game.

“What’s the matter? Surprised your little friend turned on you?” Kane asked. “She’s been our little gopher for a while now. Long before Riot took a liking to you. She’s not bad for a quick fuck either.”

My body trembled and bile rose in my throat, but I focused all my remaining energy on keeping my gaze locked on Lyla. “Why, Lyla? I thought we were friends.”

She scoffed, finally meeting my gaze. “You really think anyone could be friends with a pathetic piece of shit like you? Pretending to like you was awful. I couldn’t stand listening to you, much less spending time together.”

Tears streamed down my face. The pain in my battered body paled in comparison to the bitter sting of her words. All this time, I’d managed to get through every day of my miserable life because I thought I had a friend. Someone who understood, who cared. It had all been a lie. Was my entire life meaningless?

“Time’s almost up, Hollis,” Crash said. “Last chance to spill before things get really ugly.”

But just as despair threatened to consume me, a distant noise caught my attention. It was faint, but unmistakable -- a heavy thud that sounded like approaching footsteps.

“R-Riot?” My heart hammered in my chest. Please let it be him!

“Ha! You’re delusional,” Lyla snorted, but I saw a flicker of doubt in her eyes. “He’d never come here. Not for you. Don’t tell me you thought he really wanted you? I knew you were pathetic, but really?”

“What if he is here?” I asked.

“Keep dreaming, bitch.” Lyla laughed as Kane stepped closer, pressing a knife to my throat. Was this the end? Were they going to slice my neck and let me bleed out?

“Ticktock, Hollis,” Crash warned, an evil grin stretching across his face. “Time’s running out. Why does Riot keep you around? How are you making him change?”

“I was never your friend, Hollis. Just another pawn in this fucked-up game,” Lyla said. “I used you, and I’m sure Riot is too. You have no one but yourself in this entire world. Why are you fighting so hard? Just give in already.”

“He’s coming,” I whispered, knowing deep in my gut that what I’d said was true.

Lyla shook her head. “You’re hearing things, Hollis. No one is coming for you. Remember when I told you I’d help you find a way out of Raven’s Vale? I lied. I never wanted you to leave. I just wanted to see the hope in your eyes die, watch you wither a little more every day.”

Lyla leaned in close. The look in her eyes screamed I’m a crazy person. How had I never noticed it before?

“Every time you confided in me, every secret you shared… I told them all to Crash and Kane. They’ve known your every hope and dream, your every fear since the beginning.”

“You’re a monster,” I whispered, unable to hold back a sob.

“Look who’s talking, sweetheart,” Lyla shot back, her eyes glinting with cruel amusement. “You really think you’re any better than us? You’re in love with a fucking serial killer. How screwed up is that?”

“Time’s up.” Crash was ready to make good on his threats. If Riot didn’t get in here soon, I was going to die.

The door exploded inward, shattering into a storm of splinters. Riot stood there, his towering frame wreathed in shadows, his eyes blazing with fury.

“Step away from her.” His voice sounded like a deadly promise.

In that moment, as if sensing her own doom, Lyla made a run for it. She sprinted toward the shattered doorway, but Riot was faster. With one swift motion, he closed the distance, catching her by the throat. His blade flashed, slicing through flesh and tendon, and Lyla crumpled to the ground, choking on her own blood.

“Riot.” Relief and terror warred within me as he turned his attention to Crash and Kane. I’d been right. He’d come for me.

His hands fisted at his sides as he advanced toward Crash and Kane, his boots thudding against the filthy floor. “You two should’ve known better than to fuck with what’s mine.”

“Riot, man, we were just --” Kane didn’t get to finish his sentence before Riot’s fist connected with his jaw, silencing him. The force of the blow sent Kane sprawling, blood spraying from his mouth as he hit the ground.

“Shut the fuck up! I told the two of you before. Hands off. What the hell did you do to her?” Riot asked.

I watched from my chair, bound and bruised, as something fierce and terrible bloomed within me at the sight of Riot defending me. A love so twisted that it hurt yet felt so right. This man, this monster, was willing to spill blood for me. The blood of his brothers at that. The two people who had been the closest to him. And I knew, without a doubt, that I would do the same for him.

“Please, Riot, let’s talk about this.” Crash backed away as Riot stalked toward him.

“Talk? There’s nothing to talk about.” He lunged at Crash, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the wall. His eyes burned with a sadistic fire as he tightened his grip, and I wondered if he might actually kill Crash.

“Tell me, Crash. Did you really think you could get away with hurting her? Did you honestly believe you could break us apart?”

Crash wheezed, struggling for air. His hands clawed at Riot’s, trying to pry himself free.

“Fucking pathetic.” Riot released Crash’s throat only to slam his fist into his gut, doubling him over in agony.

I could hardly breathe as I watched Riot tear through them. It scared me how much I loved him in this moment, his brutal strength and savage devotion. I’d never wanted anyone more.

“Riot,” I whispered, my voice barely audible above the sounds of violence and pain. “They’re your family. Don’t kill them.”

He glanced back at me, a wicked grin spreading across his face. “Don’t have to kill them to make a point.”

His fist slammed into Crash’s temple, knocking him out with one blow. Kane didn’t even resist as Riot hit him again and again. Once he passed out, Riot came over to untie me. The moment the bonds were loosened, I fell into Riot’s arms, unable to sit upright.

My tears soaked his shirt as he lifted me and carried me out of the building. I was finally safe. Or as safe as I’d ever be as long as I remained by his side.