The Warehouse
Chapter twenty-eight
Jake
I shiver as I look around and take in all the tools hanging on the walls.
They’re rusted and look like they haven’t been used in decades, but they could still do some damage.
Besides the chair I’m sitting in and a table along the wall, there isn’t much else in here.
How can a place so empty feel so threatening?
I look down and shudder when I realize my shirt is missing. He put his hands on me again. The thought makes me want to vomit. I’m just thankful he didn’t remove my pants too. I don’t want to consider what he could have done to me while I was unconscious.
“Glad to see you’re awake, sweetheart,” he says with a sleazy smile. I stare at him numbly for a minute, trying to make sense of what is happening.
“You’re not real,” I try to say, but my words are slurred. “You’re dead.”
“We’ve been over this, pet. I’m very real.”
“Where is Seth? What the fuck did you do with him, you bastard? He’s innocent, he’s never done anything to you!” I’m terrified he killed Seth, guilt overwhelming me for a second at the thought. My fault, I think.
I don’t see the backhand coming, and it rocks my head to the side, disorienting me momentarily. He points a meaty finger in my face. “No swearing, pet.”
“What is your plan here? Alex is going to find me. This is the first place he’ll look.”
“That’s fine. I don’t need much time. We won’t be here long. I’m going to take you and Seth somewhere he’ll never find you.” He picks up a shucking knife lying on a small metal table.
“Oh, god.” I close my eyes, trying to keep the nausea at bay.
This can’t be happening. He brings the knife up to my face and runs it lightly down my cheek, taunting me with it but not piercing my skin.
I flinch and lean my head as far away from him as I can get while restrained to this damned chair.
“Don’t you touch me. Don’t touch me.” Panic rising in my chest, I pull at my binds with all my strength.
But of course, they don’t budge. I’ve never been strong enough to protect myself from this man, why would it be any different now?
I try to disappear. I know I won’t be able to outrun him, but I have to get out of this chair.
After concentrating for a minute, I realize that I can’t do it.
I’m stuck. Again. Fuck. I desperately pull at my restraints until my wrists are raw and aching.
The whole time he just patiently stands there, watching me like my fear is amusing to him.
He chuckles, and with the hand not holding the knife, grabs a fistful of my hair and yanks my head back, exposing my neck. He brings the blade up to it, and I still. He can’t kill me, I don’t think, but he can hurt me. I feel his putrid breath puff against my cheek as he leans close.
“Now that we’re finally alone, we’re going to have some fun after I punish you.
Our last meeting was cut short, and I was so mad at myself for how it ended.
I guess I got a little… carried away. But now, we have all the time in the world, so it worked out.
You will remember your place.” He drags the blade down my chest, cutting into skin and muscle as I try not to cry out.
“I’ll correct you every time you forget. ”
I suck in a deep breath when he finally stops.
“Alex will find me. You won’t get away with this.
It doesn’t matter what you do to me, I will never be yours.
” I look him in the eyes, trying to portray a confidence I don’t feel.
I’m sick of being scared of him. I want to be strong.
For myself, for Alex. His grip tightens in my hair.
Scowling, he drags the blade down my chest again and again, and I can’t hold back my screams and pleas for mercy.
Blood slowly trails down my stomach as he rips me apart.
“You will always be mine,” he says with a snarl.
“You used to be so obedient for me, now all you do is fight. All the effort I put into training you, ruined. Maybe I’ll let him find us.
He can sit in the corner over there and watch as I take you apart over and over again.
Maybe I’ll fuck you in front of him, show him who you really belong to. How does that sound?”
I close my eyes and when I don’t answer, he shakes my head roughly. “If you don’t cooperate, I’m going to find him and hurt him. Answer me, you cunt. Do you want me to hurt your little boyfriend? Maybe he’d like to see what it’s like being with a real man.”
My resolve crumbles at the thought of him touching Alex.
I can never let that happen; it’s not an option.
I’ll do anything to protect him. “Okay, okay!” I say and frantically try to think of a way to distract him, keep his mind off Alex.
“Okay, I’ll do whatever you want, just please don’t hurt him.
” My chest heaves and I try to calm myself down.
I need a clear head so I think of a way out of this.
“Good boy. Now, I’m going to untie you, and you’re not going to do anything stupid. No sudden movements. If you try to fight me, you’ll regret it.” I nod my understanding. He straightens and uses the knife to cut the ropes binding me to the chair. When I don’t move, he grabs me roughly.
“Stand up!” I obey and wrap my arms around my middle, as if that can offer me any protection from him.
“Good.” He walks over to the table and sets the knife on it. I eye it, wondering if there is any possible way for me to get to it before he can grab me. I wouldn’t hesitate to gut him this time, to hopefully buy just enough time to get away.
He crowds me with his body, almost touching mine but not quite.
He’s taller than me so if I want to look him in the eye, I’ll have to raise my head.
I lower my gaze instead and stare at the floor.
He grabs my forearms and pulls them away from my chest, taking away any semblance of protection I felt and leaving me vulnerable to whatever he’s planning to do to me.
I can’t do this again. I won’t do this again.
The thought that even in death I’m not safe from him makes me want to vomit.
I just want to be left alone. Think about Alex, only Alex. Nothing else matters.
Andrei cups my face and caresses it gently, like a lover. He runs a thumb over my bottom lip, and I want so badly to bite it off. “Get on your hands and knees,” he says, voice low. “Do you remember how this goes? What happens when you disobey me?”
I nod, unable to speak.
He pulls his belt off and folds it in half. “Good, after your punishment we can have some fun, like we used to. You should be eager to please me by then. Now, get down.”
But I can’t make myself do it. I shake my head and try my best not to cry. I really, really don’t want him to hit me.
“Jacob,” he growls, tone almost seductive. “It only gets worse when you disobey.” My breaths are coming in too fast, but I’m frozen and on the verge of a panic attack as he details everything he’s going to do to me.
When I still don’t move, he runs out of patience, grabbing me by the hair and bringing the belt down on the back of my thigh. The force of the blow takes my breath away. I had forgotten how much that hurts.
“Fuck!” I scream as he hits me again, and struggle in his grip. “Get off me!” I plead.
He tries to take me down to the floor, but I lash out and kick him in the knee, running for the door when his grip on my hair loosens.
Behind me, he bellows in rage but I don’t look back as I run.
I don’t get far before his body crashes into me, tackling me to the floor.
He lands on top of me, knocking the breath out of my lungs.
“You’re going to regret that,” he says as he forces me onto my stomach, a knee digging into the back of my thigh to keep me pinned down.
“Please! Please don’t—”
Holding me down by the back of the neck, he brings the belt down on my back and ass without mercy.
I feel the stinging bite of the belt cut through my exposed skin, and I know I’m going to be a bloody mess by the time he’s done.
I don’t know how long I scream for before he finally drops it and I feel his weight lift off me.
Breathing hard, I don’t even attempt to move. My entire body is on fire.
“It’s done now. Sit up.”
I’m shaking, thoughts running a mile a second trying to figure out a way to slow this down.
I need to buy time. I need to get that knife.
Just then an idea strikes me. God, I hope this works.
I slowly sit up on my knees, looking up at him through my lashes.
It takes everything in me to keep the disgust I feel from showing on my face.
That look has gotten me out of trouble with him more than once.
He places a hand on my head and runs his fingers through my hair.
“Beautiful. This doesn’t have to be so difficult.
Just do as I say.” Keeping a hand on my head, he uses the other to lower the zipper on his pants.
Focus, focus, focus. I’ve done this a hundred times.
“Take me out, pet.” Steeling myself, I take him out of his pants.
He tilts his head back and groans. Just as he closes his eyes and tugs my head forward, I grab hold of his testicles and twist with everything I’ve got.
He howls in pain and shoves me away from him.
I don’t even think as I run to the table and grab the shucking knife.
Just as I get a hold on it, he crashes into me from behind, sending the table toppling and crashing us to the floor.
The shock of his weight on me distracts me long enough for him to throw a leg over my body, pinning me to the ground.
I thank my lucky stars that I didn’t lose my grip on the knife.
His weight presses me painfully into the floor, and I can’t get the right angle to stab at him, but I hold onto the knife like a lifeline, knuckles white.
Overy my dead body will he get this knife from me.
He pins my hand to the floor, puts his lips next to my ear and whispers, “Just remember that we could have done this the easy way. By the time I’m through with you, you’ll be begging to simply suck my cock.
” I shiver in revulsion as his lips find my neck.
This is a position I’ve been in countless times. No more.
He reaches under me to pop open the button of my jeans, taking just enough of his weight off my back that I have room to lean forward and bite into the hand pinning me down.
I sink my teeth into his flesh and hold on for all I’m worth, tasting his blood in my mouth.
He roars in outrage and sits up on his knees, giving me the space I need to roll over and swing the knife up, the blade catching him in the side right between his ribs.
I twist the knife and angle up, then pull it out and stab him three more times in quick succession.
Andrei topples to the side in shock and I slide out from under him, getting to my feet and running for the door.