Chapter Twelve
Violet
The coarse rope bit into my wrists, the strands scraping against my skin with each futile twist and pull. Panic clawed at my throat, as I fought against the bindings. Every fiber of my being screamed to break free, to run, to shield the tiny life budding within me from this nightmare.
I had to stay silent, keep my pregnancy hidden behind gritted teeth. My captors weren’t aware of the baby, and that ignorance was the only shield I could offer my child. The thought of them discovering my secret, of them possibly using it against me -- it chilled me to the bone.
I clung to silence, knowing that uttering even a single word about the life growing inside me could be more dangerous than the ropes that bound me. I prayed for someone to find us, to make it out of this alive. Not knowing what they wanted was the worst part of it all. What were they planning?
The door creaked open, spilling in a sliver of light that sliced through the darkness. My heart leapt to my throat as three figures emerged from the shadows, their heavy boots thudding on the floor. Their laughter was coarse, grating against my ears as they approached. One of them carried a small lantern.
“Look at her, all scared and trembling,” one sneered, his face obscured by a thick beard, his eyes glinting without warmth.
“Like a rabbit caught in a trap.” Another chuckled, his leather jacket creaking as he leaned closer, his breath reeking of cigarettes.
“Boss says she’ll fetch a pretty price overseas,” the third captor said, his voice cold and detached. He had an ugly scar trailing from his eye down to his jaw, a permanent smirk twisted into his rough-hewn features. “Said he’d already had a taste and she was super sweet.”
Overseas . The word echoed in my mind, a chilling promise of a fate worse than this dark room. I bit back a sob, not giving them the satisfaction of seeing my fear. They couldn’t know about the baby. They couldn’t have that power over me.
“Please,” I whispered, “don’t do this.”
“Quiet,” the scarred face man snapped, his hand striking out with a swift motion that made me flinch. “You’re nothing but cargo.”
As they laughed, discussing the details of their vile trade, I shrank back, trying to become invisible. The ropes held me tight, and the thought of escape flickered in my mind. Could I risk it? Could I dare to make a move? First, I’d have to free myself from the ropes.
The baby. My baby. The tiny life inside me depended on every decision I made. Escape meant running, fighting, putting us both in danger. But staying… staying could mean never feeling the freedom of the wind on our faces, the warmth of the sun. My thoughts whirled, each one sharpened with fear.
Not to mention, if I had a daughter, what would they do to her? Would they raise her like cattle to be sold later? The thought sickened me. Bile rose in my throat, and I knew I couldn’t let that happen.
Their words caught my attention again. “Boss said this one is special.”
What the hell did that mean? What made me different from anyone else they’d done this to?
“She just looks like a hole to fuck,” another one said.
The first one shook his head. “She’s apparently got some fight in her. Brother was military. Once Boss had a taste, he put out feelers and found the right buyer. Heard this guy is willing to pay big.”
Was that why they’d come for me? Because of how much someone offered to pay for me? It sickened me. Why were there monsters like these in the world?
March will come for us. I had to cling to that hope like a lifeline. Every second felt like an eternity. How long had I been here already?
My eyes darted around the room, searching for anything, any weakness in my captors or the place itself. I had to be smart, wait for the right moment. For my child, I would endure, I would survive. But deep down, I knew I needed to find an opening, and soon. The longer I was here, the more likely I wouldn’t make it out of this alive.
I needed to stay strong. For me and my baby. But the strength to fight, to flee, was slipping through my fingers. And then, I heard it. A faint noise outside the door, so soft yet it sent my heart racing with desperate hope. Could it be…? Had March possibly found me?
Had it been hours? Days? I didn’t think a week or more had passed. Time didn’t mean much here. My sense of time blurred under the dim light that never brightened or faded. Without a single window in this place, I had no way of keeping track of time.
Where are you, March? I pictured his piercing blue eyes, the set line of his jaw when he made a promise. He wasn’t just the Underland MC’s Sergeant-at-Arms. He was my beacon of hope, and the man I loved with all my heart.
All but one man left the room, leaving the lantern behind. It glowed on the opposite side of the room, the light not quite reaching me, yet still dispelled a lot of the darkness. It made the space a little less frightening.
I remembered the night I first truly connected with March, an unexpected moment of vulnerability from the man who seemed as impervious as steel. He’d let me in and talked about what happened with Ben, and I’d seen the weight he carried. I could only imagine what he was thinking or feeling right now. He must have been terrified, not knowing where I was or if I was even still alive.
March wouldn’t fail me. Not when everything was at stake. We’d become so close. It didn’t seem fair. Why was this happening? We’d both already suffered so much. Was it wrong for us to try and find happiness? It almost felt like the universe didn’t want us to be together.
A rat scurried across the cold floor, its tiny claws scraping. It was a sound I’d grown accustomed to, a companion in my captivity that marked the endless passage of time. I no longer flinched at its presence, my focus solely on the life I was determined to protect.
“March will come,” I whispered into the darkness, letting the certainty of those words fill me with a strength I desperately needed. It was all I had left to hold on to.
The chill of the room seeped into my bones, a constant reminder of the cold reality I was trapped in. My breath came out in short puffs, fogging the air before me as I shifted against the bindings that held my wrists tight. Panic fluttered in my chest, but I pushed it down, forced it away with thoughts of warmth and freedom.
The tiny life inside me was oblivious to the danger, and I envied its blissful ignorance. I imagined wrapping my baby in soft blankets, away from this harsh world, where the only noise would be our laughter. I’d foolishly thought this place would be safe once the corrupt officials were gone. But I’d been stupid. Sure, part of me had worried the men who’d raped me might come back, but when all this time passed and nothing happened, I’d thought maybe I was in the clear. There wasn’t a single place in this world that could be considered as safe. Evil lurked in the corners and came in all shapes and sizes.
A distant clang echoed through the walls, jolting me from my reverie. My heart skipped a beat. Could it be? Don’t get your hopes up . But I couldn’t help myself. Maybe it was March. He wouldn’t let me rot here. He promised safety, family. And March always kept his promises.
A shadow moved outside the door, spilled under the crack into the dimly lit space, a fleeting glimpse of something other than the stark walls of my prison. It has to be him. Please, let it be him .
I had to believe the club had come to rescue me. If I dared to consider it was just another of the evil men who’d taken me, then I might actually break down and give up hope.
“Come on, March,” I muttered, the fight reigniting within me. “Find me.” The shadows danced again, taunting me with the possibility of salvation just beyond my reach. Every noise was a potential harbinger of his arrival, every moment stretched thin with waiting.
I closed my eyes, praying this would all be over soon. I wanted to go home, to be with my newfound family. If I was wrong, and March couldn’t find me, then I knew my life was about to become a living hell. And I worried the same would be true for my baby.
The sound came again, closer this time -- a rattle that set my nerves alight. Footsteps? Were those footsteps? My breath hitched, my body tensing as I strained to hear, to identify the source.
And then I heard it, a scraping sound outside the room. My heartbeat thundered, loud enough to drown out all else. This was it. Either my salvation would walk through the door, or my damnation.
The rope against my wrists bit deep, the sting a sharp reminder of each failed attempt to break free. I twisted again, desperation clawing at my resolve. The ropes were relentless, my skin raw from the struggle. Sweat trickled down my temples and spine.
Even when they let me use the bathroom, which wasn’t nearly often enough, they kept me trussed up. By some miracle, they hadn’t decided to watch. They only gave me small sips of water here and there, and a handful of stale crackers. At this rate, I’d pass out from hunger or dehydration.
I glanced at the man guarding me. He didn’t seem concerned about the noise. Did that mean it was more of the men who’d taken me? I squirmed, the chair rocking slightly as I tried to find a way to free myself.
“Quiet down, girl,” the man said before spitting on the floor. He watched me, his gaze heavy.
I shimmied against the chair again, searching for any slack, any give in the ropes. Nothing. Panic fluttered in my chest. I couldn’t stay here. Not with the baby. Not with what they planned to do. Whether March was coming to save me or not, I couldn’t sit and do nothing. I refused to give up.
“Going somewhere?” the man mocked. His footsteps echoed in the semi-dark space as he came closer.
“Please,” I choked out, the word dissolving into sobs that I fought to suppress. Tears burned behind my eyelids, demanding release. But I wouldn’t break. Not yet. I couldn’t. Once I did, then it would all be over. I’d have no hope of escaping.
“Look at her cry.” Laughter filled the room, cruel and taunting. “What’s the matter? Scared?”
“No,” I lied through gritted teeth. But terror filled me with every jeer, each glance that told me I was nothing more than prey. I didn’t know for certain whether or not these men would hurt me. They’d left me alone, other than bringing me here and confining me. Would it last much longer?
My head bowed, breaths coming in shallow gasps. I allowed the tears to fall. They streamed unchecked, warm trails that cooled too quickly against my chilled flesh. I cried for my unborn child, for March, for the future I so desperately wanted. And as I poured out all my sorrow and frustration, some of the fear seemed to abate.
The cries subsided, leaving a hollow echo in their wake. Resolve hardened within me, solidifying into a core of steel. I rubbed my face against my shoulders, trying to wipe my tears away. I had to survive. For the baby. For March. He’d nearly broken when we lost Ben. What would happen if I let fear overtake me and I gave up? If he loved me half as much as I loved him, then it would destroy him.
I blinked back the remnants of my tears. Time was a luxury I didn’t have. I scanned the dim room, desperate for something, anything that could be a weakness or give me any sort of leverage.
The floor was cold and unyielding beneath my feet. The walls were bare, and from what I could see, there was only the one door into or out of this place. I shifted, testing the give in my restraints. The ropes bit into my wrists, but there had to be a way. Whatever it was, it couldn’t draw the attention of the man watching me.
The others returned to the room, whispering to my guard. What did they want now? I tried to keep an eye on them without being obvious about it.
The ropes grazed against my wrists painfully, but I persisted in trying to loosen them, twisting my hands. My skin chafed, a raw sting flaring with each twist. But the pain was nothing compared to the thought of never holding my child or seeing March again.
There. A minuscule slackening in the knot. My pulse quickened with hope. I worked at the rope, millimeter by millimeter. The voices of my captors faded to white noise, my focus narrowing to the fibers gradually yielding to my persistence.
Almost …
Then -- a creak from the hallway. My stomach twisted. I stilled, straining my ears. The thud of boots. My window of opportunity was closing, but the knot was loosening, ever so slightly.
Another creak. Closer now. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, a mix of fear and determination. The rope gave way, just enough for one hand to slip free. A surge of triumph rushed through me, quickly smothered by the impending threat at the door.
The sound of boots stopped right outside. I couldn’t afford a mistake -- not now. Be smart, Vi. Wait for the right moment .
Silence hung heavy. Then, a faint click, like metal against metal. The doorknob turned slowly, a soft rasp in the quiet. My heart raced, thunderous in my ears. Could it be him? Or just another round of torment?
I watched my guard, but the man seemed oblivious. Or maybe he wasn’t concerned. It was possible he didn’t believe anyone could take down his buddies. If this was a rescue attempt, then whoever was coming through the door would have the upper hand. Were these bastards so cocky they didn’t think they would get caught?
My gaze swung to the door, and my breath hitched as I waited to see who would step through.