Chapter 46
A while later I heard another knock, only this one was at the door to the cabin. I heard Ronan’s footsteps as he walked to the door.
“Who is it?” he yelled.
“It’s Amelia.”
Then the lock turned and the squeaking of the hinges from the door being opened by the one person in this world that I knew wanted me dead was all I could hear.
He let her in; he brought me to her. I got onto my knees and listened at the door.
I wanted to hear their conversation. I wanted to know if Maddox was alright, and something told me that him dying was the last thing Amelia wanted. She wouldn’t be okay if he was dead.
“Do you have Joslyn?” she asked him.
“Yes, she’s in de bathroom.”
“After dark is the soonest we can move her. We have a meeting; he will ask her the questions he needs answered. He is going to take some blood from her. No big deal. Then he will release her to us, and we will be tasked with keeping watch over her until the time comes that he calls for her again.”
“Ye’re sure ‘e isn’t going to kill ‘er, right? He’s going to give ‘er back to us.”
There was concern in Ronan’s voice. He wanted to be with me bad enough to keep me against my will. To hand me over to someone he didn’t even know to do God knows what. I couldn’t wrap my head around any of this; nothing was making sense.
“He isn’t going to kill her; he needs her,” Amelia told him confidently. Need me for what? What the hell were they talking about?
“Where is Maddox?” Ronan asked. I pressed my ear against the door hoping not to miss a word.
“I don’t know where he is but he isn’t dead.
I wouldn’t even be able to function if he was.
I also don’t think he knows where she is because he would have been here by now.
If he does know then something is stopping him, and you should be very thankful for that.
” My body relaxed slightly, knowing Amelia was certain Maddox was alive.
“You were sloppy in the way you got her here Ronan. You should never have carried her out of there. Now people are going to be actively looking for her because if you had waited—they would have simply thought she was taken in the attack. If I were you, I would pray he doesn’t find you.
He can’t do anything to me, but he will make you pay for both of our trespasses. ”
“So, are ye staying ‘ere until we move ‘er? I would like to ‘ave some alone time wit ‘er before we ‘and her over temporarily.”
“Aww, aren’t you sweet? Are you sure she wants to spend time with you though?”
“That isn’t anything for ye to worry about.” His intentions were clear in both his tone, and choice of words and my stomach twisted.
“Have it your way. I don’t particularly care what you do with the little bitch. She stole the only person that gave me true joy. I would love for you to make her pay—or I can do it.”
“You don’t get to touch ‘er,” Ronan said, raising his voice.
“Careful, Ronan, don’t let the fact that you are a man and I, a woman, fool you.
I can end your life in seconds. You can claim her because I allow it.
Do not let yourself be fooled by a false sense of security.
You have already served your purpose; you may end up being useful later, but you might not. ”
I decided at that point that if I ever had the chance that bitch was going to lose her fangs. I wanted to wear them as earrings. I knew I would kill her if I ever had the chance but that really seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream as long as I was completely human.
“Can ye please give us some time alone?”
“You have had hours alone with her. That wasn’t enough?”
“Just give me till dey come,” he pleaded with the ancient vampire that seemed to be holding all the cards.
“No, but I will give you a few more hours.”
I heard the door open and then close again, and the lock slid into place. I returned to my spot on the floor and started crying again. This time was different; I was scared. Not of dying—but of what Ronan planned on doing to me. My body started shaking and I began to rock as I started sobbing.
Please don’t let him be able to break down this door.
I knew it would take a miracle to keep him out.
He was very big and very strong. My breathing started to accelerate along with my heart rate, as I heard his footsteps getting closer to the bathroom door.
I pulled myself in closer to the side of the toilet like the cold porcelain was going to protect me.
Nothing and no one were going to protect me. All I had was myself.
I frantically started to look around the room for something—anything to defend myself. I couldn’t take the back off the toilet—he would hear it. I wasn’t even sure I would be able to swing it with enough force. More than likely it would backfire on me. Ronan knocked on the door.
“Joslyn, I’m going to need ye to come out of dere now.”
My eyes fell on the towel rack, and I yanked the towels off and threw them on the floor. I started to pull the bar from the brackets when I realized the damn thing was plastic.
“Please Ronan, just leave me alone. Please.”
I was begging through the tears. I knew he could tell I was hysterical.
I sniffed, sucking snot into my sinuses and tried to clear my throat.
I needed to sound calmer. I opened the medicine cabinet above the sink.
Not a fucking thing that could help me. I slammed the door, and the mirror shattered into the sink.
“Joslyn, open de fucking door now!”
I grabbed a hand towel from the floor and picked up the biggest shard of glass. I wrapped the towel around one end and used it as a handle. I got behind the door—I knew he was going to be coming through it. It was better to be out of the way.
“I am breaking de door down.”
I heard his massive body collide with the door.
The wood cracked; I could hear it split.
He backed up and came at it again, and wood flew everywhere.
Half of the frame came in with him and the door.
I scrambled over the wood and out the door.
Ronan picked himself up off the floor and fumbled after me.
I turned around to face him; I swung my hand holding the broken glass.
I heard him yell and I turned around and desperately clawed at the lock on the cabin door.
He wrapped his arms around me and flung me across the room.
I hit the corner of the wall and felt pain shoot up my back.
The glass flew from my hand and shattered against the floor.
He charged toward me and yanked me to my feet.
“Look what de fuck ye did to me,” he screamed in my face as he pulled his shirt up.
A gash ran from one side of his torso to the opposite hip. If I had waited a half a second longer, it would have killed him. I had one chance—and I fucked it up. He dragged me over to the bed and threw me down onto it.
“You wouldn’t be walking if I would have given it half a second longer.” I was staring in his eyes; they were eyes I didn’t recognize. He slapped me again and I could taste the blood in my mouth.
“Don’t fucking move,” he said as he walked to the kitchen and opened a drawer. He pulled rope out and came back to where he left me. “Hold out yer ‘ands.”
“Fuck you. I’m not going to help you, dumb fuck.”
He slapped me again and then grabbed one of my wrists and started looping rope around it. He snatched my other wrist and tied the two of them together.
“Lay down,” he commanded.
“Again, fuck you,” I said, holding my face out so he could get a better angle.
He hit me hard, and I swallowed and smiled at him.
He shoved me down on the bed and yanked me toward the headboard.
He tied my bound wrists to one of the metal bars.
I crossed my legs and locked my feet together.
I could feel the tears starting to fall, and I fought to keep them at bay.
I didn’t want to give this bastard the satisfaction of seeing me cry.
He climbed on top of me and started kissing me.
I turned my head to escape his lips, and he grabbed my jaw and squeezed.
I wanted to knee him, but if I unlocked my legs then he could force his way between them.
He straddled my legs and pulled my jacket up my arms to where my wrists were tethered.
I started bucking my hips trying to throw him off of me.
The tears started flowing non-stop. He leaned down and kissed me as he wiped my tears.
“Please stop crying, baby.” His eyes were pleading with me.
“Please Ronan. You don’t have to do this. Please,” I was begging between sobs.
I saw his face harden again right in front of me.
He yanked my crop top over my head and pushed it up to my wrists also.
My body started shaking as I gasped for air between the sobs that tore through me.
He started kissing my stomach and I could feel myself shaking.
He dragged his tongue across my torso, and my skin crawled.
“Someone help me! Please!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. I screamed so loud my voice cracked, and I started coughing. I saw Ronan look around and he got off me long enough to grab a dishcloth. He returned and stuffed it into my mouth.
“I wanted to be able to kiss yer beautiful lips, but ye ‘ave to do everything de ‘ard way.”
If no one was going to help me, then I was thankful that at least he couldn’t kiss me.
He untied my shorts and tried to yank them down.
My legs were locked, and he couldn’t get past my thighs.
I could see anger flooding his face again.
He forced his hand between my legs and used his whole hand to grab the inside of my thigh.
“If ye open yer legs, I will stop.”