Bound by Secrets: A Dark WhyChoose Romance
1. Chapter One
Ipeel my heavy eyes open, ignoring the dull, throbbing pain at the base of my neck and the ache in my limbs. The damp, earthy smell and the pitch-black darkness that greets my senses make me instantly aware of my surroundings. The jagged, rough concrete bricks against my back are cold and crumbling with age.
I groan, squeezing my sore eyes closed for a second before opening them and heaving my body up from the dusty floor of the basement.
It’s my father”s favourite place to put us whenever he feels we deserve punishment. Years ago, he used this place for people who betrayed him or attempted to anyway, but now, he has specific warehouses for that and other people to dish out the pain too.
Unfortunately for us, he now uses this concrete maze below our house to terrorise us however he deems fit.
Sadistic bastard.
”Callum?” I whisper into the darkness, hoping that he”s down here with me. I tiptoe forward, hands held out in front of me to ensure I don”t bump into any of the walls. I”ve been locked down here plenty of times to know most of the routes, but I have to remain cautious every time. I never know what they”ve added as a punishment.
Last time, I was barefoot, and there was broken glass all over the floor and sharp blades pointing out from the walls that shallowly sliced my arms when I was trying to navigate my way around.
I usually have a rough idea of what part of the basement I’m in. I’m lighter than the twins, so when it’s not just me down here, they carry me through the tunnels and dump me further away from the ladder that brings you down to this hell. The twins are usually thrown down by the entrance because none of my father’s goons can carry them.
They like to split us up so that we’re likely to injure ourselves whilst we’re trying to find each other.
”Callie, are you good?” I stop abruptly as I hear my brother’s soft, caring voice. My body’s shaking violently from the cold and my heart is racing.
Can I trust that Callum is actually talking back to me? Or am I being taunted again with a sense of safety from his voice being played out of one of the many speakers embedded in the ceilings?
I quiet my breathing and strain my ears, trying to pick up any other little sounds.
”Little C, where the hell are you?”
A relieved breath escapes me and my body relaxes. Callum”s definitely down here. He and Connor never call me ‘Little C’ unless we”re out of the house, down here, or alone. It”s the only way I ever know if it”s them in this darkness with me.
”Cal, I”m here!” I shout.
Silence greets me for a few moments and then the sound of faint, fast footsteps grace my ears from somewhere up ahead.
”Stay exactly where you are, Callie! I don”t know what”s down here yet,” he calls out, his voice and footsteps getting louder, meaning he”s getting closer.
I slump against the wall beside me but jolt up again seconds later when I hear a pained grunt, followed by a heavy thud.
”Callum!” I rush forward, not caring about what they”ve put down here to hurt me. As I turn left, my shoulder grazes against the concrete wall but I ignore the bite of pain and continue charging down one of the many tunnels.
When I bump into a wall, I turn right and walk a couple of steps before stopping and trying to listen for my brother. ”Callum, call out!” I shout again, trying to find out where he might be.
”Straight ahead and left!”
I keep running until my palms slam against crumbling bricks and I yelp in pain from the impact. I twist left and crouch low, brushing my hands along the grimy floor, searching for my older brother in the dark.
”Careful, Callie,” he warns, only a few feet ahead of me now. ”There”s nails, pointy side up, and metal poles above.” I crawl forward a few more paces before hissing out a breath as my hand catches on some of the nails. I brush them out of the way the best I can with no vision and continue shuffling forward, one arm outstretched, hoping to feel any part of my brother.
I curse loudly as the hand that”s holding me up presses down on a nail, the sharp point piercing through my skin. A whimper leaves my body as I pull my hand up off the floor and yank the nail out. Cradling my injured hand against my chest, I use the other one to sweep against the floor, carefully moving forward.
A relieved breath rushes out of me as my fingertips brush against rough denim and I clamp my whole hand around Callum”s jean-clad leg, squeezing it. He sighs and places his hand down on top of mine. ”You okay, Sunny?” I ask into the darkness. He lets out a rough chuckle and then groans in pain.
”Yeah, I”m all good. Just a bump on the head from the poles and maybe some nails stuck in my leg. I wish you”d find better nicknames for us.” I laugh and push more nails out of the way, sliding my tired body down the wall until I’m sitting with my shoulder pressed against his, our hands still clasped together.
Ever since I was twelve, I”ve nicknamed the twins Sunny and Grumpy because of their opposite personalities.
Callum is always cheerful; he can make you smile in any situation, and he lights up any room that he walks into with his bright smile and his calming, happy aura. Connor is the complete opposite, which is surprising since they”re identical twins.
Most people find Connor scary and intimidating. Likely because of the scowl that”s constantly painted on his face paired with the fact that he grunts and growls more than he speaks. To most people, anyway. Honestly, I”m lucky to be their little sister because I get to see Connor”s good side and Callum”s bad side.
As far as I”m aware, no one else has ever gotten close enough to either of them to witness both sides of them. We”re close-knit and we protect each other at all costs. We kind of have to if we want to survive the demons that make up the rest of our family.
”I feel like I was given a big dosage this time. I’m still feeling drowsy. How long do you think we”ve been down here?” I ask him, resting my head on his shoulder. He squeezes my hand and blows out a breath.
”I didn’t get a good look but I’m sure it was a full syringe. I was still fighting them off when they injected you. You passed out almost instantly, and then they brought you down here. They managed to get me in the leg shortly after and I think Cameron mentioned something to Dad about going to some warehouse, so I’d assume it’s been a couple of hours… I don”t know how long they plan to leave us down here this time, but it can”t be too long because we start our new college in two days.”
Ugh.
College, how could I have forgotten? The boys purposefully failed their last year so that they could redo it with me. Even though they knew they”d get a beating for it, they still chose to do it.
A week later, a couple of days into our summer break, my dad decided to change our colleges. He claimed that people were going to get suspicious of the bruises and broken bones. He told us we had to be more careful now and learn to hide them better; like it was our fault.
”We”ll be okay. Get some sleep if you want. I know the drugs don”t mix well for you.” He squeezes my hand and rests his head on top of mine.
”You”re the youngest out of us, Callie. You shouldn”t be the one always looking out for us. It”s meant to be the other way around,” he responds tiredly. I shake my head, trying not to disrupt him.
”Callum, I’m twenty and only eleven months younger, so we’re all responsible adults.” He laughs and squeezes my hand again, ”Also, you do both look out for me. I honestly think I’d be dead if it weren”t for you two. Just because I’m younger, doesn”t mean I can”t be there for you as well. You”re my brothers, and I love you both. We”re all getting out of this together. Besides, with the drugs and the beating from up there, you need rest.” He kisses the top of my head and slings a protective arm around my shoulders.
”To the moon and back, Little C,” he mutters.
”To the moon and back, Cal,” I whisper.
I sit in silence for what feels like days, but I know it’s only hours. The only sound is Callum”s quiet snoring in my ear.
I’m struggling to tell if my eyes are open due to the pure darkness down here.
No doubt, my father, Cameron and my father’s ”friends” are up there laughing about the fact that we”re stuck down here, probably hoping that we’ve caused ourselves some pain from the little contraptions they’ve put in.
My legs are starting to go numb from being sat in this same position for who knows how long, but I”m not planning on moving any time soon.
Not only because I don”t want to wake Callum but also because of the nails, metal poles and whatever other surprises they might have in store for us down here. I don”t need to end up with more cuts and bruises than I already have when I go to a new college in two days. I don”t want to draw any attention to us. If I do, everything will just get worse.
After all, that”s why Callum and I are down here in the first place.
We were down at the beach earlier, glad to get away for a few hours without any prying eyes on us, or so we thought.
We were having fun and laughing, which is a rare occurrence for us Conrad”s. We’d gotten ice cream and sat on a bench up on the sidewalk across the top of the beach.
Cal had his top off because it was scorching hot and, surprisingly, wasn”t busy. We”d both forgotten that he had faint, mottled bruising down his left side and around to his back until a woman walked past and gasped as she stared at him before asking if he was okay.
We realised pretty quickly what she had seen, and Callum assured her that he was fine before quickly shoving his top on. He told her some story about being in a fight, and once she’d left us alone, we stood and turned to go back to the car park. That’s when we saw Paul, my father’s top lackey, also known as our uncle, standing a few metres away observing the whole scene.
We rushed over to Callum”s car and sped home, hoping to get back and up to our rooms in time to lock ourselves away and avoid any repercussions. But, when we pulled up outside our ”family home”, Cameron and Dad were already standing outside waiting for us. Callum had grabbed my hand and squeezed it three times, our way of silently saying I love you, before turning off the ignition and facing the consequences we knew were heading our way.
A little while later, the clanking sound of the weights that secure the metal hatch shut echoes through the emptiness. I gently shake Callum, rousing him from his sleep. His head shoots up instantly, and his arm tightens around me.
”Shh, don”t say anything,” he whispers. I nod and push myself further into his side. The creaking of the hinges on the hatch to this man-made torture chamber alerts us that the hatch is open, and then the dim lights that hang from the ceiling flicker on. My body stiffens, and Callum rubs my arm in a soothing gesture.
”Time”s up kiddos. Calliope, you”re needed, so make it quick and get up here now!” My eldest brother Cameron shouts.
Callum”s body solidifies, his hold on me becoming so tight it hurts. A small whimper escapes me, but not because of his hold, it”s because of the dread and fear running through my veins at Cameron”s words, they can only mean one thing.
Fraser is here.
I turn to look at Callum and find him already staring at me with a tortured expression. My vision blurs but I bite the inside of my cheeks and take a deep breath to keep the tears at bay.
”I”ll be okay, don”t worry about me. Go find Connor. I”ll see you both when it”s over.” I press a quick kiss on his cheek.
Unfortunately, we both know nothing is saving me from this.
I give him a reassuring nod, and his hold eases up. We both stand and slowly walk through the halls, avoiding the nails and metal poles that we can now see due to the dim lighting.
When we get closer to the ladder that leads up to the house, I squeeze Callum”s hand three times before letting go. As I climb the ladder, I start pushing my thoughts and feelings out of my head, steeling myself for what awaits me.
When I reach the top, Cameron shoves his hand into my hair and pulls me up. I clench my teeth together to keep myself from screaming from the pain that prickles along my scalp.
”He”s waiting for you, Callie. Best hurry; otherwise, he won”t be the only one getting some enjoyment out of you tonight.” I inwardly cringe at his words, but outwardly, I sneer at him until he releases my hair. I chuck a glance over my shoulder to make sure that Callum”s climbed out of the hatch before I rush off towards my bedroom to go and be put through more hell by ”Uncle” Fraser.
He”s not my real Uncle; he”s my dad”s best friend and most reliable criminal. Unfortunately for me, that means that he gets ”benefits” from my dad that others don”t, benefits that involve using me for all of his twisted, perverted desires.
I only have two real uncles, one being Paul. He”s equally as bad as my father, and he has no care or love for any of his family members.
My other Uncle is Johnny. He”s also my father”s brother, but the bad and twisted blood that runs through my paternal family”s veins thankfully doesn”t run through his. He’s nice, and he treats us as if we were his own children. I think that’s why my father doesn’t allow him around us much. He tries to keep Johnny out of our lives as much as possible.