ex-boyfriend’s father. He raped me more times than I can count...and I never told a soul. I couldn’t, not when he’d threatened to kill everyone I love if I did. By the time it slipped free one, it’d been years. Drea and his son had long since broken up, they’d moved. My parents tried to find justice, but by then, there was no proof. It was useless.
And now here he is, strapped naked to a chair in the middle of the room. There’s a gigantic bed behind him adorned with luxury linens. Don’t ask me for colors because the entire room is bathed in a bright red light emanating from the lamp on the dresser to my right. Evidently, we’re not the only ones who are drugged. They’ve probably given him more than he can handle given how he can barely hold his head up.
What’s standing perfectly upright, though?
His dick.
I’d say they juiced him up with Viagra.
“Your task is to kill him.” the masked man says. “Seek your justice and free yourself, Kaia. You have fifteen minutes on the clock.”
Fifteen minutes? I have fifteen minutes to...to kill him?
I puke. There’s literally nothing I can do about it this time. It spews free like the exorcist, dropping me to my knees as my mind tries to comprehend what I’ve just been told. My heart is on the verge of a full-on deadly attack.
Jules drops to her knees beside me, rubbing my back as my body continues heaving. “This is my fault, it’s all my fault. I’m sorry, Kai. I’m so fucking sorry. I should’ve listened to you,” she wails.
She’s right, it is her fault, but I’m not holding it against her. There isn’t any time for that. If the clock shit is true, I’ve already wasted a couple of minutes puking my brains out. Not that I know how the fuck I’m supposed to end this man’s pitiful existence, I’m not a fucking killer, but I can’t let us die either.
“Don’t worry about it, Jules,” I answer, wiping my mouth with the back of hand. “We just need to get the fuck out of here.”
“We’ve provided you with a blade,” the masked man goes on to add. “There’s also a pistol if you’d prefer that method.”
I don’t prefer any method. I’m not a fucking killer! Never in my wildest dreams have I ever imagined killing someone, not even the man they want me to kill.
But if that’s what it’s going to take to get us out alive…
“W-where’s the blade?” I ask, stare trained on my abuser as he tries lifting his head to get a good look at me.
Seconds later, said blade clatters to the wood floors beside me.
“Kaia, don’t,” Jules tries, grabbing hold of my arm, but I break myself free and bend down to retrieve the weapon.
“I don’t wanna do this either, Jules, but we won’t make it out of here if I don’t. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Easier said than done, though. The blade weighs more than I anticipated, making each step closer to my abuser more difficult than the last. Idly, I realize it has to be the drugs somewhat pulling me through this, because sober Kaia would never be so willing to do this and get it over with. She’d be crying, screaming, asking millions of questions.
But again—there isn’t time for that.
The longer I think, the closer Jules and I creep towards imminent death.
I’m standing right before him now, hands shaking as I tighten my grip on the blade. Behind me I can just make out Jules crying, but most of it is blocked by my heartbeat thundering in my ears.
Pushing his head back, I force the motberfucker who took my virginity and raped me as a young girl to look me dead in the eye. He can barely focus, but even if he could, I don’t know that he’d recognize me.
“Five minutes left,” the masked man utters, and that’s when all hell breaks loose.
All around me from other rooms, scream break free. Glass crashes, thuds resound against walls. It’s exactly what I imagine hell sounds like. I nearly hurl again, but manage to breathe through the wave, intent on focusing on the task at hand before it’s too late.
How am I supposed to do this though?
Do I stab him? Slice him?
It doesn’t matter as long as he dies, a dark little voice says in my head. I’m choosing to believe that’s self-preservation and instincts taking over, but who knows. Inhaling a deep breath, I