These Vicious Games (Seattle Undeground)

Chapter 35

"Healing yourself is connected with healing others."

- Yoko Ono.

My therapist thinks I might be the problem.

Unbelievable.

I have my head tucked down as I text Atticus.

The last couple of months have been very healing on both ends. His through therapy and mine through freedom. Something I’ve rarely had, and he, well, I’m surprised he’s lasted this long in therapy.

It’s been hard on both of our parts. Having to be away from each other, but I get it. We need time to learn and love ourselves before we build a life together. It just sucks.

I bump into someone as I enter the elevator but I don’t look up. Too focused on the giddy feeling of seeing his name flash across the screen. “Sorry.”

Please tell me you’re wearing something hot. My cock is lonely.

I giggle, about to send a picture of myself when my phone is snatched out of my hand, something cold and metal presses into the back of my head. “Long time no see, babe.”

I close my eyes, swallowing hard, “Joseph.”

“The one and only. Now type in the damn code to the penthouse before I blow your whore brains out.”

With shaky fingers, I type the code. “What do you want?” I ask.

“Not a lot. Retribution. My poor whore back. Did you really think I’d just let you go? That he could take my fucking thumb and whore? My property? No. You know me better than that.”

He nudges me with the gun when the elevator opens and I stumble into the room. Francis pauses, eyes widening and hand reaching for something.

“Freeze, old man or I’ll kill her.” Joseph's hand wraps around my neck but unlike when Atticus does it, I feel sick. The gun presses into the side of my head. “You stay right there.” He must point to the couch because Francis moves to it. Sitting stock still.

My phone appears in front of my face, unlocking the screen. “Now, whore. Let’s call your fucking toy.” Joseph hisses next to my ear.

FaceTime appears and soon Atticus fills the screen. A smirk on his beautiful face. “Couldn't-”

“Run!” I scream, causing his face to shift right before I cry out, the gun whipping me in the back of the head, causing me to fall.

My temple pounds and when I touch the back of my head, red covers my hands.

“Here is how this is going to go, motherfucker. You’re going to give directions to wherever the fuck you are. I’m going to come and kill you, fuck her on your dead body and then take everything you have for myself.”

“Francis, fly him here.” His voice of stone should scare Joseph but he looks as if he has nothing to lose.

“No,” I whimper.

“Shut up, whore.” He kicks me and I grunt, curling into myself.

“I’ll take you, just… Please stop,” Francis says.

“See you soon,” Joseph says with a smile before the video ends. “Let’s go.” He jerks me up, dragging me behind him.

Francis keeps his eyes glued to mine as we fly. My eyes plead for him to just do what he says so we have a chance to make it out of here.

My head is jerked by my hair, my eyes aligning with Joseph’s. “Want to have a little fun, babe?”

“Joseph, no.” I whisper.

His response is to push me to the jet floor. That familiar sound of FaceTime rings until it’s met with silence. My dress is pushed up, panties ripped from my body. I turn my head, eyes meeting Francis. “Look away,” I mouth. “Please.”

I hear the rip of foil before he’s there. My eyes burn, throat dry as I try to dissociate. “She’s always had a tight cunt, am I right? Beautiful fuck.”

Silence.

“Don’t worry, once you’re gone, I’ll make sure to fuck her hard and often.”

Silence.

“Silence, that’s the route you’re going with?”

And then the phone is in front of me, displaying what’s happening. He barges through me, groaning as he throws his head back, gun at my temple. My body moves with each thrust, eyes focused on Atticus as Joseph rapes me.

“Does it make you mad that I have my dick in her? It sure pissed me off when I thought about the two of you.”

Atticus doesn’t respond, eyes still on mine with a promise of something dark.

I lay there being used, watching the one I love. It’s at the point where I’m zoning out, everyone and everything around me, fading except his mossy, green eyes. As pretty as the forest he chases me through.

But the pain in the back of my head has a heavy pressure, and I realize that Joseph has his fingers buried in my wound. My eyes flicker, trying and failing to hold Atticus but I give way to the pain.

When I wake, my eyes find home in the familiar piano room and then they find him. The cool facade is scary. I’ve never seen him so still, so animalistic as he is at this moment. Atticus' body ripples with anger, eyes so far gone I doubt he realizes I’m even here. He’s just watching Joseph like his next prey.

“I can’t decide if I want to kill you fast or slow. What do you think, babe?” he nudges me with the gun, causing me to stumble.

“Kill me instead,” I say weakly.

“Trust me, I’d love to but you’re detrimental to my reputation. Fiancée stolen and rescued by yours truly. I’ll be a hero who took a bad man out and saved the poor girl from the big bad beast. No, we’ll get married and as punishment, I’ll make you watch as I fuck my way through the city.”

“I wouldn't care. I don't care about you, Joseph.”

“Shut the fuck up,” he snarls, sending me to my knees.

“No matter what you do, I will never want or love you. You are nothing to me.”

He glares, eyes shooting up to Atticus. “What did you do to her?” He snarls, pointing the gun at Atticus, his finger on the trigger. I stand, hitting him in the stomach causing him to stumble, the gun goes off but I don’t hear any noises from Atticus. With a sigh of relief, I fall to my knees, a strange pain in my stomach.

Atticus is a blur of motion as he tackles Joseph to the ground.

I grip my stomach, hot blood rushing through my fingers. I gently recline myself, laying flat on the ground as I look up at the glass room I’ve spent so many hours in. The library may be my room but this is by far my favorite.

Francis appears above me, eyes wide as he cradles my head in his lap. “Hold tight miss, Mr. Luca wasn't far behind us.”

I close my hand around his frail one, “You’re my best friend, you know that?”

He swallows thickly. “Now is not the time for goodbyes, you’re not going anywhere,” his voice shakes.

I cough, smiling. “I love you, Francis.”

His jaw tightens as he watches something on the other side of the room.

“He saved me and now, now I’ve saved him. You’ll watch him for me, right, Francis?”

A tear slips down his weathered face as he runs a thumb over my cheek. “Yes, miss.”

“And you’ll make sure he keeps going to therapy. That he finds light and lives, right, Franics?”

“Of course, Constance.”

I smile at the use of my name.

A commotion makes Francis look up and I squeeze his hand as I drift.

Out of all the times I thought about dying, you’d think I’d be ready. But now that it’s here, I wish I could wait.

For just a little bit longer.