CIARA
Feeling numb inside, I stare at the chipped wood of the coffee table while Nolan watches something on TV.
After he bathed me this morning, he dried my hair and made us breakfast.
I almost vomited when he fed me, but somehow managed to keep the food down.
Needing to escape this harrowing situation, my thoughts turn to the past when I was safe with Grace. She’s six years older than me and has always been patient and loving. I can’t remember a single instance where she lost her temper with me.
The age gap didn’t stop us from being best friends. Grace always loved taking care of me, and I appreciated every second of it. Up until the past week, I led a very sheltered life.
Then Grace got kidnapped, Dominik saved her, and I was told to marry him.
That’s probably what triggered Nolan to kidnap me.
My thoughts turn to my father, and thinking he must be looking for me already makes the tiny seed of hope sprout in my chest again. Grace might have fallen for the lie, but there’s no way my father will just let me walk away. Having grown up in the Irish mafia, if there’s one thing I know, it’s not something you can just walk away from. Especially if my father can use me to secure a deal that will benefit him financially.
It’s starting to get dark when I hear my phone’s ringtone, and it rips me out of my thoughts.
Nolan digs the phone out of his pocket, then just watches it ring.
Grace’s name shows on the screen, and it has me begging, “Please let me talk to her.”
His eyes snap to my face, and when the call goes to voicemail, he mutters, “You will do everything I tell you to do.”
I quickly nod, hoping he will let me call her back.
My phone beeps with an incoming message, and he quickly reads it.
Grace: Answer the call. I have something important to tell you, and I can’t do it over text.
When he types out a reply, I can’t keep the tears back. “Please, Nolan!”
Ciara: Give me a second.
He takes hold of my chin and looks me dead in the eye. “Kiss me.”
A sob sputters from me as I lean into him, and in desperate need to talk to Grace, I push through the disgust and press my mouth to his.
Before I can pull back, his hand grips the back of my head, and his tongue pushes past my lips.
My stomach lurches, the bile burning in my gut as I keep still so he can kiss me to his heart’s content.
Trembles shudder over my body, and queasy waves roll through my insides. Luckily, I don’t vomit, and he finally breaks the kiss.
“You taste just like I thought you would. So perfectly innocent.”
“Can I talk to Grace?” I ask, reminding him why I let him kiss me.
“You’re going to make her believe everything is okay and you’re traveling somewhere in Europe,” he orders. Then he pulls the gun out from behind his back, and my eyes go wide with fear. Training the barrel on me, he threatens, “If you say anything wrong, you’re dead.”
A wave of terror ripples through my body as I nod, but even though I’m shit scared, I can’t wait to hear Grace’s voice, and I quickly press dail.
“Thank God,” she answers, her tone filled with relief, and instantly, tears sneak from my eyes.
“Hi,” I say, unable to hide the trembling in my voice when the barrel of the gun presses to my temple. Knowing I don’t have a lot of time, the words rush from me. “I’m sorry. I miss you. It’s so good to hear your voice.”
Nolan puts the call on speaker so he can hear what she says.
“It’s good to hear your voice, too.”
I wish I could feel the safety of Grace’s arms right now. I squeeze my eyes shut, and it takes all my strength to keep myself from sobbing.
“Listen, I have terrible news, but I wanted you to hear it from me,” she says.
My eyes pop open again. “What?”
“Dad’s been killed by the same man who had me kidnapped.”
I blink for a moment as the shock hits and automatically respond, “Oh my God, Grace!” Worried for my sister’s safety, I ask, “Where did it happen? Was it at home? Did you get hurt?”
“I’m fine. I wasn’t home.”
I’m hit with intense relief, and unable to control my chaotic emotions, a sob escapes and I begin to cry.
“Oh, honey, I wish I could hold you right now.”
I want that, too.
My voice is thick with tears as I ask, “Are you safe?”
Please. I couldn’t bear for anything happening to Grace. I’m barely hanging on as it is.
“I’m safe. Don’t worry about me. Are you okay? Where are you? Do you have enough money?”
Her words offer me some relief, and I struggle to focus on the call. “Yeah,” the word trembles over my lips, and I try harder to sound calm as I lie, “I’m seeing all the sights in Europe while…ahh..trying to find myself.” My eyes dart to Nolan’s face, and seeing an impatient look, I quickly, “Where are you?”
“I’m with Dominik.”
NoNoNoNo!
“Jesus, Grace!” I cry, my heart sinking to my stomach. “I…what…God. I’m so sorry.”
“Shh…” She hushes me, sounding totally calm. “I’m really okay. So far, he’s been nothing but kind to me.”
Finding that hard to believe, I mumble, “Yeah, right.” Nolan indicates for me to hang up before pressing the barrel of the gun harder against my temple. Not knowing whether this will be the last time I get to talk with Grace, I quickly add, “I’m sorry about everything.”
“It’s okay.” I drink in the sound of her voice. “I have to go. I’ll get a new number soon, so be on the lookout for it.”
“I love you, Grace,” I squeeze the words out. “So so much!”
“I love you, too, Ciara. Be careful and take care of yourself, okay?”
“Uh-huh.” Whispering, I close my eyes. “Love you.”
Nolan grabs the phone and ends the call before letting out an impatient huff. “That took way too fucking long!”
“She would’ve known something was wrong otherwise,” I argue before bursting out in tears.
Nolan tucks the gun away before wrapping his arms around me. “I’m sorry about your father, but it’s for the best that he’s dead. Now, he won’t search for you.”
I cry harder and don’t put up a fight when Nolan comforts me.
Dad’s dead, and Grace is stuck with Dominik Varga, a dangerous arms dealer.
My entire life has fallen apart in a matter of days, and I can’t cope with any of it.
“Shh…” Nolan coos, his arms wrapping tighter around me.
In desperate need of the comfort he’s giving me, I lean against him and sob my heart out.
When I begin to calm down, he murmurs, “There you go, my love. It’s not the end of the world. You have me, and I’m the only person you need in your life.”
His creepy words have me pulling away and scooting to the other side of the couch. I wrap my arms around my middle and hunch my shoulders.
“Don’t be like that,” he says, his tone tensing. “I let you talk to Grace. The least you could do is thank me.”
God.
I sit still, refusing to kiss him.
My Dad died, and Grace is in the hands of a monster. I can’t deal with Nolan right now.
“Don’t test my patience, Ciara!” He grabs hold of my arm, and I’m yanked off the couch. When I fall to the floor, missing the coffee table by an inch, he orders, “Come kneel in front of me.”
I move onto my knees, keeping my gaze lowered.
Nolan leans forward, and when he reaches for the dress, I try to pull away, but he grabs hold of my neck, his grip brutal.
“Stop! You will do as I say, or I’ll punish you. You don’t want that, right?”
My breaths explode over my lips as I quickly shake my head.
“Hold still,” he orders, then he lets go of my neck and takes hold of the dress. I have no choice but to let him remove it. The moment I’m naked, I cross my arms over my chest, but he shakes his head. “Arms down. Place your hands on your thighs.”
Reluctantly, I do as I’m told, but the moment Nolan undoes the button of his jeans, I dart to the side. I don’t get far before he’s on top of me, shoving me down against the wooden floor.
There’s a hard smack to my butt, setting my skin on fire. “I said keep still!”
I flinch from the rage in his voice, and when he flips me onto my back, I desperately shake my head. “Please don’t.”
“Hold still, and I won’t be forced to punish you.” He raises an eyebrow at me as he crouches over me. “Okay?”
I nod quickly, but when he reaches into his jeans and pulls his hard-on out, I let out a hopeless cry.
“Shh. This will be good for both of us,” he coos, his palm cupping my cheek before he trails his fingers down my throat.
Nolan fists his dick and begins to stroke it slowly. I’m unable to watch, but cautiously thankful that he’s not raping me, I just turn my head away from him and try to distance myself from the horrible moment.
His knuckles brush over my breast, and I hear slick sounds as he pumps himself faster and faster.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I pray I’ll fall into a panicked trance, but it doesn’t happen, and I’m forced to listen as he masturbates while groping my breasts.
Suddenly, he grunts, then a lukewarm substance hits my chest and throat in spurts.
While Nolan orgasms, I’m hit with an intense wave of nausea, and not thinking, I shove him off me and scramble to my feet. The chain rattles as I run for the bathroom, and I almost don’t make it to the toilet before I start to vomit.
Hell.
I’m stuck in absolute hell, and there’s nothing I can do to save myself.
Grace isn’t looking for me, and Dad’s dead.
My body jerks violently as I keep throwing up, emptying my stomach of its contents.
