He comes at me, his face dark and bloody. He starts to pound one fist after the other into me.
In my warped mind I feel it’s only right that the one person I promised to protect from this life is the one to end it, seeing as I failed him.
I failed David. My heart mourns because David is just like them. David is a monster. I tried to protect him from becoming a slave and instead he became a monster!
My soul grieves because I’ve failed Momma.
My vision blurs and I sink to my knees. Punches become kicks until the darkness drags me under.
When I come to it’s dark. My hands and feet are tied and I’m spread over a bench. I’m naked and every inch of my body is alive with pain. Someone is slamming his cock into my ass, fucking me raw.
I hear a whimper and I squint through one swollen eye. In front of me is Sophia, also leaning over a bench. David is fucking her hard, but his eyes are on me. “Thanks for all the money you made us you dumb fuck,” he sneers. “Sadly, every hole has an expiration date and you’ve reached yours. No use in pretending anymore. But hey, the money you made us came in handy. The new Ferrari I bought with some of the money they paid for the two of you drives like a dream.” He keeps pumping hard into Sophia as he tells me all of this. “I think I’ll get myself a yacht and a nice place somewhere in Europe. Yes!” He laughs hungrily, and that’s when I see it – he’s just like Cameron – he only cares about the money we can bring in.
The person behind me comes violently and then they pull out. I know this night is far from finished. This was how I was trained. This is how they try to break you. A whip cracks over the back of my thighs and balls, cutting into my flesh.
Every blow hurts more than the one before, tearing the very skin from my bones.
I close my eye not even bothering to see who is doing the whipping and fucking. I’m ready to die. David was all I was living for and he’s gone.
~*~
Chapter Six
River~
Sunday morning can’t come fast enough! I want to go home. Adam has already taken our bags to the car. Now we only need to collect Jack and Sophia and we’ll be on our way.
As we leave the room Sven is waiting for us. “Master Cameron would like to speak with you one last time.” It’s not a request.
We follow him to the same study we met Cameron in yesterday. I transferred the funds in front of him. I’ve paid for Jack and Sophia’s freedom.
The same stale cigar smell hangs in the air. Cameron is busy with a call and I take a seat. Adam takes the seat next to me. I can feel how tense he is.
When Cameron is done with the call he leans back in the oversized leather chair. He rests his hands on the armrests and crosses his legs.
“There’s been a development,” he starts.
My body tightens and I try to stay calm as I say, “I’ve paid for the slaves.”
“Indeed you have,” he continues. “You will have them, but they are no longer in the same condition. You see,” Cameron clears his throat and taps his fingers on the leather as if he’s bored, “the male slave attacked my son.”
My heart flutters with panic. “Both of the slaves had to be punished. It’s the law of my house.”
I grind my teeth to cling to the slither of control I still have. “Just let me have my slaves.”
Cameron nods. “They have been taken to your vehicle. I just thought it would be in good form to advise you of their condition.”
I get up quickly and don’t even check if Adam is following. I don’t bother with the act anymore and as I head down the stairs I break out into a run. I can’t see anyone in the car as I approach it. I yank the back door open and the air is torn from my lungs. There is only blood. They are covered in blood! Dark chunks of either flesh or blood are all I can see.
I feel hands on my shoulders and Adam directs my body until I’m seated on the passenger side. He closes all the doors and then jogs around the car. We don’t even bother with safety belts as we speed away from the hell hole.
Warm tears spill over my cheeks. I can’t bring myself to turn around in my seat. If I see them beaten and bloody again I’ll lose it, knowing I can’t help them until we’re home.
After we’ve left San Antonio where Cameron’s business operates from, we make our way to Houston. We stick to the main roads and busy cities. The more people the easier for us. We only deviate from the road once and that’s to stop in a small town near Jackson, Mississippi. We always change cars, dumping the one we used to free the slaves. The car waiting for us is an old station wagon.
We carry all the bags over to the station wagon before we go to get Jack and Sophia. Adam opens the door and he doesn’t waste time hauling Sophia out from the car.
“Be careful!” I snap at him. “She’s hurting,” a sob chokes my words, making them thick.
“She’s out cold!” Adam snaps back at me. “The sooner we have them home the sooner we can ease their pain. I’m not going to waste time!”
He’s as angry as I am. I watch as he places Sophia on the back seat.
“We should leave the bags,” I say. “Then we can put Jack in the back and they don’t have to share the backseat.”
Adam looks at the backseat and then the open space where our bags are. “You’re right.”
He quickly removes the bags again and tosses them back in the car. “Make sure there is nothing in the bags that can help anyone track us down!”
While I quickly search the bags and then the car, Adam carries Jack to the station wagon. Sweat is beading on Adam’s forehead and his shirt is soaked through with blood once he has them both settled in. While Adam searches Jack and Sophia for any tracking devices, I grab a clean shirt and hold it ready for Adam.
He finds the tracking devices on their hips and I look away as he takes out a sharp pocket knife. I can never watch as he cuts the devices out, but I know it’s necessary to ensure our safety.
Once he’s finished he drags the bloody shirt over his head and uses it to wipe his hands clean before he throws the shirt and tracking devices in the old car. He takes the clean shirt from me and quickly pulls it over his head.
I get in the station wagon and drive a distance away. Adam sets the old car alight, burning all the evidence and then he covers our tracks before he jumps in the passenger side.
Adam closes his eyes and rests his head back against the chair while I get us back on the interstate. The road is long and hard. We don’t stop unless it’s for gas. We drive for over twenty four hours before we reach home.
I’m worried because Jack and Sophia have not woken yet. I hope they’ll pull through!
It’s well after breakfast as we drive through the gates. I feel a slither of relief when I spot Landon and Kyle on horseback. They patrol the entrance. Both tip their hats to us as we drive by.
I bring the station wagon to a standstill in front of the manor. It’s so good to see Miss Ella that tears flood my eyes. I jump from the car and run to her. She wraps me in a motherly embrace. “It’s okay, Darling. You’re home.” She lets go and starts to walk to the car. “Did you save anyone?”
Adam opens the back door of the station wagon and that sets Tristan in motion. As he looks into the car his eyes widen with the same horror I’ve been carrying in my heart. “Are they alive?” Tristan whispers.
“Yes,” I snap, pushing past him. “You can help Adam. Carry Jack to the room.” I look around and spot Ian coming around the side of the house. “Ian!” I call and getting his attention I wave him over. “Come help me.” I look at Adam. “We’ll put them in the same room. I don’t think they should be separated.”
There’s an urgency in the air as we all work together to get them into the room. Miss Ella has quickly yanked the bedding off, leaving only the sheets. When both Jack and Sophia are each on a bed we run to get our medical supplies.
Ian leaves the four of us to do our thing. Miss Ella brings two buckets of water and I quickly wet a cloth. I start to clean the blood from Sophia, while Adam cleans Jack.