Bound Together (78 page)
Authors: Marie Coulson
Rolling my eyes, I stared
out of the window. “It doesn’t matter anymore Lucy. Jared and I are
done.” Slumping back in her seat she shook her head and resumed her
mindless, anxious fidgeting.
place took less than ten minutes from the campus and as we pulled
up outside the enormous classy building I suddenly felt nervous.
Lucy was practically shaking as she sat huddled in the corner
staring up at the building we would soon be trespassing in. “You
sure you want to do this?” She looked at me and with panic in her
eyes she nodded. “I have to.”
Exiting the car, she
stood on the side walk trembling. I knocked on Daniel’s window and
he scowled at me. “Mr. Garret is going to hit the damn ceiling Miss
Jennings, I strongly urge you to reconsider your
actions.”
“
Daniel, I’m perfectly
capable of making my own decisions. The fact is, he’s the only
reason I am doing this. Park around the corner, it’s not good for
you to be seen here. I’ll call you when were done. And Daniel, not
one word to Jared. I mean it.” He leaned forward and rested his
head on the steering wheel and I sympathized with the difficult
situation we’d put him in. He was clearly torn between our safety
and our need for him to keep quiet. Lifting his head, he nodded and
drove around the corner.
Taking Lucy’s hand I held
it tightly, she looked like a frightened child and it suddenly
occurred to me that she couldn’t be more than nineteen after all.
Taking a deep breath, she walked to the doors and entered the
building. We waited for the elevator and the nerves in my stomach
began to swarm as I continuously checked the doors for any sign of
Felix. The bell of the elevator arriving startled me and a small
squeak of fright escaped me. Breathing hard, I looked at Lucy who
was clearly just as scared as I was. The ride up to the seventh
floor was tense as we both struggled to hold our nerve. Punching in
the security code next to the door Lucy pushed the door open
silently. The entire apartment was coated in darkness and Lucy’s
prediction of Felix being out of town was clearly right on the
money. Switching on the lights, I scanned the room. Everything was
pristine. His white wash walls and minimalistic décor were a
fitting choice for the controlling social playboy. The black
leather sofa and matching chairs were very square and their
straight lines reminded me of his unfeeling and callous smile. A
shiver ran up my spine as I closed the door behind me and searched
for Lucy.
Wildly searching through
Felix’s office she emptied boxes, files and draws full of paper
work. She was positively frantic. “Lucy what exactly are we looking
for?” She ran her hands repeatedly through her hair and stuttered
as she became more and more panicked. “He has photos of me Layla.
Bad, really bad ones. In some of them I’m not alone. You have to
help me find them. If anyone got their hands on them it would be
the biggest disaster of my life!” I stared at her, no wonder she
couldn’t tell her older brother. If those photos went public,
Jared’s whole image and private life would be turned on its head.
“Ok, I’ll help you look. Where would he keep them?”
“
I don’t know. Maybe the
bedroom?” Leaving the office we scrambled to his bedroom. It was
like a chamber of horrors. Lucy froze and held her hand to her
mouth as she gagged and heaved. On the walls, covering every
possible space were photos. Endless pictures of women bound,
gagged, blindfolded and suspended from chains papered the room.
“Sick son of a bitch.” I walked around the room till I spotted
something that made my stomach turn. Pinned above his dresser was a
picture of my room-mate. She was topless, wearing only her lace
panties and blindfolded. The sick son of a bitch had snapped her
without her even knowing and was now keeping it as a memento in his
den of seedy sinful shame. Grabbing it from the wall I tore it up
into tiny pieces.
Lucy was standing in the
door way clearly in shock. “Lucy, wake up, snap out of it and help
me get all these photos down.” Shaking her head she finally came
back to earth and began tearing each twisted photograph from the
walls. In some of the photos these women were clearly in tears,
forced to do horrible things to avoid a beating no doubt. “We’re
taking all of these and burning them. Every last one.” But none
were of Lucy. We scanned every face, every body and none belonged
to her. “Where the fuck are they?” She was getting hysterical;
tipping out draws, pulling out closets. If there was any chance we
could have done this without him knowing it was officially out of
the window now. We searched every inch of the bedroom but still
came up empty handed. Lucy made her way back to the office while I
headed for the living room.
A blood curdling scream
echoed through the apartment and I sprinted as fast as I could to
the office. As I rounded the corner I stopped dead in my tracks as
my eyes fell on Felix’s. Lucy was lying flat on the desk and his
hand was tightly gripped around her throat. She was sobbing and
shaking with fear, pleading with him to let her go as he stared at
me. “Well, well, well. What do we have here? Just when I think my
day can’t get any better I end up with two delicious little
beauties just waiting for me in my apartment.”
Fisting my hands, I
stared him down. “Let her go Felix or I swear to god you’ll be
sorry.” He laughed loudly and smirking at me he released her.
Rolling off of the desk to the floor, Lucy crawled over to the
corner of the room and huddled up tightly, guarding her bump. His
eyes were dark and I could see the excitement this entire situation
was provoking in him. He stalked slowly towards me and I felt my
insides churn, as fear flooded my veins. But I would not run. If I
ran, it would just increase his fun and I was not going to put
myself and Lucy in that danger.
His face close to mine he
sniffed and inhaled into my hair. He made my skin crawl. The back
of his hand grazed gently up and down my arm and I swallowed hard,
trying to stay calm as the instinct to run, run fast and run far
overwhelmed me. I glanced over at Lucy who was sobbing and staring
at me with terror in her eyes. “You smell good enough to eat Layla.
Oh, you and I are going to have a lot of fun. Being one of Jared’s
girls I’m sure you’re familiar with a little slap and tickle
right?”
I remained silent. “Oh
come now sweetheart don’t be shy.”
His hand moved slowly
down my arm to my hip before gripping onto my thigh. I could feel
tears begging to release but I had to stay strong. If he saw my
weak resolve he would pounce on me like a lion and I was no match
for his broad muscular body. His hand slipped beneath my skirt and
he began pushing it upwards with his fingers. Turning my face to
him I snarled. “Get your disgusting hands off of me or it will be
the very last thing you do.”
Staring into my eyes he
grinned. “I do love the fiery ones. They make it so much more
fun.”
Gripping my waist
forcefully he lifted my feet from the floor, hauled me over his
shoulder and carried me kicking and screaming for help to his
bedroom as Lucy watched powerless from the corner.
Pushing me onto the bed,
he pinned me down by my wrists with one hand and unzipped his
pants. I tried to kick him off of me but his large frame weighed me
down. Tears began to stream down my face as I struggled to free
myself from his grasp. The realization that I was about to be
attacked was horrific and closing my eyes, I tried to escape the
hell. I wanted to remove myself from this moment, to free my soul
from my terrified and helpless body as he did this to me. His lips
grazed my ear as his hand reached up my skirt to my cotton panties.
“You’re a very bad girl Layla, and now I’m going to teach you a
lesson. No one, comes into my home and steals my possessions.” A
sob escaped my lips as I screamed and cried for someone to help me.
Closing my eyes I laid there waiting for my hell to begin, praying
it would be over quickly.
Without warning his
entire weight lifted from my body and opening my eyes I watched as
he flew clean across the room into the far wall. Standing over him
with his fists clenched was Jared. Striking blow after devastating
blow into Felix’s face, ribs, stomach and head he attacked him with
a wild and uncontrollable fury. Gripping him by the collar Jared
hauled him to his feet and round house kicked him in the gut,
making Felix propel through the air and out of the bedroom. Jared
followed him out and shakily I got off the bed and chased after
them. Felix stood in the living room, blood leaking from his nose
and mouth. His face was covered in cuts and bruises from Jared’s
harried attack. Walking around the glass coffee table, he smirked
at Jared who was stalking him like a wolf and its prey. His eyes
were dark and hooded. I could see the anger and absolute rage as he
watched Felix’s every move.
“
Nice of you to join me
old boy. You, me and two little whores; feels just like old times.
Remember what fun we had at those parties? It’s not been the same
without you.”
My stomach lurched. Jared
didn’t respond but continued his evil and hateful glare at
Felix.
“
Come on Jared, they’re
just women.”
Jared flew at him
clearing the table in one swift leap.
The two of them crashed
to the floor and Jared straddled Felix, immobilizing him on his
back against the marble floor. Lucy was pinned like a statue to the
door; I’d never seen anyone so terrified. Gripping Felix’s shirt in
his grazed hands, Jared spat and roared at him. “The woman you had
pinned to your bed and was trying to rape is the love of my life!
And the one you were beating the shit out of in New York is-” No!
He couldn’t. I wouldn’t let him. “My friend!”
His head snapped up and
he gave me a confused look. Staring at him I nodded and an
understanding passed between us. “Did you think no one would find
out? That your dirty, disgusting little secret would just go on and
on? Thought you could continue to abuse, rape and beat women didn’t
you? You had this fucking coming you sick, twisted, fuck. I’m going
to destroy you.”
Felix grinned at me “I
wish I’d known she was
your
friend, it would have made her a lot more
interesting.”
Jared’s hand slid around
Felix’s throat and I could see his bicep flex as he gripped tighter
and tighter around it. He was going to kill him! Rushing to his
side I wrapped my arms around Jared’s bulging biceps and pulled
hard. “Please Jared, don’t! You’ll kill him! Jared!”
I screamed and he
immediately released him. Felix gasped and panted for air. Slamming
Felix’s head back down onto the floor with an almighty thud, Jared
knocked him completely unconscious. Standing over his still body he
wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. It was over. Suddenly
the realization of what had almost happened to me sank in and I
lost control of my legs. The room began to disappear as darkness
consumed me. Collapsing into a heap on the cold floor, I could hear
their voices calling out to me but I couldn’t respond. I was
broken.
heavy, aching as I turned over. Opening my eyes slowly I scanned my
surroundings. Where the hell was I? Lifting myself onto my elbows I
rubbed my blurry eyes and squinted as light poured through the tall
arched windows. Magnolia walls and the familiar sound of Elvis in
the hallway reminded me of where I was and also of what had
happened last night. Holding my face in my hands I winced as the
whole horrible event flashed before my eyes. Breaking in, the
photos, Amy, Felix, the bed, the fight, everything. My stomach
turned and I scurried out of bed and sprinted for the bathroom
emptying my stomach contents into the toilet. I brought my knees to
my chest and rocked gently as I tried desperately to calm down. My
clothes were gone but I still had my underwear on. My forehead
against my knees I cried softly.
A warm pair of arms slid
around me as Jared held me tight against his broad chest. “It’s ok
baby, it’s alright. I got you. You’re safe.” Jared’s soft and
reassuring voice enveloped me as I clutched his t-shirt in my hand.
My tears flowed freely down my face as the horror of my ordeal
replayed in my mind like a terrifying movie. “It’s alright baby,
I’ve got you. That sick son of a bitch is never going to lay a
finger on you as long as I’m living. I will never let anyone hurt
you Layla. Oh god baby why didn’t you listen to me. I told you to
stay away from him. Why did you go there?”
Lifting my head I looked
up at him through my tears. “Lucy needed help and I couldn’t let
her go alone. I did it for you. He had something that could have
destroyed everything you’ve worked for. I couldn’t let him do
that.”
He wiped my tears away
with his thumbs and shook his head at me. “Layla, nothing, nothing
on this earth is worth risking your safety over. God, when Daniel
called to tell me, I couldn’t breathe. I died right there on the
spot, thinking about what Felix could be doing to you both.” So it
was Daniel who’d called him. I nuzzled my face into his chest and
took a deep breath. The familiar scent of vanilla, soap and Jared
warmed my blood and like a sedative, it calmed my frayed
nerves.
Realizing what a
dangerous situation I was currently in, I pulled away and clambered
to my feet. He gazed down at me but I couldn’t look him in the eye.
“I need to go home. Amy and Mel must be worried sick.”
out of the window. “It doesn’t matter anymore Lucy. Jared and I are
done.” Slumping back in her seat she shook her head and resumed her
mindless, anxious fidgeting.
Chapter
48
Risky
Business
place took less than ten minutes from the campus and as we pulled
up outside the enormous classy building I suddenly felt nervous.
Lucy was practically shaking as she sat huddled in the corner
staring up at the building we would soon be trespassing in. “You
sure you want to do this?” She looked at me and with panic in her
eyes she nodded. “I have to.”
Exiting the car, she
stood on the side walk trembling. I knocked on Daniel’s window and
he scowled at me. “Mr. Garret is going to hit the damn ceiling Miss
Jennings, I strongly urge you to reconsider your
actions.”
“
Daniel, I’m perfectly
capable of making my own decisions. The fact is, he’s the only
reason I am doing this. Park around the corner, it’s not good for
you to be seen here. I’ll call you when were done. And Daniel, not
one word to Jared. I mean it.” He leaned forward and rested his
head on the steering wheel and I sympathized with the difficult
situation we’d put him in. He was clearly torn between our safety
and our need for him to keep quiet. Lifting his head, he nodded and
drove around the corner.
Taking Lucy’s hand I held
it tightly, she looked like a frightened child and it suddenly
occurred to me that she couldn’t be more than nineteen after all.
Taking a deep breath, she walked to the doors and entered the
building. We waited for the elevator and the nerves in my stomach
began to swarm as I continuously checked the doors for any sign of
Felix. The bell of the elevator arriving startled me and a small
squeak of fright escaped me. Breathing hard, I looked at Lucy who
was clearly just as scared as I was. The ride up to the seventh
floor was tense as we both struggled to hold our nerve. Punching in
the security code next to the door Lucy pushed the door open
silently. The entire apartment was coated in darkness and Lucy’s
prediction of Felix being out of town was clearly right on the
money. Switching on the lights, I scanned the room. Everything was
pristine. His white wash walls and minimalistic décor were a
fitting choice for the controlling social playboy. The black
leather sofa and matching chairs were very square and their
straight lines reminded me of his unfeeling and callous smile. A
shiver ran up my spine as I closed the door behind me and searched
for Lucy.
Wildly searching through
Felix’s office she emptied boxes, files and draws full of paper
work. She was positively frantic. “Lucy what exactly are we looking
for?” She ran her hands repeatedly through her hair and stuttered
as she became more and more panicked. “He has photos of me Layla.
Bad, really bad ones. In some of them I’m not alone. You have to
help me find them. If anyone got their hands on them it would be
the biggest disaster of my life!” I stared at her, no wonder she
couldn’t tell her older brother. If those photos went public,
Jared’s whole image and private life would be turned on its head.
“Ok, I’ll help you look. Where would he keep them?”
“
I don’t know. Maybe the
bedroom?” Leaving the office we scrambled to his bedroom. It was
like a chamber of horrors. Lucy froze and held her hand to her
mouth as she gagged and heaved. On the walls, covering every
possible space were photos. Endless pictures of women bound,
gagged, blindfolded and suspended from chains papered the room.
“Sick son of a bitch.” I walked around the room till I spotted
something that made my stomach turn. Pinned above his dresser was a
picture of my room-mate. She was topless, wearing only her lace
panties and blindfolded. The sick son of a bitch had snapped her
without her even knowing and was now keeping it as a memento in his
den of seedy sinful shame. Grabbing it from the wall I tore it up
into tiny pieces.
Lucy was standing in the
door way clearly in shock. “Lucy, wake up, snap out of it and help
me get all these photos down.” Shaking her head she finally came
back to earth and began tearing each twisted photograph from the
walls. In some of the photos these women were clearly in tears,
forced to do horrible things to avoid a beating no doubt. “We’re
taking all of these and burning them. Every last one.” But none
were of Lucy. We scanned every face, every body and none belonged
to her. “Where the fuck are they?” She was getting hysterical;
tipping out draws, pulling out closets. If there was any chance we
could have done this without him knowing it was officially out of
the window now. We searched every inch of the bedroom but still
came up empty handed. Lucy made her way back to the office while I
headed for the living room.
A blood curdling scream
echoed through the apartment and I sprinted as fast as I could to
the office. As I rounded the corner I stopped dead in my tracks as
my eyes fell on Felix’s. Lucy was lying flat on the desk and his
hand was tightly gripped around her throat. She was sobbing and
shaking with fear, pleading with him to let her go as he stared at
me. “Well, well, well. What do we have here? Just when I think my
day can’t get any better I end up with two delicious little
beauties just waiting for me in my apartment.”
Fisting my hands, I
stared him down. “Let her go Felix or I swear to god you’ll be
sorry.” He laughed loudly and smirking at me he released her.
Rolling off of the desk to the floor, Lucy crawled over to the
corner of the room and huddled up tightly, guarding her bump. His
eyes were dark and I could see the excitement this entire situation
was provoking in him. He stalked slowly towards me and I felt my
insides churn, as fear flooded my veins. But I would not run. If I
ran, it would just increase his fun and I was not going to put
myself and Lucy in that danger.
His face close to mine he
sniffed and inhaled into my hair. He made my skin crawl. The back
of his hand grazed gently up and down my arm and I swallowed hard,
trying to stay calm as the instinct to run, run fast and run far
overwhelmed me. I glanced over at Lucy who was sobbing and staring
at me with terror in her eyes. “You smell good enough to eat Layla.
Oh, you and I are going to have a lot of fun. Being one of Jared’s
girls I’m sure you’re familiar with a little slap and tickle
right?”
I remained silent. “Oh
come now sweetheart don’t be shy.”
His hand moved slowly
down my arm to my hip before gripping onto my thigh. I could feel
tears begging to release but I had to stay strong. If he saw my
weak resolve he would pounce on me like a lion and I was no match
for his broad muscular body. His hand slipped beneath my skirt and
he began pushing it upwards with his fingers. Turning my face to
him I snarled. “Get your disgusting hands off of me or it will be
the very last thing you do.”
Staring into my eyes he
grinned. “I do love the fiery ones. They make it so much more
fun.”
Gripping my waist
forcefully he lifted my feet from the floor, hauled me over his
shoulder and carried me kicking and screaming for help to his
bedroom as Lucy watched powerless from the corner.
Pushing me onto the bed,
he pinned me down by my wrists with one hand and unzipped his
pants. I tried to kick him off of me but his large frame weighed me
down. Tears began to stream down my face as I struggled to free
myself from his grasp. The realization that I was about to be
attacked was horrific and closing my eyes, I tried to escape the
hell. I wanted to remove myself from this moment, to free my soul
from my terrified and helpless body as he did this to me. His lips
grazed my ear as his hand reached up my skirt to my cotton panties.
“You’re a very bad girl Layla, and now I’m going to teach you a
lesson. No one, comes into my home and steals my possessions.” A
sob escaped my lips as I screamed and cried for someone to help me.
Closing my eyes I laid there waiting for my hell to begin, praying
it would be over quickly.
Without warning his
entire weight lifted from my body and opening my eyes I watched as
he flew clean across the room into the far wall. Standing over him
with his fists clenched was Jared. Striking blow after devastating
blow into Felix’s face, ribs, stomach and head he attacked him with
a wild and uncontrollable fury. Gripping him by the collar Jared
hauled him to his feet and round house kicked him in the gut,
making Felix propel through the air and out of the bedroom. Jared
followed him out and shakily I got off the bed and chased after
them. Felix stood in the living room, blood leaking from his nose
and mouth. His face was covered in cuts and bruises from Jared’s
harried attack. Walking around the glass coffee table, he smirked
at Jared who was stalking him like a wolf and its prey. His eyes
were dark and hooded. I could see the anger and absolute rage as he
watched Felix’s every move.
“
Nice of you to join me
old boy. You, me and two little whores; feels just like old times.
Remember what fun we had at those parties? It’s not been the same
without you.”
My stomach lurched. Jared
didn’t respond but continued his evil and hateful glare at
Felix.
“
Come on Jared, they’re
just women.”
Jared flew at him
clearing the table in one swift leap.
The two of them crashed
to the floor and Jared straddled Felix, immobilizing him on his
back against the marble floor. Lucy was pinned like a statue to the
door; I’d never seen anyone so terrified. Gripping Felix’s shirt in
his grazed hands, Jared spat and roared at him. “The woman you had
pinned to your bed and was trying to rape is the love of my life!
And the one you were beating the shit out of in New York is-” No!
He couldn’t. I wouldn’t let him. “My friend!”
His head snapped up and
he gave me a confused look. Staring at him I nodded and an
understanding passed between us. “Did you think no one would find
out? That your dirty, disgusting little secret would just go on and
on? Thought you could continue to abuse, rape and beat women didn’t
you? You had this fucking coming you sick, twisted, fuck. I’m going
to destroy you.”
Felix grinned at me “I
wish I’d known she was
your
friend, it would have made her a lot more
interesting.”
Jared’s hand slid around
Felix’s throat and I could see his bicep flex as he gripped tighter
and tighter around it. He was going to kill him! Rushing to his
side I wrapped my arms around Jared’s bulging biceps and pulled
hard. “Please Jared, don’t! You’ll kill him! Jared!”
I screamed and he
immediately released him. Felix gasped and panted for air. Slamming
Felix’s head back down onto the floor with an almighty thud, Jared
knocked him completely unconscious. Standing over his still body he
wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. It was over. Suddenly
the realization of what had almost happened to me sank in and I
lost control of my legs. The room began to disappear as darkness
consumed me. Collapsing into a heap on the cold floor, I could hear
their voices calling out to me but I couldn’t respond. I was
broken.
* * *
heavy, aching as I turned over. Opening my eyes slowly I scanned my
surroundings. Where the hell was I? Lifting myself onto my elbows I
rubbed my blurry eyes and squinted as light poured through the tall
arched windows. Magnolia walls and the familiar sound of Elvis in
the hallway reminded me of where I was and also of what had
happened last night. Holding my face in my hands I winced as the
whole horrible event flashed before my eyes. Breaking in, the
photos, Amy, Felix, the bed, the fight, everything. My stomach
turned and I scurried out of bed and sprinted for the bathroom
emptying my stomach contents into the toilet. I brought my knees to
my chest and rocked gently as I tried desperately to calm down. My
clothes were gone but I still had my underwear on. My forehead
against my knees I cried softly.
A warm pair of arms slid
around me as Jared held me tight against his broad chest. “It’s ok
baby, it’s alright. I got you. You’re safe.” Jared’s soft and
reassuring voice enveloped me as I clutched his t-shirt in my hand.
My tears flowed freely down my face as the horror of my ordeal
replayed in my mind like a terrifying movie. “It’s alright baby,
I’ve got you. That sick son of a bitch is never going to lay a
finger on you as long as I’m living. I will never let anyone hurt
you Layla. Oh god baby why didn’t you listen to me. I told you to
stay away from him. Why did you go there?”
Lifting my head I looked
up at him through my tears. “Lucy needed help and I couldn’t let
her go alone. I did it for you. He had something that could have
destroyed everything you’ve worked for. I couldn’t let him do
that.”
He wiped my tears away
with his thumbs and shook his head at me. “Layla, nothing, nothing
on this earth is worth risking your safety over. God, when Daniel
called to tell me, I couldn’t breathe. I died right there on the
spot, thinking about what Felix could be doing to you both.” So it
was Daniel who’d called him. I nuzzled my face into his chest and
took a deep breath. The familiar scent of vanilla, soap and Jared
warmed my blood and like a sedative, it calmed my frayed
nerves.
Realizing what a
dangerous situation I was currently in, I pulled away and clambered
to my feet. He gazed down at me but I couldn’t look him in the eye.
“I need to go home. Amy and Mel must be worried sick.”
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