Cuts / Chapter 20

Alex's P.O.V.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...make you uncomfortable.." mumbled Dark Eyes. Looking down.

I didn't respond. How was I supposed to?

Looking up at him, his thumb lightly ran under my eyes, brushing the remaining tears off my face.

His eyes seemed kind, his demeanor gentle. He said he would get me to safety. Maybe I needed to trust him...

Or maybe it was a trap.

Or maybe my constant suspicion would get me stuck here longer.

Oops. I'm staring at him. A blush spread across my cheeks.

A kind smile coated his features. "I can see why he likes you..." he said gently.

I instantly sat up straighter. Why hadn't I asked sooner?

"Is he ok?" I asked quickly,

"Who?" He looked completely calm, twirling a piece of my hair in his fingers.

"Case. Case, is he ok? And my brother?" My eyes looking up to him, pleading for them to just be ok.

"I...their not dead." He promised. "We didn't do anything after you left Alex." He reached for my hand, I flinched but didn't pull away as he held it in both of his.

I felt like I'd cry again. They had to be ok. They had to be. Looking down quickly, I didn't want him to see my tears.

Dark Eyes seemed to pick up on my mood. "Hey hey...don't worry...don't cry Beautiful. Woods is fine. He's had worse. And your brother seemed pretty tough. Their ok." He gently pulled my chin up to look at him. "Their ok." He repeated.

"When can I go home...?" I whimpered.

He smiled sadly. "We just have some business to take care of with Woods. Involving you. As I'm sure you've guessed."

"That's not what I asked...I know all that.." my voice was frustrated, it sounded funny from crying so much.

He sighed. "A week? Maybe? It depends on how it plays out."

I bit my lip, "What are you going to do to me..?" I asked quietly. Really hoping everything Case had said was just to scare me.

He frowned. "Not me. I don't want to hurt you."

"But your not stopping them.." I countered.

"Yes but-" I cut him off,

"Just..answer the question." My voice was soft.

He took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly through his nose. "Whatever it takes Alex. Their going to do whatever it takes."

That was not a very comforting thing to hear. Blood drained from my face, leaving me pale.

I shouldn't have been surprised...but...

"Ok." Was my simple reply.

"I'll try to keep you safe.." he promised me, holding my hand lightly. "But I'm not in charge here.."

"Who is?" I couldn't remember who was who, all these guys looked the same to me.

"I'm not supposed to say...I don't-" he was cut off as we both heard footsteps.

His face was apologetic, but I had a feeling he wouldn't stop what was coming.

A hard knock came on the door,

"Come in." Dark Eyes stood up.

It was Travis. Crazy taser man.

I instantly tensed, actually feeling what I had to assume was an imaginary shock go through me. Scanning him quickly I saw, to my relief, no taser.

"We never finished questioning sir." He said in a gruff voice.

Dark Eyes scowled. "Fine.." he mumbled, it was seemingly clear in his voice he didn't want to do this.

I looked up him pleadingly, shaking my head slightly.

He gave a small sign. "No tasers." He ordered.

I instantly regretted being suspicious of him. He was probably just as trapped as I was here. Gratefulness spreading through me, i regretted even being cold to him when he kissed my hand. He was obviously trying to comfort me.

Besides it wasn't like I had a boyfriend or anything.

Travis looked put out. "But-"

"Am I clear Travis?" He growled.

"Y-Yes sir.." he said quietly

"You have an hour." Dark Eyes limited.

An hour? A lot could happen in an hour...

I was frozen in place, so he gently helped me to my feet.

"I'll heal you when it's over dear, don't worry." He whispered quietly in my ear, before softly nudging me towards Travis.

Travis wasn't so soft. He grabbed my arm roughly and dragged me down the hallway I'd been too tear-stricken to see earlier.

"I swear to GOD if you lie again..." he let the threat hang in the air.

I hadn't made my mind up about that yet. If they asked me something worth lying about, I'd lie.

His grip tightened on my arm, leading me to think he wanted a reply.

"Y-Yes sir.." my voice was meek. I felt so fucking weak.

He smirked and opened the door to that same room I had been in only hours before.

Same old routine. I was forced into the chair, then chained down, my wrists not able to move.

It was just Travis this time. He went back to the duffle bag, he took out the taser-

"No! He s-said no!" I yelled automatically.

He glared at me. "I'm very aware." He snapped, simply setting it aside, as had probably been his intent the whole time. "Learn to keep your mouth shut." He growled, "or maybe you have to be taught."

I thought about blurting something out in protest but...that was exactly his point. So I opt not too.

Still, he picked up a blade.

I swallowed. Ok. Ok. I could handle this. I was fine.

He rolled up my sleeve and ran the flat of the blade over my arm, he smiled, "old scars?" He asked as he flicked the blade across my arm, making small cuts.

I tensed up immediately, not speaking. He looked pleased.

"That's a bad habit little girl." He said mockingly.

I just glared, not sure what else to do.

He chucked in a dark way, "Guess you'll be used to this." He said, grabbing my face in his hands.

I closed my eyes tightly, trying to forget where I was, what was happening, everything. I just wanted to forget.

A burning feeling came over my cheek, I felt blood dripping down towards my neck. It was nothing I couldn't handle, but it inflicted terrible fear.

I wanted to tell him to stop, to leave me alone. But that would be so pointless.

He cut deeply along my jaw and I caught my breath, my fists clenching on the armrests.

"Something wrong?" He mocked. I didn't reply, no need to give him the satisfaction of seeing me beg.

Travis shrugged and ran the knife over my collarbone, cutting deeply.

Clenching my jaw hurt, thanks to the gash now across it. But otherwise I would have started crying...

"Trying to be tough? My, my, Mr. Woods has been a terrible influence on you..." Travis chuckled in a dark way.

He let the flat of the blade trail down my arm, stopping as it rested on my wrist. He turned it swiftly and cut over the old scars, not deep enough to cause me to bleed out.

I didn't even know if I was thankful for that.

I took deep, shaky breaths, trying to control myself. Focus on my breathing. Focus on my breathing. Anything but the pain. At least it wasn't that damn taser.

The burning was reserved to my face and wrists, unlike the way the taser seemed to consume my entire being in electric pain.

He turned away, and I felt relief soar though me. But it shattered as I realized he was looking through the duffle bag.

The seconds felt like hours as I waited, but he eventually turned to me. In one hand he held the knife, in the other a lighter.

I swallowed. Why fire? Why fire? I fought the urge to whimper.

He smirked at my expression. "Scared?" He asked as he walked to me.

I was frozen in place, my eyes on the flame that flickered over the top of the lighter.

"What do you want?" I asked frantically, "Stop! I'll tell you!" I lost any courage I had.

He chuckled as he held the flame under the knife, heating it.

"We just need to scare him.." He replied

Him. Ok...I assume 'him' would be Case.

Of course. They were going to rough me up so Case would completely cave.

Of course he knew that, Case knew that's what they would do...

"What do you want from him?" My voice shook. I already knew, but stalling sounded like a good plan.

He looked down at the knife, which had to be burning hot by now. He lifted my face to him, "oh you know, money, land...revenge.." he said, acting like he wasn't pressing the burning blade against my cheek.

I felt like I had no choice but to cry out. And that cry of pain encouraged tears to spill over. I desperately tried to get away, pulling against the bonds on my wrists, begging him to stop.

It was one of those things you thought was unbearable while you were being forced to bare it.

He gave me a sick smile, holding the blade against my cheek until I felt the heat dispersing.

I gasped in a pained/relived way. Shaking in the chair,

He finally took it away and smiled "I like you." He said.

What the fucking hell did that mean? I guess he read my expression pretty well, because he went on to explain...

"Your funner than others...more fragile. Delicate..." he ran one of his hands over my burned cheek,

I cried out, not even bothering to tell him 'funner' wasn't a word.

The thing about burns, is it burns even after the heat is gone. And uh, yeah it was asking that.

He smiled, "Mmmm...time for pictures?" He asked, lifting a cell phone.

I tried not to look in pain. I didn't want Case to freak out...

As Travis took pictures of the blood falling down my cheeks, of the burns and the gashes over my wrists and arms,

I got the strangest feeling Case was not going to take this well...

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Hey! Just wanted to say I got grounded and will be posting less frequently. BUT I will still be posting! Thank you guys for all the reads and stuff! We're almost to 1000!!!! Vote and comment! If your reading this story you should follow me! Lol it helps. I'll update by next Tuesday probably! 😘😘😘