Cezar just scored a direct hit, and I start to shake in rage. I wrestle with the urge to look away. I want so badly to launch myself at him, fight this animal, cut out his tongue, and stuff it down his throat until he chokes on it. I look over at the man controlling her. He’s gotten a reaction from me, and his eyes are hungry for my fear.
“You can close your mouth now, Rose.” He pulls out his cell and makes a call. “Meet me now in Whisper’s room.” Then disconnects sliding it back into his pocket.
I visualize tearing the mask from his face so the coward beneath it can be revealed.
“Now, as you can see, it took Rose a little convincing when she first came to me. She had spirit.” He pats her hair. “She was a fighter, but she had to be broken in. I saw the potential in her like I see the potential in you. Your previous master had bragged about you. I wanted to buy you from him, but you were his to covet and were not for sale. Fortunately for me, you became available.”
His smile is creepy. This man is the definition of a functioning insane person.
“You’ve had training, whereas Rose hadn’t when she first came to me.” He starts combing his fingers through her hair while this shell of a woman stares vacantly at me. “She is my pride, having been brought to me the same age you are now.” He starts to turn Rose’s head toward his and I see her come back to the surface from the depths she had taken herself, plastering a passable look of interest on her face for the man in front of her as he bends down, kissing her full on the mouth.
He is an exhibitionist.
Her back has stiffened ever so slightly, and I catch a glimpse of her hand and the little fist she is trying so hard not to form. Cezar’s eyes are closed as he passionately claims her mouth. He is blind to what I can see. Only a person like me would be able to recognize the shell of a person in front of them.
He is used to her obedience and is comfortable around her, and also, he knows the camera in the corner will be capturing all our movements, but she knows how to hide her tells from the mechanical prying eye, her face tilting just enough not to be caught.
This woman has been so repeatedly traumatized she is on autopilot, obeying his commands as her mind silently fights him, unable to have her voice heard.
I understand the lies a victim tells themself to survive.
His hand has moved up to the zipper on the front of her catsuit and he starts peeling it down, the soft hum of the metal teeth opening up until he can get to her right breast. Her chest is naked, and I don’t want to watch, but I fear what will happen if I look away.
He is surely testing me.
I will not bend, but I will not concede either.
He opens his eyes and watches me as he fondles her generous breast, tugging at the nipple until it hardens.
My eyes may be open, but I am no longer seeing this vile masked man who is too lily-livered, as Boxer would say, to show me his face. He has abused this woman so much she is inwardly dead to his touch.
Rose has mentally switched off but knows how to keep herself alive. She is too many shades of her former self, but she is still alive, keeping up appearances. It’s what is keeping her breathing and she knows it.
He wants to get a reaction out of me, but I close my mind off to this sick showmanship.
He releases her breast when I don’t give him what he is looking for. “I see you have conditioned yourself over the years, being around William Dupré.” He studies me, cocking his head to the side like he’s trying to work me out. He has thankfully stopped groping Rose in front of me. “I was recently informed you were a wet dream, yet your features aren’t schooled enough to hide the distaste for what I am doing to Rose. Interesting.”
Who told him I was a wet dream?
“William had bragged about all the things he has done to you, yet you sit there looking uncomfortable by my display of affection for my Rose.” His hands start tucking Rose’s breasts back inside her catsuit and then he pulls her zipper up, the whole time watching me.
“Has freedom left you high and mighty and erased everything you were taught?” He pushes Rose off his lap and she stands, automatically moving to the side.
A loud, impatient knock interrupts the mood of the room.
“Come in,” the only person in authority who can speak replies because I now know Rose can’t talk. She is mute.
The door opens, revealing Mathias, complete with a mask covering half his face. He takes a step into the room dressed in a dark, expensive-looking suit and tie. He only has eyes for Cezar’s masked face, completely ignoring me.
“Ahhh, here is one of my newly appointed sentinels.” He gets up from the bed, moving to the side and placing his hands behind his back.
His attention is back on me. “Mathias informed me of Santana’s demise. You will take the hit for my loss. Mathias, please assist in holding her down and her head firm.”
In a flash, Mathias is on me, pushing my good arm to my side and putting his shoulder into my chest as I’m slammed onto the mattress, flat on my back. He straddles my lower body, keeping my legs from kicking out while one knee slides into position, resting painfully on my right forearm, wedging it by my side while one hand grips my damaged arm, ensuring no free movement. He’s not using his full weight, but it’s enough to keep me in place.
Fear starts to bubble up inside me.
“Keep her head steady.”
Mathias complies and his spare hand presses down on my forehead, paralyzing my head. My breathing speeds up as I start to panic.
What the fuck is wrong with these people?
“Rose, you know what to do. You may have the honors.” She moves toward me.
What honors?
I watch with frightened eyes darting about as the dagger reappears, and I can’t hide my fear anymore.
Oh, God! What are they about to do to me?
Rose’s other hand forces my mouth to open by squeezing my cheeks with carefully applied pressure using her thumb and fingers. I can’t hold my mouth shut. I can only watch in horror.
My body begins to quake as it starts responding to these people and their actions. I have no rights. I am at their mercy.
What the fuck is she trying to do to me?
Rose reaches in, grabbing my dry tongue, and that’s when I understand I’m about to lose it. An animalistic noise leaves my throat as the dagger is raised into the air. My natural reaction is to buck Mathias off me and tear my face out of Rose’s grip.
But. I. Can’t. Move.
I can’t fight these people.
Get the fuck off me, I want to scream out. My eyes water when I feel the burning sting as the cold blade is brought down on my tongue, slicing into it.
A gurgle of pain and blood leave my mouth as my head and cheeks are released. Rose is no longer in my vision. I start to retch as blood coats my throat, threatening to choke me. I need to get it out, so I turn my head to the side, allowing me to breathe better as blood sprays onto my bedding as I cough it up.
When I realize Mathias has let up on the restraining pressure , I roll my body as much as his weight will allow, dribbling and spitting blood until the coughing ebbs. I can’t stop myself from shuddering beneath him, as my body can’t control the spasms of shock at what these people have done to me.
My eyes are watering from the pain, tears mixing with my blood as they too spill onto the bedding. I turn my head, swiping my trembling hand across my face, vanquishing the tears. I won’t let these warped people have them.
And then I see it.
A phone is poking out from underneath part of my thigh. It must have slipped out of Mathias’s pocket, and I covered part of it when I moved my body. I pretend to have another major coughing fit with blood spraying about and cover it completely with my thigh when Mathias slides off me, his blurred body standing tall, dutifully waiting for Cezar’s next command.