Luca says, “You did well, little bird.”
Not well enough. This time I do look at him.
“What happens now?”
“We go back to the house where I will claim my prize.”
“Wh-what does that mean?”
He smiles. “It means, my pet, that I’m going to fuck you, and I won’t promise I’ll be as gentle as the Brute was.”
My eyes water at the mention of Henri.
“Before we go, I want to negotiate something.”
“I don’t believe you understand how negotiating works.”
Ignoring him, I say, “I want Chip and Belle raised away from you and your family. I don’t want them to end up like you, nor do I want you to decide you want to hunt them.”
He nods. “Done.”
Without saying another word, he drags me toward the pole, pulling the rope. The light switches from red to black. And just like that, I’ve lost. He tugs me to a waiting SUV. Getting in hurts, but I don’t let him see. Instead, I stare out the window as he climbs in next to me. My heart is racing, and I feel like I’m going to be sick. He said he’s going to fuck me. I shudder. How did I end up here? And what kind of monster thinks that this is okay?
The Brain gets in the driver’s seat and starts the SUV.
Luca says, “Drive quickly, Maurice. My cock is aching to be inside of her.”
The Brain, or Maurice, I guess, looks at us in the mirror. “Little birds, little birds. Oh, how pretty they sing when speared by the hunter.”
He laughs at his own pun. All while I fight barfing all over the leather seats. It’s a losing battle, though, and I gag right before vomiting on the floor. Luca makes a sound of disgust, uses a silk handkerchief to wipe my mouth since my hands are bound. By the time we reach the house, I think I’m going to be sick again. Luca hops out of the SUV, rounding to my side where he helps me out. He steps aside as I vomit again. This time it’s more bile, which makes my throat burn.
“Finished?”
I glare, and he laughs. Gripping my arm, he pulls me behind him as we enter the house. There’s a man that I’ve never seen before waiting with a medical bag.
Luca says, “I’m going to take off the cuffs. Try nothing stupid, or you’ll regret it.”
I nod my understanding. The cuffs come off, and I rub my injured wrist.
The man says, “May I look at it?”
Holding out my hand, he presses on it, and I wince.
“I think it’s just a sprain. I won’t know for sure unless I do an x-ray.”
He glances at Luca, who shakes his head.
“Just leave materials so I can wrap it later.”
The man does as he’s told and bows toward Luca before leaving us.
“Why didn’t you want him to x-ray it?”
“Because it doesn’t matter if it’s broken or not. You won’t live long enough to see the bone heal.”
My lips part, but no words come out.
He smiles. “Come. Let’s get you cleaned up.”