“You heard me.” He motions to the cage. “In.”
I stand, surprised my legs can still hold me. Unsteadily, I cross the room to the cage. He follows, opening the door.
“Why do I have to go in there?”
“Because all pets must be kept in cages. Now, in you go.”
A numbness settles over me.
“I thought you were going to kill me once you fucked me.”
He smirks. “Now that I’ve had a taste, I think I’ll wait. Use you some more. We both know you’ll like it, too.”
“I hate you.”
“It doesn’t matter what you feel.”
He closes the door, locking it. I hate how carelessly he crosses the room to the bed that he just ravished me in and climbs under the covers. A moment later, the lights go off and I’m surrounded by darkness. Siting on the floor, every thought that I’ve tried to avoid crashes into me. Hot tears fill my eyes as my reality sets in.
I had sex with Luca Di Bello. Now only that, but I begged him to fuck me. Closing my eyes, I allow the truth to seep into my bones. This is my fault, no matter how much I want to blame him. And that’s something that I have to live with.
12
Dove
When I awaken, I’m alone in the room. My body aches, and it can’t all be blamed from sleeping on the hard floor of the cage. No, I ache because of Luca and all the things he did to me. The most terrible part is that I liked what happened as much as when Henri took me in the field. Groaning, I cover my face with my hands. What is wrong with me?
The door opens and Maurice enters carrying a food tray. He sets it on the table that slide inside the cage and then crosses the room to the curtains, opening them. Sunlight fills the room but doesn’t seem to quite reach me. There’s symbolism in that, I’m sure.
“Morning, little birdie. Did you sleep well in your cage?”
He asks so cheerfully that I laugh.
“Are you joking?”
“Why would I joke?”
“Because I’m being kept in a freaking cage against my will and I’m buck-naked. No, I didn’t sleep well!”
He turns to face me. “But the cage is inside. Things could be much worse for you. As for clothes, I can get something for you to wear.”
He leaves, coming back with a robe that he slides through the bars. I take it, putting it on. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.
“Thanks.”
He nods, going back to the window.
“You’re Maurice? Why do they call you the Brain?”
“The same reason they call Luca the Beast and Ri the Brute.”
Ri? He must mean Henri. Does the nickname mean they’re closer than he and Luca are?
“So you’re smart then?”
“That depends on who you ask.”
“I suppose if I had a nickname, it would be an idiot. Maybe dense. Slut. Fat.” I sigh. “The choices are endless, really.”