Chapter 26

She slipped her hand into his and began walking with him over to the grassy area. The feeling of the grass slipping between her toes felt amazing and the night was perfect, not a cloud in sight with a full lit moon. It was one of those nights that was perfect for a bonfire now that Angeni thought about it.

"Do you remember the night you asked me to take a walk with you?" She asked softly while they walked, lacing her fingers with his, chuckling. "You came in every Friday night for Dominique's famous apple pie and a glass of milk. And somehow I would always be there to wait on you. I thought you were coming back for the pie and, not that I blame you, because Domi's pie was amazing. Domi told me it was because you wanted to see me and I just blew her off, thinking she was insane. Only I found out she wasn't when you asked me for that walk…and the ride to get to the walk…and inviting you inside my place."

Angeni stopped walking, looking up at the full lit moon and closed her eyes, remembering that night because it was unforgettable and definitely memorable. He remembered that quite well, though there were times he acted like he didn't. Taker had originally come in for the pie; it had been recommended to him by a guy he had gone too for tattoo work. Gone for the pie, stayed and returned for the waitress with the most amazing eyes he had ever seen, the softest voice with the most honest smile. He also remembered her asking him inside, both of them knowing the implications, and the rest of it…well, now look at them.

"I remember." Taker said quietly, turning to study her profile in the moonlight.

"There's something I've wanted to ask you for awhile and now that you're acting like the Mark I know, I'm going to ask." Angeni turned to look at him, the moon reflecting off his green eyes and squeezed his hand. "Why did you ask me to marry you?" Angeni had wanted to ask him that question ever since he decided it was a mistake and left her. "I mean, granted we hadn't known each other very long and it was a rushed decision, but…I knew what I wanted. That's why I said yes. So what made you ask me to make a commitment like that if you weren't sure yourself?"

Now that was definitely a mood killer and his first honest instinct was to pull away from her, along with what would undoubtedly be a cold and cruel remark. He curbed that instinct and instead regarded her thoughtfully. "Because I wanted you to be mine in every way possible." Taker said finally.

Knowing most women would prefer something sweet, romantic and gushy, that wasn't him. He was giving her the honest truth and knew the next question would be why did he walk away from her, bracing himself for it. That was her next question, but Angeni wasn't going to ask it.

What was the point honestly?

Mark gave her the answer and now she knew. She was a possession to him and why he walked away from her was probably because he didn't want to hurt her like he was now. Angeni chalked it up to that, leaving it alone and started walking with him in silence again. Mark was definitely not the man she thought he was, remembering how incredibly sweet he used to be.

He actually brought her flowers at one point to the diner, saying he saw them and thought of her. It was all a front, he was never a sweet thoughtful man...he was a controlling, manipulative monster who had played one hell of a game on her and sealed her to him permanently by marriage. And yet, Angeni STILL loved him even after all of that. She was going to see a shrink as soon as her contract with him was up.

The longer, more detailed answer would have been that he'd never seen eyes like hers and wanted to wake up every morning next to them. He wanted to come home to her each and every night like a normal husband would. He had wanted to walk with her at night and talk like they had, so easily and openly. He had wanted her and everything she could give him.

The problem had been him and what he couldn't give her. Two years later, nothing had changed on his end, Taker still wanted her, but there was no way in hell he could give her anything but this. The darkness that had started to totally consume him. That darkness was surfacing right now, not pleased with the moment of contemplation and he turned abruptly.

"We've wasted enough time, we're leaving." He ordered gruffly, eyes narrowed.

Not surprised by his sudden mood change, Angeni sighed heavily and nodded, stopping though since he hadn't released her hand. "I'm sorry." She whispered, tears burning her eyes. "Mark, I'm sorry that I brought it up. I never should've asked, it was stupid. You are who you are, I just always wondered what you saw in me...what made me so special that you would want to make such a huge commitment like that. I didn't mean to upset you."

Releasing his hand to press hers against his chest, Angeni tried to make him understand why she brought it up and was left standing there as he walked away from her, breaking her heart again. Part of her really wanted to run away from him, but Angeni knew she couldn't break her word and shuffled after him, keeping her distance. Taker waited by the car as she walked slowly towards him, green eyes cold as they took her in, not revealing anything he was thinking or feeling.

Once Angeni was inside the car, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This woman was going to destroy him on some level and he recognized that, he knew this was a dangerous game he was playing but that only made it all the more appealing. Finally, Taker slid into his seat, slamming the door shut and looked straight ahead, not saying a word.

Angeni flinched, picking her book up and curled up against the window again, leaving him alone. She never should've brought that subject up, not realizing how sore it was for him...until now. It was a simple question. Didn't Angeni feel like she deserved SOME answers regarding their sham of a marriage?

Apparently not.

She had tried puzzling this out, trying to figure out how Mark could change from who he was back then to who he was now. She just wanted to understand and came to the conclusion she would never fully understand Mark Calaway. Losing herself in her book, Angeni pushed him the far recesses of her mind and kept the rest of the tears that had stung the back of her eyes from falling.

Once again silence reigned, only this time it wasn't comfortable. It was a stony, almost bitter and festering. He didn't look at her once. He didn't have too. Taker knew damn well she was probably attempting to read that book again, in the dark no less with only whatever moonshine she could get from the window. When he finally came to a halt, it was because they were outside a large brick building that was technically a hotel, of sorts.

"Come on." He ordered brusquely, finally looking at her.

Nodding, Angeni closed her book and put it in the bag with the rest of them, stepping out of the car following him inside. What she wouldn't give to be able to have her own room just one night. Angeni just wanted to be alone so she could cry her heart out and get it over with, deciding she would have to do it in the shower. They walked into the room and Angeni set the bag down against the wall, looking around, having a sinking feeling this was a hotel that the WWF was not staying at. She also tossed her flats to the side as well and took the ties out of her hair, putting them around her wrists for now.

Indeed it was not.

This was a hotel where rooms were rented out to people of…shady natures. Drug dealers, poor people who lived week to week but didn't have legal jobs, gang members…it was a place no one in their right mind or with a proper paycheck would ever come too, which made it perfect. Leaving the door to their room open, he walked across the hall and knocked. When the door opened, he smirked.

"Bring her over." He ordered gravely.

Farooq nodded, deciding to also bring the cotton balls for his ears in case the gag was removed.

When Mark walked back into the room, he was not alone. A terrified brown haired girl was dragged inside behind him by Farooq moments later, a black scarf around her mouth preventing her from screaming for help. Violet eyes widened as she looked up at Mark and then at Farooq, seeing the tears pouring down the girl's face, feeling her heart break for her.

"Stephanie." Angeni murmured, ignoring Mark and walked over to the girl, knowing this had to be Vince's daughter.

She had promised Mark wouldn't get his hands on her. Look how well THAT turned out. The fact her big blue eyes were pleading with Angeni to help her just tore her apart even more. He kept her around to witness THIS?

"So, what do you want to do with her?" Farooq asked, ignoring Angeni completely as he was currently holding this little pistol still.

"I'm going to take some pictures, just for Vince." Taker said wickedly. An amused smile crossed his face as Stephanie's blue eyes grew impossibly larger and then looked at his wife, who was a bit too close to his captive for his comfort. "Angeni, get away from her." He ordered, not about to have her messing this up. He had no intention of hurting the girl, or doing anything to her, physically. Taker could probably rape her soul and mind with words if he so desired however.

"Y-You kept me around here…for THIS?" Angeni demanded, not moving from Stephanie as she stared at Mark in bewilderment. "No, I can't do this. This is…This is too much for me. I can deal with your overbearing ways, I can deal with being your toy and whore, but I WILL NOT let you do this!"

Angeni was backhanded for not obeying his orders and flew to the floor, causing Stephanie to cry out against the gag. Immediately scrambling away from him while holding her face, tears also fell and Angeni was in shock. Fuck her word. She was running the first chance she got, Angeni had already decided, feeling stupid for not going with Kane or running when she had the chances. This place didn't have the type of security that the other hotels did, Angeni was already thinking, deciding tonight after Mark fell asleep she would run.

She had been backhanded for the whore remark, not for disobeying orders. His whore?! Is that what she thought she was? What? She was now going to fuck him to keep him pleased? Not saying a word, he stalked over to Angeni and ripped her up onto her feet by her hair, shoving her down into a chair in the farthest corner of the room.

"Sit still and keep your mouth shut." Taker hissed dangerously, taking in the already forming bruise before gesturing for Farooq to let Stephanie go. "Get the camera." He ordered, simply staring at the little McMahon bitch.

He was tempted just to destroy her as a twisted way of hurting Angeni. Stephanie screamed through the gag as loudly as she could when he simply took one step forward, not even aware Farooq was already snapping pictures. Angeni curled up in the chair, sitting sideways on it with her knees drawn up to her chest, trembling from head to toe. Her face throbbed just as much as her head, her hair nearly being yanked out of her skull not feeling very good.

All Angeni could do was watch as they tormented poor Stephanie by snapping pictures of her on Mark's lap. She felt sick when he ran his nose against Stephanie's cheek, his hand splaying on her stomach and all the poor girl could do was tremble against him with terrified blue eyes, her muffled screams penetrating Angeni's soul. He didn't care about anyone except himself, that much was painfully clear. She had to get away from him before he permanently destroyed her mind, heart, body and soul.

When he felt he had done enough damage to ensure Vince remembered who the hell was in charge here, as well as to guarantee Stephanie would be in therapy for several years, Taker shoved her off his lap, snorting. "Get her out of my sight, before she pisses herself." He ordered remorselessly.

Stephanie was actually dangerously close to that point, no longer screaming but sobbing hoarsely. Farooq took the camera with him, dragging Stephanie along behind him. He'd develop the photos himself and send them out first thing, a sick smile crossing his face.

They were alone again.

Standing up from the bed, Taker began shedding the robe he had pulled on before 'posing' with the Princess, revealing his bare chest beneath it. "So, pet, you didn't like my little photo shoot?" He asked condescendingly, draping it over a nearby chair that wasn't occupied.

Angeni refused to say a word to him, not making a single sound, her mind and heart racing. Mind racing with the possibilities of how to escape and her heart racing because Mark had struck her again, breaking the agreement they both made a week ago. They were back to square one and Angeni closed her eyes when he towered over her, his hands moving to rest on the arms of the chair. He was so close she could feel his hot breath against her ear, even through the curtain of black hair. Angeni whimpered out when she was suddenly grabbed by her chin roughly, bloodshot red swollen eyes forcing to meet acid orbs.

"Do you want to know why I slapped you, pet?" Taker rumbled darkly, leaning in and traced the outline of her quivering lips with his tongue. "Do you have any idea why I did it?"

When she was a smart girl and remained quiet, his grip on her loosened just a little bit. Her reprieve was only momentary because his lips were on hers, kissing her brutally with the anger that had been simmering from that whore remark. Ignoring her gasps of pain, he sucked her bottom lip between his teeth and then pulled away.

"Whore, hmmm? Would you like me to really show you what a whore is, precious?"

"Do what you have to do, Mark." She bit back a cry of pain when he wrapped his hand around her throat, yanking her up from the chair and dragged her to the bed, shoving her full force on it. Angeni ended up doing a full somersault over the bed and landed on the floor, whacking her head on the wall again. "Please stop!" She cried out, holding her head as she crumpled up in a tight ball, shaking so hard her teeth chattered. She had to do something to get away from him before he really hurt her, beginning to sob. "Please, I'll give you what you want! Just don't hit me again!"

"Whore, remember? Damn right you'll give me what I want!" Taker snarled down at her, stepping onto the bed and walking across it, landing on the floor with a purposeful thud. Everything in the room, including the walls, vibrated and shook when his feet hit the thinly carpeted floor. "So, Angeni, what on earth makes you think you're my whore, hmm?" He asked conversationally, gripping the back of her neck and pulling her back on her feet. This time he planted her on the bed, keeping her there with his hands and then his weight as he settled astride her. "Let's hear your logic."

There was no way out of this and Angeni knew it, the side of her face already bruising again. It didn't feel like her cheekbone was shattered, thankfully. It was hard to breathe because Mark was putting his weight on her lower abdomen and knew her wrists would be bruised from how tight he held them down.

"T-That's all you want from me. That's all you wanted at the cottage. That's all I am…the Undertaker's personal whore, personal toy, personal PROPERTY." A surge of anger flashed through her violet eyes as Angeni began twisting her wrists in his grasp, turning her face so she wasn't looking directly in his eyes. "I want to go home, you won't let me. I didn't want to be in this company, you forced me. I didn't want anything to do with you and you FORCED your way into my peaceful life and took me away from everything I've ever loved!" She knew bucking against him was useless, but that didn't stop Angeni from kicking her feet, fighting against being restrained. "That's all I am to you is a goddamn possession! Hell, I'm surprised you haven't raped me since you like smacking me around so damn much!"

"Ah pet, I don't care about your little 'I want to go home' issues and I sure as hell didn't ask you to run your mouth about my little love taps. We're discussing your new profession." He clucked his tongue at her, adjusting his weight so her legs were forced to remain still. "Angeni, given my current temper, do you really want to provoke me?" He demanded, eyes flashing angrily before raking over her body, his upper lip curving into a sneer. "And for your information, a whore cannot be raped. That's what you are, right? MY FUCKING WHORE!" He bellowed, his face directly in front of hers. "That's why you came to me last night, you were selling yourself for mercy, wasn't it?" Which was rather pathetic considering if she had wanted to play THAT card, the time to do it would have been when he was actually beating her and not treating her decently. "My how that has backfired."