Chapter Eighteen
Exhausted but she couldn't sleep. Her anxiety is keeping that from happening… and she's lost track of time. The dark grey cement room with no windows that they kept her in had no way of telling her how many days it had been. It felt like days… It beaten up body was definitely feeling the effects. The muscle man came into the room a few times since and every time, she knew exactly what they wanted. No questions asked… and when they finished, she got praised for it with more healing lotion and her wounds looked after.
She was learning.
She felt herself giving up… They had every control over her life now. She was at their mercy. She had very little hope of escaping. There was nothing she could do. All she could focus on was surviving… and if a little obedience and compliance kept her alive, then so be it.
She could hear them yelling; arguing over her or maybe money. She heard something shatter and the boss yell, "Dwayne, damn it! Go get something to clean that up! And Byron, go get the bag out of the damn car!"
Byron. That must be the name of the muscular one. She heard scrambling and doors close before silence filled her ears once again. She heard pacing as he waited. Then a door open and slam shut. She could hear glass or something like it, being brushed off of the floor. Another door opens and slams shut behind him as something hits the table hard.
"This will fit perfectly," she could hear the sinister smile behind his tone.
The door to her room opened and the three of them walked inside. She looked up at them for a split second before bowing her head in submission. She closed her eyes and forced her breathing to slow down as she waited for whatever it was that they would do to her.
He waves the collar in her face, "You'll like this, Kitten."
Using her childhood nickname against her made her want to gag. Byron pushed her back down as the guy in charge wrapped the collar around her neck and clipped it on tight. She felt a small pressure on her throat. He held a leash in his hand and she immediately realized her new form of torture… Being led around like a dog.
"Get those clamps off of her," he said and Byron proceeded to snatch them off violently. She winced in deep pain. "How's her back?"
"Healing fast," Dwayne answered. "That balm works wonders."
"Good, she'll be fine tomorrow," he nodded. "Dwayne will give her some more later tonight. You boys better have that cage ready by morning. He's expecting it ready."
They all walk out of the room, slamming the door shut behind them. Tears filled the red-head's eyes as she was left alone in isolation. They controlled her; collared her. She really was no better than a dog at this point. And the cage! She thought that her torture couldn't get any worse. She hung her head low in defeat.
After a few moments alone, she heard the door open quietly but she didn't even look up to see. She felt a warmth cover her body and she looked up to see Dwayne and a blanket covering her body.
"So you don't have to feel so exposed," he shrugged and hurried off.
It wasn't much but it was something; and it was warm.