CHAPTER TEN

Seeing her sister lounging on a twin bed across the room caused Spencer's insides to freeze. If she was here with Melissa that meant Ian was here too, and she had no idea where here was. The last thing she remembered was looking up from her phone and seeing Wilden standing outside the car. She hadn't had time to fully register her confusion before he was swinging at her window. She instinctively ducked and then screamed as glass rained down on her. A second later, strong arms yanked her out of the car. A second after that she felt a sting in her neck. The world started to look fuzzy and her legs stopped cooperating. Soon she felt completely weightless. Some kind of cloth was stuffed in her mouth and the fuzzy world then tilted as she was hoisted up and over Wilden's shoulder. Then darkness.

Spencer kept still as she took in her surroundings from her prone position. Thankfully her hands weren't bound behind her back but she felt cold metal circulating one of her wrists and to her dismay when she squinted her eyes open she could see the handcuff connected to a nearby exposed beam in the wall.

She continued to look around while pretending to be asleep. The room she was in was small with only one boarded up window. There were two doors. One to outside the room and one to probably a small closet. She assumed she was in a basement because the ceiling wasn't quite finished and one of the panels was missing from the wall the twin bed was pushed up against. Plus, it had that basement smell.

A ringing phone startled her, but she managed to remain still.

"No." Melissa said in response to a voice on the other end of her cell phone. "That should be enough." Only hearing half of the conversation, Spencer was still fairly sure Melissa was talking to Ian which hopefully meant he wasn't here with them. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure she's awake." Damn Melissa. She knew she had been faking. "Why not?" Melissa sounded annoyed now. "Look Ian, it'll be fine. I know how to deal with Spencer." What the hell? "Okay, I'll see you soon." Spencer felt her heartbeat speed up at the thought of Ian arriving shortly. She moved her free hand to her pocket and felt slightly better upon gripping the cellphone. Inconspicuously, she turned it down to silent mode just in case. She was about to dial 911 but then she heard the declarations of love and other mushy nonsense coming from her sister to her disgusting husband. She knew Melissa was about to hang up.

Spencer gave up any more pretense of sleeping and sat up. She kept an eye on Melissa who put away her cellphone and grabbed up a book while continuing to ignore her little sister. When Spencer saw her sister's eyes moving across the page, she surreptitiously hid her cellphone and hoped another opportunity would come for her to use it.

When more time passed by, Spencer grew impatient with her older sister continuing to act like she wasn't there.

"Did you know this whole time?" Spencer finally spoke to her big sister. Melissa pursed her lips before opening her mouth slightly. But instead of using it to answer the question, she slowly brought a manicured finger to her tongue and licked it. She then used the moist finger to turn a page of the book she had been engrossed in for the past twenty minutes. Undeterred by Melissa's blatant ignoring, Spencer continued. "About the videos. That they were filming us. That he was selling them. Young girls, Melissa, in some of them we weren't even teenagers yet!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Spencer?" Melissa slammed down the book and looked at her. "Those stupid videos Ian filmed when he was a frat boy? It was a dare! And why would he sell them? No. No, real question. Who in the hell would buy them? Who would want to see some silly girls sitting in Alison's living room drinking stolen alcohol? Don't flatter yourself, Spence."

"That's what he told you?" Spencer cried. "That it was a one time thing. A dare?"

"No. I knew it wasn't a one-time thing." Melissa shrugged nonchalantly. "You know Ian carried that camera around everywhere. I watched at first because he really liked to." She shrugged again. "He said he just liked people watching." She then picked up her book again intending to end the conversation with her sister but then she sighed and looked back at Spencer. "That video he made of you all at Allison's was a dare." She explained with a voice void of the usual snideness. "Jason was sick of Alison's manipulations so he wanted something he could use to burn her with if he needed to. Ian said he didn't want to because Jason wanted him to do it without you knowing he was filming. When Ian showed me, he said he wouldn't do it again, but he had it in case I ever needed to blackmail you. He was joking of course."

"Oh my god, Melissa. Come on! I know you are not this naive! How can you think that still? I'm sitting here tied up because he kidnapped me. How can you not see him for the criminal he is!"

"Kidnapping you was my idea!" Melissa yelled back. "We need the money Spencer. Ian has done everything he can to protect me from what happened with Alison. But he messed up by borrowing money from Wilden. Wilden wants his money back now and we don't have it." She continued earnestly. "Mom and dad weren't going to give it to me thanks to you so I had to think of some other way to get the money so that me, Ian and our baby can start a new life somewhere else and pay back Wilden so he won't keep coming after us."

"Thanks to me? Melissa, you do know what he did to me right?"

"I know what you said." Melissa threw the book aside again and turned her whole body to fully face Spencer. Ian had told her to avoid talking to Spencer to not risk getting upset with her younger sister's lies but this is a fight she wanted to have. "Ian swore he never meant to hurt you that night at the bell tower. He was just trying to talk some sense into you, but he slipped up and said that it was me who killed Allison. He panicked when you told him you were still going to go to the police, and you didn't care that I was your sister. Really nice, Spencer! Choosing your conniving slut of a friend over your own family!"

At first Spencer was speechless. She could only stare at her sister wide-eyed while trying to work out if her sister was really that clueless. Because if she really didn't know, should she tell her? It was only a question because of the baby. If Melissa wasn't pregnant, she would, if she could, spray paint that Ian raped her on every one of Melissa's possessions. Because it was Melissa that brought that monster into their home. Not to say she would have been safe if he and Melissa hadn't started dating. Ian was her field hockey coach and he had kissed her when she was in 8th grade and he had been raping Allison since that age too. No, she had to tell him. Ian was a monster. And Melissa needed to know because who was to say their own child was safe from him since he had such a thing for younger girls.

"That is not what happened at the bell tower, Melissa." Spencer finally whispered. "And that is not the night I was talking about." But then Spencer realized something else. Melissa knew about Alison. She knew that Ian was having sex with...no raping...because Alison was not old enough to really consent...her best friend. Yet she stayed with him. She married him. She moved him into their backyard. A yard connected to the house where her own underage sister lived. And now this. Melissa said kidnapping her was her idea which meant she was fine with Ian being alone with her knowing he had no line when it came to having sex with underage girls. Spencer suddenly felt so cold she began to shiver. It wasn't a matter of if Melissa knew what Ian did to her rather it was a matter of if she would care. She had to stop thinking of Melissa as the perfect sister she knew her whole life. She had to stop thinking of Melissa as the sister she idolized as a child and strived to be like as a teen. Instead, she had to think of Melissa as a crazy person who killed her best friend because she was jealous that her then boyfriend now husband was raping her.

"Well?" Melissa said impatiently. "What night?" Spencer continued to stare at her sister for another moment before shaking her head and looking down knowing this was a lost cause. It was also too dangerous to tell. She needed to hold on to the belief that Melissa had kidnapped her for the money and would let her go once she got it. But if Melissa was twisted enough to stay with Ian after Ali and even blame Ali, she might think that Spencer wanted to have sex with Ian and that could be enough for Melissa to decide to kill her too.

What Spencer was about to find out was that Melissa wasn't crazy enough to kill her for what happened with Ian. She was even crazier.

When Spencer continued to stare at the ground and say nothing, Melissa rolled her eyes and grabbed her book again. A short time later, Spencer felt her eyes becoming heavy. She wasn't sure when and for how long she fell asleep, but what woke her was the deep voice of her worst nightmare.

When she opened her eyes, she was still restrained in the same corner of the room. Only instead of Melissa being on the bed across the room, she was standing in the middle of the room talking to Ian.

"I don't think we should kill her or give her back."

"Of course, we can't kill her, Ian. She's my sister and I couldn't do that to my parents. They are already losing me and their grandchild. We have to give her back."

"No, we don't. I think she'll come in real handy. You know for the times when I need something...different."

Melissa's whole body stiffened. Slowly she turned around to see Ian staring at Spencer with a smirk.

"I thought you had gotten that out of your system."

Ian turned away from Spencer. His eyes softened as he looked at his true love, Melissa. He moved towards her and took her into his arms. She stayed rigid at first but then relaxed as he rubbed her shoulders and down her back. He whispered in her ear. He said. "Baby you know I can't help it. You know I can't help this part of me that has to have it real rough sometimes. You were okay that I used Alison for that."

Hearing her name caused Melissa to back away from Ian again. "She was a slut." She spat. "Spencer is not like that." She gestured towards her sister shaking in the corner watching the couple argue.

"She went after Wren and me. Come on she and Alison were best friends. Birds of a feather, babe." Ian argued. He then sent another smirk Spencer's way, loving the tears now falling down her cheeks. "And if not, she'll get used to it."

"But why can't you just control yourself and-

"Melissa, you promised to love ALL of me." Ian shouted in anger causing both women to jump. He immediately softened his voice not meaning to scare his beloved at all. "You knew about this part of me. You not participating is why we broke up the first time and then when you tried, the baby." He implored moving close to her again and taking her hand in both of his. "I know we weren't ready, so it worked out, but do you want to risk that happening again. We are going into hiding for a while and soon you'll be too big to do anything. It's too risky to find another girl like Alison. Spencer's your sister. She's not gonna rub it in your face like Ali did or try to turn it into something more. I'm pretty sure she hates me. I'd just be using her body. You guys look alike. It's perfect. I'll be thinking of you. And when the baby comes, we'll have a free babysitter and maid and whatever else we want to use her for. It's perfect. Just think about it okay." After a beat Melissa nodded. Ian smiled before leaning down to kiss her passionately. "What do you say we go christening that couch out there." He whispered.

Melissa giggled and took Ian's hand. They left the room without even a backwards glance towards Spencer.

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A had been walking around the woods for over an hour. Not knowing what to expect, A didn't want to risk the car getting stuck. But heading towards the dot on foot proved a problem when all of a sudden, the dot disappeared.

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"I needed that." Melissa sighed contentedly. The arms around her gave a squeeze and then kissed the top of her head. "I've been trying to keep my stress level low for the baby but first Wilden and then Spencer."

"Don't worry, Melissa." Ian soothed. "Everything will work out." Ian disentangled himself from his wife and stood up. "Hey how about I set you a nice bubble bath so you can relax some more."

"That sounds heavenly."

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A was panicking a little. The phone screen was getting dimmer since the flashlight was draining so much battery power. Being lost in the woods was not at all part of the plan, turning back now would give the best chance to find the way back to the car.

A went to do just that when a gnarled tree branch came out of nowhere and caused A to go sprawling on the forest floor. The phone flew from A's hand. The sound of a splash a second later, made A want to punch something.

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Spencer looked up at the sound of the door creaking open.

There stood Ian. The sight of him with sweatpants, no shirt, and no sign of Melissa made it clear to Spencer what he was here for.

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The full moon helped but the way towards the car was rife with tall trees that blocked the satellite. There was a clearing further into the woods and it was probably the place where Spencer's dot had been. Deciding to move further in, it was only a few more yards when A saw a house.

The house was actually pretty big although it looked very dilapidated as if the owner had abandoned renovation plans for it a while ago. There was a light in the second story window, but A decided to follow a dirt path that led to the back of the house.

Any window passed; A would look through searching for signs of Spencer.

A terrified scream was a bigger sign than A had anticipated but that's what was given.

A hadn't wanted to go inside. The plan was to just check out the situation with Spencer. Well the situation with Spencer was a lot worse than expected. Calling the police would be the next course of action; only the cellphone had been ruined when it fell into that puddle.

Another cry from Spencer sprung A into action. There was no time to wait.

Grabbing a piece of wood leaning against the house, A climbed through an open window and headed down to the basement where Spencer's cries could be heard.

A pushed open the door and saw Ian on top of Spencer. She was crying and he was laughing as he pushed her flailing wrists to the ground.

Neither heard A approach. Unfortunately, the rescue was thwarted by a call from upstairs.

"Ian?" Ian's head snapped up just as A was about to deliver a blow to the back of Ian's head.

"What are you-" A struck but Ian moved just enough for the wood to only scrape across his forehead. It still hurt though. "Aargh!" He screamed as he stumbled down onto Spencer.

"Ian!" Melissa shouted as she came barreling down the steps.

A prepared to swing again but Ian was ready. He sprang up and charged into the body attacking him, knocking it down. Hearing Melissa and not wanting her to get hurt, he ran out of the room and quickly closed and locked the door behind him.

"Ian, what the hell! Who is that!" A heard Melissa shriek. The reply from Ian was muffled which meant he was too far from the door. But then stomping towards the door could be heard and Ian's voice became clear.

"...dead!"

"What are you doing with that?" Melissa again. "Ian no!" She pleaded. "The money won't be coming until tomorrow night; do you really want to deal with a dead body in here that whole time. Let's just call Wilden. He's a cop. Maybe he can lock the person up until we're free and clear."

"Fine. I'll fucking deal with it later!" Ian bitched. "My head's killing me, and I think I'm fucking bleeding. Can you come look, please!"

"Yes. Of course. I think there's a first aid kit upstairs."

A listened as the two moved away from the door. A whimper from behind caused A to swing around.

There was Spencer. Huddled against the wall self-soothing by rocking in a ball with her knees drawn to her chest.

A slowly approached realizing how delicate this situation was. And sure enough as soon as her hand touched Spencer's shoulder, Spencer screamed and tried to back further into the wall.

"Shh shh shh. It's okay. He's gone." A soothed while gathering Spencer's thrashing limbs into her arms. It took a while, but Spencer eventually stopped fighting.

A held her close to her chest and hummed a lullaby that her mother sang to her whenever she woke from a terrible nightmare.