Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Edited by Sjdavis84 and StillDreaming85.
WARNING: This story contains mature themes and is intended for mature readers.
ISABELLA SWAN
I had sat on the filthy mattress, staring pointlessly at the steps and the door.
I had been so close to freedom, so close to escaping this hell, and yet freedom had been so far away.
Since the police had been here looking, Anthony hasn't been back, and for that I was thankful, but I couldn't help wonder where he was?
Had he been arrested? Had something happened to him? And if it had, then what would happen to me?
James wouldn't answer any of my questions, every time he would repeat the same thing, I can't and it's not your concern.
How the hell was this not my concern? This was my life Anthony was playing with.
I wanted to know why I was here, I had a right to know that much at least.
"Are you gonna refuse food now? He won't like that," James said.
James surprised me with his kindness, although it was very welcome, in a situation like this it made me uneasy because his kindness didn't make sense and at times made feel as if I was treading on pins and needles around him.
What if this was all a plan to set me up? Although I had no idea what I could be set up for.
"I'm not hungry," I said, continuing to stare ahead.
"You need to eat, Isabella, please." He came and sat down beside me. Picking up the now cold burger, he held it up to my face.
"I said, I'm not hungry."
"I'm trying to help you here," he said.
"How the hell are you helping me," I said raising my voice.
"Anthony is coming tonight." The mention of his name made a chill run up my spine and my whole body shivered.
"And…" I tried to sound as if I wasn't intimidated by Anthony, that the mention of his name didn't cause me actual fear, but my voice shook and my eyes widened in a panic.
"Look," James said, putting the burger back down. "If you do as he says, he won't hurt you. He's not usually violent with women, but he does have a short fuse."
"Why am I here, James?" I tried my luck again, and I would continue to try until someone gave me some sort of answers.
"Don't do this Q and A again. You know I can't tell you anything." He sighed.
"Then why didn't you let the police find me?" I said, standing up abruptly, it made my head spin and caused me to stumble, but I caught myself.
"Isabella." He jumped up after me, trying to catch me, but I moved out of his reach.
"Why didn't you hide and let them find me? Why didn't you let them take me away from here?" I yelled. I hadn't wanted to cry, but I couldn't stop myself.
"Because little lamb, he is smarter than that and he knows better than to cross me," Anthony said.
With each step he took down the stairs, I took two back. But it was a pointless task, I had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, and James became a different person in Anthony's presence, not bad, but not good either.
James turned a blind eye towards Anthony's actions, in fact James turned a blind eye towards me. He refused to look at me in Anthony's presence.
"Oh come on little lamb, don't be like that." Anthony pouted, as he held his arms out wide. "Come here and give me a hug," he said.
What? A hug? Was he serious? But I wasn't stupid, I knew he was luring me into a trap. James said, if I did as Anthony said, he wouldn't hurt me, somehow I doubted that very much.
"Isabella, if I have to come to you, I'm not going to be so nice," he warned, yet his face still held that hint of playfulness. He was in a happy mood and I didn't want to ruin that, I didn't want to make him angry, but most of all, I didn't want him to hurt me.
Reluctantly and with shaky feet, I slowly walked over to where Anthony stood with his arms still opened wide.
I came into his reach, but he made no play to touch me.
It became dead quiet in this room, as if both men were holding their breaths. I hated that, I hated the silence.
I stood in front of Anthony impossibly close, almost chest to chest, but he remained as still as a statue, only his eyes followed my every move.
It was with a heavy heart that I submitted and put my arms around his middle.
He wrapped his arms around me. He ran his fingers through my hair and gently pushed my head against his chest. This was unusual, it was foreign to me.
Anthony held onto me, his hold was never tight, yet it was firm. His fingers ran through my hair and moved over the spot where my head had made contact with the concrete wall. My heart was pounding so fast that he had to feel it hammering against my chest.
I was nervous, on the edge, I kept waiting for it to happen but it never did. His hold never became too tight and his fingers in my hair, the way he moved them around, were making me dizzy.
I was like a statue in his arms. I was afraid to move, afraid to breathe. I didn't want to do something, make the wrong move or the wrong sound and set him off.
I don't know how long we stood there in the uncomfortable embrace. It wasn't until someone standing behind Anthony cleared their throat, that Anthony released his hold on me and turned to the person behind him.
I took that as my opportunity to step away from Anthony, but he sensed my movement and I wasn't quick enough. He grabbed my wrist roughly, his fingers painfully digging into my skin.
I tried to pull away, but it was energy wasted as he pulled me in front of him and twisted my arm behind my back in an awkward position, causing a jolt of pain to shoot from my shoulder all the way through to my fingernails. If he or I made one wrong move now, he would snap my arm.
"Having fun, brother?" The man asked.
I chanced a glance at the man now standing at the bottom of the stairs. A small gasp escaped me when I came face to face with Anthony's exact double, although his hair was a little shorter and his face was clean shaven, whereas Anthony had the slight hint of stubble on his jaw.
"I am. Care to join me?" Anthony said.
"You have to get her out of here," his twin said.
"Why?"
"You know why. It's not safe to keep her here anymore, Anthony."
Anthony didn't seem to care for his brother's words, in fact, he ignored him altogether. "What do you think we should do with her, Edward?" He asked.
"First, relocate her, and you can think what you are going to do with her later."
"You're no fun anymore, brother. It's been awhile since we have shared. I miss that." At Anthony's words, my body stiffened. Share? My mind ran away with me, all sorts of scenarios flashed before my eyes, none of which favored me.
I fought against Anthony's tight grip, ignoring the shooting pain in my arm. The door was open, deep down I knew any attempt to escape would be pointless, but I had to try somehow.
Anthony's hold on my arm became too unbearable, he had my arm in such a position that as soon as I stepped forward I felt the snap, my wrist became loose and numb..
Anthony let go of me. I was lightheaded and wobbled around and with my hand now cradled against my chest I would be unable to brace my fall. But I never made contact with the floor. A pair of arms caught me before I had the chance.
"You okay?" He asked, his eyes roaming over me. I nodded, unable to speak. "Let me see," he said, trying to pry my fingers from my broken wrist.
"Please," I begged, with tears in my eyes, I couldn't take anymore pain.
"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. Let me see if it's broken so I know if I need to get you a doctor or not," he spoke softly.
A doctor? Someone other than them, someone from the outside, someone who could help me.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded.
He gently took hold of my wrist, holding it carefully in his hand, his fingers brushing over my numb skin.
"Can you feel that?" He asked.
"No."
"It looks broken," Edward said, looking up at his brother with what I can only describe as a disapproving glare. "Let's get you out of here, and we'll get this fixed," he smiled down at me. He helped me stand up. He gently rested my arm against my chest and then took off his coat and put it over my shoulders. It was a welcomed sensation, the warmth, it was something I haven't felt in a while.
Edward gestured with his hand for James to come to him.
"Take her out the back, Jasper is waiting there. We'll be up soon," Edward ordered.
Hope hit me. I was going out, out of this room, and out back into the real world. Maybe escape wouldn't be impossible after all. New York was full of people, no matter which corner you turned. If I could make it out onto the streets, if I could scream, run, how far would they go to restrain me? Would they chase after me in a crowd at the risk of exposing themselves? I really doubted that.
But that's the funny thing about hope, it goes just as quickly as it comes.
James pulled out a gun from behind his back. He flicked the safety off and loaded a bullet into the chamber. He put the cold metal of the barrel of the gun against the back of my neck.
"If you try anything funny, he will kill you," Edward said, as his fingers brushed over my cheeks and wiped away my tears. "Keep your head down and don't make a sound, do you understand me," he warned. I nodded. "Good girl."
I had been right about James, he was nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing. He wouldn't hesitate to kill me, he wouldn't even blink an eye.
I kept my head down the entire time. We went down a long hallway and up a set of stairs, at the top was a heavy looking door.
James knocked twice. As soon as the door opened, he pushed me through. From here the sound of heavy bass music could be heard, which made me believe we were under a club.
James walked me down another dimly lit hallway until we stopped in front of another door. He leaned over me to open it, pushing the barrel of the gun harder against my neck.
As he pushed the door open, we were assaulted by the cold air and rain. It was dark outside now. I don't know how long I've been kept down there, it's hard to keep track of the time when you don't know when the day starts and the night ends.
"Get in the car," James ordered. Someone in front opened the door to the black SUV. James lowered the gun from my neck, but he didn't put it away, he kept it out as warning to me.
I took my chance then and looked at the man that had opened the car door.
It was him, the same man that had been in my room that night, the same man that had followed me around, the same man that took me.
I opened my mouth, but the blonde haired man put his finger against his lips silently telling me to keep my mouth shut.
"Get in the fucking car, you're soaking wet," Anthony said from behind.
James stepped away and Anthony took his place. "Get in already or I will push you in and then we'll fuck that little hand of yours up more."
I climbed into the car as best I could without using my hands for support. Edward was already in the car and Anthony climbed in after me. James and the blonde man were in front.
The car drove out slowly from the dark alleyway and into the busy New York City streets.
Edward put his hand on my right thigh and Anthony on my left. While Edward's hand was gentle, Anthony squeezed hard making me whimper in pain, but my pain didn't seem to bother the brothers.
I was trapped in a car with two evil brothers, for only God knows what reason.
I chose to look straight ahead and out the front window at the passing lights and people on the streets.
It was a bad mistake. I should have kept my eyes on Edward, maybe if I had, I could have seen the needle in his hand. I felt the prick on the side of my neck before the darkness took over.