True Control (5 page)

Chapter 13 HIM

I open the door and Lucy’s Mom is immediately hugging me. I hug her back and look into her Dad’s eyes. They look as bloodshot as mine. No one’s slept.

Her brother, PJ, brings in their bags and sets them in the hallway. I shake his hand. I haven’t seen him since the birth of his son. His wife, Cathy, stayed home with their kids.

I lead them down the hall and into the dining area. Mom has a full spread of food out all ready. She’s been buzzing around here getting everything back in order and cleaned. She needs to stay busy to keep from crying more. Dad told her not to in front of me again.

But the moment she hugs Liz, they’re both crying. I turn towards the kitchen. I can’t stand hearing it. It rips at my own tears, the ones I’ve kept bottled in the pit of my stomach so far.

I hear Dad warn Mom, “That’s enough, Alex.”

I get another cup of coffee and walk back in. Mom is sniffling. Liz is burying her face in Paul’s chest, but she stopped crying too.

I fill them in with what’s happened since they landed. “The tech just left here. They’re monitoring all calls and messages to my phones – here, my offices, cell. So far, nothing. But they believe that this might be a ransom demand…” I’d pay anything to get Lucy back. Then I’d hunt down whoever had her and kill them. This thought calms me. “No one used her credit cards. They were tossed with her phone and purse. No prints on anything.” Dad has been pushing every contact he has to get everything sped up on the investigation.

“So they think she was kidnapped on the street? In broad daylight?” Paul is choking this out. His face is red. So like my Lucy.

“Yes. But they’re checking for any witnesses still. It’s Saturday now, so downtown is pretty quiet. They know the security guard in the lobby of her doctor’s building recognized her, but said he doesn’t remember seeing her yesterday. And no one from the doctor’s office saw her either.”

I take a seat on my sofa. Paul moves to sit in a chair opposite me. “So what’s next? What can
we
be doing?”

“I’m giving the police my full cooperation. I have a private investigator our firm uses too. He already has all the details. I won’t leave anything to chance, Paul.” He nods. “For now, the police have asked for a list of anyone who might’ve wanted to harm Lucy. If you can think of anyone, anything at all that will help…”

Liz laughs sharply, an hysterical sound. “No one would want to harm Lucy! Everybody loved her!”

Paul gets up and puts his arms around his wife again. “We know that, dear. But the police have to start looking somewhere.”

Dad speaks up from his spot at the table. “Maybe she should lie down, Paul. Alex has the guest room ready.”

Liz only shoots him a hard look. “I don’t need to lie down, Ron. I’m not a child!” She turns quickly though and walks down the hall to the bathroom, slamming the door behind herself.

Paul gives an apologetic look and goes to follow her.

PJ looks uncomfortable and takes a seat at the table finally. Mom hands him a plate. She needs to feel useful right now to someone. I know how she feels.

Lucy’s Mom has been struggling with me since our wedding. She still likes me. But she doesn’t like that I’m in charge. Really she doesn’t like that
she’s
no longer in charge of her daughter.

I let Lucy talk to her as much as she wants. Except when she’s grounded from using the phone. Three days after I beat Lucy that Wednesday night was the first time I had to tell Liz that Lucy couldn’t take her call. She yelled and threatened me. I stayed calm, but I eventually had to hang up on her.

When Lucy was able to call her again, I listened while she explained that she was fine with me punishing her like this. I was very proud of Lucy that day. She stuck up for us to her Mom. We’ve had a neutral truce since then.

Thinking about Lucy. Remembering her voice, her smile, her. I feel even calmer. She can’t be lost to me. I will find her. She belongs to me, with me. I have to keep faith in that.

I’m jolted out of my thoughts by the phone. Everyone looks to me. Liz and Paul quickly come back into the room as I grab the phone. It’s only the lobby downstairs. Killaney’s back.

Chapter 13 HER

I wake with one thought. Max doesn’t snore.

I lift my head and two pains fight for dominance. The left side of my head and my neck. My head wins, I stop moving. I swallow, but something metal pokes at my throat.

I slowly open my eye. My left still won’t budge. Light is just starting to come through the window. I try to lift my hands to my throat, but this burns my wrists more.

I’m tied again. I slowly move my head, not lifting it. I can see him next to me. Snoring. In bed.

Don’t think about that.
I was raped! He raped me, Max! How am I supposed to not think about that?! I’m losing it. I need to breathe. Whatever’s on my neck makes it difficult to get deep breaths, but I calm down. I close my eye for a moment.
Breathe.

I open my eye again and see that he has two ropes in his hand. One I can see leads to my wrists. The other trails across me body, up to my neck. A collar. I have a collar on?! Oh God.

Don’t panic!
I obey Max’s sharp tone. I always do. I swallow rapidly several times despite the strain on my throat.

I slowly move my wrists towards him.
Who is he, Lucy?
I shake my head slightly. I don’t know. I gently pull the ropes from his loose fingers.
Don’t wake him.
He doesn’t move. More snores.

I have the rope ends in my hand. I almost laugh, giddy with freedom. I feel lightheaded for a moment.

I slowly. Oh so slowly. Move my legs towards the edge of the bed. I want to jump up. I want to run. But I go slow, just like Max is telling me to do. My head shakes with his commanding voice.

I stop. I can’t see him anymore; I’ve turned away, but I can still hear him snoring. Good.

Another inch. My left toes are on the floor and I push my upper body gently up with my burning wrists. My head swoons.

But it’s the low growl that makes my stomach leap.

I look down and a foot away. I can just make out what looks like a pile of black clothes on the dark carpet. But the pile is growling. And I can see white teeth. A lot of white teeth staring back at me.

He stirs behind me and I’m trapped between him and this beast. I’m yanked back onto his body by his hand in my hair.

“Morning.” His smile is full of the same white teeth. Too many of them. I hear a high scream. Mine. I strangle it, shaking, too afraid to give him anything. Even my scream.

He laughs. “I see you met my other bitch.” At this the dog jumps up on the bed. I don’t turn my head.

I can smell the same hair I choked down yesterday. I can smell its breath. I can hear its panting.

He pets the dog and me at the same time. I can see the shine of the dog’s teeth, inches from me. Her ears are back and she still growls low while licking his hand.

I cower against him for protection, keeping his arm between my face and the beast. He laughs and continues petting me the same way. I’d like to bite his hand; I’d like to have her teeth for weapons!

Chapter 14 HIM

Killaney introduces me to the media liaison, Eve. She’s young, pretty, a face you’d want to see on TV. She smiles a lot at me and puts her hand on my arm like we know each other already. I move away to sit on the sofa again. Killaney introduces himself to everybody else, taking names down on his notes again.

Liz doesn’t wait for Killaney to finish writing, “What can you tell us?! Have you found anything that will help?” Her voice is unnaturally high and Paul squeezes her arms again. She pushes off him though and walks closer to the detective. I can see Paul’s patient and frustrated response. He’s never been in control in his marriage.

“No, Ma’am. We’re still looking, though. We have a canine unit now on the street and we’re canvassing the area around where her purse was found.” He gently pats her arm and says slowly, “We’re doing everything we can.”

She only nods and takes the seat next to PJ at the table.

Killaney turns back to me. Dad walks to stand next to him. “So, Max. Do you have that list for us?”

I hand him a piece of paper. It’s not long, a few employees I’ve had to fire recently. A disgruntled client or two. A few more defendants. No one I can think of who would do something like this though. He glances at it. “We’ll go through these today. Anyone else…anyone who might have been jealous of you or your wife? Of your money?” He looks around the apartment. It’s not opulent, but I obviously have money. “Anyone who would be jealous of your fame?” I’m not famous, but I’m well known in certain social circles. It’s the price of being involved with popular bars and restaurants. Everyone’s asking favors. But no one would do this.

“No.” I shake my head, putting my head in my hands, rubbing my hair back again. I’ve given this same list to my investigator.

“Any ex-girlfriends or boyfriends on here?”

“No.” I clench my jaw thinking about Lucy’s ex-boyfriends. There weren’t many, but I have my investigator looking into any in the area too.

Killaney turns to Jake. He’s been staying out of my sight, standing near the wall of windows. “Anyone you can think of?”

Liz looks surprised that Killaney would ask my brother this. So, she didn’t know about their friendship either…Lucy really kept it a secret from everyone. I look at my brother. His face is neutral again.

“No. I…I don’t think anyone who ever met Lucy would want to hurt her.” Jake doesn’t meet my glare.

Liz nods and starts to cry into a napkin. Mom turns to walk out the room with a nod from Dad.

Killaney gestures to Eve and she moves to stand in front of me. “I’d like to get you ready for an announcement for the press, Max.” I know they’ve been mobbing downstairs. “We’ll keep it short, no questions.” I nod at her.

She appraises me. “This message is very important, Max. This could be what brings your wife home.” I nod again and don’t shake off her hand on my shoulder. I’ve always hated when women get too familiar too quickly. She’s probably easy to get in bed too.

“What am I supposed to say?” I know what I want to say. I want to promise whoever has my Lucy that I’ll kill them when I find them.

“We’ll run the photos and details we have before and after your announcement. But I’d like you to hold this one up.” She hands me a glossy enlarged image of Lucy. It’s one I took on our honeymoon. She’s smiling and a breeze has her curls floating on the air. Rome is blurred in the background. I remember her laughter with that picture.

Seeing her smile now, I have to stop from crying by clenching my fist against my leg. I can’t lose it.

“You’ll need to say that she’s been missing since yesterday. That…” She pauses and looks at Killaney who nods at her, “That she may be pregnant and in need of medical care. Say a few things about her, what you love about her. The more you can say to make her real for anyone watching, the better.” Her voice is annoying. Too friendly, too happy, too fake concerned and trying for consoling.

She waits until I nod to continue, “This part is very important, Max.” I look up at her. She smiles at me again. I want to hit her. To knock the smile off her face. I want to hit something anyway. I smile back. “You need to stay calm on camera if you can. Tears are fine. But no anger.” I could choke her. I only nod.

“We’ll go downstairs to meet the press in ten minutes. Why don’t you wash up a little? No shaving though…it’ll look better on camera.” She turns to where Liz and Paul are sitting. She doesn’t see the clenching of my jaw or the shaking of my fist on my leg. “And I think we’ll have her parents stand just to your side.” Liz frowns angrily at the appraising look Eve gives her. “But you won’t say anything…not this time anyway.”

I groan thinking that there will be more of this. Being on camera. Begging someone to give me my wife back. Begging someone to call with information. Begging.

Dad squeezes my shoulder. The barely hidden anger on his face echoes my own.

Chapter 14 HER

“Get down, Bitch.” And for a second, I’m confused if he means me. But he doesn’t let go of my head.

The large black dog gets off the bed immediately. Well-trained too, huh?

I try to stay calm as his hand moves from my hair to my neck, just below the collar. He twists my head around to his. I can see his hard on. I press my legs together again. I’m still hurting from yesterday. I fight back the tears.

“I…I need the bathroom…please?” He grins at this. He likes being in control. My mind runs from this thought. I always liked Max in control. I can’t compare being here, under this man’s control now. I stop anymore thoughts of Max.

He gets up, but keeps his hand squeezing the back of my neck, pulling me with him. He pushes me towards a door and shoves me in, turning on the light. I stand facing him, trying to hide behind my hair.

I look at my bound wrists. My skin is broken in spots, dried blood colors the rope. “Can you untie me?” I hate how tiny my voice sounds, like I’m asking for a new toy. But he responds to it with a grunt and grabs my wrists.

He’s rough untying the rope and I have to stop myself from wincing out loud, only little hisses escape my lips. He keeps grinning at me. But he takes the rope to the collar out of my hand.

With my hands free I turn a little and see a toilet. “Can I have some privacy?”

“Nope.” I didn’t think so, but it was worth a try.

I’ve gotten used to doing this in front of Max. He doesn’t let me close doors to him. But the humiliation of this man watching me as I stumble a little and take a seat is almost worse than the pain shooting out from all over my body. My head, eye, throat, arms, wrists, back, legs, pussy. The ride in the trunk, being thrown around here, being beat with his belt. I hide my tears under my hair. When I finally pee, I wince. He was very rough and it’s just another spot that hurts. I wipe carefully.

He tugs on the rope a little and I wince louder from the pain on my throat. Tiny pinheads pushing all around my neck. I get up and he moves to stand next to me.

I look away, despite this pulling on the collar. I hear him pee and grunt. And fart. I gag against the collar. He laughs.

I can see myself in the mirror, just my shoulders and head. But I gasp. I don’t recognize myself. My left eye is swollen shut. The lids two angry red and blue puffy half circles meeting where my eye should be. The skin around it a deep red and purple mix spreading onto my cheek and forehead. My right eye looks oddly small in comparison. An island of pale skin and blue water. The bruise spreads to this island even.

The collar on my neck shines in the light. A metal choke collar for a small dog. The tiny prongs pinch into my skin. My shoulders and neck are crisscrossed with belt marks. These I’m familiar with. But never above my butt. Max would never have hit me like this.

I don’t take comfort in this thought. I run from all thoughts of Max. I yell at his voice in my head to shut up. Shut up! You’re not here and you can’t do anything about any of this!

I can feel all the parts of my body that are broken and sore. I’m battered. That’s the word. I’ve heard it on TV. I’ve seen images from movies. I’ve seen my own body hurt, punished. But not like this.

I think the only spot not hurt is a baby toe. I almost laugh at this.
You’re getting hysterical again, baby
. Yep. I know, Max. I’m going to die laughing…

I close my eye and clutch the small vanity, shaking and choking on my tears. No. I won’t give this man my tears. I won’t as long as I can help it. I make a promise to myself to hold back as much as I can. He can beat me and take what he wants from me physically…but I can withhold my tears. I’m strong enough for that.
That’s my girl.

I take a deep breath in. And it’s familiar. My eye pops open and I see why and see him standing behind me. No expression. Just watching me.

He tugs the rope and I move to follow him out of the bathroom.

He stops at the bed. The black dog inches from my legs, still showing teeth. He sits on the bed and orders me to kneel. I obey, but move to be away from the dog some more.

I know what he wants before he puts his hand to the back of my head and pushes me down towards his swelling dick. Despite the pain, I resist, “Wait.” He lets me lift my head again. “What if…What if I can guess your name right…will you…does your deal still stand?”

He laughs. I have to stop the windows flying open in my head, letting all the sanity out at hearing his laughter again. It’s too normal, too sane to belong to this, to him. I take one shaky breath in and out before meeting his eyes again. “Sure. Why not.” Instinct. He’s arrogant. Full of himself. And he actually wants me to know who is.

And I do know his name now. But do I save this get out of jail free card for later or use it now?

The thought of him fucking me again turns my stomach and I know I don’t have the courage to wait.