Page 134 of Gabriel's Salvation

“Phase two,” I hear Rapey Ryan say into his phone.

I watch as the masked figure flashes his knife at the camera, then walks over to Riley. He lifts the blanket and slowly runs the knife up her leg, “Gaaabe” Riley whines playfully before her snoring continues. Seriously, how is she still asleep?

Part of me wants her to wake up, fight, get away. But I know that will only make it worse. These sadistic bastards would find it a game of cat and mouse then.

So instead, I pray that, like the zombie sleeper I know she is, she stays asleep and oblivious to it all.

“Fine, fine,” I concede as I reluctantly lower to my knees. “Stop it!” Please stop! God if you're real, find a way to stop this.

“Continue,” Marko says as he snatches the phone out of his cousin's hand.

The masked man then moves the knife higher, up her thigh, and towards the hem of her shirt.

I want nothing more than to fight back, protest, and kill every last one of them. But if I do that I know Riley will be hurt so I have to fight every natural instinct I have.

“I bow, I bow, now stop!” I scream in a panic.

“Continue,” Marko says into the phone as he looks down at me.

I watch in horror as the knife lifts the bottom of her shirt and makes its way towards her pussy as if in slow motion. But just before it reaches its destination the picture disappears.

I can't see Riley anymore as whatever was recording this has now been dropped to the floor. Please be okay baby, please.

“That's enough,” a voice says from the screen. This is the first time I've heard the voice so I try desperately to pinpoint who it belongs to.

I can hear a hushed but frustrated conversation, but it's too low to hear what's being said or who the voices belong to.

“I didn't sign up for this shit.” Wait, I recognize that voice -Deeno. The phone is lifted from the floor and I briefly get a glimpse of the figure leaving the bed. But I still don't know what happened in those soul destroying minutes when we were left blind. I'm gonna make every single one of these cunts suffer for touching my girl. And if they've hurt her, I’ll hurt them so bad they will be begging for death.

I launch myself at the phone, tackling Marko to the floor as I do.

“Give me the fucking phone!” I bellow, but it's too late. The line’s gone dead and the only connection I have to my girl has been stripped away from me.

Anger, panic, and fear overcome me as I begin to attack him. “Call them back! Call them back!” I scream in between punches.

The rest of the guys attempt to pull me off him but I'm too frenzied. Like a wild animal I suddenly seem to possess inhuman level strength.

“Call them back!” I snap again as I drag Marko off the ground and pin him against a wall.

“Never.” Marko smirks as he spits out a mouthful of blood.

“I'm telling you…” I begin before I'm cut off.

“No, I'm telling YOU,” Marko smirks with blood dripping from the side of his mouth, “I’m in charge now and you will do what the fuck I say, when the fuck I say it. Because I’m the fucking boss now.”

“The hell you are,” I reply before it suddenly hits me. I just agreed to this. In my panic, I agreed to this. I agreed to step down and let Marko take over as top dog. And in doing so, I signed my own death sentence. I can't do anything to him without the repercussions for not just myself, but my whole family as well. He has me exactly where he wants me!

If I try to break away, my whole family is in danger. That means my brother, Izzy, Riley, heck even their friends are fair game. If I disobey, I start a war I cannot fight alone.

Reluctantly, I step away and have no choice but to step in line.

“That's what I thought.” Marko smirks as he straightens up and uses the sleeve of his hoodie to wipe away the blood from his mouth. Keep smiling motherfucker, I’ll fucking get you for this, mark my words.

“Now fuck off bitch boy, I expect you to be available every day and all day. If I say jump, you ask how high!” he cackles.

“I'm gonna get you for this. Mark my words. I'm not backing down lightly,” I vow under my breath.

“Oh you will back down; you’ll step in line and lick my fucking boots if I tell you too,” Marko laughs as he turns his back on me. I launch forward but am met with a bunch of angry looking faces, letting me know that at this moment, the whole gang is standing with Marko.

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