Page 114 of Disturbed Lucidity

“Bravo Team to Alpha Team leader. Come in, Luc.”

“Go ahead, Mouth.”

“Got eyes on Solomon. He’s moving fast.”

“Follow him,” I ordered.

This was quickly becoming a logistical nightmare.

Too many fucking players.

Not enough men.

“Luc,” Elvis whispered and the hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention. Elvis never spoke in the field. Ever. For him to speak up meant I wasn’t going to like what came next. Yet something inside me knew what my brother was going to say before I even heard the words slip from his mouth. “Got eyes on Devlin Scott.”

“Kill him!”

“He’s got Ivy with him, Prez.”

Malice was off running before I could even blink.

“Take the building!” I ordered.

Fuck waiting.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Ivy

Gasping for breath, my eyesight became hazy as I strained to distinguish the two lifeless forms sprawled in front of me.

Similar to Oliver, Father extended them permission to enter and have their revenge on me. And just like Oliver, when they were sated, Father wasted no time in terminating them, swiftly and decisively, using a single bullet to the head.

With each deliberate breath I took, I couldn’t help but notice the rhythmic thumping in my chest, as if it was keeping perfect time and serving as a metronome for the passage of time. There was an abnormality in the volume of my lungs that caught my attention, and it was quite noticeable. Father brought his favorite metal cuffs and wasted no time placing them on my wrist. The subtle clink of the metal served as a constant and poignant reminder of my time with Father in the past. None of it good. Father moved with great speed, attaching the metal cuffs to a hook in the ceiling that I had not noticed before, thus eliminating any possibility of escape.

Struggling for courage, I clenched my fists and contemplated the daunting task of reaching up and unhooking myself, battling against the palpable fear that loomed in front of me. Despite everything, I couldn’t bring myself to move my arms while I watched my father slowly take off his shirt.

“Punishment time, sweetheart.”

The fear that gripped me was so intense that it spread throughout my entire body, rendering me motionless and unable to make a single move. Among the various punishments that could be administered, there was one in particular that Father had a fondness for.

In spite of the throbbing pain, I summoned all my strength to pry open my swollen eyes, resolutely blinking through the immense discomfort. With a sadistic craving consuming them, Miguel and Raul had been unwavering in their determination to inflict unbearable torment upon me before proceeding with their brutal and forceful acts. Without a doubt, I could feel blood seeping from one or both of the holes they had abused.

“Please, Father,” I implored.

“You broke God’s law, and now you must pay the price.”

In my struggle to see, I exerted extra effort to strain my ears, desperately hoping to catch even the faintest sound that could give me a clue as to what Father’s intentions were.

The sound of his footsteps echoed through the room, getting closer with each passing second.

I felt a wave of true panic wash over me.

As I took each breath, I could feel my chest rising and filling with air, and at the same time, the sound of my heart pounding echoed loudly in my ears. A paralyzing fear took hold of me, causing me to remain frozen in place. The impending commencement of my punishment made me acutely aware that there was no possibility for me to intercede or put a stop to his actions.

“Father, please.” My words died abruptly behind the force of a slap. Strong fingers struck my cheek just hard enough to get my attention.

“Quiet, slut!” his voice barked. The impact of the backhand hitting the other side of my face caused a surge of pain to course through me, instantly sharpening my senses and catapulting my mind into a sudden state of heightened awareness. “Whores may not speak.”

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