Page 20 of But I'm Still Standing

“Perfect.” He said as he pulled the straps of my nightgown down my shoulders until my tits were out on display for him.

I watched him as he removed his shirt and undid his belt, sliding it out of his pants. I let out a breath when he hit me with the belt on the back of my thigh. I sucked in another breath when he hit my breast, then my chest, my inner thigh, then my ass a few times. I sobbut never let out a cry or yell. Just take deep breaths as the leather meets my skin and let it out as the sting takes over.

“Good girl, sweetheart. Tell me how much you love the bite of my belt on your ass before I fuck it.”

“What do you say?” He asks. I don’t reply, I just look up at the ceiling. He started to hit me again when I refused to thank him. I kept my silence as he went nuts in his drunken state, screaming as he hit me over and over. His voice is still echoing in my head.

“This is my world! Everything in it is here to amuse me! When it ceases to amuse me, it will cease to exist! Then, poof! You’ll be gone, sweetheart!”

The door opens with a thud, pulling me out of yet another nightmare, as MJ wheels in breakfast.

“Hey Sav, what’s wrong?” She asks and I don’t know why she is asking until I feel the tears drip down onto my hands in my lap. I didn’t even realize I was crying.

“Oh sweetie, it’s just hormones, nothing to worry about.” I still hide how I feel from MJ. She knows but doesn’t push.

“Well, I brought you something that I think you are going to go nuts for.” Her smile reaches her eyes as she takes the lids off of our breakfast.

“I’ve missed you,” I reply as I stand to see what she is so happy about. “Oh my God! Banana Foster French toast with pecans and a scoop of ice cream! I miss Stanleys breakfast so much! Thank you, MJ, how did you know?” I ask as I give her a huge hug.

“Sin let me know how much you love it. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to see you in between meals for us to talk. Fiona said we could go down to the stables today. Her and Max are out of town for a couple of days, so I get to spend as much time with you as I want! Mark is even gone; someone is fucked is all I can say. The best part is, I’m in charge! Well kind of, I mean we aren’t allowed to leave.” She giggles as she sets our plates on the table.

I smirk, hoping they stay gone.

“I thought we could watch movies in the theatre room tonightand have fun, I’ve missed you too. I even invited the new chef to join us, I think you will like her! I have been able to spend time with her when I’m not in some stupid class to learn about my duties as a covenant.” She rolls her eyes, and I can see she is just as exhausted as I am.

“MJ, have they been punishing you this whole time? To keep you away from me?” I ask, eyes wide at the thought of them hurting her.

“It’s not punishment if I enjoy it. I told you; my body begs for the sick shit they do to it. Degrading, yes, but I don’t have to think, just follow instructions, get praised, and fucked until I pass out. Not a bad trade if you ask me. It’s not like we are hurting here.” She waves her hands around the room to say we should consider ourselves lucky.

“I’m glad you feel that way. I just can’t imagine someone actually hurting you.” I look down, feeling bad that she has never had anyone protect her in her life. When I can, I will. I want her to see there is another way to live, but this is what she will ultimately choose no matter what. It’s her duty and she is proud to become Alec’s covenant. That little prick better make her life feel like a fucking fairytale with what she has had to endure to be his precious covenant.

“Sin wanted me to give you something, I never got to read it, so I don’t know what it said. Mark took it on our way home that day. I’m sorry, I should have tried to hide it better.” She shakes her head looking away from me.

“You shouldn’t have done so much to help me with Sin; that wasn’t part of our deal.”

“I couldn’t help it. We were in the cemetery, and you were right, the feeling you get in your chest when you enter and the whole time you are there is amazing. I felt alive and couldn’t shut up about The Originals. I tried the whole way there to come up with something that Mark and Fiona wouldn’t understand to help Sin figure out who Fiona really is. The Originals and their mother and father were the only way I could do it and I knew it had to be in the cemetery because it correlated with the show. I just hope it was enough to helphim figure it out.” She tells me details of their meeting that I have been dying to hear.

“Tell me more! How did he look? Did he seem okay? God did he smell as heavenly as I remember? Was he nice to you?” I ask all the things I have been thinking of since that day, feeling Kohl kick at the way my body and mind feel when thinking of his daddy. If I didn’t know better, I would think that he misses his dad as much as I do the way he is kicking the shit out of my bladder all of the sudden.

“Hold that thought!” I say as I jump up and waddle as fast as I can to the bathroom. I hurry and do my business and wash my hands. I look in the mirror and see light in my eyes for the first time in weeks. I hurry and dry my hands and rush back to the table.

“Continue.” I move my hand in circles on my belly as I sit back down and let out a breath. Carrying another human being inside of you is exhausting.

MJ takes a drink of her chocolate milk, giggling as she puts it down, “Savvy, you look alive again.”

“I feel alive again, even if it is just for a little while, I’ll take it.” I smile wide at her as I take a bite of a banana and pecans.

“We did everything on our list and then some. He was surprised you told me everything about the two of you, and your friends. You were right, he is gorgeous, but he looked tired and hung over. I made sure he ate almost the entire time. There is something that I overheard on the way back from NOLA and I think it’s more important than what Sin and I talked about. Do you know a woman named Jill?” I see her face fall when my eyes widen.

“What about Jill? Is she here? Did they get her too? Is she okay?” I ask, worry showing on my face as I think of the things that they will do to one of us that isn’t pregnant!

Chapter 13

Sin

28 Weeks

We had to wait three days to make sure that the Saints were on board with our plan. I called up Alec, letting him know of a whore house that their queen has been skin trading out of. To be honest I thought getting more Saints was a bad idea, but my dad as well as Joe and Jaspers dad reassured us that it was our only option. I took my oath this morning and got my Saint crest tattoo this afternoon. They had fun trying to figure out where to put it since my skin is covered, but they managed. I swore to protect my covenant Savannah Grace Bennet and fulfill all duties given to a Saint. I will continue to run our drug operation through appointed keepers and keep the bank rolling with real estate. Charlie has proven himself, bringing in more money than any other agent in the city this year. He runs day to day operations, and I’ll help when needed.

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