Page 8 of Psycho Boys

The two shadows hovering over me finally come into focus, only to reveal they're wearing masks. One is wearing a look of fierce determination, clouds of worry etched across his brow. The other, a stranger with a cruel smirk, watches me intently, his eyes glinting with malice.

“Let me go,” I demand, but my command is met with a scoff.

“Not a fucking chance. You know how this has to go. Keeping you tied up is the only way to keep you from causing too much trouble." His voice slides like oil over glass—smooth but unsettling.

Ignoring him, I twist to face the other one, my heart pounding in my chest. “What’s going on? Where are we?” I struggle to focus through the haze of pain.

He kneels beside me, his expression earnest. “Cali, I swear I didn’t know they would take you. I tried to stop them.”

“Stop them? You’re the one that..." My anger takes a breath, but my body betrays me as I wince at the sharp pain radiating from my side.

His eyes flash with regret, and he bites at the edge of his lip. The smirk never leaves the other one's face. “How noble of you, but let’s be real. You’ve always been the weak link in the chain, haven't you?” The words enclose like a noose, tightening around my throat.

“Shut up!” He growls, but the evil one chuckles, taller and more imposing, obviously enjoying the power he holds.

With a swift movement, he steps closer and leans down, his face inches from mine. "If you’re smart, you won’t try anything foolish, Cali. Just look where we are.” His laughter fills the room, dark and hollow, like an echo from the past.

But beneath the surface of my anxiety, a flicker of defiance ignites. I refuse to let him see me falter. The memory of Dom's fierce protection and my friends' loyalty propels me forward.

“You think this is over?” I bite back, my voice steady despite the rising fear.

For a moment, surprise flits across his covered face before it’s masked again by condescension. “You don’t know the half of what’s coming. You’ll wish you had kept quiet.”

Suddenly, I hear the sharp clank of a door slamming open, and the atmosphere shifts. An older man steps inside, dressed sharply in a suit that’s too refined for this grim place. His piercing gaze scans the room.

As he surveys the scene, I feel an icy chill creep up my spine. This new arrival radiates a sense of authority that even the masked figures seem to yield to. The cruel smirk fades from the face of my captor, replaced with something closer to apprehension.

“Sir,” the one who had been mocking me stammers, straightening himself as if he were a child caught misbehaving.

“Have you taken care of the situation?” the older man replies, his voice steady, almost devoid of emotion. His eyes never leave mine, as if assessing me, measuring my worth—or perhaps my threat.

“Yes, we have her,” the other grunts, annoyance creeping into his tone. “But we?—”

“Enough,” the older man interrupts, a single word that silences the room. “We need to move forward with this. The longer we keep her here, the more complications we invite.”

I instinctively recoil at his words, realizing that I am nothing more than a pawn in their twisted game. He gestures with his hand, and the other masked man shifts uncomfortably, glancing between me and the older man.

“Get her ready for the meeting,” the man commands, his tone brooking no argument.

“Meeting?” I question, trying to inject fear into my voice despite my overwhelming dread. It’s as if I’m speaking from a distance, the surrealism of my situation still competing with the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

“Don't act clueless, Cali,” the older man says, his gaze cutting like a knife. “You know your family and their dealings. They’ve put you right in the middle of everything—whether you want to believe it or not.”

Chills skitter down my spine, shaking me out of the confused daze I've fallen into. I can’t deny the truth in his words; my parents had worked in the shadows, always one step away from the edge of the law. I had preferred to stay at the periphery, blissfully ignorant of their darker dealings, but that changed in an instant.

The masked man flanks me again, his grip tightening on my arms to hoist me upright. “Let’s go. It’s time to meet the big players,” he sneers, his breath hot against my skin.

I resist, channeling every ounce of strength I can muster, but it’s futile. The two of them drag me from the room, the brightness of the hallway blinding after the darkness of the trunk.

Each movement sends waves of pain crashing through my body—pain from the crash, from my bindings, from the fear of what’s coming next. They lead me down seemingly endless corridors where dim lights flicker ominously as if aware of the darkness that lurks within.

Finally, we arrive at a heavy wooden door that seems to pulse with a life of its own. The masked man knocks once, more like a warning than a means of announcement. At the sound, the door swings open, revealing a lavish conference room that starkly contrasts the decrepit interior I had just left. A large tabledominates the center, surrounded by figures clad in sharp suits, their faces a mixture of concern and interest as my captors pull me inside.

“Ah, the prodigal daughter arrives,” one of the suits drawls, leaning back in his chair with an air of arrogance. “We’ve been waiting to discuss your role in this little family affair.”

“Role?” I echo, confusion clouding my thoughts. I can hardly mask my contempt. “I’m not your fucking pawn.”

“Yet here you are,” he replies, his eyes alight with a mixture of amusement and sadism. “Your parents thought it wise to keep you involved. After all, you have something we need.”

---