Page 81 of The Toymaker
“How fucking dare you! I don’t abuse him.”
“You’re the one who upsets him, and you say he’s not a retard, but you treat him like one!” shouted Kit. “You treat him like a dog you have to train to act a certain way. You threatened me to not yell at him or make him feel bad, but I think you hit himupstairs! That’s why you keep saying stupid shit and refusing to tell me what happened.”
Trig’s face reddened as Kit breathed heavily. “I think you forgot you’re not leaving here until the cage is done.”
“I’ll tell everyone you didn’t let me have a safety word, and how you treat Riju, and you make him cry, and you kept me stuck here like a prisoner-and-”
Trig marched over, and Kit scooted back to get against the wall. If it came to blows, Kit was smaller and not as strong. He’d never felt so terrified or angry before, and he balled a fist because he wasn’t letting anyone beat him without trying to defend himself. He’d scream too, and he knew Riju would come down for him.
Trig didn’t strike him. He leaned over and pointed at Kit. “If you ever dare to say a word, do you think they’ll believe you? You’re a nobody in this city. I’m respected and known by a lot of people, including those who keep this place running, and the lord of Raven’s Landing. They’ll believe me, not you. I also think you’re not quite right in the head. You might be a little like Riju, and nobody is going to believe someone who’s a little retarded.”
“I’m not retarded!”
Trig backed up. “I think you are a bit. You clicked way too fast with Riju to start-”
“I like him as a person, and how dare you call him retarded! Maybe you should try liking him as a person instead of trying to change him.”
“Shut up,” Trig said in a deadly quiet voice. “You’re already getting mouthy and forgetting the title. Your ass is going to feel every fuck up tomorrow. Like I was saying. You two are practically obsessed with each other for whatever reason, and you like everything he’s into. You’ve started sleeping with the damn doll you made.”
Kit liked it, and he’d made it with Riju. Besides, why not? Riju slept with dolls, and he didn’t see the problem with it, so he’d started keeping his next to his pillow at night. Who cared if he discovered a thing he liked? Trig could go fuck himself.
“You can look at me, but sometimes, your face is kind of blank, or you put on this expression like-I don’t know. You repeat words like him, and I don’t think you’re quite right up top. You’ve tried to turn him against me, and I’m the one who took care of him for years, long before you came along, and you’re filling his head with lies. I never should have taken you because we were happier.”
“You were happier because he listened and did what you said. You’re not happy now because he stood up for himself. It would have happened eventually.” Kit got on his knees. “You treat him like a dog, and I guess you don’t care if we’re ‘retarded’ when you want someone to suck your cock or pound your ass! Funny how it works out in your favor, huh? You resort to insults and interruption when things aren’t going your way.”
Trig clenched his fists. “You’re not leaving this basement or seeing Riju until I say, and once the cock cage is done, you’re going out on the street. You better not ever step foot in here again or I’ll have you arrested. If you ever say a word, I’ll say you tried to steal from me, and you can sit in a cell in the city jail for all I care. I’ll whip you tomorrow when I’m not so pissed, and you better be thankful. We’ll see how defiant you are after I’m through with your ass.”
With that, Trig stomped up the stairs. The door slammed shut, and Kit was sure he heard the latch rattle. He was locked in. He sat on the floor and started to shake all over. Dear Elira.
Trig had seemed decent at first and like a good man. It was because he’d been getting his way in general. When that ended, his true colors had shown. The more pushback he received, the angrier he grew.
He wondered if he should scream then. Riju had said to scream for him if he didn’t feel safe, and Kit knew he was far from safe. No. With whatever happened upstairs, Riju would know they needed to go, and he’d said if anything happened, he’d get Kit out and to the gate guards.
He wouldn’t leave Kit and let him be punished tomorrow. Besides forgetting the title multiple times, he’d stood up for himself and Riju. Trig would likely give him more than twenty or thirty lashes as punishment.
Despite Riju’s promise, Trig would be a problem. He wouldn’t stand around and let them do whatever. Kit’s chain presented a problem, and he knew where the key was. He couldn’t reach the cabinet where Trig had hung it.
He tried to tug the chain from the ring, but it was solid, and he couldn’t get the shackle off of his ankle. He was stuck and couldn’t reach anything either. What was he supposed to do if Trig came down later to punish him instead of waiting? Riju would try to stop him, but it didn’t mean Trig couldn’t fend him off. He had more muscle, and what if he hurt Riju worse? Kit was chained and naked on the floor.
He almost expected Trig to come back down, get a whip, and whale on him because he could, and he seemed to think Kit had been warping Riju. What kind of man said he loved someone while thinking that kind of bullshit? Riju just wanted to go out on his own and live life on his terms.
He sniffled and huddled on the floor while he tried to listen. He caught voices once in a while, and a woman laughed at some point. Trig must have opened the shop. He didn’t hear Riju’s voice, and he was likely in his room. His stomach dropped further as he imagined Riju possibly hurt and trying to deal with it alone.
When Kit was sure it was lunchtime, Trig didn’t come back. He heard Trig’s angry tone at one point. Was Riju still in his room? He had to be.
Trig treated him like he was retarded. Riju was far from it, and his quiet hiding meant he was probably listening and waiting to ensure Trig didn’t hurt Kit. He’d wait until later, see how things went, and come down to get him out.
The light through the high windows dimmed. Trig had left a lantern on, and since he'd likely forgotten about it, Kit didn’t have to sit in the dark. If Trig went to bed and did nothing further, Riju could come to get him soon.
Chapter Eighteen
Riju’s fingers kept shaking as the line of stitches grew longer. He was positive his wrist was sprained because it ached around the joint, and he couldn’t move it as much as usual. Holding the cloth steady so he could sew with his right hand was difficult. Wrapping it hadn’t helped much.
He only needed a simple pack to shove his basic possessions into because he wasn’t staying for another day. There was no way he could come out later and pretend everything was fine. Even if he and Trig gave each other the silent treatment, he couldn’t sit at the table for meals or be around him. The very thought turned his guts.
If Trig had hurt him twice within the space of a few minutes and slapped him hard enough to damn near knock off his spectacles, it wouldn’t be the last time. It was like the past few days had come to a head and snapped something in Trig’s brain once he realized he might be losing control over Riju.
He hadn’t hit before because he’d always had a pretty good degree of control, and Riju hadn’t pushed back before. Not like that. If Kit started acting differently because he knew things were deeply wrong, Trig might…Riju didn’t want to think about what other potential problems could start. Tonight, they’d be gone. Staying would endanger him, and Riju wasn’t leaving without him.
