Page 109 of Redemption
Footsteps... headed down the same hallway as mine.
“Whether you are aware of it or not, Stitch, there is a female of high priority status within our midst. A new arrival brought in by one of my highest-ranking security personnel. I’ve had my eye on her for over a week now. Even had to utilize precious resources in order to send a retrieval party after her and those good-for-nothing men she was with. If I need to personally search every single one of these rooms, including the broom closet, I will.”
Doors slam open. One after the other. Each more forcefully than the last. And then, the footsteps pause in front of my door. The handle turns, deliberate and methodical. The hinges creak as the door slowly inches open. And then...
“Why... Hello again, little flower,” the man croons, and I’m instantly on my feet.
Fucking David...
Alone in this room with me...
But with my pack still in the hallway, I have no weapon.
Shit... That’s not good.
Stitch enters a moment later, wide-eyed, but remains silent as he warily watches David slink into the room. I glare at Darius’ friend, struggling to convey with my eyes that I need his help. That this man is obviously dangerous and that we’re in trouble, even though I’m almost positive he already knows that. My gaze trails from him to David and back. All we’d need to do is subdue him, knock his ass out so we can escape, but Stitch remains silent and still, stubborn with his resolve.
Why the fuck isn’t he doing anything? He told Darius that he’d keep me safe, but David is the farthest thing from the concept.
Tired of waiting for Stitch to make a move, I prepare to rush David and end his reign for good. I glance at him, readying my muscles to charge, but stop when, out of the corner of my eye, Stitch regains my attention. Almost imperceptibly, he shakes his headNo.What’s his deal? It's two against one. We can take him! I scowl back, willing him to understand, but he just clenches his jaw, subtly shaking his head again.
Undeterred by my rising agitation, David stalks in with all the casualness of a predator before perching on the chair by the bed. “I just wanted to check in and confirm our good doctor was doing his best by you. As the newest addition to the family, we need to make sure you’re taken care of.” Making himself comfortable, he turns back to Stitch standing stiffly in the doorway. “I seem to have found our lost blossom.” Then, with a single raised hand indicating to the two of us, he says. “You may proceed with your examination.”
Stitch frowns, his brows furrowing as he addresses his leader. “Um, yes, sir. But, sir, there’s no need for you to remain in the room. For common decency, the woman might want some privacy, as the tests can be rather invasive. I’m sure you wouldn’t want Phoenix Rising to come off as indecent and uncaring.”
Settling in further, David crosses an ankle over his knee before smiling smugly at Stitch. “On the contrary. Having a male doctor in the presence of a female patient requires a level of supervision, if you ask me. It’s only right, you see, to maintain the integrity of the practice.” His voice crawls up my spine, making me flinch and subconsciously twist away from the auditory venom. “Stitch, you may proceed,” he repeats, more forcefully this time.
“Yes, sir.” Turning his back on David, Stitch regards me, clenching his jaw before mouthing the word,‘sorry.’Almost reluctantly, Stitch walks over to a bottle on a side table and sanitizes his hands before turning back to me, lifting a pen and a pad of paper. “Alright, miss, first question’s the easiest. If you don’t mind, could you please tell me your name?”
We knew something like this might happen. It was one of the eight hundred and seventy-three scenarios we thought could occur. It still doesn’t make it any easier to comply and act as if nothing’s wrong when the devil incarnate is staring right at your face. But I remind myself that if I just go with the flow, it’ll not only keep me out of harm’s way, but it’ll give Darius the time he needs to get the job done and hopefully be back before any other surprises come looking for me. I glance over to David, unease crawling up my spine before I fall into my role once again and slowly lower myself back down onto the edge of the mattress. “Aly.”
“Alright, and your age?”
He continues with the interview, asking about my prior occupations, hobbies, talents, etc. But then the questions take a turn, asking things like prior sexual partners, number of pregnancies, any abortions, any miscarriages, date of my last period. It sounds like I’m back at my gynecologist’s office, and I’m about to get asked to scooch my ass downjust a little farther.
After a few minutes, Stitch concludes the interview and sets down his pad of paper. “Alright, now we just have to do some tests.”
Tests... What kind of tests? After all those questions about my cycle and my hoo-hah, I’m on edge. Those sounded like pap smear questions.
Shit... I was not given enough time to prepare for the magnitude of whatever it is I’m about to be put through.
“Ok,” he hesitates, looking to the side and then back to me with a small sigh. “If you’ll just strip down and cover yourself with that,” he lifts a plain sheet in front of my face and I grab it, anxiety in full-fledged terror mode. “We’ll step out for a minute or so and give you some privacy to situate yourself and get comfortable. Then we’ll come back and get started.”
Almost immediately, I lock eyes with the man seated comfortably in the corner. He hasn’t moved and is looking overly satisfied with himself as he openly eye-fucks me from his chair.
He saidwe...
Meaning this asshole intends to just sit back and watch as I...
Oh, hell to the fuck, no. No. Nope.No.No.NO.
I move to stand, to toss the flimsy sheet to the ground, and bolt out of there, but before my feet even hit the ground, David’s there, yanking the flashlight from my hand and pressingme flush against the bed, his hand holding me down with all of his weight against my shoulder. “There, there, little flower. As I said before, we’re here to take care of you. But if you do not comply, we’ll have to take... more intense measures to make sure you are healthy. No one wants to be caught off guard with an infected individual roaming the streets. You understand, don’t you, my little flower?”
My brain fills with rage as his lips tilt up into a sadistic grin. He thinks he’s won. He thinks I’ll sit pretty and listen like a humble, obedient little child. Well...he’s just going to have to try harder.
I grit my teeth, snarling right into his face as I say, “Fuck... You....”
At seeing my predicament, Stitch, finally, attempts to intervene. “Sir, I don’t think—”
