Page 4 of Dove

Another man stood beside him, holding one of those giant flashlights that cops used. He was around the same age but looked like he took better care of himself. His head was shaved, and he had a plain forgettable face. I could’ve seen him at the club a hundred times and not remember him. He was completely average.

“What the fuck did you do to her neck?” Average asked. Cigarettes crouched before me as Average aimed the flashlight at my body.

“She was like that when we grabbed her.” Cigarettes reached out to tilt my chin up to better inspect my neck. I smacked his hand away as my skin crawled from his touch.

“Jesus sweetheart, we might be the better option if that’s how he treats you.”

“Fuck you.” I growled at them. They kidnapped me. Froze me to the bone. Sat outside this room and discussed ‘having fun’ with me, but now they were going to pretend they cared about my well-being.

Cigarettes smiled, and the sight of his yellowing teeth made my lip curl in disgust. “Oh you’re one of those bitches.”

“What?” Average asked with no real interest in his tone. Like he was already bored with my kidnapping.

“This little princess likes its rough. I bet she gets all hot and bothered when he chokes her out.” I fought the urge to gag as the scent of rot wafted off his breath. “I bet she even likes it when he hits her. Isn’t that right, baby? You like a little pain. Have you let him do disgusting things to your body? Hit you? Maybe even cut you up a little?”

I ground my teeth together as I glared at him. I knew it was smarter to stay quiet. To bide my time until I could find a way out. Until Maddox came from me. Because if what they’d said was true, he was looking for me. I just had to stay alive until then. Alive and unharmed.

“Such a pretty thing to have such a fucked up head.” He stroked a finger down my cheek, and I jerked away. “Is it because daddy didn’t love you? Is that why you get off on the pain? Looking to punish yourself for being a piece of trash that not even your own father wanted.”

I had never dove into my psyche to figure out why I liked what Maddox did to me. I didn’t want to like it, and if I ignored it, maybe it would go away. Was this asshole right? Was it because I felt lost and alone? Was I punishing myself?

No. He was just trying to get a rise out of me. Trying to make me yell out, so he had an excuse to hurt me. I wasn’t going to give him one.

“Do you think he left your whore mother because she was a freak like you?” I heard the blood pounding in my ears as a rush of fury overtook me. My rage blinding me from my plan, clawing at my chest until I couldn’t get it inside anymore. I yelled before I could swallow the words.

“You’re a monster.” Anger and cold made my body vibrate as I glared at them. I knew I should’ve stayed quiet because he grabbed my chin until I could feel his fingers bruising my face. My teeth cut into my gums from the force. The metallic tang of blood filled my mouth.

“I’m a goddamn criminal. Torturing people is literally my job, but you’re the monster here. You’d have to be to let a psychopath like Maddox fuck you. To moan as he hurts you. It takes a special kind of freak to come from that.”

I was glad it was dark when my cheeks bloomed in shame. I’d tried to push away those feelings since the first day Maddox had made me come from pain. But now I was faced with the reality of it. People who enjoyed pain were sick, demented. Even these monsters standing in front of me thought I was the crazy one.

My ex had called me a freak too. The only person before Maddox who I’d told about my secret desires. The ones I kept locked away before Maddox had forced them out. I’d always known it was wrong. Known I would be judged. Ridiculed. Shamed. That’s why I had repressed them for so long.

“Maybe you just need the right dick. Someone to treat you nice. If you suck my cock real good, I’ll treat you right. How about it? Want to suck my cock, baby?” Cigarettes let my chin go as he smirked down at me like he was asking me to go to dinner with him instead of sexual assault. Average chuckled softly in the background. I thought he sounded like the more reasonable of the two, but not enough to stop his friend from raping me.

“You bring that tic-tac you call a dick anywhere near my mouth, and I’ll bite it off.” I resisted the urge to squirm away from him as he continued to crouch before me and crowd my space. His protruding belly brushed my knees that were soaked and still tucked into my chest.

As quick as a snake, his hand moved, striking. His fist connected to my cheekbone with a sickening crunch and a jolt of pain. I felt the explosion below my skin as the force of it shoved my head back, hitting the concrete wall behind me. My wet hair slapped my face as I blinked back the tears that formed in my eyes. My brain throbbed, but I didn’t know if it was from the drugs or the hit.

“How’d that feel, baby? Did your pussy get wet for me?” There was no smile on Cigarettes’ face. It was twisted with rage. A queasy feeling settled low in my belly. Is this what my desires brought? Anyone thought they could rape me because I allowed one person the permission to hurt me?

“That was your fault.” Average said. “Play nice, and so will we.”

“Yeah, I really believe you.” I said as I shivered and glared back at them. “I’m sure if I’m nice, you’ll just rape me instead of killing me.”

The sarcasm in my voice was heavy as anger boiled my blood. I knew there was nothing I could do, no way I could act, that would stop them from hurting me. Especially because they’d quickly seen inside my depraved mind. Could everyone see how fucked up I was?

I knew what I felt for Maddox; the enjoyment I got out of him hurting me wouldn’t happen with these men. He’d been the first person to ever see that side of me before. It was only supposed to be him who saw it. There was no one else I’d ever want to act on it with.

I wanted to touch my face to see if anything was broken, but I refused to show any sign of weakness. It would only make it that much easier for them to hurt me. My fingers curled into my damp clothes to stop the urge.

“Is it really rape if you get off on it?” Cigarettes whispered in my ear, making my stomach heave. My chest caved in as his threat washed over me. My limbs started to shake from fear and adrenaline. Willing me to run. To save myself. But there was no way out of this trap. The one I’d allowed myself to walk into.

I might have twisted desires, but I knew what rape was. I’d chosen Maddox. That’s what made it different than what these men were describing. Even if now I realized it was a mistake to be with him.

“We weren’t paid to kill you.” Average said. “Just keep you for a while. But we didn’t realize you’d be so pretty. We have to find some way to pass the time.” He shrugged as Cigarettes reached out to touch me. A single fingertip brushed the cheek he’d abused before trailing down my jaw and neck. I swallowed the bile that rose up my throat as I jerked away from him.

So someone had paid them to take me. I was a distraction. A way to keep Maddox busy while he searched for me. They didn’t want him focused on something else.

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