Chapter 36

*IRIS*

It was dark, and cold wherever they put me. I was shot up with something in the car. I must have slept for some time. I couldn't hear much, and everything was dark. It felt like they had some sort of bag over my head. I could breathe but it was laboured. Something was on my mouth, I assume duck tape, I tried chewing on it like I had seen on a tik tok once. It worked some, but hurt my lips. I pulled at the restraints which held my hands, ankles and thighs. They were taking no chance that I would escape. I am guessing the mob assassin's death did not go over well with the boss. I am close to him, which seems rare, so of course they took me. They didn't know I had ended things. Maybe if I tell them I was heading back to the school to leave town they would let me go. I tried to scream but couldn't keep the air in for much. I sounded hoarse and groggy. *What the fuck did they shoot me up with?* I thought feeling tears sting my cheeks. I decided fairly quickly I wouldn't let them see my pain. I shook my head hard and buried the tears away for when he saved me. He will save me won't he? I heard a cough, I hope I can make it through this. I have so much I want to say to him. I don't know why I left, probably out of fear. I didn't want him to find the truth. It was my cross to bear, not his, and not his security teams. I didn't need anyone looking at me like I was some sort of victim. I tried not to make noise, or breathe differently. I didn't want whoever coughed to know I was awake. I felt my bladder ache, and I squirmed some to try to ease it. I knew if I didn't get to the bathroom soon they would have a whole other mess. Someone must have noticed my movement because I heard a door open and close. I felt the fire start in my legs and move up my body. A mixture of terror and rage filled me up. I have seen monsters, I have conquered demons, this was just another thing I had to survive. I listened closely for any signs of where they were keeping me. A train, water, any noise I could find to give me a clue. I heard a voice coming through the door. Someone entered the door and asked me if I had woken up. I didnt move. "Ohhhh dear Iris, is it?" It was a woman's voice. My stomach dropped to my feet, it must be Ivy. The rage now started to overpower the terror inside of me. "I know you're awake under there sweet girl." Her soft mischievous voice got closer. She was going to pull the bag off of my head and the stage would change. If I see them, they intend to kill me. This isn't a ransom, this is for revenge, and I am the bait. The brightness burning my eyes took focus away from the hair she took along with the head cover, but not from the duck tape destroying my lips. "Hello Iris."

When I looked up at her, I got sick inside. This woman had disappeared. She had destroyed parts of Ryker that he may never get back. I glared at her. Partly because squinting my eyes helped ease the blindness of adjusting to the lights, but mostly out of hatred. "I think you know who I am, don't you dear?" She asked and I didnt respond. "I didn't think Daddy liked mute girls." She giggled. This woman was clearly deranged. "He likes me just fine, Ivy." I said making a point to use her name. "Oh, so she does talk." She said smiling coldly before bringing me a small glass with a lid. "It's just water, sweet girl." I shook my head no. She was crazy to think I would take a drink from her. She put the straw to her lips and sucked in about three solid times dramatically showing me her swallow the water from the cup. "Take a drink Iris, this hoarseness in your voice is kinda disgusting." I rolled my eyes at her and took a small sip. "Good girl" Her familiar comments were beginning to get under my skin. "So." She paused walking around me, inspecting me. She pulled my hair from its bun and let it fall around my face, ran her fingers down my skin on my neck, and got really close to my face. "Why did he want you?" Her question brought my rage straight to the surface. "You know, I think maybe it was that I hadn't been passed around by a crew of criminals. I think that really was what drew him to me." I smiled at her sweetly. Her face changed, I watched as it went from curious to pissed off. "Oh, you are clever aren't you? You really think you are in a position to talk to me that way?" She wrapped her hand around my hair pulling my head back hard. "I could cut your throat and watch you bleed out. Doesn't make a difference to me, doll." I didn't react, I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. She wouldn't kill me, she couldn't, she needed me to get to him. "Maybe I'll cut off this beautiful head of yours and ship it to him. Well, moderately pretty head." She scoffed, letting go of me and stepping back to stare at me again. "You do what you need to do, sweet Ivy." I said playing her at her own game. "Oh... I'm sorry baby girl, I don't play the submissive role anymore. I am the dominant one now." Her smile with those words was the first time her being in the room scared me. She was a psychopath. I had seen that smile before. "Well, isn't that good for you." I couldn't show her weakness. "It is." she said before turning to leave the room. I looked around me and all I could see was cement. Some of it was rather damp. Had she put me in some kind of underground tunnel? Does she skulk around in the sewers like a fucking teenage mutant ninja turtle, it fits, she is clearly a mutant. Where the hell did they bring me?

I sat there for a while before yelling. I had to go to the bathroom, and I couldn't wait anymore. A large man walked in, not the one who drove me here, a different one. "What?" He said without looking directly at me. Was he a weak point? Did he not like what she was doing down here? "I just need to use a restroom? This looks like a sewer tunnel of some sort, maybe an abandoned one that isn't used anymore, as the smell isnt horrid. I dont know but I doubt there is a bathroom, I just don't want to sit and pee in this chair."He looked around, telling me he was thinking what I was about this tunnel not having a potty.  He stood there looking at me for a minute, and left the room. Ivy came in minutes later with a bucket and some baby wipes. "You can use this, I don't want to smell you later. I will let you go, but if you try something I will shoot you in the head. I know you think you are smarter than me, Iris, but understand that your life is meaningless to me. If anything, I would enjoy taking it. So dont try me." I nodded, I had no intention of trying to run right now. I must be smarter than she is giving me credit for. "Someone come in and help me." She said holding the door open. "I don't want them to see me." I said thoughtlessly. She will definitely bring them in now, to make it worse on me. "B.. the girl needs help using the bucket." She laughed. A different big man walked in, this time it was the man from the fake cab. "You need help sweet cheeks, I got you." he said immaturely before walking over and unclamping my hands and legs from the chair. As bad as I wanted to kick him in the face I just kept thinking about Ryker. I had to survive. I couldn't let her destroy him worse. He would blame himself. The man grabbed me around the waist and I pulled down my pants and underwear. "You need help with that baby wipe baby?" He asked in my ear, making me sick. "NO, I DON'T" I said loudly, making an echo in the room. He and Ivy both laughed. "I would hate to see what happened if I left old Claud here with you alone, I won't, unless you don't do what I say." Fuck! I had shown her my weakness, and she can use it now. I didn't respond. I stood from the bucket and he sank his face into my neck as he held me up. He breathed in deeply, running his hands up my hips and waist. I stood frozen. "Please dont listen to her." He whispered before licking my cheek. "She is so sweet, Ivy. Let me stay with her now." He said, placing me back in the chair. Ivy hesitated, playing mind games with me, but told him she would call if she needed him. He ran his hand up my thigh almost to the crease but he sighed deeply, squeezed and pulled away. "Ill be waiting baby." When he said it, I spat at him. I didn't mean to react, it was impulse. The sting on my face from the back of his hand was worth it though, he stormed out shortly after. "I think I bruised his ego." I said not showing reaction to the slap. "I think you did." She didn't get mad, she looked as though she almost respected what I had done.

We have a phone call to make, you will speak only the words I tell you to, and if you don't Claud will have a chance to pump that ego right back up." She really was a monster.