Chapter 40

*IRIS*

It was quiet for a while. I sat in the room alone. All I could think about was Ryker. I know he is losing his mind trying to find me. Deacon is probably using all his resources to find me. I just hope no one gets hurt coming for me. I looked around, finally able to see if there were any ways for me to escape. I couldn't really see anything promising. A window in the distance, but they would catch me before I made it there. Thats if I could even get out of the ties on the chair. Theo seems to be an ally, but I don't know if he is legit. Is he trying to trick me? I tried to relax my arms and pull them backwards out of the ropes. I could fight my way out. I am a pretty good fighter. I have always had to be. I know they have weapons. It couldn't be that easy. My hands wouldn't go through the ropes completely. They were still tight. Obviously, Theo loosened the ropes for comfort. He must know I would be killed if I tried to escape. He knew I would try. He was going to try to keep me safe while I was stuck here. The door creaked open and I quickly quit trying to get out of the ropes. I hoped to see Deacon or Ryker come around the door, but it wasn't, it was Ivy. "I figured you would be napping in here. A lot of men are snoring out there. It was getting annoying." I looked up at her in disbelief. This woman was a clear psychopath. She has no recognition of the horrible position she has put another human being in. She just doesn't care at all. I smiled up at her sarcastically. "You want to have a spa day? A sleepover? A girls night? " I said, rolling my eyes. "You are such a little bitch. I don't think you understand sweet Iris, I control whether you live or die. Do you not get that? Do you want to die?" She walked over to me placing the barrel of her gun against my forehead. My body filled with fire, but I refused to look away from her. If she shoots me, she is going to look me in the eye. I felt a tear starting to stream down my cheek. "Whenever you're ready baby girl!" I shouldn't have said it, I knew it would be a trigger for her, but I didn't want to show her fear. I have learned in my life, you don't show a psychopath fear. "How do you think Lorcane would feel about his submissive brat trying to die?" She started laughing hysterically removing the gun from my head. This told me that she wasn't suppose to kill me, at least not yet. The door swung open quickly, but it still wasn't Ryker, it was Theo. "Ivy doll, go sleep, I will watch her. I promise to keep my hands to myself." He said licking his lips while he stared at me. "I hope so Theo. The boss doesn't want her truly damaged yet." She said kissing him gently before walking back through the door. I sighed when she walked out. I was exhausted. I couldn't let my guard down completely but I felt like I could a little more with just Theo and I in the room. He walked over to me and lifted my face to him. He ran his thumb over my cheek, "Its just welted." He said softly. He took off his T-shirt and poured some cold water on it. He kneeled in front of me and used his t-shirt to clean my face. "You are going to be okay Iris, I will not let them kill you. I know you aren't use to being submissive..." His words made me laugh out loud. "Shhh! I only meant, I know you aren't use to being submissive to people like Ivy. You are strong willed and brave, but that isn't always your best option." He kind of chuckled under his breath and smiled at me. "I'm glad you can find a reason to laugh tied to a chair, kidnapped by a bunch of mobsters." I nodded, "Well, I guess I see the fucking sunshine in everything."

He sat there cleaning my face and neck. Then he gave me as much water as I wanted. "Are they planning to kill me?" I asked. He looked down at his hands which told me I wasn't going to like the answer. "Iris, a few years ago Ryker Lorcane put away some really bad men from a club called The Punisher. Rodrick, the owner, was a leader in a small gang around the city. He wasn't the big fish, but he was definitely a piranha." He sat down in front of me on the floor so he could speak quietly. "When he did that, Rodrick took a lot down with him. The mob boss that he worked for, running girls through that club, wasn't taken down though Ryker thinks he got most of them state side. This is an old Italian family, old money, old values, old rules. The main man came state side not long after the men were arrested. He was the one who took Ivy out of Ryker's house. He turned her against Lorcane, but I don't think she had much of a choice. I hear she wasn't this crazy before; I don't know what they did to her, but it made her who she is now." I shook my head; I didn't want to feel sorry for her. "She is a psychopath." He nodded at my comment. "She is, but she is under orders. She won't disobey." Theo sounded confident; I wasn't so sure. "They want Lorcane to give them access to Rodrick. I am sure he believes this is so they can get him out or something, it isn't. Rodrick is in protective custody in prison to keep the mob from getting him because they want to kill him. They took you to get Lorcane to do what they want, but they don't believe he will. Ivy asked the main boss if she could kill you in front of Lorcane. She is bent because she sees the way he cares for you, and it makes her insanely jealous." He shook his head, "I am trying hard not to blow my cover. I have been doing this for a long time. I need your help with that. I am so close to becoming third in line to the boss, but I can't let them hurt you. I won't. So please, Iris, keep your mouth shut." He said this in a deeper less soft voice. "I won't let her kill you. I have a plan. Just follow my lead, okay? I won't hurt you, but I am going to be insanely attracted to you," "to make her jealous over you." I interrupted him. "Yes, but I want you to pretend to enjoy it. I want you to act like this is mutual. I will make sure Lorcane knows this is all to keep you alive. I am going to save you this way. I hear someone, be quiet, act like you are asleep." Right after he said those words he laid his head in my lap and closed his eyes, so I closed mine. No one came in and I felt myself actually start to doze off. I felt safe with him touching me. I know it isn't right. I do care for Ryker greatly, but Theo is really earning my trust in a new way.

"What the FUCK is going on in here?" Ivy's voice jolted me awake. "I guess I fell asleep on her nice soft legs." Theo said wiping his mouth with the t-shirt in his hand. "Get away from her Theo!" I could see the Jealousy rolling off of her like smoke. "Chill Ivy, I fell asleep, where better to lay my head?" He said laughing. She crossed her arms, starting to pout. "I can't wait to tell Ryker that his sexy little slave is a slut." She said pulling out her phone. I knew she was going to call him. I couldn't stop her. I couldn't do anything but sit in the damn chair. Theo shrugged and stood behind me with his hands on the back of the chair. "Call him Ivy, tell him I am going to take her as my own. She is beautiful. Maybe if he fears his woman has found a new daddy, he will rush out order." I couldn't understand why he would want her to call Ryker and tell him that. "Mr. Orazio is going to get impatient and I am not taking the blame for you fucks not being able to motivate him." *Who is Mr. Orazio?* I looked up at her inwardly pleading for her not to call him. After two short rings, he answered. "Ivy?" He sounded awful. "Hey Ryker, Guess what?"