Stupid plan
My back burns with pain, and I feel the blood trickle down each time Henri whips me.
I try not to scream in pain, so as not to give them that satisfaction.
When Henri is satisfied, I almost faint.
Jorge approaches calmly with a smile.
"I always enjoyed watching your stepfather hurt you," Jorge whispers in my ear. "I eagerly awaited each visit he made to you."
"Monster," I whisper, and he laughs.
"Yes, darling, we are monsters," he says, forcefully turning me around, making my wounded back hit the wall, which makes me groan in pain.
I see Chris watching everything with a look of excitement, and it disgusts me. Jorge asks Henri for the small knife, which he hands over with a smile.
"I'll leave a reminder of why you're here, and then Christopher will have fun with his new toy," Jorge says, pressing the knife under my collarbone.
He begins to carve something into my skin, and I have to bite my lip to keep from screaming in pain.
Henri approaches with a mirror and shows me the S for Silas or Sinclair carved into my skin.
I want to scream with hatred, anger, and disgust; I want to break free from these chains and tear his throat out with my own hands.
Jorge Sinclair observes all these emotions in my eyes and smiles.
“Don’t worry, darling, this is just the beginning,” Jorge says and turns to leave. “Let Christopher finish with her.”
Henri nods and follows his father, but stops before leaving.
“Then it’s my turn again,” Henri says with a maniacal grin.
The door closes, and Chris rises from where he’s sitting and approaches me.
He assesses me and carefully wipes away my tears.
I see his eyes gleam as he traces the cut on my bruised skin with his finger.
“My father knows how to pay a beautiful tribute,” he says, admiringly. His hands run down my back and then down to my breast.
“Eloisa told me what she did to you, and I was so furious that I beat her while Silas watched, amused,” Chris says. “How dare she let anyone touch what’s mine?”
My eyes widen, and he squeezes my breast hard.
“But I promise you that being with me doesn’t compare to what that wretch did, darling,” Chris says, picking up the knife his father used to cut my skin.
He cuts my sports bra, leaving me naked from the waist up.
“Chris, I’m in pain,” I say, trying to push him away, but his smile only widens.
“And that’s what excites me, darling,” he says, kissing my mouth aggressively while his hand squeezes my nipple.
“Please, Chris, I don’t want it to be like this,” I plead, tears welling in my eyes, and he glares at me angrily.
“Tell him you prefer that fucking Russian, I bet you already gave yourself to him, considering what a whore you are,” Chris says, distraught.
He pulls down my pants and cuts my underwear with the knife.
I try to close my legs and hide from him, but he smiles at my attempt.
“I’m going to make you scream my name while I’m inside you, darling,” he says, and I feel nauseous.
I watch him take off his own clothes and I start praying for my brothers to arrive soon.
Chris comes closer and presses on one of the wounds on my back, making me scream in pain.
I feel my heart break and my mind protects me, traveling to another reality.
He whispers in my ear and tears stream down my face as I sob.
Chris stays with me for long minutes and, when he finishes, he releases me and wraps me in a sheet. He kisses me on the mouth and leaves me alone in that room that is now my prison.
My body aches terribly, and I feel my stomach throbbing with pain as well. I curl up in bed like a ball, trembling and crying.
What a terrible plan.
The thought overwhelms me, and I have to suppress a laugh at my misfortune.
I'm starting to fall asleep when I hear the first gunshot.
My heart races with fear, and then, when several shots begin to be fired, I wish everyone in this house would die.
I listen intently to the noises and the gunshots until I hear the door lock.
My heart fills with hope, but as soon as Henri enters, I know I'll soon be dead.
"You brought them here," he accuses me, and I start laughing hysterically.
"I may die here, but I'll go in peace knowing I'll see you in hell," I say, gathering the last of my courage.
He grunts angrily and approaches me.
His hand closes in my hair and he drags me out of the room.
I manage to pull the sheet to cover myself as he takes me with him.
We leave the top floor and he takes me to the third floor, to a room where Eloisa is putting on makeup, and I see her trying to hide a black eye.
She smiles when she sees me, and I return the smile with the same venom.
"Let's escape, get ready," Henri orders Eloisa, who promptly obeys.
Eloisa quickly gets ready and we leave the room together.
We stopped before entering the kitchen, and Henri pointed the gun at my head, pressing me against the wall.
"If necessary, I'll use you as a bargaining chip, but the moment you're no longer useful, I'll kill you," he said seriously.
"Let's see who dies first, then," I replied, unconcerned about the possibility of dying.
Walking cautiously towards one of the service exits, we were almost out when we saw Chris and Jorge being held captive on the lawn.
Henri assessed the situation and cursed furiously.
He pulled my hair hard and slapped me hard across the face, consumed by rage.
"If they die, I promise I won't kill you, but every day of your existence will be hell," he whispered in my ear.
"I'm counting on it," I said, and banged my head against his mouth.
He loosened his grip on my hair slightly, and I raised my knee right between his legs. When he finally lets me go, I run towards Jorge and Chris, who are being held hostage by Angelo and Uncle Salvatore.
I reach the middle of the garden when a shot hits my leg and I fall to the grass, in excruciating pain.
Uncle Salvatore looks at me and I realize he desperately wants to shoot Henri, but that would compromise his safety and leave Jorge without gun supervision.
"Let them go or the next shot will be to the head," I hear Henri's voice approaching.
He grabs my hair tightly and stomps on my injured leg, making me scream in pain.
"If you shoot, all three of them die," Angelo says calmly.
"I don't mind taking your sister with me," Henri says, pressing the gun harder against my head. "I'll count to three and then I'll shoot."
I look at my relatives with tears in my eyes and fear.