6. Sometimes the Body Wants what the Mind Denies

6. Sometimes the Body Wants what the Mind Denies
I listened resentfully as the sound of a door slamming signaled Nicolo's departure. I finished scraping the remaining food off the ground and discarded the cloth on the table with the mess. Turning expectantly at the group, I ignored the way their gazes burned into my violated flesh. My hands twitched, overwhelmed with the urge to cover myself, Rod shook his head.

"Ah, ah, ah. The boss wouldn't want you to do that, now would he?" His voice was horse as he regarded me from the door. A lump in my throat formed, and it took everything within me to swallow it. Joshua was somewhere, recovering from injuries - but out in the open, in the fresh air with civil human beings and I was on display like some bitch in the zoo. My fists curled at my sides. If I got my hands on Joshua, I would do worse. That piece of shit cheated on me, and jeopardized my life for his own selfishness.

"Why the long face?" Rod jeered, as he placed a cigarette between his lips. He flicked his lighter and the room began to fill with the thick cloud of cancerous smoke. Twisted humor curled his lips as he took a step closer to me. My body burned with fear as he padded my way. I scrambled as far back as I could, halting when my back hit the table. "What's the matter, princess? I'm just getting a closer seat."

His arm brushed my hip as he bent to reach a chair beside me and whip it around to sit a foot away from me. I pursed my lips as my brows furrowed. He clearly didn't have anything better to do than antagonize me. After taking an obnoxious drag of his cig, he proceeded to blow the smoke directly up at my face. I coughed, my stomach lurching as the scent brought back distant, haunting memories.

Margo dated this backwoods, scumbag guy who had showed up at the apartment looking for her one day when she wasn't there. I had been living there for about a month. He had smoked, and that was the smell I associated with the image of him slipping his hand up my thigh and asking me for a quickie. I shuddered at the thought and glared at Rod. He was no better. Maybe even worse, and I prayed one day Karma would rip him a new one.

He removed the cig from his lips and held it up to me. "Take a drag."

I shook my head furiously, dark curly locks waving about. "No thanks," I replied flatly. It was something about my lack of interest that fueled his ego and motives. He grinned, and chuckled maniacally - looking half crazy with a bad set of yellow teeth.

"I wasn't asking."

"And I'm telling you, no."

"You're a brave bitch." I flinched as he arose from the chair. It squeaked along the floor. "Here, just try it." He mumbled while stepping before me. The smoke practically choking me, as I flung my head to the side. He grabbed my face, and someone shouted a protest from behind him.

"He said not to touch her!"

"Piss off." Rod countered before pressing his fingers into my jaw. A sharp hiss from the pain escaped my lips. I fought within his grip to no avail as he forcefully pressed the cigarette to my lips. The taste of his breath still on the end, enveloped my mouth and I gagged.

"Feels good, eh?" Rod placed it back in his mouth. He released my face, only to drag his fat fingers along my skin and down to my breast.

"Seriously," An unfamiliar voice rang. One of the men he brought into the room approached us. His hair was blonde and curly, and he looked to be in his mid-twenties, with a round face, and big brown eyes. "Nicolo had clear instructions." He placed his hand on Rod's shoulder.

A scream pierced the awkward silence as Rod spun around and punched the boy in his face. It was a minute before I realized I was screaming. Blood spurted from a gash along the side of the boys eye as he stumbled sideways - momentarily stunned from the blow. Hunter whistled and shook his head.

"You shouldn't have done that, Jay." He addressed to the boy. Jay steadied himself quickly before making his way towards the door.

"Fuck it!" He spat. "I'm not gonna be apart of this." I watched helplessly as he left and I remained in the hands of Rod.

"Now..." He spun back around with wild eyes, and placed his hands on my arms. I called out as he spun me around and pressed me into the edge of the table. "If anyone has a fucking problem, I'll be glad to dish another one out. If not, shut the fuck up and let me be."

My eyes pleaded with the men to help but all they did was mumble under their breath and leave the room.

"Maybe I'll just fuck you right here." He chuckled to himself. A searing pain coursed on my side. I opened my mouth to scream but nothing came out. The pain was blinding, paralyzing, and after acknowledging the lack of smoke, I realized he had put his cigarette out on my skin.

"I love it when you scream, baby."

"You're a psychopath."

"Sticks and stones may break my bones..." His fingers were rough against my hips as he thrust his crotch against me. So much for "not touching me." Rod clearly didn't follow boundaries. With one hand dipping in the small of my back, he laced his fingers in my hair and pulled hard enough to rip the hairs right from my skull.

A swarm of panic caused me to flail my limbs when the familiar sound of him fumbling with his pants followed my whimpers.

"No!" I yelped, kicking my legs, and bucking my hips to try and slip his grasp.

"Keep fighting me." His breath fanned my hair as his lips caressed my ear. I shivered with disgust. "I like it that way."

"Sick son-of-a-bitch." I spat venomously at him.

"Rod... DeLuca needs you to go on a run." Hunter called.

"Every fucking time." Rod growled, before his hand smacked against my ass. I curled against the table, trying to press myself farther away from him. "I'll be back." He tugged on my hair, pulling my head back before placing his lips on my neck - leaving a wet kiss and the taste of bile on my tongue.

I contemplated running away. For hours the thought raced around my skull, in the brink of my mind, but I couldn't. Deep down I knew I couldn't and it would only make things worse for me if I tried. I brought the plate and food to the garbage and remained still - warding off sleep as my lids began to feel heavy.



"Wake up."

The faint sound of a voice stirred me awake. My eyes fluttered open to find Nicolo standing above me. His lips a firm line, and brows furrowed in annoyance. Scrambling to stand, I momentarily forgot I was naked until his eyes swept my flesh. Sweat was along my forehead, matting my hair against my face. Drool was dried along my cheek and I was sure "attractive" would be absent from my current physical description. Exhaustion swirled around inside me, causing my brain to lose focus as Nicolo uttered another word I didn't catch.

"Gesù Cristo.." He grumbled before grabbing my arm and hauling me upward. He yanked me along his side and out of the dining room. I was too tired and unfocused to protest as we made our way down the hall. I was thankful Rod hand't returned. My body ached from his assault and the burn along my side throbbed.

Nicolo threw my door open and pushed me inside, following suit before slamming the door closed behind us. My eyes widened with shock, as we passed the bed and trudged into the en-suite.

"Sit." He commanded, gesturing towards the toilet. I did as was told and plopped down on the top of the seat - too embarrassed to look him in the eye. He twisted the knob to the shower, fingering the jets of water to feel the temperature before twisting back around to scowl at me.

"Clean yourself." He grabbed a washcloth from under the sink and tossed it to me. I winced as I lifted my arm to grab it quickly before it managed to fall on the floor. Nicolo's eyes were dark and narrowed as they darted along my side. The cigarette burn was an angry red - a target for anyone's eyes. He rubbed his chin, and sighed.

"What the hell happened?"

I pushed back the urge to cry and brought my gaze up to his. My hands still in my lap.

"Rod."

"I specifically told them not to touch you..." He loosened his tie from around his neck. "Rod must be hard of hearing. Better fucking fix that." He grumbled to himself.

"Come here." He waved me to him, and I hesitantly made my way over. He turned me to get a better look at the mark, his fingers gliding along my skin so gently I was confused. Here was a man who wanted to hurt me, who wanted to see me breakdown and he was showing me kindness. His gaze softened at the look of terror that crossed my face.

"Did he rape you?"

"No. He tried." My voice was a whisper. A sign of the pieces of myself I was loosing. My own strength was growing thin. His fingers grazed over the burn and I flinched, pulling my hip back away from him and bumping into the sink.

"Relax." He insisted. "Get in."

I tested the water with my fingers. It was warm and inviting, and I gladly immersed myself in the water. He soaped up the washcloth and placed it along my skin. I gave in to the feeling, as he massaged the soap into my shoulders, working his way down over my ass and the burn along my hip. I inhaled a sharp breath from the sting, but he quickly moved past it to the front of my body.

My nipples became erect as he slid the washcloth over my shoulders and down in between my cleavage. My eyes fluttered closed as I reveled my own feelings of comfort. His thumb atop the washcloth grazed both my nipples and my eyes shot open as they hardened even more. My body was betraying something my mind denied. I was getting turned on. Incredibly turned on by Nicolo, when I shouldn't be.

He ignored my blatant signs of arousal and moved down towards my pubic bone, stopping to soap up my bellybutton. This was strange for me. I had never had someone wash me before - not since I was a child. I would think something such as that would startle me, disgust me, maybe even freak me out but I felt peaceful. My body arched towards him as his hand moved lower, skimming the inside of my thighs and washing over the lips of my vagina.

Don't you dare fucking moan!

I bit my lip to trap the small gasp that so eagerly wanted to leave my lips as he massaged my vagina. Lastly finishing my ass.

He brought his hand up to grasp my chin and turn my head to meet his gaze.

"Finish up and get some rest." His voice was soft. I stared at him questioningly.

"But what about my punishment?"

"There's no use for punishment when you're like this. The whole point is for me to be the one that breaks you."

What the hell could I say to that?

Nothing.