Game of the Stepbrothers(6)

Finally, what seems like hours of being watched later, Marissa comes downstairs with a tray of food. When she's coming down the stairs though, she trips on the last one and goes down, the tray of food flying in the air.

It's like time froze still. Marissa is tumbling down the stairs, and at one point, her horrified eyes meet mine as she falls. We connect in that moment, and as she lands on the floor, her eyes still on mine, I see her mouth a sentence to me.

It seems like she is saying Help me. And that breaks my heart into even more shattered pieces. But it's nothing compared to what happens next, what I know will haunt me for the rest of my life.

The tray rattles to the floor, the sound echoing in the room. But the food that was on it splatters everywhere. It stains Marissa's clothes and some of it lands on the canvas which is positioned in front of the stairs. What is more, when Marissa lands on the floor, she ends up taking the easel down with her, ripping the canvas as she grips on for something to hold.

What follows is an incredibly tension filled few seconds.

Aiden is still facing me and I'm there to see the expression change in his face. One moment, he's focused and deep in thought. Then, it's as if his eyes froze with evil. He turns around ever so slowly, taking in the sight in front of him.

Another painting, ruined.

Food everywhere.

Marissa on the floor.

All of it combined sets him off and my heart stops in my chest when he advances towards Marissa, reaching her in a few long steps.

His hands wrap around her throat and he raises her in the air, his hands choking her. Her eyes connect with mine, the horror the only emotion left in them. I gasp lightly, scrambling to get off the mattress and come help her, but I'm still tied up.

Still clutching her throat, Aiden comes for me and kicks me back on the mattress. I take a sharp intake of breath as the force sends me plummeting, the sharp kick to my ribs knocking out all of my fear, but unfortunately, just for a moment.

Marissa uses the distraction to her benefit and fights out of Aiden's arms, running for the stairs. But he's too quick for her, catching her on the second stair and grabbing her like she weighs nothing.

"Aiden, please!" she yells out, tears streaming down her face as he drags her downward. "Aiden, I love you. Don't hurt me ... You know I'd do anything for you! Anything!"

He positions her in front of the easel and makes her look at the mess in front of her.

"Look at what you did," he says softly, too calm for my liking. "Look at this mess."

"I'm so sorry," she whimpers, stopping the struggle between them. She's compliant, soft, just like he wants her to be. "I'll clean everything up. I'll make it up to you. I love you so much, Aiden ..."

He looks at her face long and hard. And it makes what happens next that much worse, because I know he took the time to think about what he is going to do.

With full force, he smashes Marissa's head against the concrete floor. I hear her scream and I know I'm screaming, too.

So much noise. So much.

It hurts my head.

But I still watch.

I watch until she goes limp in his arms, her head a gaping hole of blood.

He drags her body towards me, dropping her in front of me so her empty eyes stare straight into mine. It's like I'm hypnotized - I can't look away. I look into the gaze of the woman whom he killed, the woman who was a person just a few seconds ago, but is now a dead body.

"Look what you made me do!" Aiden screams at me. "You stupid bitch ... You'll get what's coming now."

He storms out of the basement and I'm left stunned and horrified with a corpse staring me accusingly in the eyes.

I did this. It's all my fault ...

At that point, the darkness envelops me and I welcome it with open arms. I let my eyes close, let the darkness take all the pain away. I don't cry. I just lay back and pretend I'm somewhere far away ... I block it all out.

I'm not Emme anymore.

I'm not anything.

I'm just ... gone.





Chapter 7


I don't see him for an entire day, but it doesn't matter to me. Time has stopped, because I'm not even in my body anymore. I float in and out of consciousness, thankful every time my eyes close and the darkness mercifully takes over. It's so much easier to block it all out, I'm starting to lose myself ... And what scares me more is the fact I like it.

I like being nobody ... being a blank canvas. There's not much of Emme left, and I know in a short while, she will be gone completely.

Finally, I hear him coming down the stairs. Half-starved, I crawl towards the staircase, ignoring the dead body on the floor, though it has started to stink badly.

I stop in front of a pair of dark boots and look up pleadingly.

"Water," I ask with a raspy voice.

A cool waterfall hits my face with full force and I lap it all up as Aiden empties a jug of water over my head. He chuckles low in his throat at my misfortune, and for the first time in days, I feel a strong surge of emotions.

It's hate.

Pure, undiluted hate.

And the need for revenge, which makes me feel alive for the first time since I've been abducted.

He leans down next to me, tipping my chin back with his fingers. I fight hard to conceal my feelings, knowing they might set him off and make him go on another killing spree. I'm surprised by the need to protect myself, when I had all but given up a while ago.

"Tonight," he growls in my face. A sick smile splits his face which is so much like Blane's. But not now. Now it's only a sick grimace, the expression that of a sick, disturbed person. They're nothing alike when Aiden is like this ... thank God.

"Tonight you're mine," he snarls next. "Tonight I'll ruin you completely."

With that, he lets my face drop and I feel the hatred boiling in my belly. He kicks me aside, heading for the dead body on the floor and dragging her up the stairs.

I look at it just in time to see Marissa's beady stare and it makes me sick to my stomach. I turn to the side, retching and vomiting the little bit of water and sustenance left in my system.

Aiden looks at me with disgust when he reaches the top of the stairs, dragging the body out of the basement. "You'll need to wash up first, doll," he says cruelly. "I want you pristine for what's in store."

An evil laugh emanates from his mouth. "It's the last time you'll be perfect, princess. I plan on making you just as fucked up as I am."

I shiver as his words resonate in my mind. Involuntarily, I reach for the scar he made last time he had his way with me.

"That's right," he says in a low growl. "Get ready for a few more of those."

His laughter still echoing in the room, he shuts the door on his way out and I crawl to my mattress, curling up in a ball as I imagine the worst thing he might do to me.

***

I feel sick for hours after that, and I retch several times, but nothing comes out of me since my body is so empty. Lying on the stained mattress, I feel sorry for myself, and I dip so low, I finally let myself to think about Blane.

I've been stopping myself every single time my mind drifted to my love. I told myself I mustn't think of him, knowing just how much it would actually hurt.

But now, my mind is filled with images of him.

Sweet, loving. Rough, dark.

He's the light at the end of the tunnel.

Tears fill my eyes as I think of his resolve to start the family. He's always been the strong one, the first one up after life dealt another blow. I was the one who languished under pressure, suffered from panic attacks and sobbed at any given opportunity. And Blane was the one who held me, consoled me, always made me feel like it was worth going on.

I clutch my belly as another bout of sickness overtakes me and I dry retch over the edge of the mattress.

That's when it hits me and my eyes widen as I lay back on the mattress.

Before we left, I complained to Blane about getting my period while we were on vacation and not being able to swim. But we've been here for over a week and ... nothing.

Calculating the days, I try to convince myself I've made a mistake. Surely this couldn't have happened now, in the midst of all this evil and terror.

But every single time I come up to the same conclusion. I'm sick, I've been feeling faint, and my period is missing.

There's a big chance I'm finally ... pregnant.

This is the sweetest thing, the very one Blane wished for so hard. We don't use protection, and after much convincing on his part, I went off the pill, too. But I always thought - and it seemed like I was right for a long while - that because I wasn't ready, my body would somehow sense that and I wouldn't get pregnant.

I guess not anymore.

Clutching my belly, I slowly stroke my soft skin, thinking of the baby that might very well be growing inside me at this very moment. And once again, the tears start falling, and the sadness takes over, because the chances of this baby - or me, for that matter - making it out of here, are next to none.

And I know if Aiden finds out what I just did, he will show me no mercy.

Just then, I hear noises upstairs and someone coming down the stairs. I turn towards the wall, too terrified to look. I'm bound and I know I can't make a run for it in my current state.

As the steps come closer and closer, I curl myself in a ball and prepare myself for the worst which is yet to come ...





Chapter 8


"Emme!"

A voice cuts through the darkness, and the familiar tone is too much to handle. I close my eyes tightly, telling myself this can't be ... It's Aiden, and he's come to haunt the rest of my dreams, forever.

But still, something tells me this cannot be right. Because the hands that touch me hesitantly are too soft, too strong, too merciful. My eyes finally flutter open as he lifts me up like I weigh nothing, cradling me in his arms.