Saving Moxie

Dax

My body felt weak and pulsated with pain as I slowly opened my eyes. It took a moment for my vision to adjust as I attempted to blink away the darkness and pain from my eyes. I knew that if I was left with my eyes uncovered that I was either being roped into something illegal enough to make me an accessory to a horrible crime or I wouldn't be walking out of this small room alive.

The walls looked similar to Jack's warehouse apartment but the floor was concrete and there was no furniture in the room except a small table and chairs and a dresser. Someone had changed me into a short dress while I was passed out and my skin crawled at the idea of anyone changing me while I was unconscious. The dress showed off the cuts on my arms and the bruises on my knees but at least my torso was covered and my hair had been tied up to show off my face - and probably the fresh bruises from my father.

As I looked around the semi empty room, pain seared through my stiff neck. Sleeping on a concrete floor was not going to do my body good, especially after being knocked around. There was a click as the door in front of me opened, my mysterious mask of annoyance threatening to crumble as a tall muscular man entered the room. To most he may have seemed charming, handsome even. To someone like me, he was dangerous. I had met him a couple of times in my adulthood; usually when Jack got himself into trouble. The last time I saw him, he did a lot more than just rough me up and break my s**t. Something told me that if I didn't mind my manners this time, I would end up naked in a ditch somewhere. I would be like one of those poor women on tv that are found r***d and murdered with no suspects to the crime. My insides clenched at the possibility of having to stomach his hands touching me again as he held me down and covered my mouth to silent my screams.

Be quiet. Shut up!

"Nice to see you again, Moxie." The venom in his words made me shudder.

"f**k off." I spat, forcing myself to my feet. I was wobbly, but I wouldn't let Dax see that he had control over me.

Pain shot through my face again in a way that was beginning to feel normal. My face had never been abused this way in such little time. I almost wondered if my jaw would break if I were smacked a few more times.

I turned and put a hand to my burning cheek, a smart smile plastering my face to hide the pain. No one could ever tell how much each blow rocked me with pain. For each tattoo that covered my body, while meant to be a punishment and make it easier for my father to find me, was a test of my strength. Show no pain. Be emotionless.

"I want you to understand that you belong to me." He whispered, too close to me. Too close. "You always have and you always will."

"You know, selling my soul would be a lot easier if I could remember who I sold it to in the first place." The laugh died as his dirty hand wrapped around my throat, squeezing until I couldn't breathe.

"Listen, b***h, and listen good." He snapped, his eyes cold and angry as he glared at me. "Daddy may have saved you in the past, but not now."

He's going to kill me. I thought then, my eyes growing blurry from the lack of air.

Death, I had dreamed of it. I had even desired it, but what happiness could come from that now? Maybe Jamie would be better off without me.

As Dax released my throat, I dropped to the ground, my lungs instantly burning and straining as they filled with air. I wanted to run from this dingy concrete room and hide where they would never find me again.

But they knew where Jamie lived now.

Imagine trying to live without being able to breathe.

Now imagine something worse than that. Living in a world where Jamie wasn't safe was worse than anything these thugs could ever do to me.

My head felt beaten, my eyes swollen from the flood of tears. My lips were bruised and painful. I felt powerless and vulnerable. I wondered if Jack had drugged me after I passed out to make me sleep while I was transported and changed. Maybe I had just been so out of it from the beatings and low blood sugar. The adrenaline rush must've stopped because the pain in my head was nearly unbearable. The smell of blood took over my sense of smell as I wiped my nose. I tried to close my eyes and concentrate on a distraction.

I can never escape.

"The cops showed up here today. Ransacked the place. I'm guessing that had something to do with your little boyfriend." Dax spat, shaking his head with clear anger and disappointment. "I never took you to be a snitch, Moxie. You're better than that."

Panic was the strongest emotion in my body, even more than pain. I forced my face to look numb, emotionless, but on the inside I was screaming. I couldn't stop myself from shaking in anger at the injustice of the entire situation.

"I thought I gave you a pretty long leash. But you've just been taking advantage now."

"I didn't tell anyone I was leaving. Your thugs must have been messy." I said lightly, trying to keep my voice steady even as he moved toward me threateningly, anger dripping off his body.

I flinched as he raised a hand to my cheek, running his fingers over my lower lip and settling on my neck gently. I knew it would only take one quick move to cut off my air supply again and my neck was still bruised and painful from the first time he choked me.

"I didn't know we were in a relationship." I said softer than I had intended.

"I was your first, wasn't I?" He responded through clenched teeth, his fingers hardening over my skin. Bile rose in my throat at his fantasy of us.

I could feel my dad practically dancing behind me with anxiety over the entire situation. I couldn't tell if it was because he knew something I didn't or if Dax just made him that uncomfortable. Or maybe, he felt bad for putting me in this situation. I laughed out loud at the idea, bitter and unpretending.

"What is so f*****g funny?" Dax demanded, tightening his grip on my neck just enough to send pain radiating through me again.

"N-nothing.." I choked, gasping for air. "I was just..."

"There is nothing funny about cops sniffing around." He yelled in my face, spit spraying me and making my skin crawl. He released me then, letting my lungs fill with air again as I dropped to my bruised knees. "Maybe we need to send a message to your little boyfriend. He's been talking to the feds, you know. Probably looking for you." He laughed then, almost as if it were a joke. "He's not very bright, is he?"

A slow manic smile crossed his face as he looked down at me. I couldn't imagine how I looked at that moment, but I knew it wasn't the strong and valuable Moxie he had probably been promised.

"Dax, sir, the kid... he's useless, really. I've been keeping an eye on him. He's harmless." Jack rattled off, making me wince at how pathetic he sounded. My father was not doing me or Jamie any favors by opening his mouth.

A slow, disturbing smile crossed Dax's face then as he looked over at my father. I had half a mind to back away slowly, to not get involved. My father had gotten himself in this mess.

Without a word, Dax turned in his heel and walked out of the room, taking all the tension and fear in my body with him. My eyes narrowed in on Jack as he cautiously stepped toward me. His eyes were clouded with sadness and despair as he dropped to his knees in front of me. This was a new side of Jack I had never seen.

My nose curled at the smell of him. While I was here, trapped and beaten, he was off drinking somewhere. He was pathetic. How did I ever fear him?

"Just so you know, Jack, if they hurt Jamie in any way, I'm gone." I said with venom, my eyes narrowing in on him dangerously. "You will never find me. And you will die alone without my help. You will never find me."

He nodded in understanding of my words, covering his face with his dirty hands as he blubbered.