Falling for Him

.. and Broken

Could my life really get any worse? The thought came to mind as I try to move my limbs but I quickly realize my wrists were tied behind my back and onto a metal pole that was cemented into the middle of an empty room. I try to shift my weight to sit up more comfortably but my ankles are also tied together. The cold floor gives rise to goosebumps along my skin. I scan the room for anything that could possibly be useful but there’s nothing except a desk and chair far in the corner. The room appears to be inside an old warehouse but that’s just my guess, with small windows high up on the brick walls and only one door in and out. I wiggle my wrists hoping I could squeeze them free but any movement causes pain. I keep still and try to steady my breathing so I could hear any sounds that may be coming from outside the room but there’s complete silence. A fear washes over me and I take in a sharp breath before screaming for help, praying someone would come to help me. I must’ve screamed for what seemed to be forever but I soon realized that this was my fate and no one was coming to my rescue. I slump over with my head bowed as tears streamed down my face and I felt completely hopeless.

I stay slumped over in hopelessness for what has to be hours. The tears have dried on my face. Whatever was numbing my pain from the hospital must’ve worn off by now because I feel pain in my abdomen but I try to ignore it. I hear distant footsteps approaching and I begin to stir and I sit myself up. Muffled voices start to echo as the footsteps get closer. When the footsteps arrive at the door, the voices go silent. I can hear the door being unlocked from the other side. The knob is turned slowly before the door opens and I count a total of four men entering the room and spread out. After a few seconds, a fifth one walks in. He must be the one in charge. I direct my eyes towards the floor as he takes slow steps toward me until his black boots come into my line of sight. The man kneels to the floor in front of me placing his finger under my chin, slowly raising it until I meet his eyes. His eyes were dark and cold and lacked any emotion. His salt and pepper colored hair was slicked back in a low ponytail.

“You’re awake.. that’s good” a small smile etched across his lips but even his voice managed to lack any emotion. He spoke with an accent which makes me think what could any of this possibly have to do with me. He motions his hand to one of the men and he drags the chair from the corner of the room over to us and places it beside me. The man cuts the ties from my ankles before he walks around behind me and removes the ties from my wrists, but I hesitate to move.

“Please.. sit” I glance at him for a brief moment and then dart my eyes toward the door. I couldn’t possibly make it out with so many men in here at the moment. I pick my self up and grasp my side because of the sharp pain I feel as I stand. I drag my feet to the chair and sit back in it with minimal movements to reduce my pain. The man watches me intently as he maintains a cold gaze.

“You must be hungry..” he mumbles to me and waves his finger once more and another man in the room walks over with a brown paper bag and hands it to him. He reaches inside and pulls out a bottled water and a sandwich and offers it to me.

“Don’t worry.. I have no need to poison you” his voice low and I am indeed hungry. I hesitantly take the sandwich and water and take a bite. He breaks his gaze and begins to pace a few feet in front of me while running his finger along his chin. He stops in front of me and meets my eyes as I take another bite of the sandwich.

“I need your help Miss Wilson..” I stare at him with a questioned look to which he continues.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t lie to me.. would you?” His words were threatening and I shake my head vigorously at him. I definitely had no reason to lie about anything.

“What do you know of The Duke?” His question leaves me puzzled but his silence warrants an answer.

“I’m sorry.. but I don’t know a duke” I whisper hoping the answer would suffice but he seems doubtful.

“Not a duke.. Miss Wilson but The Duke.” He leaves me even more confused now I’m sure it was evident in my expression.

“The Duke runs an organization known as Black Ivy Mafia.. or at least he used to, until he disappeared months ago. Now we have unfinished business and I think you can help me find him” he says enthusiastically but I remain oblivious to what any of this has to do with me.

“I told you I don’t know any duke.. or The Duke” I maintain my innocence but it seems to irritate the man before me. He turns to one of the men in the room and walks over to him and the man hands him a picture. That’s when I notice a tattoo on his hand that was a bird. My eyes then examine each of the men in the room to which I notice the same tattoo on each of them in different locations on their bodies, either on their forearm or neck. The bird somewhat resembles a raven. The man walks back over to me and kneels in front of the chair. He holds the picture up to me and I look it over and to my disbelief, it was Russell. What in the hell!

“Do you know this man?” He asks, making sure to observe any reaction I made. I nod my head reluctantly.

“And how do you know him?” His words begin to taunt making me squirm on the chair. “He’s my boss” I mumble in response.

“And what exactly do you do for him?” He taunts again.

“He runs the hospital I work at” I say and he immediately stands in what I assume to be frustration.

“Anything else?” His words made it seem like it was my last chance to spill any other information but that is honestly all I have to say. I shake my head. He begins to pace across the room once again.

“I have a source that says you work closely with the man in the photo.. what can you tell me about him?” His question demanded an answer.

“I told you.. he’s my boss. I don’t really know anything about him. I’m sorry but I can’t help you” I try to maintain my composure but I can see he is becoming more infuriated with every passing moment. He steps closer to me, leaning over to whisper in my ear.

“I’m sure we’ll get it out of you.. one way or another” my eyes widen at his words. He turns and walks toward the door, stopping to whisper something to one of the men. He then continues out of the room, closing the door behind him. The man he spoke to turns face me with a sinister look on his face as he begins to walk toward me. He slaps me across the face with the back of his hand and I instantly have the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. The remainder of the sandwich in my hand falls to the floor as I clench my cheek. He then forcefully squeezes my jaw for my eyes to meet his.

“You’re going to tell us everything we want to know” he seethes, making me shiver in fear. His words are followed with another blow to my face. The metallic taste in my mouth intensifies. He grabs a fistful of my hair and throws me on the floor. He plants his shoes into my ribs making me crouch in pain and it’s immediately followed by more kicks to my side. I plead for him to stop but my efforts remain in vain as it falls on deaf ears. I whimper in pain on the floor, I’m sure I was mere moments away from passing out from the pain. He spits on me and whispers the word b*tch under his breath before they all leave. I stay on the floor unable to move any part of my body. Tears escape from my eyes as I drift into darkness trying to ignore the pain. An obvious impossible task.