Page 50 of Ricochet
“Are you here to finish what your brother started, baby boy?” He scowled at the nickname and retracted his hand.
“Oh, I have something better for you.”
I eyed him for a moment, as he retrieved the knife Kieran left on the floor and started cutting through the ropes. “You’re going to love it, birdy.” My hands fell above my head, all the strength I had suddenly leaving my body from the strain it went through. I lifted my head and saw him unlocking the chains from my legs as well.
“Why are you doing this?”
“I told you already, I have something for you.” He leaned over me, his hand grasping my chin. “And after you see my lovely, little present, you’re going to tell me everything I want to know.”
I wanted nothing more than to remove that little smirk with my fist, but I was curious to see what he wanted me to see. However, my bladder decided to remind me that I needed to go to the toilet first and this little adventure would have to wait.
“Um, okay,” I said as I shook my hands as soon as he freed me. “There’s only one little catch here.”
“Which is?” Tristan frowned.
“I kinda need to use the toilet first.” He scowled at me as I cheekily grinned. “Unless you want me to pee on the floor, or on the staircase, or—”
“No!” He cut through my little monologue. “Just hurry up. We don’t have all day.”
I jumped from the bed and saluted him. “Yes, boss.”
“Hurry the fuck up,” he gritted again. I didn’t wait another second and ran to the bathroom connected to the room.
* * *
It feltas if another life had passed from that first time I exited the room until this moment, when in reality, it couldn’t have been more than a day. I kept glancing at my bruised wrists, the skin chaffed, purple and yellow. They would’ve left me in that room until I completely lost the use of my limbs, or worse, until I froze to death. Tristan kept a hold of my upper arm, pushing me toward the staircase I now knew led to the foyer and the first level of the house. This was my opportunity to scan my surroundings properly, but the wariness coursing through my body had me constantly glancing at him, wondering what he was up to. But hey, at least I finally got to pee and wash my face.
“Don’t worry, birdy,” he looked at me, “I won’t hurt you. Just wanted you to have a quick walk, maybe eat something, and then we can talk.”
“Why would you want to talk to me? The last time—”
“The last time I was hurt,” he cut me off. “The last time we just found our sister lying in a pool of her own blood with you above her, holding that knife. Watch your step.”
Watch my step?
“What—” My foot hit something, and I would’ve planted face first on the ground if it wasn’t for his grip.
“I said watch your step.”
The stairs were in complete darkness, the lights completely shut off.
“What the fuck?”
“I warned you. Now move your ass, there are places we need to see.”
Was he on fucking drugs? What was he talking about? Places we needed to see?
His hold on me started getting almost painful the closer we got to the end of the stairwell. The blinding light coming through the windows hurt my eyes, and I squinted, trying to keep them open. The only thing I could see for hours was darkness, and the daylight now was a bit too much.
“All this money, and you couldn’t have gotten some curtains.” I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to avoid another migraine. He chuckled next to me and stopped abruptly after a couple of steps.
“Oh God, I missed your humor. But I need you to keep your eyes open for me.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you fucking can. Open those eyes, Ophelia.”
I could feel him in front of me, but my body wasn’t cooperating with my mind.
