Page 54 of Point Proven
Every emotion that’d rolled forward dissipated, shoved back on the shelf I’d become so adept at organizing. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Everything is alright. I promise.”
“O-Okay… Come to bed soon?”
Glancing at Matt, I gave him a subtle shake of my head, swallowing everything that’d bubbled to the surface once again. “We just finished up. I’m coming.”
With a quick turn, I walked toward the room, shoving aside my feelings to cater to Oren. To cater to everyone. That’s all this life had in store for me: serving everyone else while I struggled to keep my head above water.
And I was fucking drowning.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
LIAM
Istruggled to open my eyes, lids heavy with exhaustion. My body swayed, a heavy feeling settling in the marrow of my bones.
What… What happened?
“Little lamb, you’re finally awake. I’m sure the sensations you’re experiencing are…interesting.Well, probably that and the new location.”
Stefan’s blurred figure was crouched in front of me, adjusting the leather against my neck before tugging on the attached chain. A groan slipped from me as he yanked, my vision struggling to re-focus with my newfound consciousness. Head lolling, I fought to keep myself awake, my mind struggling to keep up or formulate a simple sentence.
“Mmm… W-What…”
“I wasniceto you by giving you a bed to sleep on. But now? You’ll sleep like a dog on the fucking floor. And your new collar? Attached to the wall.” It rattled once more before he pressed his fingers beneath my chin. “Oh, and don’t forget your wounds. I won’t be nursing those, especially your shattered knee.”
Attempting to shift, a sharp whine rolled from me, pure agony pulsating from my left knee. “Ah… Ah, s-s-shit…”
“Yeah, it’s going to hurt like a bitch, especially if I twist it like this.”
Shifting my ankle, he straightened my leg, moving against the position it wanted to keep. A scream tore itself from my throat as the back of my head slammed into the wall. Reaching forward, I tried to shove him away, a whimpered breath severing my plea.
“Please…Fuck!Please, stop!”
“Oh? You want my fucking mercy after you halfblindedme?” He tugged, joints popping from the movement. “No.”
Shoulder blades reaching for each other, my back arched, another inhumane cry serving as my response. “Stefan… Stefan… please. Please…”
His touch lifted, relief flooding me, but it only lasted for a second before pain erupted from the wound closest to my hip. Digging his fingers into my flesh, horrendous squelching followed each twist.
Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes as I tried to thrash against him. “S-Stefan! Please,fuck!I’m fucking… I am fucking… s-sorry…!”
He sank further, a snarl ripping from his throat. “Were you sorry when you tricked me? When you robbed me of myfuckingsight? How about when you kissed me as if you cared, then discarded me like nothing? I’ve given you fucking everything! I’ve made you who you are, and you’re still fucking ungrateful!”
“I-I’m sorry!” I sobbed, sinking into myself. “Please… let me make it up… to you. Just—” My words were clipped as he curled his fingers around the lip of the gaping wound, my rasped bellow filling the silence.
“Likewhat? What could you possibly offer me?” Rotating them, blood seeped from me, the rest of the stitches tearing from their hold.
Battling the building urge to pass out and the panic I was slipping into, I lifted my gaze to him. “Whatever… Whatever you want… You can… You can use my body as you wish… Just please…pleaseno more…”
Yanking his fingers out, he stared at the trickling crimson, drops plopping onto the floor. “Like what, Liam? Hmm? You expect me to believe a dumb statement like that?—”
“I-I’ll… I’ll…” I swallowed the nausea, desperate for even the slightest reprieve from the pain. “If you… want… I’ll suck your cock…”
“Oh, you will?” He scoffed, leaning forward, fingers positioning next to the other wound. “Like I’m going to believe you’ll do it without biting.”
“I will!” I screamed, grabbing his wrist. “I promise… I promise…”
His jaw feathered, stubble noticeably more gray, but that glint returned to his eye, the other remaining milky and further accented by the wound I’d inflicted. “Yeah? It’s hard to believe you when you whispered the same shit to me before.”
