Part 20 (2/2)

”No.” I took that to mean that she was hurting both physically and emotionally.

”Sheila. You certainly got him back.”

”I. I can't get up.” Her fingers weakly sc.r.a.ped at the carpet.

”I know. That's why I'm here.” I very carefully rolled her over onto her back. I could have sworn that the bruise on her left side was larger as well. I reached for her hands and she placed her small hands in mine. I gently pulled her into a sitting position. She grimaced with the pain, and looked like she might be sick again for a moment. She fought off the nausea and actually managed a smile.

”He apologized. Even if he didn't mean it.” She grinned and then s.h.i.+fted her weight trying to avoid the stab of pain running through her body. I waited for it to pa.s.s.

”Shhh.” I admonished her. She nodded.

I bent down to her and guided her shaking arms around my neck. I tucked my left arm under her knees and lifted her. It was as though I'd lifted a trembling feather. I doubted if she was even a hundred pounds.

As she came off the floor, she let out an involuntary scream as her weight settled into my arms. I saw Evan's head glance up dully, but he immediately fell back to moaning. Not caring about her pain. He was still obviously in considerable pain. Probably still sick, too.

”I'm sorry. It had to be done. I had to lift you.”

She whispered, ”I know. It's okay. Thank-you for coming to get me.”

I carried the bare female back to the chair. I carefully sat back in it, still cradling Sheila in my arms. She rocked slowly in my arms. I lowered her into my lap. Her arms still around my neck. She was moaning to herself softly. Crying into my shoulder. Trying to ease the pain in her wracked body. Her eyes closed.

After a while, Evan managed to stop moaning and just hung in his bonds. Silent.

Sheila finally managed to fight off some of the agony coursing through her. She smiled up at me weakly.

I spoke to her. ”Let Christi take over now. You can't do any more. Okay?”

”No. I have to kick him again. He hit me so many times. He just didn't care.”

”I know. I know, sweetheart. You can't though. You'll kill yourself.”

”I don't care. I want to kick him again and again and again.”

”I know. You are one brave little girl. But you have to let Christi have her turn. Okay? She hasn't been knocked around as much as you. She can hurt him more. Right? She'll kick him for you.”

She closed her eyes. Looked like she was going to argue, but then a spasm of pain shot through her body again making her cry out.

”Honey? You can't even stand up anymore. You've done enough for now. Rest.” I felt like I was comforting a child.

She silently nodded through her tears. Incredibly, her breathing began to slow and her eyes closed. She simply fell asleep in my arms.

Chapter 82.

”She's asleep?” Christi whispered to me incredulously.

I nodded. I couldn't see much choice. I just sat there and cradled the girl in my arms.

”Do we stop then?” Jane asked me. Concern in her eyes. Concern for the nude woman in my arms. She didn't particularly care if she got to continue the torment of the monster. All she cared about was making sure this abused creature lying in my arms was taken care of. The a.s.shole would always be there.

”No. Male domination isn't really my thing,” I confessed. ”The only reason you are doing this at all is because he is such an a.s.shole. And he deserves it. I was thinking of leaving him to you anyway. Go get some sleep myself. I'll take care of her. Somehow.”

”You are going to leave us alone with him? Unbound?”

”I'm sure you'll behave.”

Christi's eyes fairly shone. ”You know. It doesn't seem to be quite fair. Us all naked and him getting to keep his clothes.”

Jane nodded her agreement.

”I definitely don't want to see this. There are scissors in the closet. I'm sure I saw them. You don't need my permission to strip him.”

Jane scrambled to her feet.

”Hold on a second.” She stopped midstep. ”I'm going to lock you both in here with him. You won't be able to get out. Key works both ways. The place is soundproofed. I can't hear you once you are locked in. If you let this guy free, he probably will break all your fingers and toes. You'll probably be dead before I ever find out you are in trouble. Understand? He's dangerous. Have your fun. Knock him around. Knock him out for all I care. But be careful. I don't want to have to be setting busted bones. At least not yours. Or have more than one girl full of bruises. Okay?”

They both nodded. I suspect they understood the danger even better than I. They were female after all. This guy knocked women around for sport. And when he got tired of them, or they finally fought back, he just casually murdered them.

I rose with the naked girl still fast asleep in my arms. She murmured something in her sleep.

”And remember. Don't kill him. Use whatever you like from the closet though. He used most of it on Sheila here and she survived. You two going to be alright in here on your own?” Christi nodded. ”I'll be back for you later. Remember to sleep.”

I made my way past Mayer. I walked up to him, still cradling his former slave in my arms. He looked up at me dully. Most of the fight left him after Sheila's kicks to his groin.

”You f.u.c.king b.a.s.t.a.r.d. I'm. Going. To. Kill. You. For. This.” He was a determined a.s.shole.

”I'd save your strength. I think Jane and Christi know what your weak spot is.”

”I'll never give in to those f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.hes.”

”We'll see.”

I walked away from the pathetic madman. I struggled with the door. Though she was light, the girl in my arms was awkward. I found it incredible that even asleep she maintained her grasp around my neck. Holding on to me like I was a lifeline. I took one last look in the room. Christi was carefully cutting his clothes off, ignoring his protests and insults. Jane was busy tightening his ankle restraints, spreading his legs further than they were. He was far too weak to resist. The naked women looked like they had things under control.

My eyes were closing. It had been a really full day. Most of the girls at least had gotten some rest, but I had been moving all day.

I carefully carried Sheila to the master bedroom. I placed her gently on the bedcovers and she stretched her nude body out as soon as her head touched the pillow. Automatically releasing my neck from her grasp. I found it amazing that her unconscious mind could do that. Know when to hold and when to let go. She was so fast asleep. She sighed and winced in her sleep as her injuries twinged. I walked out the door quietly. I had to deal with Amy and Elizabeth before sleeping. Jane and Christi were safely locked in the business room.

I padded down the stairs. Amy had turned off the lights and drawn the shades in the living room. The headphones were still on her head, but I noticed that the stereo wasn't playing. The red digits on the CD player were just softly flas.h.i.+ng 00:00, giving the darkened room an eerie glow once very second. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing softly. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s rising and falling gently. Seemed everyone in the house was asleep but me. I debated just leaving her to sleep the way she was. But, of all the girls, I was worried about Amy the most. She seemed to still have trouble, once in a while, accepting her captivity. I gently took the headphones off her head. She muttered something in her sleep. Sounded a bit like Elizabeth's name actually. She settled back down. I retrieved a set of ankle restraints from the equipment pack. I slipped back into the living room and knelt beside Amy. I carefully lifted her right leg and attached one end of the steel cuff to her slender ankle. I attached the other end to the leg of the sofa she was lying on. She never awoke. She'd be fine. I'd fallen asleep on that sofa. It was plenty comfortable. As I moved to the library, I switched off the stereo. The red lights on the CD player faded out to black. The eerie pulsing red illumination faded from the room.

Elizabeth had dimmed the lights in the library as well. There was a desk lamp burning on the table presumably illuminating her book. She still sat at the library desk, her head down using A Tale of Two Cities as a pillow. Her cuffed hands rested easily on the table in front of her. She was gently snoring.

I softly touched her on the head. She moved her cuffed hands a bit. ”Come on Catherine. Let me sleep. Just five more minutes. Please?” Groggily. Catherine? That had been the feisty girl in the BMW. The one I'd released when Elizabeth had agreed to be my *hostage'.

”Elizabeth?” I whispered to her. Her eyes fluttered open. She sighed when she realized that she was neither in her own warm bed nor was I Catherine. She glanced down at herself. Nude in a stranger's house.

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