Page 55 of Arseni
20
MARGOT
For the first time in days, my captors have given me new clothes.A shower.Jewelry even.
But it isn’t out of kindness.Not even close.
The man with platinum blond hair, Oleg, is the one who took me upstairs.At first, I thought he was being merciful.He didn’t come into the shower with me or even pay much attention while I undressed.
Then he ordered me to shave.Everywhere.That was the first sign of sinister intent.The second was the red, lacy lingerie he deemed a ‘dress,’ the six-inch heels accompanying them hardly subtle.
I don’t know why it felt so cruel for him to insist I dress myself up like a whore, going as far as making me fix my hair and makeup.But it did.When I was finished, I thought for sure he’d take me to Nikita, but to my great relief, he brought me back to the basement.I’ve been sitting on the mattress, my hands shaking ever since.
The knowledge of an ominous party happening tonight makes the wait so much worse than if I were sitting in the dark.A party means people, not person.It’s unlikely I’ll be solely facing Nikita when I go back upstairs.
How many people are they going to have rape me?How much more broken can I possibly be?
When the door to the basement finally opens, I suck in a breath and stand, lifting my chin as if I’m not terrified.It feels stupid and pointless, but I can’t stand the idea of the sadists getting off on my fear.
I expect Oleg to show, but it’s Arseni who’s come to get me.My face falls along with my eyes until I lift them up like heavy weights.
He’s one of them.He’sworsethan them.At least they’re honest.
He shouldn’t get to see my fear either.
Holding my gaze on his face turns out being useless when he won’t look at me.A ring of jingling keys swings on his finger as he approaches, the chain around my ankle in his sights.
He doesn’t say a word as he unshackles me then grasps my arm and leads me to the stairs.I told myself the next time I saw him wouldn’t hurt, that I was awakened now, that he couldn’t weaken me anymore.But still, with every step up the stairs we take, his hardened expression wiggles the knife he plunged into my chest.
“You’re a monster for this,” I say, keeping my voice as even as possible.
He flicks his blank gaze at me then shoves open the basement door.“True… But there are worse things.”
I huff.“Like what?”
“Like pedophiles.”
That hits me like a physical blow to my stomach, and my lungs act accordingly.I yank from his grasp, my chest hurting from lack of oxygen until I manage to take a weak inhale.
I told myself I wouldn’t do it.Isworeto myself I wouldn’t do it.But my eyes don’t care.They fill with pained tears Arseni doesn’t react to.
Standing in the doorway, he slides to the side and waves for me to go through.When I don’t budge, he lowers his hands to his sides.A frown, almost imperceptible, shows more in his eyes than it does on his lips.
“If you don’t walk, I’ll carry you… You don’t want me to do that.”
“What’s going to happen to me?”I cross my arms over my chest and glare like I’m angry, but all I can seem to feel is fear and betrayal.IwishI was angry.
Arseni just stares.
“Arseni…” His eyes close as my voice trembles.
“Stop,” he says before his Adam’s apple flexes.His voice is sharp, but the discomfort is written in his features.
He doesn’t want to do this.
I turn my head away when hope brings warmth to my frozen toes.I can’t fall for this again.My heart won’t allow it.
He doesn’t care about you, Margot.He’snevercared about you.
