Safe (Reckoning Book 1) Read online

  Contents

  Copyright

  Warning

  Title

  Evil

  Now

  Then

  Now

  Then

  Now

  Vin

  Then

  Now

  Then

  Now

  Vin

  Now

  Now

  Now

  Now

  Now

  Then

  Now

  Now

  More

  Books from Joy

  Sneek Peek

  Copyright © 2016 Joy Blood

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Due to sensitive subject matter, language, and violence 18+ Recommended.

  Safe

  Reckoning Series, Book One

  Joy Blood

  Adjective: morally wrong or bad; immoral; wicked

  Noun: that which is evil; evil quality, intention, or conduct

  My definition: Avil Cantrell

  Now

  Dark. It was always so dark down here. I still didn't know where I was, underground more than likely. The cement floors and walls giveaway to that. My cell, the place I called home for the last what, maybe a month now? At least he hasn't visited since I was taken and put in this hole of a place. My bed consists of an old comforter and my toilet is a bucket that is taken out once a day when I'm brought my food, usually some take-out. It used to be burgers until I couldn't keep them down anymore. Now they bring chicken strips. The food is normally cold when it comes to me. Grateful they feed me at all, I take it trying to keep my energy up.

  I spend my days staring at the door watching the light from under it flicker on then off. There must be a bad bulb on the outside. Wrapping my dirty blanket around me I try to cover up every part, especially my feet, if they are cold so is the rest of me.

  My thoughts drift to him, my captor, the reason why I am here. I suppose I can't lay all the blame on him, I could have left in the beginning, couldn't I? But the more I think about it the more I do believe that he would have gotten his way and had me regardless. He is a man that takes what he wants uncaring of consequence or feeling.

  Hearing footsteps coming towards my cell puts me on alert. I get up from my makeshift bed on the floor and kneel as best I can on the cement floor. When I first came here I was instructed to kneel, I think because its hard for me to do it, not to mention uncomfortable. The clanking of keys and then a click to open the door sound. Two men walk through the door, one I recognize, Vaughn. Tall and burly with a lumberjack of a beard on him. Makes me cringe just looking at him. The red semi-circle scar on the side of his face still makes me smile, though, bringing back the memory that once I did get the upper hand. He knows he isn't supposed to touch me but he does anyway. The other man I’ve never seen before. He is old maybe 65, full head of white hair and thin pale frame. He makes my skin crawl.

  "Will she go willingly? Or will we have to sedate?" The old man asks holding up a syringe. I am for the most part docile, I have to be.

  "She should be fine. Isn't that right Elle? You are a good little girl aren't you?" Vaughn asks in a sickly sweet voice. "Up sweetheart we are going for a small walk."

  I don't resist. Leaning forward on my hands I start to attempt to get off of the floor when Vaughn stoops down to help me up. "Grab my hand sweetheart, unless you plan on doing something while you are down there on your knees." Disgusting bastard, but it really isn't all that easy to get off the floor these days so I accept the hand he gives me. Pulling me up to my feet his other hand rakes around to grab my ass and I flinch at the harshness of his touch. He lets out a long moan and squeezes a little harder. "Fuck it pisses me off he got to you first, bastard always was lucky." He lets go and points ahead. " After you Elle. Follow the good doctor." A doctor should have known what the old man was. Someone who is supposed to help people. I'm sure he isn't a good doctor since he is on his payroll.

  I haven’t been out of the room since they brought me here, after sticking me in the neck with a needle and knocking me out. There is a long hallway in front of us with large rusted ducts running to the other end of the hall. The flicker draws my attention, I was right about the faulty bulb above my door. Looking at the brick-lined walls and crumbling floor just confirms that we are underground. It's even colder in this hallway the draft causes me to shiver. I'm not wearing much, red plaid pajama pants and a long sleeve oversized thin black tee shirt that most likely both belonged to one of the men. We go around a corner and come to a door which isn't locked because the doctor just opens it and leads me through it. This room is a stark contrast to the one I have been held in since my arrival. It makes me sick to think of how long I’ve spent sleeping on the hard floor.

  The first thing I notice is a bed in the corner, a pillow and folded up comforter. Sheets set on top. There is a small door to the left of the bed that I can only hope is a bathroom with a shower in it, and if I tempt to wish a bath tub. What I wouldn't give to soak my stiff tired body in a bathtub. Lost in my daydream and escape from my reality I don't hear what the doctor says as he turns and walks out of the room. That's when I take notice that I’m alone with Vaughn.

  "Make the bed, all you need should be there. The bathroom is to your left take a damn shower you smell rank. And sweetheart?" He pauses until I turn and look up at him. "You have this one chance, fuck it up and you will be back in that cell until D-day." He turns and walks out the door slamming it behind him. I hear the click of the lock and sigh. A huge weight leaves me every time he walks out of the room. I make a B-line for the bathroom. Inside is a typical bathroom but to me, it is absolute heaven. I start the water to the shower immediately. Shedding my borrowed baggy clothes I step in. The water is so hot it scalds my skin but it feels so good. I don't even remember the last time I had a shower. When I was brought here I had a bucket of water thrown on me to help wash away the dried blood I still had on my face and arms. I try not to think of that now. There is nothing to wash with so I just scrub myself down with my hands and finger comb my hair best I can. The hot water doesn't last long and I am forced to get out when it turns to cold. Thankfully there is a towel sitting on the floor next to my discarded clothing. It's scratchy but big enough to cover my body. I wrap it around myself and go back out into the room to see if I may have overlooked something. The room could have been an office maybe. It's very small. The bed takes up most of the space. I suppose I don’t need much since I am a captive. The only other thing besides the bed is a small side table with a plastic shopping bag on top. I rush over to open it finding shampoo and conditioner sitting atop a piece of clothing. Pulling it out I see it's a maxi dress. Blue, of course, it's blue.

  “You look beautiful in blue. Only blue for my baby girl.”

  I shake off the memory of him and put the dress on. I thank the heavens when I find underwear in the bag too. It's very unlike him to allow me such a thing. Always making me go without. I put them on and go hang my towel to dry on the shower curtain rod. Then I go about making my bed. The sheets are of course blue. The bed is pushed into the corner of the room flush with the walls, only a twin mattress so it's easy for me to make. There is no box spring instead the mattress rests on a plank of plywood and cinder blocks to lift it off of the floor. When I’m done I decide to lie down and wait because I know they will be coming back. There is a reason the doctor is here, I can only hope it is for something good.

  “Wake up sweetheart!” Vaughn shouts
and slaps me on my ass, hard. Then starts rubbing the stinging area before moving down and brushing his fingertips on my sex. I quickly move away and sit up with my knees on the mattress as close to the wall as I can get.

  “Oh don't be like that sweetheart, I could make you feel real good. Remember?” He smiles and winks at me then reaches out to grab my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “You just wait, when your purpose is fulfilled I plan on having my way with you. You won't get a chance to fuck it up this time.”

  “He won’t let you, I’m his. You know damn well he doesn’t share.” He laughs that nasty laugh of his and squeezes my chin a little harder.

  “He won't need you anymore in a couple weeks, you and I both know that.” I jerk my chin out of his grip and spit at him. Which was really a stupid thing to do. He’s too damn fast and is on me before I know it with his hand pulling the hair on the back of my head. That's when a throat clears from the doorway saving my ass. “Until next time sweetheart.” Vaughn whispers slowly lets go and backs away.

  “Vaughn I can take it from here. I have this if she acts up." The doctor says holding up the stupid syringe again. Vaughn grumbles something and goes to stand by the closed door with his hands tucked behind him. The doctor comes closer rolling a machine in front of him. He is wearing one of those white lab coats now. How professional of him, like he isn't working for one of the most horrible people in the city. "Just lay back and pull up your dress this won't take long. Then we can have us a look-see alright?" I give a small nod and do as he says while he puts on a pair of gloves and covers two fingers in a clear gel. "You’ll have to take these off , have to check things out. A typical procedure for this type of thing." He says gesturing to my underwear. I close my eyes and pull them off keeping them in my left hand. No way am I going to give them up. “Alrighty dear it will just take but a minute then will be over.” Then he shoves his gloved fingers into me and with his other hand slightly pushes down on my abdomen. After a few seconds which seem like an eternity he nods seemingly satisfied and pulls away. I automatically right myself and try to pull my dress back down but he stops me before I can. “Going to need to have this up for a bit longer.” He says pulling it further up so my stomach is fully exposed. That is when there is a knock at the door. Vaughn turns around to open it nodding to the person on the other side the stepping out of the way of the door for the person to walk in. "Ahh," the doctor says. "You are just in time Avil we were about to take a peek at your son."

  Then

  "Ellie paleese" Dawn says in that damn whiny voice that always makes my ears hurt. "We gotta go out it's your birthday I got you a fake ID and everything. You are 20 it's time to break some rules don't you think?" My response is an eye roll. "Oh come on I will even let you get away with wearing those damn jeans and tee shirt you have on now, just as long as I can do your makeup." I liked to be simple what was wrong with that? It was damn sure more comfortable than the black sequin number she was wearing with those red hooker heels. I would take my beat up holy jeans worn out tee and scuffed up chucks over that shit any day no matter how sexy it made me look. My dark brown hair was always up in a messy bun and I wore no makeup. Ever. Comfortable.

  Dawn, on the other hand, was always up on the newest beauty craze, right now she was rocking some smoke eyes or whatever she called it. Always put together just right, with her light blond hair pinned up just right and her petite 5’3” frame wearing something that made her look like she just walked out of a magazine ad.

  "Fine but it needs to be light I don't want to look slutty, at all, and we are leaving early I have a paper due and you know Mr. Moore, he is a tight ass when it comes to that stuff. I can't afford to piss him off. You know that whole scholarship thing I got going on."

  "Oh gawd I know, I know, daddy didn't buy your way through school like all of us rich kids blah blah blah. Heard it all before and I'm sick of it. So shove all of that whiny bitchiness up your ass and lets fucking go cause you are just starting to piss me off!" Dawn says with a smile and a wink. She offers her arm and I take it in mine smiling at my best friend that always likes to tell me what's what. We met in the first grade. I didn't have all of the correct school supplies, well any for that matter, on the first day of school due to my deadbeat father that didn't realize that I was even going to school. She shared her crayons with me that day and everything she had ever since. She might be mouthy but she is a true friend and I would be lost without her

  "Let's go, hussy, we are going to have us some fun tonight and get you laid. End that dry spell you have going on.” Oh no not this again. Why is she always so concerned about my sex life, or lack there of.

  “I'm not going through a dry spell, I'm just not actively looking for a guy, besides I'm too busy with school to worry about that.”

  “Last guy was Scott am I right?” yes she is. “That was over a year and a half ago.” He was a jerk and dumped me promptly after we slept together. I do believe we had been dating almost a month. I had boyfriends before that but none that I ever slept with. I thought he was different so I gave it up to the guy. At least he was very attentive during the sex trying to be gentle for my first time. I suppose that is all a girl can ask for. Three days later he said he wanted to see other people.

  “Yes it was and we will see what happens, that is all I can promise.”

  “Good I will except that, for now.” She gives me that damn evil grin of hers. “Happy birthday." Happy birthday to me indeed.

  Three bars and a good buzz later she talks me into going to some club that just opened maybe a month ago. I’m reluctant at first but give in of course because, well I might be a little more than just buzzed. The bouncer at the door looks like he could be Mr. Clean’s doppelganger. He is taking too long checking my ID and I slightly start to panic. This was such a bad idea. Then just when I think he is going to tell us to beat it he puts his hand to his ear, as if he is listening to someone, nods once and lets us in. That was weird.

  We get our drinks and look for a table finding not a one empty so we stand, down our drinks and hit the dance floor. I'm not much of a dancer but I'm really past the point of caring at the moment. So as the fast paced music blares loudly through the speakers I loose myself to the beat.

  Dawn and I are dancing with each other, I'll be it a little dirty, when a couple of good looking guys decide to join in. They are both blond with that damn shaggy hair but I let it pass for now maybe the one dancing with me is a nice guy. One can only hope.

  When he decides to get a little closer I go with it, I'm really too drunk to care that he is grabbing my ass. He isn't being aggressive and well it's kind of nice to feel wanted if only for a moment. He's cute and who knows maybe I could end the 'dry spell' that Dawn claims I'm in. Two songs and a little light groping later the guy behind me suddenly gets ripped anyway from me almost pulling me with him. I stumble a little but am able to right myself much to my surprise. Then turn to see my dance partner being dragged away by Mr. Clean. His friend that was dancing with Dawn realizes what's happening and takes off towards them. I look over at Dawn and she mouths to me ‘what the fuck?’. I'm just as puzzled as her at this point so I just shrug.

  "You always let strangers paw at you like that?" Says a deep voice behind me. I feel the hair of my neck stand up and chills run down my spine. Sobering me. That voice is sexy as sin but has a harshness to it that would make a grown man cower in a corner. I turn to see a man that looks as menacing as his voice. I get caught in his beautiful blue eyes that seem to penetrate my soul. His black hair is cut close to his head and he seems to be a good foot and a half taller than me. He is gorgeous there is no doubt there put perfectly together in a black suit, tailored to him no doubt, with a dark blue tie but he also has the aura that makes you want to back away. He is gritting his teeth and looks pissed. What the hell have I done to offend this man? “Bring her upstairs. And get her some fucking water.” He says to another man that seems to just appear out of nowhere, much like himself. This one gives
me the creeps, he's bald much like the bouncer but has a full face of hair to make up for it. The beard is maybe six inches long, black and comes to a point at the bottom.

  “What the hell? You aren't taking her anywhere.” Dawn shrieks at him while he turns to walk away.

  “Is this about my ID? I'm sorry I'll just leave, there is no need to…” I start to say walking toward him, but he turns and stops me.

  “No.” He says stopping my attempt to get out of trouble. Then turns to beard guy. “Upstairs, Vaughn.”

  “Wait please I'm really sorry…” But it's no use he just turns again and walks away. Beard guy, Vaughn, grabs me by the arm and starts to cart me off.

  “You aren't taking her anywhere, we will just leave.” Dawn steps in front of him to try and stop the lumberjack of a man.

  “It's okay D I will go. It will be fine I'm sure.” I try and reassure her, and myself I think too. She gives me a long look then reluctantly nods.

  “I hope you are sure about this that guy looks like someone you don't fuck with.” That's an understatement.

  “Yeah I hear you there. I will be back as soon as I'm done. Wait for me at the bar and don't drink anymore. We may need clear heads for what comes next.” He drags me over to the bar and we only wait but a second for the bartender that Dawn and I waited for over twenty minutes for. He already has in his hand a bottle of water and hands it to Vaughn who in turn hands it to me telling me to drink. I start drinking, I really am thirsty. When I get a quarter of it down I stop and start to put the cap on but he stops me.

  “All of it.” He says. I don't even want to argue so I do it. Drink the whole bottle down to the last drop then set it back onto the bar. Then he is pulling me again. Leading me toward an elevator which he opens with a swipe of a key card he produces from the breast pocket of his black suit. He then unhands me pushing the small of my back causing me to stumble through the doors. I'm happy to be out of his grip there is just something about the guy that screams ‘I'm a nasty motherfucker’. He swipes the card again then punches in some numbers then we are going up. Without being discrete he rakes his eyes over me and I feel naked under his scrutiny. I wrap my arms protectively around myself in an attempt to hide from his gaze. We go up which seems to be maybe three floors, I'm not sure because there are no indicators showing how many there are. When we stop the doors open to a dimly lit hallway. He grabs my arm again and pushes me out. “Walk.” He says. With pleasure, I think to myself, whatever gets me further away from him. I take my time and slowly walk down the hallway.