Chapter 6

• Not alone
• How long will this go on?
• How long will I be able to take this?
• My body is growing weaker each day and I feel it. I feel myself giving up mentally, physically, and emotionally. I try my hardiest not to give Daniel the luxury of knowing he has broken me in every way possible, which gives the reason I try to fight back with my comments, but that only adds fuel to the fire.
• Worse part is I am the one burned by this. Time is getting close to the end, and I can only be thankful to be free with this misery, this hell.
• As soon as Daniel disappears, Marcus comes forward and takes a seat in front of me. He brings a glass of water to my mouth, trying to make me drink. I stare at him like he has lost his mind. The glass in his hand, for all I know, could contain poison and Daniel’s last means of getting rid of me.
• Being fearful, I was hesitant, so I shake my head, but he keeps insisting, if this is the way I will die, then poison it is. So, I give in and take small drinks until it’s gone. Water drips down my chin, but I cannot wipe it away. A rough fingertip touches my face where the water is sliding down. Marcus’s finger wiped it clear and then, as I snap out of the thoughts in my head, I can feel Marcus’s eyes on me.
• “Storm, why did you have that look on your face like the glass was poison?” Marcus asks me.
• I stare at him like he has three-heads. What? Is he a mind reader?
• He places the cup down and continues to stare at me, but I just stare down at my legs. “Why are you being nice, Marcus?”
• “You answer me first, Storm, then I will.”
• Contemplating on it, I just state, “yes, I thought it was poison Marcus.”
• “Why are you being so nice to me?”
• I could see I startled him by my response, because he opens his mouth like he wants to ask another question but stops himself.
• “You know you will get punished, Marcus!”
• I watch as he clears his throat and places his finger under my chin, making me look up at him. “I am being nice because someone needs to be. Not all of us are bad, Storm.” Staring into his eyes, I was at a loss for words. He was one of my captors’ men, and yet he was trying to show me he was genuine.
• I looked away and then back. “If you care, then why am I still here?”
• “You answer another question, why did you drink the glass if you thought it was poison Storm?”
• Staring into his crystal blue eyes, at that moment, I realized how handsome Marcus was. Short blonde hair, baby blue eyes that had a dark ring on the outside and light blue on the inside. The closer I examined, I realized he had a star shape form inside them. He had a pretty face.
• To be honest, he was magazine worthy. Should not be in a basement with me, that is for sure. Stood to be 6Ft, very muscular, and his smile was very captivating. His voice was very soothing. It could most definitely ease my nerves listening to him speak. It is nice to have him to talk to, that is for sure.
• Focus, Storm he asked something. Coming back from my thoughts, I meet his eyes and see that he has been watching me this whole time, ogling him. Great. Fan-fun-Tas-tic.
• “Storm…”
• “Hmmm,” I snap out of my thoughts and see a smile spread across his face. Then hear Marcus laughed. He is laughing at me.
• “What is so funny?”
• “Oh nothing, Storm, but why did you still drink the water?:
• Oh, right, that was the damn question, I think silently.
• I snorted, which caused him to raise his left eyebrow. Man, even when he does that, he is handsome. What the hell’s bells is wrong with me? Is this what they call “falling for crazy people syndrome?”
• No, that is not what it is called… umm…. Oh, right Stock home syndrome that is it because if so, I may be ok with it, if it is him. Shaking my head, I am so losing my damn mind if I am falling for a captor Storm. Just losing it. Hell, I am even having full-blown conversations with myself. slapping myself on the forehead. Ha, if only we could do that.
• “Will you stop that?”
• Marcus tilts his head with a smile spreading across his gorgeous face. “Stop what, Storm?”
• “You know very well what I am talking about. Cut the crap Marcus.”
• Laughing at my antics, “Storm, all I am doing is talking with you; you are the one battling something within yourself while also studying me like I am something you want to jump.”
• Hearing that come from his mouth caused me the tense and I scowl at him, which only makes him laugh more.
• “You asked me why I still drank the water when I thought it was poison. He shook his head yes. It is because I thought it was poison and because I am tired. If Daniel wants to kill me and that is an option, I will choose it.”
• Marcus is no longer smiling and is in shock at my words.
• “Storm, you cannot be serious.”
• “Why not Marcus, have you had a whip tear into your back, beaten to the point of begging for an end to your life? Look at my hands and feet now. Would you want this? I am an empty shell of what I once was. Now nothing but scarred from the outside in. Having to walk on glass for food Marcus.
• Look in the corner of my room where I must use the restroom. I sleep with chains on my ankles and wrists every day and night. Not a life I want to stay in, so you better believe the first chance I get to end this; I will take it. If I get the chance to escape Marcus, who would want me? I am broken! Scarred for anyone and unable to be the woman anyone could need. Bowing my head, sniffling.
• Marcus, I feel lost and I feel all hope is gone.”
• Looking up and I swore I saw remorse, pain, admiration in his eyes, but he snapped me out of my thoughts when I felt his big, warm hand caress her knee.
• Looking down at his hand, the first sincere act of understanding and kindness I have not had in so long. Then I paused and stared into his blue eyes. “It has been you this whole time, hasn’t it?”
• “What are you talking about?” Marcus asks.
• “You are the one that takes care of my wounds, took the glass out of my feet; anything bad that has happened to me, you have always been there in the shadows. Haven’t you?”
• He does not speak, just continues to stare at me.
• “Haven’t you?”
• Still no response!!!
• Complete and total silence filled the space between us until a sigh escapes my lungs.
• “Thank you, Marcus!”
• “What?” he whispers.
• “You heard me; I would be dead a long time ago without you, but I have one more question for you.”
• “Ok shoot, why can’t you release me? If you are the one helping me all this time, why can’t you help me escape?”
• He looks down and then back up, shaking his head. He gets up and tells me, “It is hard for me Storm.”
• “Hard for you! I snap Is it hard for you, Marcus? It is damn easy to untie someone, help them in a car, and drive them to a local area for them to make their next move. What is so difficult about it?”
• “I do not agree with what my uncle does, but I cannot let you go because if I do, Daniel will kill what is remaining of my family. I know in your eyes that makes me no better, but I cannot let him do that. Many people have died because they double-crossed him. He will kill anyone that goes against him. We are all captives. Just know I will try to help the best I can, okay? When that day finally comes, I will make sure you get out of here Storm with no hiccups. He states.
• You have my word.” He takes his seat in front of me and places his hand back on my leg, staring deep into my eyes, pleading for me to believe him. Pleading for me to trust that he would let me go if he could. All I could do was nod and close my eyes, fighting the pain the best I can.
• Fingertips lifted my face up. “I will wait for you on the outside Storm. I will take care of you if you allow me to.” He says in such a sweet, gentle tone. I was not expecting that.
• He continues, “Just hold on, okay, I will get a plan together, but please do not give up.”
• This causes me to stare at Marcus for the longest, contemplating his offer. His fingertips kept brushing her cheek, which caused her to inhale. My eyes closed for a moment and in that moment of peace, a tear escaped away. It was not a tear of sadness, anger, loneliness, but of peace. Peace of the possibilities of getting out of this hell. I just may survive after all. When I opened my eyes, his piercing blue eyes met mine. I was stuck in place, not just physically, but in every way possible.
• Storm, I promise I can take care of you if you will allow me to. I am not the enemy. He pleads with me. All I can do is stare at him, before stating “only time will tell.”
• Marcus nodded, caressed her cheek one more time, and stood. “I must get Daniel. I will be back.”
• Storm looked down and nodded.
• “I understand Marcus.”
• “Hey, he got to her eye level and lifted her chin. I am coming back Watching him do this to you is torture. I cannot stop him yet, but I can try to ease your pain the best I know how.. I just stared at him for a moment, wondering how he could take my pain away.
• “How?” my curiosity getting the best of me.
• Marcus kept searching for something in my eyes until he just leaned in for it and took my lips against his. It was a tender kiss. He did not want to push it, plus the wire was wrapped against my skin causing a whimper to leave my chest.
• A frown formed on his face, as the thought of causing me more harm than what I was already experiencing. He pulled back to still see my eyes closed. When my eyes opened, he saw tears form?
• “Are you ok?
• Did I hurt you?”
• Searching to make sure that he did not cause more damage. I could not help but giggle a little, which caused a small sign to be released from Marcus. He was still clueless to why I had tears in my eyes until I finally spoke, “thank you Marcus.” All he could do was smile at me, stand, and make his way up the stairs, as he had nothing but this whole situation on his mind.
• He turned back for a quick look to see my head leaned back and eyes closed slightly. I could still see his movements but he thought I was out. He knew I was tired. Which I was. Exhaustion was stressed across my face, so it was not hard to read.
• What was he going to do? He needed to do something fast because he could see that I would not last much longer.