Playing with The Devil *Book 2*

*plain white tiles*

Charlie's POV

   Pain. Everyone feels it differently. Some can take a higher amount of pain while others can't. I normally am a strong person. Since high school I made it so very few things could actually hurt me.

   Waking up in the hospital bed, staring up at the plain white tiles, as everything from the paste few months raced through my head. Luke was killed, hopefully they made sure it's for real this time. Ben was shot saving Jacob and all of the torture I had been through.

Small mention of sexual abuse

    The feelings of their hands on my body made me sick. Their hands on my inner thighs, my back, my hips, my breasts. My memory is hazy when it comes to what happened. Although I can remember their hands and where they touched. The way those hands tore my innocence away, thread by thread.

End of mention

"Charlie." I was pulled out of my thoughts by a soft voice. I turned my head to see Kat, Hannah, and Cade standing at the doorway of my room. I smiled softly at them.

   "Hey guys." My voice sounded rough and scratchy from my lack of talking. Based on what I heard the doctor say, I have been asleep for two days based on exhaustion. I was surprised to hear that at first but knowing the amount of sleep I had gotten recently it makes sense.

   "How are you feeling." Cade asked sitting down next to me. I shrugged softly.

   "I'm okay." Their eyes furrowed.

   "Just okay? You went through a lot. It's okay to not be okay." Kat said. I shrugged again.

   "I think you guys forgot that this isn't the first time I've been kidnapped." I said simply.

   "Charlie the last time you were kidnapped you were having a tea party with them." Austin said joining the others around my bed. I rolled my eyes with a small smile.

   "What I went through isn't okay but I can't change it so I simply must push past it." I spoke in a soft and calm voice.

   "You should try and feel things Charlie. You went through a lot." Hannah spoke. I rolled my eyes.

   "I can feel whatever I want to. I don't need you guys to tell me what I should feel." I said strictly. The air in the small hospital room thickened to an almost choking amount.

   Kat, Hannah, and Austin gave me one last nod before they all scrambled out of the room. Cade however, stayed sitting on the side of my bed.

   "How are you really feeling." He said.

   "I'm okay surprisingly. I'm sad of course that Ben is dead but I know he wouldn't want me to mope around. He would want me to move on with my life." I said softly. Cade pursed his lips before nodding.

"Cade how long was I gone?" I asked after some time of silence. Cade sighed and scratched the back of his neck.

"Four months." He spoke quickly, almost like he hated the answer. I nodded slowly.

"What took you so long?" I pushed, hoping to get the answers I wanted. Cade shifted uncomfortably before a new voice drew our attention away.

"I'll be the one to explain that." Jacob spoke. Cade quickly stood up and leaned down, giving me a small hug. He said goodbye quietly before he disappeared out the door Jacob just came in from. Slowly Jacob walked over to me and sat down next to me.

His hand slowly moved closer to my head before he slowly pushed a piece of fallen hair back behind my ear. He let his hand linger on my cheek before he dropped it back down onto his chest.

   "Why did it take so long?" I pushed again. Jacob sighed and looked out the window in-front of us.

   "We kept getting messages leading to different areas but each time they were dead ends. They knew how to make us run all over the world only for you. They were smart and knew how to cover their tracks." Jacob rambled. Every word he spoke the more his hands clenched into fists.

   "Luke said that he wanted you to find him. That wouldn't make sense why he would send you all over the world." I said confused. Jacob chuckled lowly.

"He wanted to keep you away long enough to drive me insane. He kept giving me hints to mess with my brain." Jacob said shaking his head.

"How did you find me?" I questioned. Jacob pursed his lips, almost acting nervous about the answer.

"Your dad helped." He spoke slowly. Instantly a wave of confusion washed over me.

"My father?" I asked skeptically. He nodded slowly.

"He had known stuff about Luke's gang and he could of helped me. He did help me." Jacob said shaking his head slowly.

"H-How on earth did you get him to help you?" I asked genuinely confused. Once again Jacob seemed nervous about the answer he had to give.

   "I had promised him something." He spoke slowly and wearily.

   "What did you have to give him?" I questioned.

   "Altheas Necklace." He tired to hide what he said but I heard it as clear as day. My eyes widened as I stared at his guilt ridden face.

   "Please for the love of God tell me you didn't give him that necklace." I stumbled over my words as I rushed them out. Jacob chuckled lowly.

   "No I didn't give him the necklace. He however did get something he wanted." He said with a small smile. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

   "What did he want?" Jacob smiled softly and ran his hand softly along my cheekbone.

   "Nothing you have to worry about." He said softly. I nodded and closed my eyes. The warmth from his hand laid across my cheek like a blanket. Warm and welcoming.

   "I am glad we got you back. Everything is back to normal. We are safe." Jacob mumbled laying his head down on my stomach. I giggled softly.

   "Jacob since we started talking in high school I don't think we have ever been safe from anything. Please don't jinx us." I said making him chuckle.

   "Hey Jacob?" I asked after a few moments of silence. Jacob turned his head upwards and looked up at.

   "Luke is actually dead this time right. Like you kicked his body and he didn't move." I blurted. Jacobs straight face slowly began turning upwards before he laughed.

   "Yes he is actually dead Charlie." He said shaking his head softly.

   "Well I'm only asking because the last time I thought he was dead he actually wasn't." I giggled. Jacob just smiled and shook his head.

   That night we fell asleep holding each other, after a long four months. Finally I was back in his arms.