In the End

34│The Power of Seduction

Ida's POV

"You fucking bitch!" Micah seethed, bring his hand over my face again.

I stayed silent as I spat out a wad of spit, the colour a light pink. Had it really been so easy to make me bleed? The grip that he had around my neck was consuming, pinning me against the wall.

"Do you have any idea what you've done? What you've really done?" He yelled in my face, "The information that you've fucking compromised for us-"

I scoffed at his words, though the sound was half-hearted through his death grip. "Wouldn't I? I'm sorry, I didn't realise that I was a part of your criminal activity. The last time I checked, you had kidnapped me and locked me in your basement with no proper plans for me!" I heaved, my voice rising in volume with every word. "And if you did have plans, it seems that you're too stupid to properly act on it."

He slammed my head against the crumbling wall behind me, "That's a fucking lie and you know it,"

"Is it?" I asked, baring my teeth, "Feel free to enlighten me! Because if my death was to 'weaken' Luciano, you've waited too long to actually do something. You needed to make that move weeks ago, but you didn't. I'm no star worker for you Micah, so if you have 'plans' for me, you better tell me now. Or else I'm going to have to believe that you're just as useless as you look,"

Micah snorted, "As if I would be stupid enough to say anything after you've gone and fucking emailed the enemy." He let go, dropping my whole body to the floor. "You know, maybe I should take advantage of you. Maybe I should fucking handcuff you to my bed and fuck some sense into you. It looks like the only way that could ever happen."

I recoiled in pain as I smashed against the door, my ankle catching beneath my body. Yet in that moment, I stayed strong. "You wouldn't dare."

His face twisted as if I just told him some sort of joke, "Wouldn't I?" He mocked. "You would be surprised just what I would be willing to do to punish you for your insolence."

At that moment, I thought he was going to hit me again. That he was going to raise his fist and send it smashing into my face as he had done so many times before. Perhaps slam his foot into my already throbbing ankle. Would he add salt to the wound by taking his knife and adding even more scars to my legs?

Surprising me even more than any of that was his next action. Nothing. My heart slowed from its insistent beating to a quieter, trusting sound.

"I want you out on the floor for an extra hour tonight." That was all Micah said as he exited my room, his anger rolling off him in waves.

I let out a breath when he finally slammed the door shut behind him, allowing me to be vulnerable enough to lean my head back as a small moan came from my mouth. That could have gone so much worse. It made me think, had I struck a nerve within Micah? Did I remind him of someone that he couldn't bear to hurt, or had I caught his eye as I did for almost everyone I encountered? Most likely neither and he was just too weak to actually do anything. I readjusted myself, extending my legs out forward and stretching my muscles as far as I could.

Stretching out the muscles brought on an uncomfortable pain, but I gritted my teeth. I had certainly experienced worse and been able to cover it, but still, that certainly didn't take away the unignorable ache that seemed to be plaguing me.

Maybe I should take Luciano up on that offer for a break.

The thought that I had made up to humour myself ended up sending a spike of fear through my chest. I had considered about whether or not I would return home to find myself replaced, but the idea of not being able to take the jobs anymore hadn't even crossed my mind. Would I ever be able to get rid of the limp? To fix my walking in a way that makes me appear almost normal? To cover the massive scars and have them heal so that I could go back to no one doubting my ability to get things done via my appearance?