AFFLICTION- LRH

The Girl In The White Skirt.

Ashtons POV:

"God dammit!"

The next round of water rushed down my face, my nose and throat burning from Bryson's makeshift water boarding.

I could only dream of the time when I didn't feel a thing. When nothing mattered.

If I was like that again, I would just let Bryson kill me at this point. I had nothing to live for.

I had no one I loved.

But now, I wanted to live.

I wanted Luke and Maeve back.

I wanted all of us together again.

The sound of Calum and Michaels pleas for Bryson to stop played into ear, but all I could focus on was the ability to stay alive.

"He has had enough!" Michael shouts, the chains around his arms clanking as he thrashed around.

Finally, after what felt like eternity of being drowned alive, my first gasp of air felt like heaven. Bryson wipes my face off with a towel as he stands straight, his own breath inhaling deeply.

"Calm down, boys." Bryson laughs, "I just wanted to play around."

Cough after cough escapes my throat, my eyes beginning to burn.

I'll take it that was not clean water.

"When the fuck can we get out of here?" Calum growls, "we know Luke and Maeve are gone, why can't we just go?"

Bryson looked stumped, as if the thought never occurred to him, "I mean, I don't know."

"It just doesn't make sense," Calum says, rolling his shoulders as he winces, "we know they are gone, probably dead. You obviously are in charge here, so why can't you let us go?"

I had to stifle a laugh, watching as Calum began to play his own game.

Mind games.

"Well I-"

"You are the one in charge...right?" Calum raised a brow.

"Yes!" Bryson shouts, his anger beginning to get the best of him, "I am the one he put in charge, so I call the shots!"

Suddenly, we all hear Kouvr gasp, her finger twirling the curls in her hair as she stares to Bryson, her eyes beginning to glimmer, "Wow," she mutters, "I didn't know you were the one in charge."

Calum looks at Kouvr a minute, before realization washes his face, his eyes then meeting mine.

I love seeing the couple team up together.

"Maybe uh," her breathing quickens, "maybe you could let me out of here, and we could sneak away. I would much rather a man in charge."

She was making her voice sound sultry and sweet, almost like a poison that was irresistible to mankind.

And he was falling for her spell.

"Fine," Bryson sighed, reaching into his pocket for the keys, "but just you. You and I will keep watch of these guys. We will kill them if you so desire."

Kouvr giggled, "Anything you want, baby."

I had never seen her so possessive, so quick witted.

If this worked, I would owe her my life.

I watched as Bryson leaned down, unshackling her chains around her legs, then her arms next. Kouvr watched him with such a calculated grace.

The dim light danced across her features, casting a seductive glow that seemed to ensnare Bryson's senses, "There ya go, beautiful." he smiled wide, helping Kouvr to her feet.