Hostage

5. "You're going to learn who's in control"

  "Pssssstttt"

"Hey!!"

"Raleigh!!"

"Ray-Ray"

I blinked awake slowly, my eyes squinting as they tried to adapt to the light. I sat up straight, suddenly remembering that I wasn't in my house, or on my comfy bed. I was tied to a chair, and my neck as cramped.

"Finally" Clyde muttered under his breath. "I was starting to think you were dead"

"That actually sounds appealing right about now" I admitted. Although I didn't really believe it..... Even though dying is peaceful and blissful, which makes this place sound like hell. Which it kinda is.

"Don't talk like that" He scolded. "I just wanted to wake you up to let you know Harry is coming down in a few minutes"

"How did you know that?" I rolled my neck back, trying to ease the tension. I really hoped I'd get upgraded to a bed soon. Being tied to a bed sounds a lot better than to a chair.

Actually....maybe not.

"Niall just came down to warn us. He gave me this sandwich and let me take a piss" His snack was proudly extended in my direction, and it was then that I noticed that his ropes were cut free. How did he even know Niall's name? I asked myself. But then I remembered how willingly Niall gave up his gangs information about me -so why wouldn't he do the same to Clyde?

"He left your hands free like that?" I asked in disbelief. Niall may have let me loose for the time that he was down there, but I was back to being restrained as soon as he left.

"Well how else am I supposed to eat my sandwich" He rolled his eyes as if it was the most obvious answer in the world, chomping on his sandwich obnoxiously as he kept his watchful eyes on me.

Sitting up straighter in my chair, I tried to get my eyes to adjust to the light and for my cracky morning voice to fade away. I yawned loudly, extending my arms as best as I could behind my back.

Clyde's features twisted in disgust, one hand remaining on his sandwich while the other went to cover his nose. "Eugh" He muttered in distaste. "Your morning breath reeks" He laughed slightly.

I opened my mouth, prepared to fire a comeback but I was silenced when the door at the top of the stairs was open with so much force it caused the railings to rattle loudly. Oh boy. Harry is angry.

"Be calm and just do what he says" Clyde mumbled to me before finishing off his sandwich and locking his eyes on Harry, who stomping down the stairs with thick rope in his hands.

Oh god, I thought. He was going to choke one of us with it. Or maybe he would whip us with it....Who knows what he's capable of? However, my mind was eased when all he did was secure Clyde's wrists back together behind the chair.

Okay calm down Raleigh, he's not going to choke you. I focused on taking deep breaths, in and out, in and out. If I'm going to stand my ground towards Harry I don't want to be wheezing.

"This is how things are going to work" Harry starts authoritatively. "I'm going to ask you a question" He looks at me. "Then I'm going to ask you a question" He points to Clyde. "Each of you will answer truthfully and if you don't then there will be consequences. Simple as that"

Harry pulls up a chair and turns it backwards before sitting on it and resting his hands on the back, staring ta Clyde harshly before letting his icy gaze travel to me. "Where did you see your father last?"

I took a deep breath, focused on letting my face be void of emotion, and stared at Harry with slits in my eyes. He tilted his head to the side slightly, cocking an eyebrow at me as he waited for his answer. Little did he know -he wasn't going to get one.

"I'm not going to repeat myself"

"And I'm not going to tell you any information about me" I bit back, unable to stop myself from saying something smart. It was just an instinct: To be snappy and to defend myself.

"Strike one" Harry mumbled, cracking his knuckles as his eyes zeroed in on mine. "Take off your shirt" He demanded.

"How do you expect me to do that when I'm tied up, dip shit" I wasn't surprised at all by what he said. He was a guy, and I was his prisoner locked in his basement. I was surprised I haven't been raped yet.

"I'll do it for you" He said, darkly. It pissed me off beyond end that he was keeping his voice so steady. So calm. Not once had he yelled or raised his voice, and that's what scared me; The fact that he was so controlled and could keep his anger at bay. The fact that at any moment, he could snap and beat the shit out of me.

He took his time in standing up from his seat, lazily striding over to me in his dark clothes before squatting down in front of me so we were eye level. My breathing picked up when his lips ghosted over my ear, hands landing on my knees as he pushed my legs open to allow himself to slot in between them.

"You're going to learn soon who's in control" I couldn't focus on what he was saying when he was this close to me. So close that his lips brushed my ear every time he pronounced a word. His palms traveled up the length of my leg and to the top of my blouse, slowly undoing the first button.

He kept his mouth right next to my ear the entire time he undid the buttons on my shirt, allowing his minty breath to hit me every time he breathed. Goosebumps covered my skin entirely, causing my back to sling upright and for my knuckles to remain clenched behind my back as I awaited his next move.

But it never came.

Instead, he pulled away with a smirk and stood from his squatted position and his gaze traveled down the length of my torso, focusing on my chest for longer than necessary before smiling a menacingly and going back to his previous position.

And for some reason, I found myself craving that warmth he radiated. And for some reason, I found myself liking that warmth he radiated. And for some reason, I found myself wanting back that warmth he radiated.

My blouse wasn't able to be taken off fully due to the restraints around my wrists, so it rested down by my elbows. I was never really insecure about my body, because Spencer had told me that guys preferred for girls to have a little more meat on them then to be so skinny you can see every ridge and bump of their bones.

Spencer (shamefully) told me that most of his college friends thought I was hot, and that just pushed my confidence up a ton. So I never minded that I had little love handles on my sides or thicker thighs then some of my friends.

However, under Harry's gaze I felt like my little teenage self -when I actually was insecure. I felt like he was looking for every flaw on my pale skin, anything he could use against me if needed.

"Clyde" He spoke, his eyes finally leaving my chest to address the boy adjacent to me. "Where is your boss hiding?"

I could tell that Clyde was reluctant to answer as well; The gnawing on his lower lip, the downcast eyes. He was like an open book. "Are you gonna make him strip too?" I spat out, glaring heavily at Harry who's lips turned up in that menacing smirk he tended to have.

"Maybe" Harry lifted a shoulder, and then his expression instantly turned to anger, and he kicked his chair behind him and pulled a gun from his back pocket, and instead of pointing it to Clyde, it was placed against my forehead. "What part of I'm in charge don't you understand? Keep your fucking mouth shut and we won't have a problem"

I had so many things itching to spit out, to fire back at him. Like. "I know you won't fucking shoot me because you need me" but I decided to actually listen and keep my mouth closed. I opted to show my hatred towards him through my eyes rather then my mouth.

"Now, Clyde" He placed his gun in his back pocket easily, like it wasn't an object that could steal peoples lives, and turned back to Clyde. "Tell me where your boss is hiding out"

"I-I don't know where exactly. I was never allowed to go....I just -I just know that it's a warehouse somewhere in the woods" Clyde stuttered out submissively. I didn't know this Clyde, the one that hangs his head in fear and stutters out his words.

The Clyde I knew was playful and happy, and very cheeky.

"What fucking good are you?!" Harry raised his voice, throwing his hand sin the air dramatically before turning back to me. "Listen to me, Raleigh. Your father is a major asshole and has stolen many things from a lot of people. He's evil. And he lied to you and your family for your entire life. I don't understand why you wouldn't want to help us find him"

"Because he's my father!" I exploded, struggling against the ropes. "He's my father and he raised me and I love him!" I cried, my breathing beginning to pick up. I was getting worked up, and I could feel one of my panic attacks coming up, ready to control my mind and body completely.

"But he's not" Harry angrily spit out. "You think he's your father and he's supposed to act like one right? But what kind of father lies to his family and joins a fucking gang?!" For some reason, I felt like Harry may have experienced something similar to this. The way he was saying these things and the way he was yelling at me. It was like he was here, but his mind was somewhere else.

"Your father is supposed to be someone you trust! He's supposed to guide you to the right path and help your through life. He's supposed to chase all the boys off and be there for you! But was he?"

I stared at Harry with wide eyes, watching as his chest heaved with anger. "It's none of your fucking business" I spat out, and I could have sworn Harry grew twice his size. Because one minute he was trying to labor his breath and calm himself down, and then I blinked, and he came lurching towards me, landing a heavy punch to my cheek.

I cried out in pain, hunching over in my seat as I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to focus on the throbbing on my face. "You're going to learn..." Harry breathed out, shaking his hand out as if it actually hurt him when he punched me.

"To watch that pretty little mouth of yours around me"

~*~

"Do you really know anything about your father?" Clyde had questioned me after Niall came down to give me an ice pack to place against my cheek. One hand was untied to keep the ice pack in place and the other was still restrained.

He'd also let us use the bathroom, and that was when I'd looked at myself in the mirror and hated what I saw. Bruises and welts took the shape of my face, along with a lot of different colors.

As soon as I looked at myself in the mirror I'd turned away and walked out. I hated what I saw.

"My father is a spinal surgeon and has been once since I was a born. That's what I know about my father." I spoke sincerely, keeping my gaze locked on the tile beneath me.

"And your mum?"

"She works as a cop and has been for about ten years now"

"Do you have any siblings or whatever?" He shrugged casually.

"I have a brother named Spencer and he's in college" I spoke honestly, before snapping my gaze up to meet his. "Why are you asking me these things?"

Clyde seemed startled by my suspicion. "I was just curious" He whispered gently, but I wasn't buying it. I looked at him quizzically for a few more moments before giving up and letting my head tilt back against the back of the chair.

"I don't know what they're expecting from me" I muttered quietly, a fresh wave of tears beginning to wash over me. "But I don't know anything"

"I don't deserve this" I whispered quietly. "I don't deserve to be here"