Double Standards (Part 1)

Broken

Laney awoke slowly and with grogginess. Upon cracking her eyes open, she realized she was in a unfamiliar bed. Laney darted up, even though her head was in protest from pain. She looked around a very huge bed chamber that was lavishly decorated. She provoked her memories from last night, the fight with London, her grand opening, Angelo, passing out. Laney's breath caught in her chest as she remembered. Crawling from the bed she still had her dress in from the night before. Racing to the door she found it locked. She darted to the windows only to find them barred. Looking out, she found herself in unfamiliar area. A country setting, trees surrounding the entire house. Then she realized this wasn't just a house, but a mansion. She saw men standing outside guarding the gate. A beautiful fountain sat in the center of the circular drive. A rose garden to her right and a pool to her left. As she was spotting possible escape routes, she heard the door crack open. Turning, she came face to face with Angelo. "Oh good, your awake my love. I hope you slept well. How do you like your room, I had it decorated just for you?"
All Laney manged to say was "I want to go home".
"My love, you are at home". Laney shook her aching head vigorously"No! Where is London. I need London" Laney said as panic started to overcome her. "London" she wailed out on a sob.

Angelo strode over to her, smacking her. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth as Angelo ran his thumb over her lip. "Oh, my love, please don't make me treat you this way. Don't give me cause to punish you. The rules are very clear. First, you will never say his name again, never think of him. I own you now and you are mine. I control you". Laney shuddered as Angelo continued. "Luckily, for you, I don't enjoy forcing myself upon a woman, but I do guarantee before it's over you will come to me willing. You'll beg for my touch. I will be your king."

Between gritted teeth and sobs Laney held her chin up high and said with venom in her voice. "You will never be my king. I will never bow to you. I have only one king. I am forever owned heart, body and soul to London Harper. I belong to London Harper".

Angelo took his fist and rammed it into Laney's chin. She felt her teeth rattle. "I so hate that I will have to break you the hard way my love. Such a beautiful treasure to have to torture. This man you vow yourself to, you know nothing about. I will be shedding some light on him soon. You will know the monster he truly is". Angelo left her then to her own thoughts.

Moments after Angelo's departure, the door flung open and two burly Italian men came in. With no where else to go, Laney backed into the farthest corner of the room. As they approached, she let out a frightened squeal, begging no. Grabbing her up against her feeble protests, they drug her from the room and led her down a long hallway. Descending a beautiful staircase, they took another hall that led into a dark basement of sorts. Laney knew exactly where they was taking her. The room where beatings, torture, and killings took place. Screaming in pure terror, she fought with everything she had, but it was useless. The men far out powered her. Sitting her down roughly in a chair, they proceeded to tie her in chains. They used heavy chains that put stress on her body, and made it difficult for her to hold her pounding head up.

Several minutes later, they drug another prisoner in. Laney cryed out when she recognized one of London's men. Aleck, she first met him at her land meeting with London. He had become a friend to her as well, and always made her laugh. Laney could see he had been beaten badly. "Aleck" Laney whispered between dry lips. He was barely able to turn his head to look at her. "Laney?"He croaked. "Yes Aleck". Taking what strength he could muster he spoke quickly. "Their plan is to question you. When you don't give them the answers they want, they'll threaten to harm or kill me. No matter what, don't reveal anything. I'm dead either way".
"No" Laney sobbed. "I can't do that".
"You must Laney. London would want you to. I'm not getting out of here alive regardless of what you say to them. Promise me you'll do this." Laney nodded through her tears. "But I don't know anything. London never shared business matters with me". Aleck was able to crack a smile. "This is precisely why he didn't. If ever a situation like this accrued, they'd get nothing from you".

Finally the men returned. One came to Laney and ran a finger along her jaw. "It's a shame boss wants us to rough up something so pretty" With that he smacked Laney. Aleck tryed to wiggle free "You keep your hands off her. Save it for me".

Ignoring Aleck's request, one man bent down in Laney's face. "Tell us sweetheart, where is the Den located?"
"I don't know". Laney sniffed out. London forbid me to go there. I know nothing of his operations. He kept them secret from me". Laney's face was met with a chunky fist. She cried out in pain as her head sagged. The nameless man jerked her head back up by her hair. "Don't lie to us. I will only ask one more time, then we will kill your little friend. Now tell me, where is the den?"

Laney pleaded through cries. "Please, I'm telling the truth. I honestly don't know". She watched in horror as they lit a fire in a stone pit. Turning her chair to face it, he laughed. "Your going to get a front row seat to the show". Laney started screaming as she watched them drag Aleck over to the fire. "No Aleck, please. I don't know anything. Please don't do this. Aleck, I'm so sorry, please".

Aleck yelled over the men to her. "Laney, just promise me you'll do as I said. This is not your fault. Give the king my regards". Nodding, Laney continued to beg them to stop. Nameless man came to her and held her head up, while forcing her eyes to remain open. "You won't want to miss this". Trying to wrestle her head free, she let out gut wrenching scream as she witnessed Aleck being thrown into the flames. "Aleck, no, I'm so sorry". They forced her to watch as he yelled while the flames engulfed his body. Laney screamed and cried until her voice was completely horse and almost gone. The stinch of smoke and charred flesh was overwhelming. She gave in to the sickness in her stomach then faded into the welcoming of the darkness. The other man put his phone away. "I got the footage boss wanted, guess he's sending it to Harper".

I don't know exactly how long I remained down there shackled to the chair, but it felt like days. I went in and out of it. I was weak, hungry, and covered in my own dried blood and vomit. They left Aleck's charred body there for me to constantly see and the smell of burnt flesh was still pungent in the air.

Hearing the door open, I fell into a fake sleep. I felt safer doing that. Nameless man walked over to me kicking my leg with his boot. "You been down here three days now. Boss says it's time to go back to your room". When the weight of the chains lifted, I fell limp to the floor. My body going through spasms from the weight it had endured. Nameless man picked me up and carried me to my room. He sat me on my bed. "Boss has a bath ready for you. You are to bath,then rest". Then he was gone.

After a few moment's I managed to carry my weak body to the bathroom. Catching my ragged appearance in the mirror, I shuddered. The bath water felt welcoming, but no matter how vigorously I scrubbed, I couldn't rid myself of the burning smell. A gown had been laid out on a dressing table for me. Sliding it on, I fell across the bed and cryed myself to sleep.

I woke sometime in the middle of the night to see a tray of food by my night stand. I didn't want anything this devil had to offer, but I knew I needed to eat and keep my strength up. After devouring everything on the tray, I drifted back into a nightmarish sleep.

London

I and my men had been working around the clock searching for Laney. Our only lead so far came from the security camera's at her resort. We watched as Laney passed out, the was wisked away. However, we was able to zero in on the cars license's plate. Now we was waiting for the search to come back. While we was waiting Marcus barged in. "Boss, this was just delivered". Marcus handed me a manilla envelope that had no return address. Written in the center, in bold red lettering was, "For your entertainment". I opened it up and poured a dvd out onto my desk. I nodded to Conner to play it, even though I was terrified at what I may see. I watched as my babydoll was hit, begged for Aleck's life, and forced to watch such atrocities. I watched until she passed out. Her screams and the look of pure terror will forever be etched into my brain. That bastard had her chained like a animal.

My men looked at me and I could see the rage in their eye's as well over Laney's treatment. "We will find her and murder this bastard slowly boss" Marcus spat. Just then the license plate search returned. Good, I thought. My monster is very hungry and needs to eat.