These Awkward Moments

Chapter 42 Taken

** Trigger Warning**
If you have issues with reading details of potential rape, you may want to skip the last portion of this chapter from Delilah's POV

Delilah's POV
I must have managed to doze off for a while. I awakened to the sound of the door at the top of the stairs opening quietly, followed by boots walking down the stairs. I felt hands pulling at the base of my neck, untying whatever was binding the sack to my head. It loosened and was slipped off my head. I laid completely still with my eyes closed. Fingers softly probed the lump on the back of my head.

I heard a man's voice quietly whisper, "Delilah." I kept my eyes closed, resisting the temptation to know the identity of the person who had done this. Again. "Delilah." Fingers patted my cheek softly, followed by a cool, wet cloth on my face. Now the voice whispered more. "Delilah, sweetie. I didn't mean to hit you so hard. C'mon on, you need to wake up and feed the baby." There was something familiar about the voice, but in a whisper I couldn't quite place it.

The desire to hold Mercy in my arms won out over my intention to continue my ruse. I allowed my eyes to flutter open gently. It took only seconds to focus on the face just outside the bars. Carlos! My eyes opened wide in shock. "That's right mija, it's me. Don't be scared. Mercy's right upstairs. I've been taking good care of her for you, but she wants her mama. I want to let her come down here to visit you, but I know how dangerous those feet of yours can be when you're pissed off. I want you to understand that I only did this because I love you so much and wanted us to be able to be together. Do you understand?"

I nodded and tried to plead with him with my eyes. "I wanna take the gag out so we can talk, but if you scream or make noise I'll have to put it right back in. And I won't be able to let you breastfeed if you scream. Understand what I'm saying to you? I know you must be feeling pretty full by now, huh?"

I nodded again. I wanted badly for him to take the gag out, and would have agreed to just about anything to be able to hold Mercy. My breasts had begun to leak milk at some point during the night, and I could feel that my bra was damp. He reached through the bars and untied the gag, then removed the extra cloth that had been stuffed inside my mouth. He reached for a bottle of water and held it to my cracked lips offering me a drink. "We can't have you getting dehydrated. You need to drink lots of water today."

I chugged half the bottle quickly, then slowed allowing the liquid to sooth my parched mouth and throat. "Carlos, why would you do this? Why would you take me from my family?" I asked softly with tears filling my eyes.

He shook his head and looked at me sadly. "It's ok mija. You'll only miss them for a while. I'm gonna be so good to you, and if you'll give me a chance you'll learn to love me even more than that redneck. Then we'll be a family. You, me, Mercy, this baby, and all the beautiful babies we'll make together. You'll see. It's gonna be a beautiful life. Don't be sad sweetie."

I scowled at him. "Carlos, you know this can never work. Daryl and Roe won't rest until they hunt you down and kill you. You need to just let us go. Get us back safely and I promise I won't let them hurt you."

He shook his head and clucked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. No mi amor. You may not speak to me like that. You do not mention his name to me again, or I will cut his baby from your belly while you watch. Now, I need you to move to this end of the cell so I can cut the wires off your wrists, ok?"

I nodded and scooted to the end of the cell that was away from the door. He had me push my hands against the bars. I felt metal clamp around my wrist and realized he was putting handcuffs on one of my wrists. The other end he handcuffed to the bars. Then he used wire cutters on the bindings at my wrists and ankles. I rubbed my wrists and ankles, wincing as pins and needles let me know the sensation was returning. "Ok, now. I'll go get the little one. She wants her mama. I wanna warn ya though, if you try to get away or hurt me at all you won't see her again for a few days. Understand?"