CAGED

Chapter 21: Returning Home

Ryan's P.O.V. (Surprise! In case you didn't catch it last chapter, Masters name is Ryan)

My driver pulls into the driveway and I feel myself release a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Home, I smile to myself. I hate going on business trips, even as rare as they are, because I am too much of an introvert. I prefer the close confines of my house over the expanse of the world.

Rachel is sitting beside me bouncing excitedly. Her excitement is nearly contagious, though I know for her it's anticipation in seeing Marissa. She's come to enjoy the girls presence in our lives, and she has been talking for the last hour about seeing her.

Admittedly I am excited as well to see her, I know my brothers treated her well. They wouldn't dare to disrespect me, or my orders not to touch her. I left Jesse there just in case though, because my family is fairly well known for our foul tempers.

Rachel squirms as the car comes to a stop, a large grin plastered across her cheeks. I smile at her and nod towards the door which she flings open before my driver has a chance to do so himself. Rachel leaps from the car and up the stairs to the door. I climb out after her and make my way to the door, Rachel nearly vibrating beside me in joy. I insert my key and unlock the door, swinging it open.

"Go change first," I tell Rachel, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"Yes daddy," she sings as she climbs the stairs two at a time. I look around the foyer for any signs of where the guys would be. Jesse is in the living room with Jason, the two steadly glaring at each other. Aaron is nowhere to be seen. I make my way to the living room and stand in the doorway.

"Where is Aaron?" I ask, dismissing the pleasantries. Both guys look up at me. Jason blanches and Jesse glares at him. "Where. Is. He?" I demand, an uneasy feeling growing in the pit of my gut.

"Basement," Jason answers in a whisper. I make my way over to Jason and curl the collar of his shirt into my fist, lifting him to me.

"Why is he in my basement?" I demand. Jason let's out a strangled cry and closes his eyes.

"Punishing the girl for eavesdropping on a private conversation!" Jason squeals. I drop him to the floor and turn on my heel, storming to the basement. I hastily make my way down the steps but stop short at the sight before me.

Aaron is standing over Marissa's collapsed body, her flesh dark with blood. What catches my eyes the most and makes my blood boil is that Aaron's pants are down to his ankles. He is standing above Marissa, a leather whip in his hand.

Red floods my vision as I fly towards my eldest brother in rage. My fist connects with his face first, followed by his stomach. He throws his fist out at me and hits my chest. I slam my curled fist into his stomach hard, causing him to bend over for air. For good measure I thrust my knee upwards into his exposed manhood. Aaron drops to the floor and I kick him in his face, his nose breaking under the pressure of my shoe. I grab the manacles from the wall and clamp them tightly to his arms before I feel myself deflate at the sight of Marissa.

Her body lay in a crumpled pile, completely unmoving. Not a single breath leaves her and I fly into action. I turn her over quickly and feel around her neck for a pulse. When nothing happens I lay her flat on her back and try my best to remember what I learned in high school about CPR.

I start doing compressions on her chest, the song "Staying Alive" playing in my head to set the speed for the compressions. I keep going for what feels like hours though logic tells me is only two or three minutes.

Finally Marissa gasps for air as her back arches into my hands for a brief moment before she falls to the floor again, her chest slowly rising and falling with painful breaths as she struggles to cling to life.

"Don't you die on me Marissa," I whisper to her as I carefully lift her body off of the cold cement floor and take her upstairs.