𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐔𝐩 ✧ 𝐑𝐃𝐑𝟐

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫.

For the rest of the day Audrey didn't leave her room, she was too upset and annoyed with the whole situation to leave. She didn't want to face Arthur, she already felt guilty for slapping him but what he said was rude. She kept telling herself not to feel bad because he is a bad person, he kills people for a living and robs them. With her room dark from the nightfall, she turned the lamp on. She stared at the lamp, thinking about how she could knock Arthur over the head and run away but she knew she didn't stand a chance against him. He'd probably snap her arm before she could even reach him. Startled, she looked at her door when she heard faint knocking. 

"You awake?" Arthur's gruff voice asked from the other side. Audrey didn't say a word but he opened the door anyway, standing in the doorway he held a piece of bread. Audrey was too busy worrying about her life to realise just how hungry she was. 

"But Dutch said-"

"I know what he said." Arthur stopped her before walking in and over to where she sat on the bed. He sat down beside her, holding out the bread for her. "I don't agree with it. Just don't tell him," Arthur had a kind look in his eyes. Audrey accepted the bread loaf, thanking him as she did so. He looked pleased to see her take a bite from the bread. 

"I didn't realise how hungry I was," she sighed as she swallowed the piece, Arthur smirking at her. She chuckled, noticing him. "This is really kind of you, to go against your boss."

"Yeah, well," Arthur muttered as she took another bite. "Do you need anything?" Arthur asked, Audrey surprised by his question. Bill hadn't even asked her that. Arthur noticed her reaction and continued to explain himself. "Like clean clothes because no offence Ma'am but..." he trailed off as he motioned to her dress. It was dirty, she was aware. She grinned, nodding at him.

"That would be nice, thank you," she smiled softly. She never knew a man like Arthur could have a soft side, a side so kind and caring. How did it even exist?

"I'll get one of the women tomorrow to go out and get some for you," he explained, Audrey perking up at the mention of other women.

"You have women in your gang?" She asked, sounding shocked. Arthur nodding, laughing lightly. 

"We do, they do their share. Maybe you could meet them, I think they would like you," Arthur suggested. Audrey liked the idea of that, making friends with other women. She had a few friends back in Saint Denis but after her kidnapping they probably all believed she was dead by now. She nodded at him before she held a hand up as an idea popped into her head.

"Oh, I hope this isn't too much to ask but would it be possible if you could get me a book to write in? Maybe even a book to read?" She asked, Arthur raising his eyebrows at her request.

"You an author or somethin'?" He questioned taking him by surprise. She shook her head, smiling at him. 

"No but I'd like to be some day," she answered truthfully. "I can't remember the last time I wrote or even read a book," she sighed, the corners of her lips melting as she frowned. 

"Colm never let you read?" Arthur asked in confusion. Audrey shook her head, looking at him after managing to remove her gaze from her hands in her lap.

"Like I said Mister..." She trailed off, wondering what his last name was.

"Morgan."

"Like I said, Mister Morgan, I was never an O'Driscoll," Audrey repeated herself before finishing her statement. She flipped her red locks off her shoulder, looking at Arthur in hope he would believe her. Someone needed to see she was telling the truth.

"You need to tell this to Dutch, not me," Arthur informed her. Obviously this was already known to her but she could never find the way to put it into words for Dutch. She found herself comfortable around Arthur, she found him interesting. He seemed like this tough outlaw with his strong built and messy hair along with his clothes that had seen the sun so much that they were starting to fade in colour but she felt like that deep down was someone she was willing to meet, someone who was like the Arthur she was talking to now. 

"I know, it's just-" she was lost for words when she looked in his eyes. They were so calm, the most friendliest eyes she had seen in a long time. She reached for his hand, holding it as she calmed herself down as she attempted to find words again. Arthur didn't move his hand, he could see the woman was struggling and didn't want to do anything to make it worse so he let her hold his hand. His skin was rough and firm, true hands of a man who lived rough. "I can't find the courage to speak up, it's really difficult for me," she muttered as she stared at his hand that she held. "With you though, I feel like I could open up to you like a book, you seem like a good man... somehow," she stopped when he smirked at her comment. She felt his hand wrap around hers, her jaw dropping slightly before she quickly picked it up.

"I ain't a good man, I kill people. I've killed many people," Arthur explained to her. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the floor. "I don't feel any remorse for killing, never have if I'm honest," he sighed. He looked at her to see a shocked expression on her face. "I ain't saying anything of this to scare you, I'm just telling you that I ain't a good man and possibly won't ever be."

"Maybe one day you could be, Mister Morgan," she stated positively with a small smile. He looked at her, seeing the hope in her eyes. "Maybe one day," she repeated, sounding sincere. He gave her a small smile before he forced himself off of the bed and let go of her hand. 

"You should get some sleep," he informed as he headed towards the door.

"Thank you again for the bread," she thanked once more. He nodded at her before closing the door after him.

Audrey found herself sitting in that dreadful chair once again the following day. This time Dutch hadn't arrived so early, it's like he knew Arthur would keep an eye on her better than Bill did. This time Bill and Javier weren't here, instead John and Hosea were, along with Micah and Dutch. Micah had guts to show up again, she was tempted to grab someone's gun and shoot him in the leg or something. Obviously she didn't want to kill him, that would be a sin. But she wanted to hurt him. 

"Now, Miss. Please tell me you're going to be honest," Dutch sighed, standing up this time. He had given up on sitting down with her as he believed that hadn't been working but really it had been, he just didn't want to hear the truth. 

"I've been honest this entire time, I am not riding with Colm," she stated once again. Dutch looked over at Hosea, motioning to her.

"See? She won't say anything else," Dutch told his friend. The older man however frowned at Dutch.

"Because she's scared, Dutch. Of course she won't say anything!" Hosea noticed. Hosea walked over to Audrey, leaving Arthur and John. Audrey didn't know whether she could trust this man either, he seemed nice so maybe she could. "Miss, you don't need to be afraid. No one here is going to hurt you," Hosea calmly informed her. She looked at Hosea who reached a hand out for her. After a few moments of hesitating, she took his hand and he helped her to her feet. "It's okay. Just tell us everything," Hosea convinced. Dutch stood back, letting Hosea work his magic. Audrey however still couldn't find the confidence to talk, her lips sealed. 

"The bitch ain't goin' to talk. I say we just kill her," Micah growled causing Hosea to give him a disgusted look. Audrey felt rage build up inside of her, everything was finally getting to her and she was sick of being bottling it up. 

"Alright, I'll tell you everything," she growled, her voice loud and shakey. She glared at Micah before looking straight at Dutch, ripping her hand from Hosea's as she crossed her arms across her chest. "You want to hear the truth? How I ended up here?" She hissed at the man who was taken back by her anger. Her anger is what he wanted, there was no need for him to pretend. "A few months ago Colm and his scum broke into my house and snatched me away from my parents all because they failed to keep a deal which I was not aware of because they keep me out of the business they run," she hissed, her voice growing sterner and more hateful with every word. "Since then I've been locked up in that stuffy cabin and haven't been allowed to leave," she began to cry at the memories of all of the O'Driscolls. "All I was was something to fill their sexual needs so they all raped me everyday and if I was lucky I wouldn't get touched for a full day," she spun around to Micah, wiping a tear from her cheek. "So you can keep calling me a whore all you want," she spat at him with pure hatred, causing him to chuckle. "So there's your goddamn truth, Dutch," she spat at Dutch before storming to her room and closing the door behind her, sinking to the floor with her back to the door. She sobbed uncontrollably, she wasn't ready to talk about what the O'Driscolls had done to her but she knew if she didn't Dutch wouldn't listen to her for much longer. It had to be done.