DreamStoryVerse Story Arc Book 2

Betrayal

"Look, I'm really sorry for slapping you in the face with a gun, but you have to understand, I didn't have much of a choice. You were getting out of hand so I did what I had to do." Dreyfus apologized.

After he'd knocked Bully's lights out, he decided it was time to head back to the Palace. He'd let Bully sit in the passenger seat on the way back this time, but he still tied him up just in case he tried anything. He thought that returning to his old life would remind him of how much he's needed there. Hopefully, he would stop all the suicidal nonsense.

Bully didn't respond. He hadn't said anything since he'd regained consciousness. Dreyfus found it very...unsettling.

"I know you don't want to go back but you have to, it's your job. It's not all bad Roy, you can finally go back to feasting like a king. You did seem to have an issue with the food back at my place." Dreyfus reminded him. He didn't really know what he was trying to do, be funny? Make Bully laugh? Perhaps he was just looking for some sort of reaction?

"Roy, I think...we need to talk. About something important. And when I ask you this, I want you to be honest with me because I can't help you if you lie." Dreyfus said, giving Bully a quick glance. Bully's eyes stayed focused on the open road ahead, he did not respond.

"I'll...take that as a yes. I just wanted to know if everything's going alright, between you and Apple, I mean." Dreyfus asked in the calmest, most approachable, most understanding voice he could muster. He had learned that the way you asked questions made a big impact on how people answered, it was an important skill for manipulation.

However, it seemed his training failed him as Bully still didn't respond, he just shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Dreyfus gently placed one hand on Bully's tied up forearm. "I understand if you don't want to tell me, I suppose It's not really my business after all. But as a friend, I just want to make sure you're okay and if you're not, I want to know what I can do to help."

Bully inhaled sharply. He was beginning to cry for the bajillionth time since whenever this whole kidnapping started. Even though Dreyfus had seen him cry so many times already, he still didn't like crying in front of him. It made him feel less masculine and therefore less attractive. But once he got started he usually had a hard time stopping.

"It's alright," Dreyfus assured him, "Take your time."

"No, " He said finally, "No, everything's not going alright."

"Why? What's wrong?" Dreyfus asked.

Bully didn't respond for a while.

"It's alright, you can vent to me, I promise I won't judge. Just tell me everything. Like you said before, confession is good for the soul. It's the first step to healing." Dreyfus told him.

And so Bully told him everything. He told Dreyfus all about the rape and the physical, emotional, and verbal abuse. Bully told him about how Apple had said he couldn't tell anyone or she would tell everyone that what she did to him, he did to her and that he knew that everyone would automatically believe her. He told him that Apple would make sure he never saw his daughter again if he tried to go to law enforcement.

By the end of it, Bully was full on, uncontrollably sobbing. Dreyfus decided to pull the car over in a remote spot so he could gently rub Bully's back in support.

"Does she treat Rose this way as well?" Dreyfus asked.

"No....not that I know of. She's kinda hard on 'er sometimes but I don't think she's that mean to 'er. By the time Red would usually come home from partyin' n' drinkin', she'd already be in bed, Brigitta always made sure of that...she's very good at protectin' 'er....I know if Red gets ridda me, she'll get rid of Brigitta too...n' I can't let that happen...Rosie loves Brigitta...."