Slipping Through My Fingers

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty

Rosalie's POV -

I heaved heavily and coughed, feeling as if my lungs were falling out of my throat. I covered my mouth as my chest wheezed dejectedly, and my knees temporarily left my body, making my limp figure fall to the floor.

"Same time, tomorrow." His wicked voice whispered, before I saw the slight light of sunshine peer in through the open door before it was slammed shut, leaving me to drown in my sorrows.

I groaned miserably and shut my eyes tightly.

I think I had been here for around eight days now, maybe nine. After I had my first night of being whipped, Porter had come into the room and tried to touch me - to do things to me. I had yelled the entire time, refusing to let anything like that happen to me.

I could handle the pain my dad inflicted, the wounds would eventually heal; but what I couldn't handle was my self-respect and worth going down the drain. I only had that remaining and I would not let Porter take it away from me.

When my father had walked in after all my screaming, my devious mind found a solution, well, a loophole to the abuse from Porter.

I threatened to kill myself.

I never meant it, I was bluffing and I hoped he couldn't see it. For whatever it was, my father needed me. Alive. And I knew that he couldn't see me die so if I threatened to kill myself, maybe he would give me something I wanted. And I got it.

My father would still harm me, I think it happened maybe twice or three times a day, and it hurt so freaking much, I couldn't stand it. But it was better than being sexually abused.

I also hadn't seen my mother since the café. I could sometimes distinctly hear her voice, but I was never sure if she was okay.

"You still plan on killing yourself?" It was Porter.

I glared at him hatefully and turned my head away from him. I hadn't even heard him enter the room. The door was left open so little sunlight was gleaming in and I could barely make out his face.

"If you try to touch me, I'm dead." I spoke, knowing that ignoring him would be no use.

They could accidentally spoil vital information at any time and talking to them seemed like a good idea.

"You're dying at the end of this anyway." He chuckled.

I shuddered at the thought and tried to think positive - that I would make it out of here alive and see my loved ones.

"Speaking of which, when is the end? According to my father, a lawyer was supposed to be here more than a week ago. Where is he and why is he supposed to be involved?" My voice was husky from the lack of nutrition.

"There was a slight delay. The lawyer is coming in tomorrow." Porter said. "And once we do what we need to, I can do whatever it is I want to you because we're killing you anyway."

I felt my breath hitch and I shook my head.

"You won't touch me, I'll be gone." I muttered.

"Gone?"

I ignored him and stared off into space, hoping that I could confuse Porter somehow.

"You haven't asked about your mother." It was a statement, but I knew that further explanation was wanted.

"I don't care." I pretended.

"What if I told you she was dead?"

I felt my face go white and I looked Porter squarely in the eye.

"I. Don't. Care." I muttered through gritted teeth.

If I pretended that I had nothing worth to live for anymore, they may take my suicidal threat seriously.

"Rosalie, after we're done with you, we're going after your brothers." His lips turned into a cruel, twisted smirk.

I shot him the dirtiest glare I could muster up and held all my will not to reach and lash out at him, I wanted to claw his eyes out, make sure he experienced the same physical pain that I did.

But I couldn't.

I tried to keep myself composed, as if my brothers were nothing else to me. This hoax was difficult to keep up, and I'm not even sure if he believed me, but nonetheless, I shrugged my shoulders and turned my gaze in another direction, hoping he wouldn't catch on to my little lie.

"So you're telling me you don't care about your brothers?" He asked, squatting down to my eye level.

"I really don't care about anything anymore. You and my father have given me nothing else worth living for." I muttered through dry lips.

He squinted at me, as if he were trying to figure out whether I was telling the truth or not. In my eyes, I couldn't believe that he would actually consider my lie. If my father had told him anything about me, he would know just how much I cared for those little boys. Hell, when he wanted to evict me I begged him not to just so my brothers could remain safe.

"I don't believe you." He finally said, however his eyes suggested he was still judging.

"I don't care what you believe." I shrugged.

He stood up and walked around the dark room, never looking at me once. Finally, he stopped mid one of his rounds and turned to look at me.

"And what if I told you I had eyes on your precious little boyfriend now? Nate, right? What if I told you with one quick phone call, I could have him dead?" He spoke maliciously.

I felt like I was at breaking point - that with my brothers, I was on the edge of a cliff and mentioning Nate was the only thing that had enough force to actually push me off.

I shut my eyes tightly and forced myself to inhale deep breaths; that I could do the unthinkable and act heartless.

I opened my mouth to say something along the lines of 'I don't care' but I noticed that as soon as I opened my mouth, a soft, fragile cry escaped from my lips.

I shut my mouth quickly, hoping that he hadn't heard a thing and shrugged.

"You don't care if he is dead?" He asked cunningly.

"Well I'm going to be dead soon so there's really no point to worry." I said, my voice raspy from the dry throat.

His expression changed after I said this and he left the room, slamming the door quickly in order for me to get no light. I sat in the corner, crossing my legs and awaiting someone else to open the door and to start tormenting me.

I could briefly hear screaming outside and my name was thrown around quite often. I assumed my father and Porter were having an argument. I silently hoped so and that one of them would turn on the other and somehow let me go. It was a long shot - well more like out of the freaking world long-shot but nevertheless, I had to hold on to that little hope that I could escape.

That I could hold my brothers again.

I could goof around with the twins and Chris.

That I could have dinner with the Sander brothers and parents.

Share those awkward yet deep and meaningful conversations with Adam.

To...

To kiss Nate again, have him hold me, make me laugh, frustrated and ecstatically happy.

I found myself shedding silent tears, and I brushed them away quickly, holding on to the hope that I could - that I would do all those things again with the people that I loved.

I sat in the room, enclosed in darkness for what felt like weeks but I knew it was probably just a couple of days. I was treated like some sort of animal - hell animals were treated better than me. There was a small door in the room that would be opened up and food and water would quickly slide through.

From this, I knew that they still didn't want me dead. No - they needed me alive and well.

And as long as they still needed me and semi-believed my suicidal rouse, they didn't have all the power. I felt like I had some leeway, some hope to hold on to.

And that was the last thought that left my brain before I fell into a deep sleep.

***

When I woke up, my eyes were blinded. And no, not by the sun, but rather light. Just plain light that was existent in everyday life. For me, it was something that gave me hope, sparked something inside of me and told me that this was okay, that this phase in my life was going to make me stronger. And it would be a phase - because I refused to die this way.

I had to blink a few times to be accustomed to the light and when I was I noticed that I wasn't in the same room as before; that I had been moved. I turned my head that was lying flat on the cold white tiles. It was another empty bedroom and this time, I wasn't alone.

"Mum?" If I thought my voice was bad before, it was a hundred times worse now.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, her voice not as bad as mine, however it was still hoarse.

"Okay. I'm alive." I shrugged, lifting myself up to be sitting down.

"Have they done anything to you?" She asked, searching my body for injuries.

"No," I shook my head. "Just the normal whipping."

Her eyes softened and I could see tears brimming at the corner of her eyes.

"I'm so sorry. It's my entire fault, if I had watched myself more carefully, I would have realised he was watching me." She sulked.

I shook my head and searched for comforting words.

"You couldn't have known." I mumbled.

"Yes I could have. I knew he was after me and he obviously would have been searching for me."

I didn't know what to say. It's not like I thought it was her fault, I didn't, because her life was in danger too, but in a situation like this, I just couldn't form words.

We stayed silent for a while, both looking in different directions and staring into space. I tried to reminisce about a simpler time, something that people would have done in my situation.

Except, there was no simple time for me. From when I was born, I was left at home by myself and left to care for myself. I was then left with three little boys when I was twelve, not to mention the fact that was I physically abused by my parents. Even when I left them, I had the whole money issue, constantly being scared about being evicted and homeless. I couldn't even contact social services to help me because I was afraid they'd take my brothers!

Meeting Nate... well, it made things even more complicated. Being a matured teenager, I hadn't ever built feelings for someone before and Nate was... indescribable.

When I was finally content with living with the Sander's, money, school and whatnot, my brother was kidnapped and my parents were back in my life.

I was never fully at peace and I just wanted to be happy, with no worries.

I didn't want to sound like a whiny brat, because that's exactly what I felt. Yes, I had some issues in my life, but come on, who didn't have issues? Mine might have been a little more serious, like literal life-death situation but I shouldn't dwell on the negatives.

Curse my pessimistic attitude!

"Do you still hate me?"

"What?"

What brought that question on?

"I never asked you if I was forgiven for what I had done. I basically brought you here." She mumbled.

"Uh, yeah, I have." I tried for a smile.

And I think she noticed the force in my smile too, because as much as I wanted to be forgiving and encourage forgiveness, for some reason I still held a little resentment towards her.

"Is that why you were going to leave me in the van?" She asked.

"What?"

"Nothing." She muttered quickly, averting her gaze. "Has your father come to visit you?"

"Not for a few days, I think."

"Do you know why he has grabbed you?" She asked the question that I had been asking myself for days.

Why did my father want me?

He said a lawyer was supposed to be coming however he said that a while ago and no one has come. I just wanted to know what kind of lawyer would allow this monstrosity to occur.

"I haven't got a clue. He said something about a lawyer and other stuff too, but I can't remember exactly what he said."

I couldn't form my escape plan until I actually knew what they wanted me for. I had been itching to know for days, because if it was something tedious (doubtful) I would do whatever it was for them and leave.

And if not, I would fight to escape. Because long gone was the girl who waited for a guy to rescue her. I was above that, I fought for myself.

However, if Nate did happen to show up I wouldn't argue...

"How about Friedrich? Has he told you anything?" She pressed.

"Who?"

"Um, that man with your father." She murmured.

"No. I don't know anything. They've kept me in the dark. Literally."

The finality in my tone was quite evident but she kept on pushing.

"So you haven't got the faintest clue a-"

"No!" I yelled in a sudden outburst. "I don't know anything and if you're so freaking frustrated to know as to why I don't know jack shit you should know that I have been beaten! And you know that! So can you please just shut up?!" I didn't know where all the energy came from, to yell at her like that, but I just didn't care.

My mother opened her mouth to say something but the door was opened quickly and my father was standing in the door-frame.

"Why can I hear screaming?" He asked with a malicious frown.

"Screw you." I spat.

He smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's Porter's job." He chuckled. "But I might have a crack when he's done."

I felt bile rise up in my throat at how disgusting he sounded.

"I told you-"

"That you'll kill yourself if he touches you. I know. And he won't touch you until I get what I want because after that it doesn't really matter if you're dead or not." He shrugged casually.

Why would they kill me after they got what they wanted? Why couldn't I just stay alive and then they could flee the country or something?

"I need water." I muttered, ignoring his response.

He nodded and bent down, lifting up my mother from her sleeve.

"Up." He muttered, pulling her to her feet.

She obliged and they both walked out together, slamming the door behind them.

I laid myself back onto the floor and shut my eyes. I knew that sleep wasn't going to come soon because it hadn't been long since I had woken, but I just wished I could sleep through this nightmare and wake up somewhere else. Even if it was a lousy one bedroom apartment with no money.

I could hear loud murmurings and tried to shut it out. And then I realised I was being incredibly stupid because they could be discussing the reason for my kidnapping.

I stood up and walked towards the door, pressing my ear against it.

"... When is he coming?" I could distinguish Porter's voice.

"Tomorrow. I told him that if he couldn't come by then then the deal was off." My father.

"And then as soon as they sign the papers and its official I can have her?" Porter asked.

"I might have a go with her and when we're satisfied we can kill her."

"How should we do it?"

"Suffocate her."

And at hearing this, I was frozen.

And not because I was startled because they were going to suffocate me, well actually hearing about my death was a little startling, but that wasn't the reason. And I wasn't frozen because my father had said some incestuously disgusting comment.

I was frozen because a new voice had been introduced.

My mother.

I felt hurt all over, like my heart was aching. Did my mother really just suggest suffocation?

I pulled back to the door and pressed my ear against it.

"...She still doesn't know. I can't wait to see the little bitch's face when she realises it was all a fake." My mother sniggered.

Betrayal, rage, anger, they were understatements to the way I was actually feeling.

"Are you going to tell her about the money?"

"I don't know if she should know. I don't think she even knows that Ashford is dead."

My heartbeat soared into overdrive. Mr. Ashford was dead? He was dead?!

I felt myself begin to cry and I willed myself to be quiet. This man helped me get started into a life without my parents, he was always willing to help me and he was a beautiful man.

But what did he have to do with all of this?

"So then she doesn't even know about the will?"

"I'd be pretty pissed if I didn't know about $257,000 that someone had left for me."

I felt like puking or fainting or worse - cussing.

Mr. Ashford had left me $257,000 in his will?! That was more money than I could ever dream of having.

"Well Rosalie will be too busy thinking about staying alive instead of being angry that she is entitled to $257,000 as soon as she turns eighteen."

"Is the lawyer going to make her sign or can we just forge it?"

Sign for what?

"The judge is going to see it; I think she should be the one to sign it just in case."

"And then as her legal parents, we can take the money before she turns eighteen and she's entitled to it."

"And then I'll have my fun with her."

I felt like my head was spinning, like I was going to fall over any second. I put my back against the wall and slid down slowly so I wouldn't fall over.

If what I heard was correct then my parents had kidnapped me because my deceased semi-guardian had left $257,000 for me in his will? And because I had left my parent's ages ago, the courts needed to see a legal document that declared me as their child so they could take the money. And they needed to do all of this before I turned eighteen and was entitled to the money for myself.

It... it kind of made sense.

Why they would turn up at this specific time in my life and no time after, why they had kidnapped Liam, why my poor excuse of a mother reached out to me so suddenly, why she kept asking for money and commenting on the Sander's wealth.

It all clicked in together like two puzzle pieces and I was kicking myself for not figuring it out myself earlier.

Without realising what I was doing, I stood up and opened the bedroom door. I stepped out and followed the voices and found myself standing in a kitchen, the three kidnappers circling a dining table.

Their heads all snapped up as I walked in and my father smirked instantly.

"You finally figured it out?" He asked.

"I am not going to sign the document. I refuse. I'll kill-"

"I don't think you'd commit suicide." My mother grinned viciously, as if she were Cruella De Vile standing before me.

"You little bit-"

"I don't care for names, Rosalie. Now tell me, how was my acting? You were fooled as soon as I started crying and blubbering some gibberish about Jace wanting to kill me." She cackled.

Well that's what it sounded like to me anyway.

I couldn't believe that I had so easily bought into her story. Nate was right. If I had just trusted him, this could have all been different.

"I will not sign" I said through gritted teeth, ignoring my mother and looking straight at the devil himself. "You'll have to kill me before I hand over that amount of money to you."

"We'll see." He shrugged.

My mother walked over to me and punched me in the gut.

"That's for thinking about ditching me when you thought I had been abducted." She whispered in my ear as I doubled over in pain.

I lifted myself up only to be knocked down to the ground after she punched me hard on the jaw. As I lay across the kitchen floor, she began stepping on me and kicking me harshly. The two men stood idly by and chuckled at my pain.

I put my arms on the floor and tried to bring myself in a sitting position but my mother kicked me in the ribs again and I swear I could hear something crack.

I coughed uncontrollably and thought that I might have coughed out one of my lungs.

I watched with a blurry vision as she opened one of the drawers and pulled out a knife from the kitchen draw. She held it like a killer from a horror movie and advanced towards me, crouching down near me.

"I may need you alive," She whispered in my ear, "but I don't need you in perfect condition."

I could hear a lot of noise and commotion and I think I may have seen panic overtake the features of all three people, I wasn't exactly sure. I felt like my hearing and vision was zoning in and out because one moment I had a knife hanging over my body and the next, there were three men carrying guns inside the kitchen and yelling.

And then in walked Nate.

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Authors Note:

Hey guys! I'm sorry I took two weeks to update, it's been a mixture of laziness, procrastinating, school and being an emotional wreck from TV shows hahaha.

But better late than never, right? (I hope!

The Vampire Diaries, how amazing was the finale!? Like ASSFGHHJKL It was soooo good!

Which is why I posted a photo of my favourite bromance on the show :) That's Ian Somerhalder and Matt Davies <3

This chapter is dedicated to Charbo61 because I woke up one morning with a bunch of emails with comments on a bunch of chapters. I tried putting your username in for dedication but it wouldnt work, sorry. I'll keep on trying. Anyway, this person flew through STMF and commented on nearly every chapter and not many people do that so thank you so much :)

So today's question is probably, if you were stuck on an island and you could bring one character from STMF to be with you who would it be? I'd probably say one of the boys: Nate, Chris, Adam, Ashton or Brandon.

It's better for them to slave around hahah :)

So I think I left this on a cliffhanger like I always do, so forgive me for that hahaha. Please comment your thoughts! There's not long left and the comments are pretty much going to determine whether I have enough support to write a spin off/sequel.

So yeah maybe 3 chapters I think and then a super long epilogue :)

Vote, comment and fan.

Farewell xx