A Gambling Man // Ryan x OC

35

"Wake up, Little Dove," Mae felt someone lightly hitting her in the face and groaned as she struggled to open her eyes.

"Wh-where am I? What happened?," Mae's voice came out raspy, she was clearly disoriented.

"Why I won, just like I told you I would, just like I always do," Mae's breath hitched as she realised she was tied down to a bed and Roarke was sitting next to her.

"No, no you couldn't have. My family will find me, they always find me," Mae hissed as she glared at him.

"Not this time," he had malicious grin on his face, "Not when you're the only surviving Dutton."

"What?," Mae choked out.

"I told you, Little Dove, you're mine. They were all just getting in our way, they needed to pay," Mae shook her head as she refused to believe what he was telling her.

"No, no! They're not dead! They can't be dead! You're lying!"

"Oh yeah?," he laughed mockingly as he grabbed a remote on the side table and turned the television on.

Mae was forced to watch as her father was helping a woman and her child on the side of the road before all three of them were shot multiple times.

She was forced to watch as her sister walked into her office, only for it to be blown to pieces.

She was forced to watch as Kayce took part in a fire fight with the same people that shot their dad, only to suffer multiple gun shot wounds as well.

Lastly she had to watch as dozens of armed men charged their ranch, including the main house where Monica and Tate were, the bunkhouse and Rip's home.

Mae had tears streaming down her face by this point, she kept muttering the word 'No' and begging to whoever the hell was listening that it wasn't true. They had to have survived, she needed them to have survived.

"Now now, no more tears. Our lives can officially start now. The moment that airport is up and running, we can get out of this shit hole. How about Hawaii?"

"Please, Roarke, if you care about me even just a little bit, you'll let me go. I need to go, my family needs me," Mae begged as tears continued to fall from her face.

"Care about you? I don't care about you, I love you! It's because I love you that I can't let you go. I did that once and look how that turned out. You've proven that you can't be trusted to take care of yourself or to make your own decisions. I mean, how many times have you been attacked or kidnapped? It's laughable, really. Don't even get me started on your choices. The worst of all being that wrangler, letting him touch what is mine, what has always been and always will be mine. Luckily, all of that is behind us now. You're rightfully where you belong, with me. I'm right here to protect you and guide you back on the right path," Roarke held her face in both hands and stroked her tears away. Mae tried to move her head out of his reach but he only tightened his hold on her face, so much so that she was sure his fingers would leave bruises.

"Please please let me go. Let me go!," Mae sobbed, her brain was spiralling. Being around him and remembering everything he had done to her. Being tied to the bed and getting repeated flashbacks from when she and Tate were kidnapped and finally everything with her family.

Mae's breaths became shorter, her heart rate became faster and it felt as if the world was starting to spin. She was having a panic attack.

Roarke just smirked as he continued to stroke her cheek through the attack, this will hopefully help her remember her place. It didn't take long for her to pass out from the lack of oxygen to her brain.