Trapped In His Game. Finding My Own Way.

Chapter 7: Hold On, Why?

So, there I am, still stuck in this cage, trying to piece everything together, and I start asking him all the questions. "Why the hell didn’t you just bring the police from the start?" I mean, it seemed like the obvious thing to do, right? Like, why all the secretive, mysterious, acting thing? Why drag me into it? Why not just do the damn job?

And Blue Eyes, no, Arso, he sits there, kind of rubbing his temple, like this is some stupid thing he’s explained a hundred times. But he finally tells me. The reason they couldn’t just call the cops was because Iven’s family had too much influence, and if they had gone public too early, it would’ve tipped him off. They needed to get proof, actual, undeniable evidence that he was doing all this. If they had just raided the place without it, the whole operation would’ve been shut down before they could even get their hands on him. He explains it like it’s some kind of big, complicated strategy, and honestly, I was kind of convinced. The guy knew what he was doing.

Then he says, "I’m taking you out of here." And I’m like, finally, get me out of this cage. It was still hard to believe this nightmare was actually over. When we step out, the cops are already there. The place is crawling with officers. The other women, thank god, they’re being helped out, too. Some of them are crying, others are just staring at the floor, like they can’t even process what’s happening. The cops help get them out, take them to safety. It’s a chaotic scene, but everything feels so damn real now.

Then they start going through the place, looking for evidence. They find drugs. Like, actual drugs. Bunch of illegal stuff tucked away in hidden rooms and cabinets. They even find a stash of cash, so much money, it’s kind of crazy. Turns out, Iven wasn’t just into kidnapping women for fun; he was running a whole underground business. The cops are all over it, stopping every single part of it. The place is trashed as they go through everything, and I can't help but feel a little bit of satisfaction. This whole mess is finally getting shut down. It’s over.

Once it’s all done, I’m standing there, looking around at the wreckage of the place that had been my prison, and I realize how much I owe to Arso. He got me out of this nightmare, helped the other women, and made sure Iven was going down for good. I walk up to him, and honestly, I don’t even think twice. I just say, "Thank you. Really, thank you."

Arso looks at me, his blue eyes kind of softening, and he smiles. "You did most of it," he says. "You were the one who stood up to him. You’re stronger than you think."

I look at him for a second, feeling something weird stirring inside me. I smile back. "Well, you know, I was kind of lucky I had that heel on me."

He laughs, and it’s like this whole weight lifts off my chest. "Yeah, you did a hell of a job with that."

Then I suddenly get brave, maybe too brave, but whatever. "Hey, so... can I get your number? You know, in case I need saving again."

He raises an eyebrow, like he wasn’t expecting that, and I can’t help but laugh at myself. "What? I’m not gonna be ashamed to ask for it. You’re the one who got me outta here, so I’m definitely not letting that go."

He chuckles and pulls out his phone, typing something in. "Guess I don’t have much of a choice now, huh?"

I grin. "Nope, you don’t."

He hands me his phone number, and I can’t stop smiling. This whole day has been a whirlwind, but for some reason, everything feels a little bit right now. I look at his number, and for the first time in ages, I think maybe I do deserve something good. Hell, maybe I even deserve a nice date for once.

Then I turn to him, and I don’t even think about it. "You know, this is probably the last time I go on a date with myself. I mean, I really need a guy who’s not, you know, kidnapping me."

Arso laughs. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

I shrug. "Just saying. Maybe next time, you’ll be the one picking me up for dinner instead of saving me from a cage."

He grins at me, and for a moment, it feels like this could be the start of something new. "You know what? I think I can do that."

And yeah, maybe I’m still processing everything, but damn, it felt nice to finally let my guard down. I’ve been through hell, but if Arso’s gonna stick around, maybe it’s time for a fresh start. Plus, I gotta admit, he’s not so bad to look at.