Hopeless? ~ Third Part of Loverboy.

Chapter 4. ~ Ashley.

He walked back towards me, extended his hand, and took the plastic tape off from over my mouth. I stifled a cry of pain. I felt my skin burning as it turned red. I clenched my jaw.

—Could you please untie me? —I asked with false confidence and a fake smile.

Patrick's laughter echoed through the cabin. —I don't think I can do that, princess. 

I breathed in sharply through my nose and smiled some more. —Then maybe you can tell me what the fuck I'm doing here.

—Wow, wow —he began, raising both palms open to the sides of his body—, no need to say bad words. You have a beautiful mouth and you should not ruin it with bad words, princess. 

—Don't call me like that. —I said through clenched teeth—. And I say whatever I want. —I finished in a whisper.

With two long strides, Patrick was in front of me again. He came close to me again, and took my face between his hands, squeezing my cheeks with his fingers as he did. The look in his eyes filled me with terror.

—I call you however I want, okay, princess? —His breath went through my nose, a strange mixture of smoke and liquor. I tasted bile in my mouth. 

Suddenly, I felt the footsteps of another person, and I was almost relieved it had interrupted what Patrick was doing.

Except that when I heard that high-pitched voice and accent, I couldn't help but to ask myself how the hell it all got even worse. 

—Stop it, Patrick. —Dionne said from the other side of the cabin—. Not so fast. Her suffering will be long and slow, and shouldn't start yet. 

I almost caught my breath. 

Seeing her standing there, a few feet away from me, was like a nightmare.

—She... —I started to talk to Patrick, never taking my eyes off Dionne, as refused to speak a word to her—. What is she doing here? 

—I think she has the answer to all of your questions, actually. —Patrick replied with wicked smile.

—What are you doing here? —I dropped poison in my words.

Dionne's laugh almost exploded my eardrums. Her voice was that unpleasant. —What is it, darling? Aren't you at least a bit excited to see me again? 

—You wish.

She ignored me and looked at Patrick. —Is she always this rude?

I snorted and rolled my eyes. I spoke again without giving Patrick  time to answer. —What do you want from me, Dionne? Why the fuck am I here?

Dionne sighed dramatically. —Long story, dear.

—Well, apparently —I laughed sarcastically—, I have all the time in the world. —I said, meaning that I was all tied up. 

—Don't talk to me like that—. Dionne said with superiority. 

Did she think that I was going to let her patronize me? Ha, she was very wrong. 

—Apparently neither of you understand that I can speak as I want. 

—I cannot believe that Nathan kissed that dirty and ugly mouth of yours. —Dionne snapped.

Nathan, I thought.

I was so incredibly selfish that I hadn't even think about him since I got here. 

I felt as if thousands of pieces of broken glass were crashing against my heart, all at the same time, causing a phantom pain in my chest.

Nathan.