Ryder
I was shoved backwards as Desiree was torn away from my side and towards the velvet carpeted staircase. Digging my feet into the floor, I lunged forward towards the line of guards that blocked my way to her. My elbow connected with a shorter guard's nose, sending him to the ground with his hands over his face, blood seeping through his fingers.
Desiree's scream rang in my ear as I saw her being dragged up the stairs, her heels knocking against every step. Her body squirmed and her fingers turned into claws as she dug her nails into the arms of the guards that were hauling her; their long-sleeved shirts preventing any damage.
Hands grasped my shoulders and spun me around, my fist raising to pummel someone's face. Another guard reached around me and held my arm back, allowing my punch to go no further.
“They just want to talk to her,” The guard in front of me said. I recognized him as Nathan, one of Vivian's closest soldiers. “Chill out,” He told me, motioning to the guard hunched over on the floor. “You about rammed Joseph's nose back into his brain.”
“Let go of me,” I said firmly, shrugging my shoulders as I tried to free myself of his grip. “If they only wanted to talk then why did they drag her up there?”
Nathan looked away from me and hesitantly dropped his arms down to his side. Either he wouldn't answer the question or he just couldn't think of a lie to tell, but I wasn't waiting to find out. I spun on my heel, pushing the guard behind me away as I ran to the staircase.
I waited for them to try to stop me-- waited for that click of a gun being loaded-- but nothing came until I was halfway up the stairs.
“Ryder,” Nathan said below me, causing me to slow my step so I could hear him. “We have orders to call the Wisconsin Camp if you go up there. Haley will die.”
It was as if Nathan had purposely waited until I was far away to announce this information to me, knowing that I would deconstruct his face with my knuckles if I'd been right there in front of him.
I stopped moving altogether and let my eyes trail over the steps that I would take if I were to rescue Desiree right now. My feet would have felt so sure in every spot, and nothing could have stopped me— nothing but this. I brought my hands over my eyes, rubbing my temple with my thumb. My feet were heavy, as if anchored by regret, but I slowly took a step backwards down the stairs.
Turning around I looked Nathan in the eye down in the lobby below me. “If I hear one scream, I'm going up there. And you better not be a liar Nathan, they better just be talking to her. Because if not, I will have your head on a fucking platter.”
The way Nathan's face turned red and his eyes filled with fear, let me know that he was in fact lying. I had to find another way to save her. As I saw the first of the finely dressed audience filtering out through the red doors, I had an idea. I ran down the stairs to the doors, the guards watching me quizzically the whole way.
I shoved through the people coming out of the doors and gripped the handles as I slammed them shut behind me, leaving men and women staring at me excitedly when they realized who I was. Their excitement turned to confusion when they saw I had closed the doors. Then I said her name.
Desi
I gave up the struggle as they pulled me into the balcony suite; the fight was useless now that I was here. There was no chance of getting away,
The guards pulled me across the floor towards two chairs that had been turned away from the balcony and towards me. Vivian sat with her legs cross tightly in one chair, her red hair curled into spirals— I could only imagine them as snakes. Turner sat next to her in a forest green suit that washed him out and made him look extremely pale and almost scary.
I was dropped to my knees, my dress curling up and tangling under my feet. My chest fell up and down as I struggled for breath, worn from the struggle up the stairs. I could feel the bruises forming on my arms and legs, a dull ache seeped through my ribcage from when they had knocked my body against the stair-railing.
“Tisk, tisk, Desiree,” Vivian said, wagging her manicured finger back and forth. “I give you freedom to roam the hotel as you please and this is how you repay me?”
I didn't expect to laugh, but I couldn't help it as an insane giggle burst through my lips. Turner looked at Vivian for reassurance that I was truly laughing but she just narrowed her eyes at me, her face fuming red.
I suddenly grew serious, and let all smiles run off of my face leaving only a dark glare that bore straight into Vivian's eyes.
“You gave me freedom?” I scoffed, raising my eyebrows at her. “Because the last I remember you have taken everything from me.” My voice grew louder, and I saw Turner watching me out of the corner of my eye.
“You took away Cody. You took away my free will. You took away my life. I don't give a shit about walking to whatever part of this hell-hole I want, it doesn't matter.” My voice shrunk away and I spoke through my teeth. “You took what did matter. And I'm going to take away everything from you, including your life, even if its the last thing I do.”
Vivian stayed silent for a moment, trying to think of something to say, her teeth grinding into her cheek. She seemed suddenly intimidated by me, until a smirk crept up on the corner of her lips.
“Kill her,” Vivian said firmly, showing no sense of fear towards me.
I frantically glanced over at Turner who was relaxing in his chair with his finger at his chin, observing me like I was an exotic specimen. Guards seized me again, their hands wrapping over the bruised spots, shooting sharp pains up my arms. I groaned in pain as I tried to pull myself away from them, making me hurt even more. A scream began to rise in my throat.
That was when I heard him.
Ryder called my name, his familiar deep voice raising over the balcony and to my ears. Vivian and Turner turned to look over the railing, trying to spot who could have been yelling for me, but I could tell they couldn't find him as their heads scanned left to right.
The guards let go of me and stood me on my feet, my arms throbbing as my blood began to circulate again.
More voices began to join in with Ryder. Men and women chanted my name. “Desiree! Desiree! Desiree!” But his voice rang high above the others, making my eyes fill with tears
Turner looked to me, his brow creasing with worry. The audience was cheering for me-- could he really kill right now and expect no repercussions?
Vivian spun her head to glare at me, her hair snarling around her face wildly. The audience below us began to rise in volume, more and more voices joining in.
“Look at what you've done!” Vivian yelled at me, standing from her chair and stepping towards me. I didn't move as she brought her hand up to back-slap me.
Her ring tore into my cheek, my head jerking to the side with such force it popped my neck. I heard gasps from the guards around me as blood began to flow down my cheek, stinging at the cut. Slowly, I turned to look back at Vivian wiping my face and looking at the dark red blood that smeared onto my fingers.
“You're the one that has done this,” I said loudly back at her, the cheering of the crowd making my voice only sound like a whisper. “You killed Evan!”
“I didn't kill her!” Vivian screamed at me, her eyes bulging out of her head. “That infected man did! She tried to kill me!”
I stepped closer to her, letting know I wasn't scared of her as another trail of blood made its way down my cheek. “Because you don't care about anyone but yourself. You will lie and hurt and kill just to get what you want. You think that you can control everything? Well, you're not going to control me. You. Are. Not. God.”
I heard a sharp intake of breath from Vivian, the crowd deafening in my ear as the screamed my name. Her mouth opened to speak, veins throbbing at her temple.
“Vivian, stop!” Turner yelled from behind her, my eyes widening as he walked towards us. “Desiree lives.” He wrapped his fingers around her arm, pulling her away from me.
As if she were disgusted by his touch, she flung his hand away from her, staring at him in shock. “Are you kidding me!?” She screeched in disbelief.
“The audience clearly loves her,” Turner said loudly but calmly. “Think of how much money they will pay to watch her fight.”
Vivian stomped her foot like a child throwing a temper tantrum. Her lip pouted as she looked up at Turner. “But she disrespected me.” Her voice was sickeningly sweet as she spoke to him.
“And you obviously made her pay for it.” Turner pointed to my face, which I'm sure was deformed from Vivian's blow. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and held it out to me. “Press this over your face.”
I took the linen from him and held it to my bleeding cheek, letting him lead me to the balcony. I looked over the railing and saw the mass amount of people with their heads all looking up at me. Smiles beamed across their faces when they saw me.
Whistles and claps poured through the audience, waving to me as if I was a superstar. My eyes scanned the crowd only looking for one person-- the one who just saved my life. I spotted him at the red doors, a smile of relief spread on his lips. His gaze darkened as he saw the handkerchief that I held to my face.
Turner waved his arm to the audience and gently pulled me away from the balcony and back into the room. The crowd softened, their voices still filled with excitement. My sight fell on Vivian who was slouched in a chair with her arms crossed over her chest, pouting.
“The little girl dies then,” She said, her cold gaze falling on me, furious that she had lost. “What was her name? Aundrea?”
My body paralyzed, my heels digging into the carpet of the floor. I felt my heart stop and my face clammed with moisture.
“No..” I whispered to her, falling onto my knees. “Please.” I folded my hands in front of me begging. “She's an innocent little girl.” Tears pricked at my eyes, blurring my vision.
“Bring the girl here,” Turner said over my shoulder. I let out a gust of air I'd been holding in, and then felt sick when I truly comprehended what he had said. Fear bubbled inside me. “We can keep a better eye on her.” Chills swept down my spine, knowing that he meant that having her here would keep me in line. It would be so easy to use her as leverage for my good behavior.
I dropped my head to the floor as Vivian's familiar smile spread across her face, making my stomach churn.
“Aundrea will be here before your match on Thursday night,” Vivian said.
I brought my head back up to look at her, confusion filling my voice. “Thursday? But that's in two days.”
“Exactly.” Vivian stood up straight from her chair, looking down at me. “Since the audience just loves you so much, why not push your match up a week?”
“What a splendid idea, Vivian!” Turner exclaimed besides me. “Seven on Thursday night. We will see you then!”
I stayed on the ground until they had all left me alone in the balcony suite. Sobs overcame me, shaking my body, completely engulfing me. I didn't even hear Ryder as he came into the room.
Ryder
I had seen Turner and Vivian walking down the staircase with their guards behind them, and I ran up the stairs when they were out of sight.
Desiree was hunched over the floor with her head in her hands. Her hair which had been pulled up was now loose and tangled over her shoulders as it dangled on the carpet. Her cries echoed throughout the room, drowning out every other noise, including my footsteps.
Desiree flinched when I touched her shoulder, her head snapping up to look at me-- the mascara smudged under her eyes and blood trailed down her face. I pulled her to me, not caring about the blood seeping into my shirt, and her arms wrapped around me, her body becoming still and breathing in time with mine.
She leaned back gazing at me, and I trailed a thumb under her deep cut, wiping away the blood. I picked up the messy handkerchief off the floor and held it to her face. “Hold it there,” I told her. “We'll get you to the doctor.”
Desiree's eyes widened in fear. “Don't worry,” I said quietly to her. “He's one of us.” She closed her eyes in relief, a tear falling down her face.
"You saved my life," She whispered to me.
"Of course I did," I whispered back. Leaning forward I pressed my lips to her forehead, hearing her sigh as she relaxed below me.