"The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies."
~ Unknown
...♛...
It's been three months and nothing has changed.
Somedays, Nick comes and shows me his worse, and somedays, I'm left alone with an endless train of thoughts in my mind.
The lock clicks, catching my attention. Even though the room is dark, my head turns right at the direction of the door watching as the first strip of light enters the room and slowly expands as the door opens.
A man walks in and roughly grabs my arm pulling me to a stand.
"Fuck," I groan. My eyelids still heavy, I barely keep them open as the man chains me to the wall.
My legs weak under me, the only thing that keeps me up are the cuffs on my arms.
"How are you doing today?" In walks Nick with his signature smirk as the other man exits.
I remain silent trying my best to stop shaking out of balance.
I hate being weak.
"How are your hands?" he questions. His face showing no remorse, he lifts his hands and opens my palms.
I turn my head and see the caning marks on my palms, swollen red with hints of purple. Remembering the pain, I close my eyes and drop my head.
My whole body is covered in marks, from the lashes of a belt to the lashes of a cane, hickeys and hand prints, the only spot on my body without any marking is my stomach.
But I'm sure that'll change soon.
Knowing him, he probably has something magnificent planned for the place that at a point, carried his unborn child.
"I want to introduce you to someone," he says. "Let her in."
Lifting my head, my eyes glue to the door. My mind goes blank as I see a very pregnant Cara walk in.
Cara was one of the girls in Nick's camp and the only person I talked to when he transferred me there. I thought she had died in the house fire the night I escaped.
"She's gonna give you what I didn't: love, money, and a heir. All very willingly, I assume," I word with disgust.
"Summer, it's nice to see you too. Last time I remember seeing you, you were running away after leaving me and every other girl in there to burn alive."
"You knew? This whole time you knew I was alive," I look at Nick.
"I did. She came right to me and I searched everywhere for you, but you were good. I couldn't find you, no matter how hard I tried. So, I silently waited. I knew you'd screw up one day and you did."
"I don't screw up."
"Even after everything I've done to you, you're attitude just doesn't go away, does it?"
"Guess you just need to try harder."
"Just the offer I was waiting for," Nick smirks.
He turns to Cara.
"Take your time and have fun babe," he kisses Cara's forehead. His eyes meet mine, taunting me before leaving.
"Cara," my tone underlies with a request for mercy.
"You left me to die," she says. Her blonde hair tied back in low a ponytail it lets the features on her face show perfectly. Her eyes a bit swollen from sleepless nights, I see the urge for revenge in them.
"Cara, he doesn't love you. He's using you to get to me," I try to tell her as she nears me.
"I told him he could do whatever he wanted with you, and looking at you now, I'm so fucking impressed."
"Cara, what happened to you?" I query.
"Do you see this, Summer?" she pulls her sleeve up displaying her scarred skin. "This is what the fire did to me, and if you think this is all, you should see the rest of my body. Forty-five percent of my skin was burnt in the fire that you set."
"I'd say I'm sorry, but I know that's not gonna fix anything, so I won't. But I can help you, Cara. I- I can get you back to your family. Whatever Nick has aga-"
"I love him, Summer."
"But he doesn't love you, you know that."
"It's because of you!" she accuses as her hand wraps around my throat. "But that'll change. Look at yourself, Summer. No one's gonna love you now. Your outside is just as ugly as your insides. When Nick told me that you had gotten most of your scars removed, I was so ecstatic. You gave him... you gave us, a blank canvas to work on and I love how its turning out."
"Now, it's my turn to add some details," she words as she rips my t-shirt exposing my stomach. "He says you don't remember what you did. But don't worry, I'll make you remember the pain. Bring it in."
I watch as a man comes in and hands Cara a blow torch.
She's gonna burn my skin.
"Cara, please," I struggle with the cuffs holding me up. "Please, don't do this. Cara I can't get pregnant, okay? That's my punishment. No one's gonna love me with the scars on my body. My family already hates me. Why do you think I'm still here? I'm alone. I'm already suffering. Please, Cara, don't do this. I regret leaving you there every single day."
I lie. The truth is, I didn't even remember her until she walked through that door.
"You know what I hate most about you?" Cara's green eyes dilate in anger. "The fact that you can look a person right in the eyes and lie without a single fault."
"Fuck, Cara!" I yank at the cuffs again in anger.
"Don't worry, just count to thirty and it'll all be over before you know it," she says as she turns the torch on.
I bite down on my bottom lip and close my eyes. My nails dig into the ruptured skin of my palm as I feel the heat near my stomach increase.
As I feel the flame starting to burn my skin, I fidget trying to turn but it doesn't help. My eyes start to water and I breathe heavily as I feel my skin melting under the heat of the flame.
I have never felt pain like this in my life.
Fuck.
Someone, make it stop.
"Ca-Cara, please," I beg. My eyes blinded with tears, I don't know how I'm withstanding the excruciating pain.
"This is all on you, Summer. For every life you took, the scars on your body are nothing," she says as she turns the torch off.
My mind hazy, spots start to cover my view. I feel her untie my hands and once the second hand is uncuffed, I fall onto my hands and knees.
Dizzy, I look down at my stomach. I can't feel the pain, I just see splotches of blood mixed with a black thickness of what once used to be my skin. Curiously, the tips of my fingers dip into the wound and I stare bewildered.
I did this to myself.
...♛...
It's been three weeks and I wake up screaming. Every single time I fall asleep, I find myself stuck in a nightmare.
"Cara," I sigh heavily when I hear the door creak open. "Please, please not today."
"You should look at yourself, Summer. You look so pathetic begging for mercy that you know you're not gonna get."
"For your child, Cara, please."
With a grip on my hair, she yanks my head up.
"Don't you dare bring my kid into this."
"It's feeding off what you're showing it, Cara. I'm not the one bring it into this, you are, every single time you walk through that door."
Her mouth opens to say something, but instead, it clasps shut as she takes a step back letting out a small groan.
"Fuck," she says as she falls onto her knees.
I look at her confused. Her hands on her belly, I soon understand that she's having contractions.
I crawl over to her as she continues to breathe heavily.
"Cara, breathe, okay? You're having contractions. It should stop in a minute or two," I hold her hand in mine and she squeezes it tightly.
My eyes zone in on her key necklace. This is my chance. This the distraction I needed.
"They're not stopping!" Cara screams.
"Okay," I put my hand on her face. "Just breathe, okay? Your water didn't break yet, so you have to go to the hospital. They'll know what to do."
"It's not time yet," she claims.
"Hey!" I yell with all my strength. Before slipping my hands away from her face, I unhook her necklace and take the metal key in my hand.
"What did you to her?" A man runs in and pushes me away. The back of my head meets the wall and I groan in pain swearing profusely under my breath.
"She's going into labour."
"Nick said there's two weeks left."
"I don't fucking know," I respond.
I watch as he calls for backup. More men walk in and when one of them is covering the view of the camera, I take the key and use it to slice my forearm three inches in length and almost an inch deep. I throw the key to the side and dig into my arms finding the chip.
Examining the chip, it's flashing red until I press the small white button on it which turns the light green letting me know that it has been activated.
Three years ago, Brody injected one into my arm and one into Alice's arm. The only difference between her chip and mine, was that hers was activated before it was injected and mine was only to be activated if I needed to be saved and today is that day.
I hide the chip under a crack in the wall behind me and sit there as they carry Cara out.
"If you did something to her, Nick will fucking kill you."
"Don't kid yourself, he'll kill me either way."
"You're a fucking legend," he scoffs as he walks out.
...♛...
It's been hours since I last heard from anyone. I have this feeling inside of me telling that things didn't go so well outside these four walls.
"You," the door slams open and I jolt.
The lights turn on and as my eyes adjust to the light, I spot Nick. His hands stained in blood, his forehead drips with beads of sweat.
His coat unbuttoned, it seems as though he tugged on his tie as it was suffocating him.
"My baby died. She died in my hands."
"Are your more upset over the fact that she died or that she was a girl?"
"You bitch! She was mine!" Nick slaps me.
"Fuck," I spit the blood in my mouth out to the side.
"You killed her just like you killed ours."
"If anything, death was the best present she could've received and I'm happy I was the one to give to her," I reply coldly.
"You fucking whore," the back of Nick's hand meets my cheek and I fall to the side senseless.
"Sir," a guard walks in and Nick holds back another hit. I watch as he closes his eyes and his fingers tightly curl inwards before he brings his arm down.
He turns around.
"What?" he throws at the intruder.
"There's an important call from one of our associates. You're going to want to take this."
Letting out a deep sigh, Nick looks back at me frustrated and then back to the guard.
"Okay," Nick says as the guard holds the door for him. "Turn down the temperature in the room."
I clench my jaw as the door closes once again leaving me in the dark.
No heat is better than being in Nick's presence.
If his associate hadn't called, then today would've been the day Nick finally killed me.
But, I'm safe.
I don't for how long.
But for now, I'm safe, so I breathe.
I'm okay.
...♛...
"Summer... Summer, wake up," my eyes flutter open as the voice becomes more clear.
"Alex?" I speak as I sit up.
It's not a dream, Summer.
"We have to go, can you get up?"
"Ye-yeah," Alessio extends his hand and I take it.
"Sss!" I suck in a deep breathe feeling the pain in my hand.
"I'm sorry," Alex apologizes. His eyes show sympathy, I never wanted him to show. I turn my gaze to the side avoiding it. He hands me his jacket and I graciously take it covering myself over the ripped shirt.
"Where are Dean and Kai?"
"They went after Nick."
"What about Vince?"
"He's with them."
"No. No no no no no no no no, w-we have to get them. Where are they?"
"They were headed to the main corridor on the top floor. I lost connection minutes ago."
"Fuck, we have to go find them now," I start to walk towards the door where more of our men stand.
My limbs feel detached, sore and numb, but I drag them with all my strength as I walk over dozens of dead bodies.
"Summer, please slow down. They can take care of themselves. We need to get you help."
"No! You- you just don't," I stop mid sentence when Nick's men block our way.
"We'll handle this, you go," Alessio says and I bob my head in response before taking another hall.
After a few minutes, I reach the entrance to the corridor.
"STOP!" I scream when I see Nick holding the gun to Kai's forehead as his body lies on the ground.
"Just in time for the finale, I see," Nick smirks.
I watch as Vince and Dean stand on the side helpless just like me.
"Please, Nick. Please, I'll do anything. Just let him go," I beg as I slowly make my way over to Dean and Vince. As I walk behind Dean, I take the gun tucked under his belt and point it at Vincent.
"Nick, put your gun down or I will kill Vincent."
"Summer, what the fuck are you doing?" Dean yells in frustration.
"Summer, calm down. You don't know what you're doing," Vincent tries to negotiate.
"I know exactly what I'm doing, Vincent White. I'm pointing the gun at the man who destroyed my entire life when he sold me to Nicholas Black at the age of fifteen. What? You thought I didn't know? I'll admit, I didn't for a long time, but I put it all together. I am your sister after all."
A sinister smile grows on Vincent's face as he straightens up more confidently no longer faking his fear.
"You were father's weakness. And I didn't need his foolishness, I needed his wisdom which I could only get without you being around."
"And what did you do with the wisdom, huh? You passed it on to someone else. You let someone else be successful while you stood to the side," I accuse.
With a blink of an eye, Vincent grabs my arm pulling it down onto his thigh causing me to drop the gun. I scream in pain. On my knees, he slaps me before his hand finds a grip on my neck.
"Vincent!" Dean steps forwards to fight.
"One step and I snap her neck little brother."
"Vince," Dean looks at his brother horrified.
One hand on his wrist and the other on his chest, my lungs beg for more air as his grip tightens.
"He should've killed you three years ago and all of this could've been avoided. You deserved death the second you came into this world and took away our mother, Summer. I'm gonna live the rest of my life so fucking satisfied knowing that I was the one to give it to you."
Vincent's grip tightens and my eyes bulge as the air to my lungs is completely cut off. His eyes full of excitement, in a second, it disappears as a gun shot goes off and his blood splatters across my face.
His hand falls from my neck and I fall onto my hands coughing, prying at my own neck as if his hands are still around it.
"Summer, let's go," I look up finding Kai. His face covered in blood and bruises, I feel myself about to sob. "Summer, please not now. We have to go."
I take a deep breath and nod. Kai helps me up and we exit the room as Dean holds open the door.
"The helicopter is coming down, we have to be there in five minutes," Dean informs.
"Where... where's everyone else?" I question trying to keep myself awake.
"They're all here, Summer but whatever happens, you have to get on the helicopter. Do you understand?"
"W-why?"
"This whole ship is about to blow up, that's why," Dean responds before Kai can.
My vision blurry, I spot men approaching us.
"Summer ,wait here," Kai instructs standing me up against the wall. I nod in response weakly.
As I stand, I find it hard to keep my head up so I keep it down.
Don't sleep, Summer.
Stay awake.
"Okay, lets go," Kai comes back. "Are you okay?"
"Mm-hm," I reply before we continue to walk. We walk for five minutes before the fresh air meets my skin. The sunlight blinding as ever, I squint trying to keep it all together.
"Take her and make sure she gets home safe," I hear Kai and Dean both instruct. "Leave in two minutes if we're not here, do you understand?"
"Yeah, good luck," I hear Alec say.
"Hey, Summer," Kai cups my face making me focus on him. "I love you."
"I love you. Please... don't go," I beg.
Kissing me on my forehead, he nods to Alec.
"Hey, Summer," Alec says as he swoops me up in his arms. "How've ya been?"
"Let me go, Alec. I need to go help them."
"You can't even help yourself right now," Alec responds.
"Fuck you," I feel my body sting.
"Take it easy, we're gonna wait for two minutes okay?" Alec says as he puts me down in the helicopter.
"It's so loud!" I groan.
"Yeah!" Alec says as he buckles me in before taking his seat at the front.
I stare out at the dozens of freights waiting for them to return.
A few seconds pass before I watch Alex come in with Dakota, Amelia and Cole. Dakota in Cole's arms, I watch blood drip from her abdomen.
"Where are Dean and Kai?" I question.
"They just had to check on something. They'll be here any second," Amelia assures. Once everyone takes their seat, I watch Alex whisper into Cole's ear.
And soon, I feel us being lifted.
"What are you doing?" I start to panic.
"We have to go."
"No! Dean and Kai, we're not leaving them behind!"
"Summer, the bombs about to go off, we have to go," Dakota begs.
"No, fuck you!" I yell back as I undo my belts.
"Summer, get down. Right now!" Alex yells.
"No!" I yell back just before I jump five feet down.
"Fuck," I cry out in pain.
"Summer?" I hear footsteps and look up at Kai. "What the fuck, Summer!"
"What do you mean what the fuck? You die, I die."
"The whole point of this mission was to save you," Kai argues.
"No, it was to kill Nick. I know because I created this mission, okay? Father and I created this mission."
"Summer," I hear Dean behind Kai. I tilt my head to the side.
The blade of the knife slides across Dean's neck and I watch as blood gushes out.
"NO!"
I force myself onto my feet and run to Dean. Choking on his blood, his eyes look up to me in pain.
"I'm so sorry, Dean. I love you," I cry as he stops breathing.
"Two brothers in one day, that's gotta suck," Nick comments.
"You're a fucking coward, Nick."
Dean's head still in my lap, I look at him helplessly.
"You just don't fucking die," Kai runs up to Nick and throws his strongest punch sending him onto his back.
Getting on top of Nick, I watch Kai hit him over and over and over again. After fifteen hits, Nick turns his head to the side spitting out blood and lets out a small laugh.
"That's the best you got little bro? I thought I taught you better. You can't kill me can you? Because if you could, it would've happened by now."
Kai throws another punch before climbing off Nick and pulling out his gun.
"Kai, no!" I stop him. "It's not worth it. He'll die today, but not from our hands. Please, Kai."
"She's not yours Kai, don't listen to her. Do what needs to be done."
"Kai, pl-"
I'm cut off by three gun shots and loud screams of agony. Nick's legs bleeding, he squirms in pain.
"You deserve worse. Nick you should be glad you're getting death," Kai spits on Nick before he walks over to me.
I take his hand and get up. Taking one last look at my brother, Kai and I both run to the edge and jump into the cold numbing water just before the ship blows up.
A/N:
Ivy: One more chapter and one epilogue left.
Prepare yourselves, you aren't expecting what's gonna come next.
😭😏