Stryker’s Fight by Erin Osborne
Chapter Seventeen
Sally
AS I SLOWLY wake up, the first thing I register is how cold I feel. You know that kind of bone deep chill that settles and takes forever to get rid of. Next, I realize I’m not in my bed. My mattress might be old and lumpy, but it’s better than the cold cement floor I’m currently lying on. I try to figure out what the hell happened to me, but I can’t remember. My eyes open and I try to lift my head. Pain instantly begins pounding to the point I have to roll to my side and throw up. It’s then I notice I’m naked minus my bra and panties. My clothes have been removed.
“I see you’re finally awake,” a deep voice rumbles in the dark, dank basement I seem to be being held in.
My heart begins beating out of my chest as the events of what led to me being here fill my mind. I was taking out the garbage when I was hit in the head from behind. When I try to catch my breath, it hurts my entire midsection. Lifting my head again, trying to see my body and find out who’s in here with me, the room spins, and I drop my head back down to the cement beneath me sending more pain through my already throbbing head.
“Nothing to say?” the man questions me, still hiding in the dark shadows.
The only light filling the area surrounding me is coming from a dust-covered small window high above me. I focus all of my attention on the window while trying to keep the tears at bay and not getting sick. Again. With nothing making noise in the basement, the screeching of a chair against the cement echoes off the walls and continues to pound inside my head.
“I asked you a fucking question,” the man grits out, his voice getting closer to me.
Before I can respond or even blink my eyes, a large, booted foot connects with my ribs. I curl up in pain, trying to protect my stomach that’s undeniably round with my pregnancy. The kicks continue on any body part he can reach. Screams of pain erupt from me as I try to keep my mouth clenched shut tightly. Tears are rolling down my face and my body hurts even more because I’m shaking, and my body is sliding back and forth across the rigid cement floor. On top of the bruising and cuts already covering my body, I am getting more added by the second because of the beating I’m getting and sliding across the floor.
When the man finally steps back, the clanging of a chain fills the room. I try to pull my feet up even more and I’m stopped when I can no longer move one of my feet.
“You’re gonna be chained up here until I say otherwise. Chrome is trying to figure out what he wants to do with you now that you’re here. He keeps telling us to keep our hands off you, but I’m sure he won’t know if I have a little fun with you while he’s not here. He’s out scouting those pussies you’ve been hanging around. They don’t know what we have in store for them. You know, it would help if you gave us the information we need on Stryker and the club. Chrome really has a hard on for your main bitch though,” the man tells me, his voice full of venom.
“I-I-I’m not t-t-telling you s-s-shit,” I manage to stutter out before my eyes slide closed again.
I have no clue how long I’ve been here. My days and nights bleed into one. The only thing I can concentrate on are the daily beatings. It’s different men each day. Still, I haven’t seen the man named Chrome. I’d recognize him everywhere after all the times he came in the bakery. Each man wants the same thing; information on the Phantom Bastards but mainly Stryker. I’m not sure what they’re hard on is for Stryker other then he embarrassed the man and made him look like a fool.
At the same time, my mind is muddled from the pain filling my body. I haven’t had a second free of pain since I was taken from parking lot behind my apartment. When I’m not being asked questions about the club and Stryker, I’m being taunted with threats of rape and being violated in other ways. Honestly, I’m scared to death of them following through with violating me in ways I never dreamed possible.
“You’re in for a real treat today. Chrome has decided to pay you a visit finally. No one is gonna come save you when your screams fill the air and you’re begging for help. You should have taken any one of us up on our offers before now. Once Chrome gets a hold of you, none of us are going to want to come anywhere near you,” the man who brought me down a bottle of water informs me.
I get a bottle of water when they decide I can get one. That’s another reason I have no clue how long I’ve been here. Other than one, old, crusty sandwich, I haven’t had anything to eat since coming here. Bottled water is hit or miss. I’m hungry as hell and ready to gnaw off my own arm if it means getting some food in my body. This can’t be healthy for our son. I don’t have my vitamins and there’s no way in hell I have even close to enough nutrients in my body to properly take care of him.
There is only one man who doesn’t taunt me or make me feel less than the person I am. I’m not sure what his name is, and I can barely see him with the swelling in my face and especially eyes. His voice is always kind when he talks to me. He reminds me of a grandfather when he speaks and treats me as an injured woman instead of a piece of meat. When he comes in, I always get water and I’m unchained for a few minutes to move my legs around. He’s even taken me to the bathroom once or twice to save me the humiliation of trying to use the bucket they left me. It’s not easy when I can’t see a damn thing.
I’ve been hit so many times now, I have pain everywhere. There’s not a single place that’s not filled with pain to the point I can’t focus on anything other than where it hurts the most. I have honestly stopped trying to figure out what hurts the most and where I should focus my attention. My stomach is killing me, and fear almost overtakes the pain filling me. I can’t lose my son. I would be devastated if anything happens to him. Stryker would have every right to absolutely hate me and want nothing to do with me ever again if anything happens to our son.
It doesn’t matter what’s being done to me though. Natalia and Stryker are constantly on my mind. I’m so thankful Gwen and Killer had my baby girl when I was taken. If she were here with me and either witnessing these horrible things being done to me or being hurt to use against me, I would take my own life. My baby girl means more to me than anything else on this Earth. Now, Stryker can have Natalia and raise her to know I love her with everything in me, and I’d never do anything to hurt her. Well, more than I already have. Images of the time I got to spend with my daughter and Stryker play on a loop, reminding me of happier times. Of times when I was a fool not to follow my heart and let a truly good man in my life. Stryker is everything I could ever want or need in a man and yet he will never get a chance to know how I feel because I’m going to die in this cold, dark basement at the hands of monsters.
My body continuously shakes from the pain and cold. Tears always leak from my eyes and pool under my head on the cold cement. I’m sweating causing more water to leak from my body than I actually have in it at this point in time. The bra and panties I was wearing have since been shredded and I’m completely naked. These men will do anything to humiliate me and make me suffer in every way possible. I lose hope every single time I’m conscious and there is nothing I can do to hold on to what small fraction of hope still remains in me. Hope that Stryker and the club will find me and bring me home. That I won’t lose our baby and we’ll be fine.
I’m left alone after the guy lets me know Chrome will be down here at some point. Curling up on my side, I once again pass out. I try to fight it, but my body is so worn down and I don’t have the proper nutrients to keep any strength I might normally have. Even with the little bit of water I try to save, I know I’m getting weaker with every beating that passes and with every passing day.
I’m startled awake as freezing cold water hits my body. Sputtering and trying to breathe through the water filling my nose and mouth. Laughter fills the basement when I can finally begin hearing again and my breathing isn’t entirely labored and choppy. The man laughing is scaring the shit out of me because I can’t see him, and his laughter is so sinister. It’s the kind of laugh you hear in horror movies by the killer.
“Wakey. Wakey,” the voice says, his voice even more evil sounding than his laughter.
I don’t bother responding. None of these men want me to answer them anyway. All they care about is any information I can give them on Stryker and the club. Not only do I not know anything club related, but I also wouldn’t tell them anything about Stryker if they promised to stop beating me and let me go. I don’t have the kind of information they want on him anyway. All they want to know is Stryker’s routine and when he’s going to be out on the next run. Why I would know any of that information is beyond me.
“I see my men have roughed you up pretty good. You haven’t been very forthcoming with the information on the club and Stryker. You’ve been with them a long time and know what I want to know. So, you’re gonna tell me where he goes and what he does. You’ll also tell me when the club goes on their runs and how many men are left behind on the runs,” the man I know as Chrome now orders me.
“I-I-I d-d-don’t know anything,” I tell him, trying to keep my voice strong. “I live alone and have no knowledge of what Stryker or the club does.”
By the end of my sentence, I’m done. I’m ready to pass out once again from the pain and exertion of talking just those few words.
“Bitch! I know you’re lying to me,” Chrome yells out, his voice even harder than before.
Instead of being kicked or hit, this time I’m lifted completely off the floor by my throat. the clanging of the chain barely registers.
“Unlock the cuff so I can strap her down to the bed. It’s time for me to have some fun. Oh, and Sally, don’t think we don’t know you’re pregnant. It becomes more evident each day. I’m not gonna cut that bastard out of you. Yet. Depending on what you have to tell me, I might do just that. One way or another, you’re gonna talk and give me what I want. It’s a shame because I thought you’d be the perfect ol’ lady. In ways, you are. We’ll see what you do when you break,” Chrome threatens me.
Everything happens in a blur. My body is moved, and it feels like I’m floating on air. However, at the same time, each and every inch of me hurts. I more than hurt. I’m in so much pain my body feels as if it’s on fire. I’m tingling from my head to my feet and my head pounds worse than before. The urge to vomit overtakes me and I turn my head. I have no clue where I’m facing but it doesn’t take long for me to realize I’m getting sick on Chrome. He drops my body to a hard as fuck mattress that’s almost as hard as the cement floor.
“You dumb cunt!” is screamed at me. “How dare you get sick on me!”
The hits begin coming and there’s nothing I can do to stop them or protect my body. Other men are holding me down while attaching handcuffs to my ankles and wrists. Fear courses through me because my belly is completely exposed, and I can’t do anything to protect my baby boy. Screams are ripped from me as my arm is wrenched and I can’t tell if it’s broken or just severely sprained at this point.
“Tell. Me. What. I. Want. To. Know,” Chrome growls out, his voice right in front of my face.
Spittle covers my battered face and there’s a ringing in my ears. I try to buck my body to get away from the horrid smell of his breath and body odor. It’s not overpowering, but I’m pretty sure that’s because he broke my nose. He doesn’t leave a single piece of me untouched. When the beating doesn’t work, Chrome switches tactics. The asshole runs his hands all over my body and grabs my breasts. Hard. Again, a squeak of pain escapes me. My throat feels as if it’s on fire and I’m ready to pass back out again. Before I can, his strong hands cover my face.
“I’m gonna come back after I take care of business. When I come back down here, I suggest you have something to tell me,” Chrome threatens. “Dagger, you remain down here with her. I don’t want anyone else touching her or getting close. If she tries to escape or becomes too much of a pain in the ass with her whining, gag her if you must. That’s all I want done to her. You’re the only one I trust to make sure she remains untouched. The rest of the guys are chomping at the bit to get a taste of her whore ass.”
Several pairs of booted feet walk out of the basement. Their steps echo off the walls until the door slams closed behind them. The chair scrapes along the cement floor making me flinch because I have no clue what this man is going to do to me. I know Chrome said he trusts him not to put his hands on me, but I don’t know this.
“Darlin’, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m the one who brings you the water,” the man tells me, his voice still as kind as always. “If it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to make sure you get out of here. I’m so sorry this is happening to you.”
I can’t respond to this. The blackness is slowly claiming me as the gentle man who has done nothing to hurt me so far holds my hand. It’s the last thing I feel as I’m completely consumed in the darkness pulling me under. Images of my daughter and Stryker fill me. Along with a little boy who looks just like Stryker.
