Page 92 of Freeing Souls

“Are you sure?” He searches my face.

I nod. “Yes.”

Ryker leaves to get what I need, and I spin back around, asking Cade to help me get Richard down to the ground and bind his hands behind his back. Taking a deep breath, I glance between the two of them. “You didn’t break me. You tried and you failed, over and over again. But I can break you. I will break you. I will destroy the perfect façade you have had for years, expose you for the weak bitch you really are.”

“You’re in control,” Grayson murmurs from behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist. It’s then I realize my entire body is shaking as I finally get to say all the things I have thought about, as I finally realize Tammy didn’t break me.

A fresh wave of tears fall as I clutch Grayson’s arm, looking between the two pathetic messes in front of me. Richard has his head bowed, but Tammy is staring me down, pinching her lips together like she is fighting everything in her to keep her mouth shut.

I will break that stare. I will make her lose what power she thinks she still has.

Ryker comes back into the room and sets the bucket of water down in front of Richard, who gazes up at me and shakes his head. “Don’t, Harley.”

Fury courses through my veins as I storm forward and grip the back of his head before shoving it down into the bucket. He flails and tries to move, but being bound and left hanging for days has made his muscles weak.

After about thirty seconds, I yank his head back out of the water. Water splatters everywhere, mixing with the stream of tears falling down my face. “How does it feel? Does it feel good? Do you still feel fucking powerful?” I dunk his head again, holding it longer this time.

When I pull him back up again, my chest is heaving as I sob. “Do you feel yourself getting close to death? Are you craving it yet? Have you had enough? I won’t stop until you feel what I felt,the moment you give up completely. I hope you hope this time, it’ll be just long enough that you won’t breathe air again, that whatever is waiting on the other side is better than this.” I dunk him again.

And again.

And again.

Pulling him up again, I let go, not meeting my guys’ eyes as I say, “One of you take over. Don’t let him catch his breath for too long in between.”

“Alright, little flame, I got you,” Ryker says, walking up to me and tilting my chin with a finger. “Revenge never looked so fucking good.” He grins down at me, wiping away my tears before completely devouring my mouth. He kisses me like he hasn’t done it in years, taking control and holding me hostage as I completely give in to him. By the time he pulls away with a small nibble on my bottom lip, I can’t seem to catch my breath.

He winks as he steps back, and my body involuntarily sways towards him. “Just reminding you that you’re still here babe. You aren’t lost in there.” He taps my head before walking around me and going to Richard. “Alright, Richy. Let’s play.”

As I move over to Tammy, she shakes her head at me. “Don’t fucking say anything, or I’ll gag you,” I snarl. “You’ve done enough talking over the years, and now it’s my turn.” I walk over to the counter and grab the first knife I see.

Running it down the center of her chest, I slice through her shirt while she tries to pull away. Once her shirt is open, I press the knife into her lower abdomen and scrape it along, blood welling at the cut. She whimpers, and I smirk at her. “Haven’t you always wondered what it would be like to have scars like mine? To be sliced like a fucking piece of meat?” I ponder out loud as I continue to slice up her stomach, slowly working my way up to her chest.

When I get to her bra, I cut through it as she whispers, “Please don’t.” Her eyes pleading with me not to leave her hanging here, partially exposed.

“What? I thought you liked the idea of people being exposed and left with little to no clothing, having to strip down naked in front of other people,” I snarl at her.

Not caring for an answer, I become more aggressive with my slices as I continue to mark up her chest and stomach before moving to her face. When she starts to shake her head back and forth, Cade steps up and holds it still from behind.

I smile at him before cutting into each side of her lips, giving her a large smile. “There. The forced smile you would give to everyone.” I grin at her.

After telling Ryker he can stop, we hang Richard back up soaking wet and leave the shed, the light still blindingly bright while they hang.

When the door shuts and locks, I take a deep breath as my hands start to shake. “How did that feel, beautiful?” Grayson asks.

“I– It felt good?” I grimace.

“Is that a question?” Ryker chuckles.

“No. I mean yes, it felt good. I just… Wow. I don’t know. It’s a lot to take in,” I breathe.

“It’s okay to not have words for it right now,” Cade says, understanding. I nod, not even sure I have thoughts for it either. I felt powerful, but something is just not right.

A few more days of leaving them there with nothing, never knowing when I might return, I finally do.

With a gift.

Richard is half asleep when we enter the room, doing his best to sleep while hanging from the ceiling, so I make him my first target. Walking right up to him, I press the taser to his chest and let it rip.

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