Page 93 of Breaking Matt
"I will also require a layout of the house."
Horror filled me. Was he planning on harming my parents even after my death? He let out a heavy sigh when he saw the resistance in my eyes.
"I won't tell you anything," I told him.
He studied me for a moment before he shook his head slightly, like he knew something I didn't.
"You think you can hold out, but let me assure you, you will break. It's just a matter of time." The deadliness in his voice scared me, but I refused to allow him to see my fear.
"No." I felt the stubbornness that my mother had always complained about when I was a child.
"Come on, sweetheart," he said, softening his voice as he cocked his head to the side. "Let's make this easy."
"Am I not enough for your revenge?" I asked him bitterly.
The smile he gave me made my skin crawl. He was evil. There was no doubt in my mind he had killed countless people without a moment of remorse.
"It seems a waste not to get all the information I can from you," he said, straightening up. "You never know what might be useful in the future."
He waited for me to say something, but I refused to say another word to him. He was crazy if he thought I would give him information that would endanger my parents.
"I think we need to give her an incentive to talk," he drawled to Frank.
This time the hit to my face was more painful than before.
"Ahh!" I screamed as my face was flung to the side from the impact of the hit. I groaned feebly as the pain throbbed. It felt like I had been hit with a sledgehammer.
"You ready to talk yet?" Leo asked.
All the anger at the situation I was in bubbled over and I flung myself at him, hoping to at least get a hit in—but Frank, despite his size, moved like lightning in front of him to block me from my target.
He shoved me and I stumbled back, knocking the chair over. He hit me in the stomach and I doubled over onto my knees. I felt winded as I tried to get up.
"You know there are other ways to make you more compliant," Leo said. I didn't like the tone of his voice.
"Frank," he said, turning slightly to him. "She's a pretty girl."
My heart tightened and my stomach turned.
"I wonder if her skin feels as soft as it looks." Leo's attention was back on me as the bodyguard looked at me with a hunger that frightened me. "I bet you she's a screamer."
I swallowed hard, not allowing my gaze to drop from his. I couldn't show my fear. The thought of Frank putting his hands on me made me sick to my stomach.
"What do you think, Frank?" Leo asked with a sly smile.
Frank smiled at me and I had to fight the urge to throw up, but I clenched my teeth together, not allowing them to intimidate me.
"I won't tell you anything," I vowed. They could do whatever they liked. I wouldn't allow myself to betray the people who had brought me into the world and who loved me.
From the frown on Leo's face I could tell my response had been unexpected. I expected a rain of blows in response—but then Leo's phone started to ring. He looked at Frank as he studied the ID of the caller on the screen. I squeezed my eyes closed as I fought against the pain in order to sit up.
"Yes," Leo answered. He nodded to Frank as he listened intently.
The smugness from before was gone; his features had become like stone. Something unsaid passed between Leo and Frank before they left the room without any explanation.
I winced and tears filled my eyes. My face throbbed and I gently touched my face to test the swelling. It throbbed painfully. Unable to stand, I managed to crawl back to the mattress slowly and lay down, facing up toward the ceiling.
Tears escaped down the sides of my face as I fought the pain. Every slight movement made me grit my teeth against the discomfort. My throat burned and the dryness needed to be quenched. I reached for the plastic bottle beside the mattress. My hands closed around the bottle and I opened it to take a few sips. I closed it and set it down beside me. I checked my watch—it was nine in the evening. I'd been missing for six hours.
