The Dark Places by R. Whitfield (novel24 TXT) 📕

his head and watched as blood began to seep through his fingers. Surin tried to get his attention. “Parker, look at me,” she said urgently. He gazed up, and she saw a hint of defeat in his eyes. “Don’t be a hero,” she said, forcing a smile. “I’m going to be OK.”

Alex chuckled in the background and began to loop cable ties over Parker’s ankles. “She is going to love every minute of it,” he said, hooking Parker’s hands behind the wooden chair arms. “And you get to watch,” he added. “Trust me, it’s something to behold,” he continued as Surin turned her head away from them both. “Watching a woman like her come undone, pwhoar,” he said, letting out a loud breath between his lips. “Believe me, it will change you.”

Surin defiantly turned her head back around and steeled herself for what was to come. She would not scream, she would not beg, and she would most definitely survive. She looked over at the man she was afraid to admit she was in love with and then stared up at the monster who held her captive, a fire beginning to burn behind her eyes. Parker noticed, and in that instant, he noticed something else.

He started to laugh quietly. Alex turned and looked at him curiously. “What, pray tell, is so funny?” he asked, holding the gun menacingly towards Parker’s chest.

“You haven’t realised yet,” Parker replied.

Alex turned and looked at Surin, not quite understanding the situation. “Realised what, Detective?” he said, placing his hands behind his back and tilting his head to the side.

Parker gestured towards Surin’s confused face. “She doesn’t even know who you are.”

39

The air inside the tiny dark room was thick with fear and anger. Surin looked at Parker and then back at her tormentor. He was right. She had no idea who he was, was she supposed to?

Parker smiled. “She changed your life, right?”

Alex didn’t move. He was staring at Surin with a toxic combination of hate and love clouding his features.

“She changed everything for you and yet,” he nodded towards Surin who was looking at him pleadingly, “she has no idea who you are.”

“You’re lying,” Alex finally said. “You die first,” he added, spinning around towards Parker and pushing the gun into his temple.

Surin screamed. “No, please!”

But Parker continued. “Ask her.”

Alex glanced between the two of them.

“Or are you afraid to?”

Alex slowly lowered the weapon and sat down on the bed beside Surin. She cringed involuntarily as he ran his hands gently over her body once again.

Parker bucked in his chair. “Ask her!” he yelled.

Alex put the gun down on the ground near his foot and brought the candle closer to his face. “Surin,” he said, almost lovingly, and cradled her chin in his free hand. “Say my name,” he pleaded. Surin’s eyes spilt over with tears once again, and her lips began to tremble. “Surin,” he repeated, increasing the pressure of his grip on her face. She looked over at Parker, who nodded slightly.

“I have no fucking idea,” she spat.

Alex stood up abruptly and sent a backhand flying across her face so hard that she almost lost consciousness. Her head snapped around to the left, and loud ringing began in her ears.

“Surin!” Parker yelled. “Don’t you fucking touch her,” he barked, trying in vain to pull his hands free.

“It’s Alexander!” he screamed hysterically, as he reached down and grabbed her face again, this time without any hint of tenderness. “Say it, you fucking bitch!” he screamed again, shaking her head violently.

Surin could only lie there helplessly as he landed another blow across her left cheek and her right and then another into her stomach. Gagging loudly, she shut her eyes, fighting the wave of nausea that accompanied the mind-numbing pain. When she opened them, he had his face pressed up against hers. Tears of rage streamed down his cheeks.

“You’re mine,” he hissed and forced his tongue into her mouth. Surin bit down on it hard, but it didn’t stop him. He pulled back, smiling, and his hands roughly grabbed at her breasts.

“No!” she yelled, turning her head. She could vaguely hear Parker yelling in the background, but all her instincts suddenly went into survival mode when the man quickly climbed on top of her.

“You will know my name!” he screamed wildly, pulling down his pants roughly. The next few seconds went past in an indescribable blur of sound and movement.

First, the familiar pop of a close-range gunshot, next, the warm spray of arterial blood and the heavy slap of body hitting body. Quietness enveloped the room for what felt like an eternity, and then she heard his voice.

“Surin?”

Her eyes remained shut tightly, a quick tug, and she felt the blood begin to return to her fingers and toes.

“Surin, look at me please,” he begged again.

She smiled, even though her lips were split and caked with blood. “Parker, I’m OK,” she whispered, her throat hoarse from crying.

Parker looked down at her black-and-blue body before covering her gently with his jacket, and she finally felt warmth envelop her body like a cocoon.

“Is she alive?” A hysterical Madison screamed from the wooden doorway.

“Yes,” Parker replied, lifting Surin into his arms carefully. He looked at Madison long and hard. “Let’s get her out of here.”

***

The flashing lights of emergency vehicles lit up the night sky of North East. Surin sat in the back of an ambulance, a warm blanket draped gently over her shoulders. She watched the buzz of activity that surrounded her like a haze. Michael and Erin were standing with Parker, he had his arm protectively around her mother’s shoulder, nodding furiously towards her dad who gave him a pat on the back. They looked over at her for the last time and waved; she lifted her arm