Taking several deep breaths, Brie let go of the bars and slid down onto the cold floor. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing. It took a long time, but she eventually felt the warmth of Tono’s calming spirit as it began to flood her soul.
Alone in the dark, Brie had no sense of time. Being constantly cold did not allow her the escape of falling asleep. Instead, she wrapped her arms around herself and forced herself to think about Hope and Antony. She missed them so deeply that it was difficult for her to hold back the tears.
But Brie held onto the knowledge that Sir was doing everything possible to find her, and she was certain that Rytsar had already mobilized his men in the US to aid Sir in those efforts.
Try as she might, however, the utter silence in the pitch-black room began to mess with her head. It sickened her to think of the foul things that must have taken place in this room.
It felt as if the evil of this place was swirling around her, waiting to consume her.
Brie wondered if Mary was close by, sitting alone in the dark, thinking she had been abandoned by the world.
She cried out loud, “Hold on, Mary! Help is coming. Don’t give in to the darkness.”
Brie had no concept of how much time had passed, but it was long enough that her unbearable hunger was slowly being driven out by her intense thirst.
She licked her dry lips and shivered in the darkness, wondering when rescue would come. She’d begun daydreaming about water. But her thirst, combined with the cold, kept demanding her attention and left her no escape from the torment.
When she finally heard footsteps approach the door, Brie felt both relief and dread.
She tensed in fear when the door opened, and then cringed when bright white light filled the room. It physically hurt, like looking into the sun, and she whimpered as she buried her head in her arms.
The footsteps continued until the man stopped in front of the cage.
Holding her breath, Brie wondered if Venom had come to torment her further. Instead, she heard Holloway ask, “Are you thirsty?”
Even though she thoroughly hated the man, Brie nodded without lifting her head.
Her heart skipped a beat when she heard him unlock the cage. She lifted her head and squinted in the bright light while the door slowly swung open.
Brie was surprised to see Holloway holding out a glass of water to her.
When she reached out to take it, he chuckled and took several steps back. “No, you do not get the honor of drinking from the glass.”
She frowned in confusion.
“First, you will bow at my feet. Then, you must beg for it.”
Brie’s eyes narrowed. “I will not beg to the likes of you.”
Holloway sneered. “You’ve always failed to give me the respect I deserved, but I will teach you to grovel like a good slave.”
Brie rolled her eyes. “That will never happen.”
He raised an eyebrow, saying with confidence, “You will be surprised at the things I can make you do.”
Raising her chin higher, she told him, “It won’t be long until my husband comes—just like he did at the theatre. Thane will stop at nothing to find me, and with Rytsar Durov by his side, I can guarantee your life will be forfeit.”
“You are a fool, but you always have been,” Holloway said condescendingly. “There is a whole underworld you know nothing about. This compound is off the grid. Only a select few know it even exists, and every person here would die to protect me. But, you? You have no worth here. You are but chattel to them. I could snap your neck right now simply for the fun of it and no one would care.”
Brie was frightened, certain he was telling her the truth, but she continued to stare at him defiantly.
Holloway chuckled. “Ah, I see you still believe you have value. Rest assured, I will strip that from you layer by layer.” His eyes grew dark when he added, “And I will enjoy every moment of your awakening.”
Songbird
Before leaving her, Holloway tipped back the glass of water and drank every drop while she watched. Afterward, he swept his hand over his mouth and winked at her.
The entire cage rattled when he shut the door and slid the key in to lock it. He smiled as he looked at the metal bars. “Do you know why I chose a birdcage for you?”
Brie stared at him but said nothing.
“You are my songbird.” He glanced at the bed, his laughter low and cruel. “I can’t wait to hear your guttural songs of passion when I claim you.”
Bile rose in her throat.
Holloway quickly turned and shut off the light before closing the door behind him. She was grateful to hear his footsteps echo down the hallway as he walked away. But soon, all she heard was silence. Once again, she was alone in the smothering darkness.
She couldn’t stop replaying the image of Holloway drinking the water in front of her, and it left her even thirstier than before.
Brie struggled to hold back her tears, unsure how she would survive another day.
“Don’t give up,” she called to Mary as she laid her head against the bars of the cage and closed her eyes.
Brie screamed out loud when music suddenly filled the room. A low, seductive male voice began singing, “Hey, little songbird…”
The dark undertones of the lyrics seemed to match the man’s dangerous voice, causing goosebumps to rise on Brie’s skin. It was like listening to a predator singing to its next meal.
When Brie heard the beautiful voice of a woman taking over, she thought it would provide much-needed relief, but the girl sang about wanting to feed out of the man’s hand.
Brie covered her ears, frightened by the meaning behind the lyrics, but the music was so loud that she could still hear every word. The song reverberated around her like a physical force, making Brie its unwilling captive.
When Holloway finally returned, Brie was on the verge of a panic attack.
The moment he opened the door, the music stopped. He turned on the light and walked over to the cage, chuckling lightly. “I see the music has had an effect on you.”
Brie was grateful for the unexpected silence and took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Once her eyes adjusted to the bright light, she noticed the glass of water Holloway held in his hand as he walked to the large bed. He placed the glass on a nightstand.
Brie couldn’t stop staring at it, captivated by the idea of the cold water traveling down her parched throat. When Holloway caught her eying the glass, he asked with an almost playful grin, “Would you like a drink?”
She assumed he was teasing her but nodded anyway.
Holloway walked over to unlocked the cage, opening the door wide before returning to sit on the bed.
“You know what you must do.”
Brie swallowed hard. The only way she could survive was to submit to his games. Slowly pushing herself up off the floor, she stood on unsteady legs and walked out of the cage.
Holloway watched her with interest but made no move to help her when she stumbled only a few feet away from him. The entire time, Brie kept her eyes riveted on the glass of water.
When she reached out a shaking hand to take it, he shook his head.
Sighing in resignation, she lowered herself to the floor and bowed before him.
“Forehead on the concrete,” he ordered.
Even though it killed her inside, Brie reminded herself that she was not submitting to him but to her need for water. This was simply a role she was being forced to play.