Read Online Screaming in the Silence by Lydia Kelly - Free Book Online
Authors: Lydia Kelly
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kill you." He pushed away from the table and stood up, leaving me to write my own ransom note.
Christopher,
I'm writing to beg your immediate help. The men who have taken me will be contacting you soon with instructions. Please give them whatever they want and don't ask questions or tell anyone what you are doing. I'm afraid they'll kill me. I'm afraid of never seeing you again.
Raleigh
I folded the letter, the blood from my fingers staining the edges of the paper. It was swiped from my hand and I turned to see Ray opening it and assessing my work. Kaden was reading over his shoulder and his eyes darted to mine as soon as he read the first name.
"Fine," Ray decided. "Give me the address and I'll drop it off tomorrow."
"Not from here, you won't." Kaden said behind him.
Ray spun around and pushed Kaden's shoulders, challenging him to question him again.
"You send that from around here and they'll be all over us. We need to drive it somewhere else, write our own letter, with our demands, and mail it from some random location."
If only Ray knew how much trouble he would get in if he actually sent that letter. His fingerprints were already all over it and his saliva would most likely be on the envelope. But the letter didn't matter. Kaden would never allow it to be sent, that much I knew. He was too smart and this was just a way of stalling.
I stood up to leave, ready to be away from the madness and Ray's anger. Kaden had been right, Ray didn't think, he only reacted. I prayed that he wouldn't stop to think before I was gone. I stepped around the two men, still arguing about something, when I felt Ray's rough fingers grab my arm. I turned to face him, ready to see whatever it was he had to say to me, but he didn't speak. His spare hand flew through the air and hit me across my cheek, knocking me to the ground with one blow.
My head spun and my vision blurred. I stayed on the ground for what seemed like minutes, trying to regain my focus. No hands came to help me to my feet, no arms wrapped around me protectively. I didn't know what I had done to deserve that, nor did I care. As the tears started to pour from my eyes, I finally stood up and staggered to the basement door.
For the first time since I had been in this house, my mattress and sheets were a welcoming sight. I climbed under their caring shield, turned onto my side, curling my legs to my chest and closing my eyes. The tears fell freely onto my pillow.
Hours passed and I didn't move. My bed offered the only comfort I had left and I was growing accustomed to its hard and scratchy embrace. But something disturbed my peace. I felt the mattress tremble as someone climbed on behind me and I opened my eyes, only partly wanting to see who it was. The lights had been turned off but as soon as he touched me, I knew and was not afraid. The sheets were pulled up and away from me as I felt Kaden's body slide behind mine. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me as close as I would go, and then rested around my ribs. The other hand was softly stroking my hair onto the mattress and his lips left a single kiss on the back of my neck.
I closed my eyes again and fell asleep.
Chapter 10
I woke up to the dull light of the basement. My head throbbed. Did Kaden really come to my bed or had it been a dream? It had seemed real. I turned over and inhaled deeply, hoping his scent still lingered. I wasn't disappointed. The mattress still held the subtle aroma of soap and cinnamon. I hadn't figured out why he smelled of cinnamon, but I loved that scent. It reminded me of my mother and the holidays we spent in London.
I climbed out of bed, my head feeling as if it had been left in a vice overnight. My feet dragged as I slumped over to my clothes. Kaden still expected me to wear his oversized shirts every day. I had collected half a dozen or so which I kept folded next to my bed. I washed them in the sink along with my underwear. Needless to say, I had grown accustomed to
Christopher,
I'm writing to beg your immediate help. The men who have taken me will be contacting you soon with instructions. Please give them whatever they want and don't ask questions or tell anyone what you are doing. I'm afraid they'll kill me. I'm afraid of never seeing you again.
Raleigh
I folded the letter, the blood from my fingers staining the edges of the paper. It was swiped from my hand and I turned to see Ray opening it and assessing my work. Kaden was reading over his shoulder and his eyes darted to mine as soon as he read the first name.
"Fine," Ray decided. "Give me the address and I'll drop it off tomorrow."
"Not from here, you won't." Kaden said behind him.
Ray spun around and pushed Kaden's shoulders, challenging him to question him again.
"You send that from around here and they'll be all over us. We need to drive it somewhere else, write our own letter, with our demands, and mail it from some random location."
If only Ray knew how much trouble he would get in if he actually sent that letter. His fingerprints were already all over it and his saliva would most likely be on the envelope. But the letter didn't matter. Kaden would never allow it to be sent, that much I knew. He was too smart and this was just a way of stalling.
I stood up to leave, ready to be away from the madness and Ray's anger. Kaden had been right, Ray didn't think, he only reacted. I prayed that he wouldn't stop to think before I was gone. I stepped around the two men, still arguing about something, when I felt Ray's rough fingers grab my arm. I turned to face him, ready to see whatever it was he had to say to me, but he didn't speak. His spare hand flew through the air and hit me across my cheek, knocking me to the ground with one blow.
My head spun and my vision blurred. I stayed on the ground for what seemed like minutes, trying to regain my focus. No hands came to help me to my feet, no arms wrapped around me protectively. I didn't know what I had done to deserve that, nor did I care. As the tears started to pour from my eyes, I finally stood up and staggered to the basement door.
For the first time since I had been in this house, my mattress and sheets were a welcoming sight. I climbed under their caring shield, turned onto my side, curling my legs to my chest and closing my eyes. The tears fell freely onto my pillow.
Hours passed and I didn't move. My bed offered the only comfort I had left and I was growing accustomed to its hard and scratchy embrace. But something disturbed my peace. I felt the mattress tremble as someone climbed on behind me and I opened my eyes, only partly wanting to see who it was. The lights had been turned off but as soon as he touched me, I knew and was not afraid. The sheets were pulled up and away from me as I felt Kaden's body slide behind mine. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me as close as I would go, and then rested around my ribs. The other hand was softly stroking my hair onto the mattress and his lips left a single kiss on the back of my neck.
I closed my eyes again and fell asleep.
Chapter 10
I woke up to the dull light of the basement. My head throbbed. Did Kaden really come to my bed or had it been a dream? It had seemed real. I turned over and inhaled deeply, hoping his scent still lingered. I wasn't disappointed. The mattress still held the subtle aroma of soap and cinnamon. I hadn't figured out why he smelled of cinnamon, but I loved that scent. It reminded me of my mother and the holidays we spent in London.
I climbed out of bed, my head feeling as if it had been left in a vice overnight. My feet dragged as I slumped over to my clothes. Kaden still expected me to wear his oversized shirts every day. I had collected half a dozen or so which I kept folded next to my bed. I washed them in the sink along with my underwear. Needless to say, I had grown accustomed to
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