MELINA
Melina looks out the small window in the room where she and Franky were placed. They can't escape because the windows have bars on them. Melina has spent the last two weeks trying to figure out how to get them out of here. Franky is currently in a coma, and the doctors are unsure when she will wake up. Melina spends most of her days telling Franky about the amazing life they will have once she figures out a way to get them out.
Melina hasn't seen Rafael or James these past two weeks. She's pleased about this. They both frighten her and seeing them could only mean something terrible would happen to her. Melina's desire to die has vanished. Melina considers abandoning Franky, but after everything she's been through because of her, she realizes that will be cruel of her. Franky will be devastated if she wakes up and finds out that all her suffering has been in vain. Melina can't bring herself to do that to her sister after everything Franky has been through. Melina decided to be strong and try to survive this place so Franky could be happy again. Her train of thought is interrupted as she feels someone's breath on her neck. As he whispers into her ears, Melina doesn't need to turn around to know who it is.
"Hello Mel, it's been ages," James says, trailing his fingers up Melina's legs. Her skin crawls with disgust.
"Don't touch me!" Melina moves away from him, trying to put some space between them.
"You want to play hard to get. I like it," he smirks, stalking toward her by the edge of the wall.
"Leave me alone," Melina says as she takes further steps away from him. Her body has barely healed from his last assault.
"Come here, you slut," James says, grabbing her arms and pulling her in closer.
"Don't touch me," Melina says as she presses her hands against his chest to get him away from her.
"Not going to happen, honey; I came to get what you promised." He puts his mouth on her neck and kisses her. If Melina isn't so busy trying to push him off her, she could've scraped his touch off her skin with her nails.
"What could I ever promise a monster like you?" She pushes his face away from her neck as he tries to kiss it again.
"Don't you remember?" he says, smiling, as he looks into her eyes. "The promise you made to save your child."
Melina's eyes well up with hot, angry tears. "You killed my baby and have the guts to come here and say that. You bastard!" Melina's blood boils as rage consumes her. Without thinking of how stupid it is, Melina attacks James. She hits his chest with her small hands, trying to do as much damage as she can.
James grabs Melina's hands and clasps them behind her back. He raises his hands and slaps her across the face. "You stupid bitch. It appears I need to remind you who's the boss around here." He grabs Melina's arms and drags her out of the room. They walk to the place she was tortured the last time.
"When I'm done with you, you'll wish you spread those fucking legs for me." James drags Melina to the middle of the room. He brings her hands forward and ties them together with a rope. James uses the rope to lift Melina's hands above her head and hooks them to something on the roof. Melina hangs in the air as her legs barely touch the ground, just like when they made the video for Thomas.
James walks away from her and returns with something terrifying in his hands. Melina's eyes widen as James plays with a whip in his hand. She begins to struggle with the rope around her hands in an attempt to free herself. He wants to hurt her again, and she fears it will be worse this time.
James smirks and walks behind Melina. He rips the back of her dress open and tears it completely off her body.
"Please don't hurt me, James; I'm sorry for what I said." Melina pleads with him as tears well up in her eyes.
Melina has no time to prepare before the whip bites into her skin. She screams at the top of her lungs. Her skin tears open, and blood flows down her back as James whips her two more times. She curves her back in to get away from him, but it doesn't help. Tears stream down her cheeks. Melina screams again as he whips her skin, and this continues for a while.
Melina pleads with him to stop, but he doesn't. Her throat is burning from wailing and screaming in agony. Blood drips onto her forehead from her wrist as she struggles with the rope to free herself. Melina questions whether James truly desired sex with her given how quickly he dragged her to his torture chamber. Melina knows he'll get off with this as she's seen him get hard every time he hits her like this. James was probably looking for an excuse to torture her because he knew she would reject him.
Melina's head drops forward, and through her blurry eyes, she sees her blood decorating the floor. She doesn't even want to imagine how her back looks right now. Her vision is blurry, and salt and blood have merged in her mouth as the torture comes to an end.
Melina's eyelids are heavy; her body is worn out and on the verge of shutting down. She doesn't fight it and embraces the darkness, but Melina's plans are cut short. James smacks Melina across the face, yelling at her to open her eyes. Melina struggles to do as he says while he unties the ropes around her wrists.
Melina drops to the ground the second her hands are free. James picks Melina up and throws her facedown on a table. Melina's body hits the table roughly as she lands on it. She struggles to keep her eyes open as her head rests on the table. Her back is in excruciating pain and blood is dripping from her wounds. Melina's eyes shoot open as she feels someone's hand on her body. Fresh tears flow down her cheeks. Melina doesn't need to turn around to know who is touching her. His breath fans her neck as he bends forward to unbuckle his pants. Melina bites her lower lip as he presses into her injured back, her wounds stinging.
"You still smell as good as you always did," James says as he licks the back of Melina's ear.
Melina thrashes on the table, trying to push him off her, but she lacks the strength in her body due to all the blood loss. Her heart sinks as she braces herself for another assault. Shutting her eyes tight, Melina tries to take her mind far away from here as she feels him struggling to penetrate her. She grips the edge of the table until her knuckles turn white, biting her lips to muffle the scream she knows will erupt once he penetrates. James hates it when she screams. He spreads Melina's legs wider apart, but something happens just as he's about to penetrate, causing him to stop.
"Boss, I believe we may have a problem. We need you right now," a man says as he barges into the basement.
"Can't you see I'm busy right now, you idiot," James barks at him.
"Trust me, boss, our problem is far more important."
"It-" James is cut short as gunshots are heard from outside. "What the fuck was that?" James asks the man.
"That's why we need you right now, boss. It appears that we are under attack."
"Under attack?" Melina can hear the panic in his voice. She releases her grip on the table, hearing the zipper of his pants. "Why the fuck didn't you say that when you came in?" James walks up to the man by the door.
"I wasn't sure."
"Idiot." He slaps the man across the face, striking him so hard the poor man falls to the ground. "Watch her and make sure nothing happens to her," James commands before walking out of the basement.
Melina gently lifts her battered body from the table. She stands up straight by resting her hand on the table's edge. Melina looks around the room for something to cover her body with. Unfortunately, she can't see any piece of cloth around. Using the table as support, she walks to the nearest wall in the room. Melina falls to the ground, her side leaning against the wall, and pulls her knees to her chest, attempting to cover her exposed body as much as possible.
Melina jumps in fear, hearing more gunshots outside. Her body begins to tremble as she feels her death approaching. Melina wonders what's going on upstairs. Perhaps another gang came to attack them. Fear grips her tightly as she imagines the other gang winning the fight and deciding to do something worse to her than James has. Melina's heart beats faster as tears roll down her cheeks. She prays it doesn't happen.
Melina screams, covering her ears and closing her eyes as she hears the door break off its hinges. She doesn't dare to open her eyes as the person who broke the door approaches. Melina jumps and screams again when she hears a gunshot in the room. The person must have killed the boy who was watching her. Her heart is pounding against her rib cage. She begins to say her last prayers. Melina prays that if she dies, the person saves Franky and allows her to live a good life. Melina wishes to be reunited with her children when she dies. Her brows furrow in bewilderment as something lands on her body. Why would the killers protect me?
"Melina," the person says, gently stroking her hair. Melina's body responds immediately to his touch as her eyes shoot open.
"Thomas!" she exclaims, her eyes widening as she sees the familiar pair of ocean blue eyes staring back at her.