Caught in the Middle, Clearly Jaded [best book clubs .TXT] 📗

car comes to a sudden halt and I’m pulled violently out of the car making me whimper in pain. I’m picked up and thrown over someone’s shoulder once again, my stomach aching from his shoulder digging in as he walks. I hear him unlock a door and open it with a screech. He puts me back on my feet and unties my hands, keeping the gag and blindfold in place. He pushes me and I stumble losing my balance, as I tumble down the steps, landing on the cold floor of cement. I hear the door shut with a bang and hear the lock click. I hastily pull off the blindfold and gag and look around at my surroundings. A single light illuminates the room with a soft glow. The room is empty except for a couple of blankets and a pillow in one of the corners on the far side of the room. Feeling the chill of the cold damp cellar I quickly go to the corner and cuddle in the blankets. Not knowing what else to do I weep, feeling hopeless, and let the darkness consume me.

It felt as if I had been down in this hole for days, but I really couldn’t tell. I lost track of my days and nights and all sense of time. The only time the door to the cellar was ever opened was when they threw me down a meal once a day. At first I spent my energy banging on the door, screaming for them to let me go. It did nothing but waste my energy and my voice. I had probably been here for a week and I wondered if Mason was worried about me. He probably thought I was just tired and ran away, poor Mace. Gavin was probably the opposite, angry that I had run. He most likely was scouring the area back home right now, the only problem, I wasn’t anywhere near home.
I was laying down on my make shift bed of blankets on the floor that smelled like moth balls when the door of the cellar opened. Thinking this was just a food run I stayed where I was, until I heard the footsteps on the stairs. My pulse spiking I quickly stood up, a little weak from being in this cellar. It drained me of energy and spirit. The first thing I saw were his black boots has he entered the small room. He was tall, he had to slouch so his head wouldn’t hit the ceiling. He had dark eyes and shoulder length black hair that hid most of his features.
“So, Julia.” His gruff voice said as he walked towards me, his fingers sliding against the cold cement wall beside him. I cowered in the corner, not knowing what to expect. “My name is Ian.” He was trying his hardest to be friendly, I could tell he wasn’t nice to a lot of people.
“No need to be afraid.” He said a small smirk on his face, “We just want some answers.”
I stared up at him, he had walked the length of the room within seconds of his speech and now hovered over me. “I… I don’t know anything.”
He smiled an evil smile, “Oh, but you do.” He grabbed me by the arm roughly, “Let me show you.” I yelped as he pulled me up the stairs and out the cellar door. It was pitch black outside and I glanced around at my surrounding area. It consisted of woods and a barn over to the side of the clear property. He was leading me to the barn and I could hear someone inside screaming. It made my ears hurt and my heart cringe.
“What are you doing?” I asked frightened.
He didn’t answer but kept tugging me violently.
Two guys in black leather jackets and sunglasses were standing by the barn door and opened it as we approached. Who sunglasses at night anyways?
The scene that folded before me made my eyes widen, I opened my mouth to scream but nothing came out. Hanging in the middle of the room was Gavin.
I took a step towards him when I was pulled back suddenly by my hair.
I didn’t give Ian the satisfaction of me crying out so he gripped my hair harder.
“Do you like what you see?” He asked me making me face towards Gavin again.
They had him bound by his hands hanging from a rope attached to a wooden beam above. They had stripped him of everything but his jeans, and blood dripped down his face and body. His head was hanging down, his body sagging. While I was wondering where all the blood was coming from since his face looked clear, a guy stepped out of the shadows and spun him around brutally.
I gasped at the sight of him; his back was covered in jagged cuts. His flesh was raw and swollen as blood dripped down his body onto the floor.
“Please!” I cried trying to go to him again, but I was still being held by the hair.
“Not so pretty now, is he?” Ian asked, whispering in my ear.
I could feel tears come to my eyes, and even though I promise not to cry in front of these people, they fell.
“Tell me what you know.” Ian said making me shake my head.
“I don’t know what you mean.” My voice sounded panicky even to my own ears.
The man standing by Gavin suddenly produced a long looking leash of some kind and I noticed that it was a whip, with something spike- like on the end of it.
Ian nodded to the guy and everything seemed to happen in slow motion after that.
The guy lashed the whip back with a crack making me close my eyes. Ian grabbed my face viciously, “You are going to watch this, or he will be whipped twice as much.” His voice was cruel and evil making me cry harder.
I opened my eyes just in time to see the whip lash out and strike Gavin on the back with a loudening snap.
Gavin jerked as a scream came out of his mouth. He lifted his head, gritting his teeth, his eyes met mine.
“Gav.” I whispered trying to go to him again, but this time Ian let me go and I ran to him. I stopped inches from not knowing what to do.
“I came looking for you.” He whispered making my head snap up to his. I couldn’t bear to look him in the eyes. He smiled a weak smile, “I thought you had ran away, I thought…” His voice broke off and I put my hands on either side of his face.
“Ssshhhh, It’s ok.” I said wanting to wrap my arms around him.
He hung his head down, “I’m so sorry Jules, so sorry.”
Ian started clapping behind me, “Touching, very touching. Two lovers reunited.” He said laughing.
I spun on him, “You bastard!” I screamed, all tears now turning to anger, I lunged at him. I hit him in the face one good time sending his head flying back. I struck out again, before I could make contact, he caught my fist in his hand.
His eyes bore into mine, “That wasn’t very smart Julia.” He said through clenched teeth slapping me across the face. I started to stumble back from the blow, but Ian still had a hold of my fist keeping me in place. He slapped me again making my head snap back.
“Stop!” I heard Gavin yell weakly.
Ian let go of me and I stumbled as another blow hit my face and I was sent spiraling to the ground. I lay there stunned for a second before I got up on all fours and spit out the blood that had collected in my mouth.
Ian bent down to look me in the eye, “Tell me what I want to know.” He said in his cruel voice again.
“I don’t know what you mean!” I spat at him, blood dripping down the corner of my mouth.
Ian nodded and swiftly stood up and nodded at the guy with the whip.
“Don’t look Jules.” Gavin whispered just as the whip connected with his back making him yell a blood curdling scream.
“Please stop!” I screamed, “Just tell me what you want to know!!!” I started to run over to Gavin when Ian grabbed me pulling me back.
“No, I want you to watch this.” He said evilly.
“Please.” I pleaded as he was whipped again and again, each time Gavin screamed in agony.
My knees gave out from under me and I hit the ground with a thud.
Everything went silent and I glanced up to see Ian hovered over me, “Are you ready to talk?”
“I’ll tell you whatever you want, I just don’t know what you are talking about!” I screamed at him, my voice shaky.
I looked at Gavin who was breathing in short panting gasps.
“Let him down first.” I said finding my courage.
Ian smiled, “I don’t think you are in the position to negotiate.”
I looked at him defiantly, and struggled to stand up. “You want to know what I know, so let him go and I’ll tell you.” I said once I was standing on my feet steadily.
Ian nodded, and the guy that had whipped him cut the rope binding his hands, making Gavin fall to the floor with a thud.
“Gavin!” I screamed running over to him as he lay face down in the dirt. I glanced over his wounds and glared back up at Ian. “He needs a hospital.”
Ian shook his head, “Tell me what I want to know.”
I stood up abruptly, “What do you want to know!?”
“Where is my money?” He asked suddenly.
That made my face red with anger, “You think we had it?” I asked my voice sounding hard.
Ian looked confused.
“Jackson is the one who had it!” I screamed, “He got a package from Mac and never came back! I don’t know what happened to him, or where he went, but he left me there and never came back!” I ended in a huff.
Ian strode over to me quickly grabbing me by the face, “Where is Jackson?”
“I… I don’t know” I stuttered, “I haven’t talked to him since that day he disappeared.”
Ian nodded, and turned around walking swiftly towards the door of the barn, his goon right on his heels. At the door, he turned to look back at me.
“I hope you are telling the truth Julia, because if you’re not I will come for you. Next time will be much, much worse.” He paused smiling evilly, “And if you happen to hear from Jackson… well let’s just say, I’ll keep in touch. Something tells me he’ll be coming for you soon.” He walked out of the barn slamming the door behind him.
I stood there for a second stunned; Jackson would be coming for me soon? What could that mean? Before I could think anything else about it, Gavin groaned.
I turned my attention