A Love Restored

The stench of gasoline and smoke filled my nostrils, dragging me awake from unconsciousness. A groan rumbled in my chest, morphing into a muffled yelp as I tried to scream. A gag choked me, the damp cloth stuffed in my mouth was dry. My throat was dry. So was my mouth. And I was so tired. Panic surged inside me. God, this moment felt strangely familiar.

I was in the backseat, slumped against the rough leather, I had been in this car before. Through blurry vision, I saw Liam, his profile a mask of grim concentration in the rearview minor. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel, a stark contrast to the dark veins pulsing in his temple. He was smoking a cigarette as he drove. The windows were rolled up, so the car was filled with smoke. It made me cough, but I couldn’t.

The car swerved, the tires whining on the asphalt. My stomach lurched, nausen battling with the throbbing ache in my head. Each bump in

mp in the trad sent jolts through my already strained body, the ropes binding my wrists biting into my skin.

The world tilted, threatening to swallow me whole. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself back into the soothing state of unconsciousness I’d so recently escaped. But a metallic tang of blood, kept dragging me back to the harsh reality. Was he bleeding? Was 17

What had happened? The fragments of memory were like shattered glass, sharp and disjointed. Just chilling in the kitchen, Liam’s weird attitude, the cloth on my mouth… then nothing.

A primal fear clawed at me. Where were we going? What did Liam intend to do? My mind raced, searching for an escape, a glimmer of hope in the suffocating darkness. But every avenue led to a dead end, leaving me more hopeless with each passing moment.

Felix. Did Felix know?

A whimper escaped my muffled mouth, a pathetic sound that underscored my utter helplessness. Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision further.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

I was a fly trapped in a spider’s web, and Liam, the cold, calculating spider, was in complete control.

“Oh hey, you’re up.” Liam said, looking back for a second when I made a sound.

1 grunted.

this to you, Flora.”

“Good morning.” He chirped, “I’m sorry to do th

He was sorry?

-we’re

he began, “But this is for a bigger cause. Want some water?”

friends, he

I didn’t want anything from him. I wanted to hit him. To kill him. But I was so thirsty…

I hummed in response.

The car lurched to a halt, the sudden stop throwing me forward. I made a pained sound in my throat, my head hitting the back of the driver’s seat. Liam stepped out of the car and opened up the door beside me. A hand, rough and calloused, yanked the cloth out of my mouth. Gasping for air. I sucked in great gulps, my chest heaving like a bellows.

“Drink,” Liam barked, shoving a plastic bottle into my face. The water sloshed precariously, threatening to spill. But I drank. I almost finished the whole bottle.

My vision swam, and I glared at him, defiance flickering amidst the fear in my veins. With a surge of adrenaline, I twisted my head away, spitting the water full in his face. A primal scream ripped from my throat.

The air crackled with a sudden, terrifying energy. Liam’s face contorted in fury, his eyes burning with a dangerous glint. The back of my hand exploded in pain as his hand lashed out, a stinging slap that sent my head snapping to the side. A metallic tang filled my mouth as I tasted blood,

Tears welled up again, blurring my vision. But this time, they were fueled not just by fear, but by a flicker of something else – a desperate, burning rage, He may have taken my freedom, but he wouldn’t break me. Not that easily.

He would break. Soon. When Felix came for me.

A choked sub escaped me, the taste of blood and humiliation thick on my tongue. Through the haze of tears and throbbing p

pain. I glared at Liam, my voice a ragged rasp through the gag ‘F–Felix… he’ll find me,” I rasped. “You’ll regret this.” I tasted more blood as a I spoke. I felt in run out of my mouth. On my lips, Downwards.

Liam threw his head back and laughed, a harsh, humorless sound that sent shivers down my spine. “Telis?” he scoffed, wiping the spit from his cheek with a sheet “He’s coming alright. Straight to me.”

My blood tan cold. The laugh died in his throat, replaced by a cold, predatory umile. “You see, Flora,” he leaned in, his voice a low growl, “that’s exactly why I took you. You’te bail”

Understanding dawned, a sickening realization bloomsing in my gut. Felix. No. No. No. No. No, I whispered, the word a desperate plea

Liam s simile widened, devoid of warmth. “He has something I want, something he took from me.” He paused, “Well he can’t give it back now. Now, he’ll come crawling for you, and that’s when I get my revenge.”

The world seemed to shrink, the air thickening. Fear clawed at my insides.

Liam pressed the water bottle back onto my lips, the plastic groaning in protest as he squeezed it too tight. “Thrink up,” he barked, his voice devoid of any emotion now. “You’ll need your strength. This game is just getting started.”

I drank Jungrily. Tears blurred my visions. When I was done with the water, Liam shoved the damp cloth into my mouth again. I broke down into tears, sobs racked my chest, I don’t know when I drifted off to sleep.

Darkness pressed against my eyelids; and when I opened them to the light, my eyes burned. It was a jarring shift. I was moving, the world tilting at a nauseating angle, Groaning, I fought to move my limbs a little. There were pins and needles all over my arms and legs.

Lians. His strong arms were wrapped around me, carrying me bridal style. My head lolled against his chest, the rhythmic thut of his heartbeat a counterpoint to the pounding in my own skull. A warehouse. Dilapidated and dusty, it stretched before us, dimly lit by a single bare bulb hanging precariously from the grime–coated ceiling.

A surge of adrenaline ripped through my body, momentarily erasing the lingering grogginess. This was my chance. With a desperate cry, I clawed at Liam’s arms, digging my nails into his flesh. “Let me got” I screamed, my voice hoarse from disuse.

He stumbled, a surprised grunt escaping his lips. But he was quick to recover, lightening his hold on me and weaving through a maze of crates and abandoned machinery. We reached a dead end, a wall of stacked metal drums barring our path.

With a strength born of desperation, I kicked out, aiming for his shins. It connected with a satisfying thud, but the blow barely fazed him. Liam slammed me against the cold metal, the impact stealing the breath from my lungs.

Pain flared across my back, but it was the disappointment in my own eyes that stung the most. I was weak, my body barely functioning after whatever he had done to nie.

Liam loomed over me, his face a mask of cold fury. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be, Flora,” he growled. “Stay still.”

The defiance I’d clung to moments ago dwindled into a flickering ember. Tears welled in my eyes, a silent plea for mercy. But in Liam’s cold gaze, I saw no room for compassion.

that danced

My eyes darted around, taking in the desolate area that sumounded me. Cobwebs draped the corners. Broken machinery cast long, shadows t in the dim light. The air hung heavy with the smell of mast and decay. This had probably been a storage space for machinery before. Or a mechanic’s

gange.

A sudden thump from the back of the warehouse made me jump. Liam had disappeared behind a towering stack of crates, his form swallowed by the darkness. My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat a frantic drum against the oppressive silence.

“Felix?” I croaked, my voice barely a whisper. Hope, a fragile thing, made flutters in my chest. Perhaps he had come for me. He was here. To save

save me.

But there was no answer, only the echo of my y own voice bouncing off the dusty walls. My throat welled up. It was like I’d choke on my own breath. I was alone, vulnerable, at the mercy of a man consumed by vengeance.

What had Felix even done to him?

Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught my eye. A glint of a shadow peeked out from behind the crates. My breath hitched. Was it Liam? Or something else entirely?

With a silent prayer, I strained against the zip ties, the sharp edges digging into my skin. They wouldn’t budge. A sob escaped my lips, a choked sound. of frustration and despair.

Just then, Liam re–emerged from the shadows, dragging something heavy behind him. As he stepped into the meager light, my breath caught in my

throat. It was a metal toolbox, its wom exterior a testament to years of use. But it wasn’t the toolbox that sent a fresh wave of terror crashing over me.

It was the glint of the tools themselves, their sharp edges catching the dim light with a malevolent gleam. My mind raced, conjuring horrifying images of what Liam might intend. A single tear traced a path down my cheek, a silent testament to the dread that had taken root in my heart.

In that moment, I knew this wasn’t just about revenge. Liam wasn’t just holding me captive. He was here to make me suffer.

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