Book 2 – Ch.#9
“Are you ready to follow the rules now?”
…Rule number one… obedience. Always follow the orders from the boss. No questions asked.
I‘d broken that rule. I knew I was breaking it the moment I‘d chosen to run that night. I knew it would land me here. And yet I still did it.
I pulled my body upright from the old bed, more sluggish than I would have liked, and hated how I still felt so sore from the injuries inflicted several days earlier.
‘Days‘. That was the key word.
That was how long I‘d been trapped in here, alone with my thoughts as it forced me to reflect on every decision I‘d made leading to this point,
Because, at its core, that was the true punishment.
It wasn‘t the pain. No, that was always over quickly. Gavin did a great job of making sure the damage inflicted was swift yet efficient. Always enough to get the point across and never seeming to even flinch as he did what he did.
But it was the psychological punishment that truly made it horrific.
…‘Days‘.
I’d been in here… for days.
Alone.
In pain.
Wondering how I’d managed to convince myself that running had been worth it. Wondering how much longer it would take before punishment was finally over.
And now this was the first thing spoken to me after all that time. This voice of my father on the other side of the door, asking if I was ‘ready to follow the rules‘.
Yes, I was ready.
Of course, I was ready.
I was about ready to do anything, to say anything, if it meant finally getting out of here. I‘d learnt my lesson the minute Gavin had ripped me from my bed. There was only one authority in my life and that was my father. It had always been my father.
…Someone I just wanted to be free of.
I forced that thought away as quickly as it sprung to mind. It was thoughts exactly like that which led me to this moment. Testing the patience of a man who had none. I wasn‘t exempt from the rules because of our relationship. If anything, this punishment had been necessary. I‘d clearly become too complacent in its absence and needed the reminder.
Really, it was my fault.
All my fault.
“Raven?” prompted my father.
my legs out of the bed and stood up, taking a deep breath. The
I committed to this
a few seconds before the satisfying click of the lock. Within moments, I found myself
“Because there is work to be done.” …Already?
‘thank you‘, praising how lucky I was to be given another chance. This was a good thing for me. A moment to redeem myself. A moment to show that
I took it, giving a small nod to show how grateful I was. Forcing myself to believe that very thing. “It‘s a clean–up job,” he
the hour, I had packed my things and gotten dressed. A black attire that made it impossible for anyone to recognise me; this being accomplished via a
things when completing a mission like this. Making sure that no one saw me.
all, no one wanted to be recognised at
my house and swiftly started heading to the location, choosing to stick to the shadows of the night and alleys along the way. Thankfully, my speed and strength made the journey easier, but I‘d be lying if I said my injuries weren‘t interfering at all. Truthfully, even back in the fresh air and with slightly faster healing, I knew I would still need another day or so before
· Running with only the intent in mind of proving
made it to the location perfectly on time, intending to enter the run down looking apartment complex, but as I did so, I felt
my mind, the start of a headache. Similar to what i‘d experienced on the night of the charity event.
This wasn‘t the time
needed to focus on my
I slipped through the front door
that people wouldn‘t still be around, coming home from the local pubs and bars. Yet I knew this wasn‘t that big of a deal when this side of town was as neglected as
job, all things
given much information. Just a first name, a brief description, a time and a location. I hadn‘t wanted to press for more details since it wasn‘t something I
follow the orders from the
I finally came upon the room I was looking for; apartment thirty–six.
lockpicking the front door harder as concentrating became increasingly more
located in the same direction. This almost guaranteeing the target‘s exact position. All I needed to do was sneak up and end this quickly. A job that should be simple enough to complete with the new dagger
testing the floor for any weakness that may create sound, and proceeded to move. Moving closer
–You don‘t have to…’
spoke behind me, and I instantly crouched to
one was
heard it so clearly. As if it were right next to me. As
it wasn‘t just a
pain pierced me and caused me to wince. Making it more difficult to focus as I looked around, frantically trying to spot the source. Searching for whoever had spoken. …And yet there
the armchair in front of it. A confirmation that whoever had spoken,
the armchair. Moving quietly until I stood right behind the man who fit the description
now
arm and aimed my dagger, going for a spot that would make this quick. There was no need
don‘t have to do this… You don‘t need to be…’ There
whoever it was once and for all. To stop the intense, sharp
there was no one there… but I thought I knew what was wrong now.
…It was that drug.
Kieran
Now, it was interfering with my work. Scaring me out of doing what I
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