Lilith
“Ricky!” I screamed when he picked up the call. “Ricky please, don’t hurt my sister.”
Tears hung in my eyes as my heart clenched painfully.
I would never forgive myself if Rose dies because of my lackadaisical attitude.
My sister’s life was in danger, yet I was having sex.
To even think that frightening Rose could lead to heart palpitations and later develop into something complex.
“You sneaky bitch. You think I give my money to strangers without having any back up plan? Is that how generous you think I am?”
“You even tried to play a smart one by switching off your phone so I couldn’t reach you. But you forgot that my eyes are everywhere.”
“I won’t ask you again. Where is my money?” He growled, making me almost staggered in fear as his voice resounded in my ears, filling my body with goosebumps.
“I have it. Just tell me where I will meet you. Don’t hurt her, please.”
“Meet me at the exact spot where you collected the money.”
The line went dead and I raced out of the house.
*****
Cloaked in terror as I walked in the midst of Ricky’s guys, I clutched my purse tighter.
All eyes were glued to me, filling me with a sense of unease as u nearly missed my steps.
“Hey,” I waved at Ricky who was talking to a man with a stick of cigar between his lips.
He nodded to the other man, pulling me over to a dark secluded place before feasting his eyes on me.
My heart thundered in my chest as the sense of loneliness hit me.
My mind wandered to Alpha Casper and how mad he would get if Ricky or his men had their way with me.
An idea popped in my head and I tucked both hands at the back, pressing a button on the wristwatch to activate the tracker.
Alpha Casper would know where he would find me if I got lost.
He grabbed me by my shoulder, sinking his nails deep into it as I winced in pain.
Before I could make out what was happening, he growled loudly, striking me hard on the face before repeating it again.
I felt the gush of blood oozed from my mouth as pain engulfed me.
Spitting the blood on the floor, I tried to move backwards but I was trapped behind the wall.
Tears fell from my eyes and my vision became blurry from the effect of the heavy slaps.
My cheeks stung like hell and my jaws were sore.
“But it’s with me already. Why are you still doing this?” I cried, placing my palm on my burning cheeks as I raised my eyes to meet his furious ones.
“One more word from you and I will have you tied to the chair and whip you until your flesh falls out!” He threatened and my words seized in my throat as I was embalmed by horror.
I tore my gaze from him, curling to the wall as I trembled silently. I was afraid of worsening his anger.
“Next time, you don’t keep me waiting. Most especially, don’t play a fast one by switching off your phone. You are not smart,” he spat, yanking my hair.
“If you are in danger, click on this button and press down on it for a few seconds. I’ll be notified and I’ll come for you.” Alpha Casper’s words resonated in my ears.
“If you had stayed a minute late, your sister and mother would have been dead.” He boasted, letting out an irritating burst of laughter.
“Where is it?” His laughter suddenly stopped and a deep scowl appeared on his face, shaking me with fear.
My hands trembled as I dipped them into my bag and handed it to him.
It was at that moment I realized that I didn’t count the money.
I couldn’t risk getting him more mad. But then I trusted Alpha Casper. He wouldn’t lie to me.
“How much is this?”
“$25, 000,” I squeaked like a mouse, staring at him while my heart did a flip as he counted the money, licking his fingers greedily.
A frown spread on his angry face and I felt my soul quietly slip out of my body.
“That is not all. What about the delay fees?” He demanded, stretching his hand forward in impatience.
The air shifted and I knew something terrible was about to be unleashed.
Sweat broke on my face and a cold breeze slapped my spine. I almost wet my pants as my teeth chattered silently.
“Delay fees?” I asked quietly, trying not to make him go furious.
“Yes. Do you have any problem with that?”
A wave of confusion crashed upon me as I stared perplexed.
My mind raced to our last meeting, but I couldn’t recall him mentioning any delay fees.
Except he suddenly came up with it to extort money from me.
“I don’t understand. What are the delay fees?”
That was the last straw. I knew I shouldn’t have asked, but I was lost in confusion.
I didn’t know when his hands grabbed my head in the darkness, hitting it against the wall before tugging at my hair.
A loud cry slipped from my lips when I let a few of my hair pull from the root.
“Does that jolt your weak memory?” He lashed out like a tiger, ready to pounce on me.
I felt lightheaded and my head throbbed in pain. But I was afraid to ask.
“You signed a fucking contract, but you didn’t read it. Well, it stated that the sum of $500 fee would be added to your debt should the payment daughter elapse and you didn’t clear all your debt.”
My mouth fell open as tears gathered around my eyes.
Pain enveloped my body. It wasn’t the pain of being assaulted, but the pain of the unending debt.
I remembered signing the contract that I barely read because I was about to be late for my mother’s surgery.
“You defaulted for 7 days, so you still owe $3500. It’s here,” he said, switching the light as he pointed out the clause which was above my signature and my heart sank into the abyss of sadness.
“You are given extra 4 days because it’s very obvious that you don’t have money on you. But when returning, you will deposit $5, 500 for delay fees. Have I made myself clear?” His thunderous voice resounded in my ears and I almost fell on the floor.
“Yes, Ricky,” I muttered helplessly.
“I kept to my words and you saved your mother, now it is time for you to keep to yours by repaying back my money.”
He leaned closer, his face a few inches away from mine. The smell of cigar oozed out of his mouth and I crinkled my nose in disgust.
Thanks to the darkness that enveloped the room.
His firm fingers gripped my face hard and his voice came out dangerously low.
“Failure to return my money at the said date, you will face my wrath.”
“What I intend to do to your family will be little compared to what I will do to you. This is just a tip of the iceberg.”
His grip tightened and his burning eyes were fixed on me.
“Now get out before I change my mind!”