Melina wakes up with an excruciating headache and a burn on her left cheek. She looks around and finds herself in a dimly lit room, on a bed she doesn’t recall getting on. Melina remembers falling asleep in the van but has no idea how she got here. They must have moved her to this location.
“Franky,” Melina calls, but receives no response. She gets out of the bed and reaches for the room’s wall with her hands. Hitting her foot on something hard, she bends down to rub it when the lights in the room suddenly turn on. She closes her eyes as the sudden brightness blinds her. Slowly opening her eyes, Melina tries to adjust to the light.
“I was starting to worry you were dead. You slept for quite a few hours, Mel,” James says, standing near the light switch by the wall.
“Where is Franky?” Melina looks around the room for Franky, but she is nowhere to be found. Melina wonders where she is.
“Somewhere safe, and don’t worry, she’s not dead yet,” James says. Melina turns to face him and notices something unusual about him. His sleeves are rolled up so Melina can see the tattoos on his folded arms. She wonders when he got them. He never had them while they were married.
“Please don’t harm her.” Melina hopes James is telling the truth and that Franky is safe where she is.
“I won’t for now. Do you like them?” He uncrosses his arms and walks toward Melina. He must have noticed her staring at his tattoos. She wonders if he got them to please the Mexican cartel leader.
“What do you intend to do with me here?” Melina says, ignoring his question as she couldn’t care less about his tattoos right now.
“So many things,” he taunts, standing just a breath away from her. “I can’t believe you got pregnant for that monster,” James says angrily, grabbing Melina’s jaw and forcing her to look him in the eyes.
Melina notices James’ rage in his eyes, and hers widen when she realizes why. He is jealous. Oh my goodness! Melina is taken back, but she isn’t too surprised. James may not love her, but he wishes to be the center of her universe. He is a selfish bastard who wishes Melina would be his puppet forever. He must be upset that, despite knowing who Thomas is, she slept with him and became pregnant. It hurts him that Melina chose another monster over him, but Thomas was no longer a monster in her eyes.
“Did you just refer to him as a monster?”
“Isn’t he one?”
“No, he isn’t,” Melina says drily.
“Melina, Melina, you don’t have to lie to me; I know your life has been hell with him these past few months.” He takes his hand off her chin and gently strokes her hair.
“In comparison to you, he’s still not a monster.”
“I’m not a monster; I’m just a man who puts his interest first.”
“You’re a self-centered bastard, that’s what you are.” Melina feels alive as she says this. She yearned to say these words to James.
“It appears you’re still bitter about what happened the last time.”
“Shouldn’t I? You murderer!”
“No, you shouldn’t. I did you a favor, which I intend to repeat.” he says, moving his hand to touch her belly but she steps away from him.
“Stay away from me; I’m not going to let you hurt my child again.” Melina says, wrapping her arms securely around her stomach.
“The choice isn’t yours, honey; we need to send a message to Thomas that we mean business.” The door swings opens, and two men step inside the room. “As much as I wish I didn’t have to do this, James says in Melina’s ear. “Unfortunately there isn’t anything sweeter than hurting that bastard by killing his child again.”
“No, please, I beg you. My child has done nothing wrong. Please don’t take it away from me,” Melina pleads with James, but he only laughs. The two men who entered the room earlier began to walk toward her. Melina tries to flee, but they grab her and start dragging her out of the room.
“Don’t worry, Mel, I’ll make sure you stay awake the entire time this time around,” James says as he walks out of the room.
They drag Melina into an open area that reminds her of where Kimberly tortured her.
“Please, James, you don’t have to do this.” One of the men that dragged Melina out of the room ties her hands together. Tears roll down her face. Melina can’t believe she ran away from Thomas to protect her child, only to lose it to the same monster who took her first one. God! What has she done to deserve such punishments?
“Begging won’t do you any good. I advise you to make peace with your baby before we begin,” James says as he unbuttons his shirt.
“Please, James, my child is innocent. I’ll do anything you want; please don’t do this.” The rope used to bind Melina’s hands is raised and hooked to something on the ceiling, lifting Melina’s body off the ground, her toes barely touching the ground.
James walks toward her. “As much as that is inviting, I’ll have to pass.” He cracks his knuckles.
“Please, James, please,” Melina pleads. She can’t believe she’s going to lose her child again. This is so unfair; God, why is this happening to her.
“Is the camera ready?” James asks one of the men in the room.
“Yes, it is ready, sir.”
“Let’s put on a nice show for him, love,” James says, flashing a wide grin and showing off his perfect white teeth.