At His Mercy (Beasts In The Dark, #1) Read online

  At His Mercy

  Beasts In The Dark Duet (Book 1)

  S.S. Richards

  Contents

  1. Elena

  2. Elena

  3. Elena

  4. Elena

  5. Elena

  6. Maksim

  7. Elena

  8. Elena

  9. Maksim

  10. Elena

  11. Elena

  12. Maksim

  13. Elena

  14. Maksim

  15. Elena

  16. Maksim

  17. Maksim

  18. Elena

  19. Maksim

  20. Elena

  21. Maksim

  22. Elena

  23. Elena

  24. Maksim

  25. Maksim

  26. Elena

  27. Elena

  28. Elena

  29. Elena

  30. Maksim

  31. Elena

  32. Elena

  33. Elena

  34. Elena

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by S.S. Richards

  At His Mercy Copyright © 2019 by S.S. Richards

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual places or events or people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

  To Sara

  Elena

  The rain is pouring outside like a waterfall. Despite my complete silence, a storm rages inside of me. The horrific news from my uncle has kept me awake. He sold me to someone. I shudder, a sob lodged in my throat.

  Ever since my parents died and my uncle took custody of me, my life turned upside down. I was twelve back then. Unaware of my surroundings and the horrible things my uncle was up to.

  At the age of fifteen, when I attempted to run away after watching him stab a man in the chest over and over again, my heart sank deeper in my body and I screamed. I fucking screamed and I remember him swirling around and scowling at me. Anger morphed his wrinkly face. So I ran as fast as I could, but his men, his powerful and gigantic security men, caught me before I got the chance to escape. And ever since then, every step I take has been monitored.

  My room is empty besides a bed and a pile of old books sitting on the old table in the corner of the room. Because even after all these years, he still believes I would harm myself. So he made sure to leave the room serene with nothing in it. In a few hours they will come and get me. I don’t know if it’s a good or a bad thing. A voice in my head keeps telling me I will finally be free from my uncle’s mercy. From his cage, his torment, and abuse.

  My fear is stepping into another cage that will be even worse than the one I’m already in. But then again, what’s the worst that can happen? Death? If I fail to escape the man who purchased me, then I’ll simply kill myself. Find something sharp and end my life. Or maybe he will end it. The man who bought me for his pleasure. The fact a person would buy someone for their own pleasure is making my stomach drop. Disgusting. Absolutely horrific.

  “Slavery.”

  I mouth the word and a wave of nausea hits me. It must be because I haven’t eaten in days. And every time I hear the door unlock, I flinch and fear splinters my heart. You would think a girl like me, after everything she’s been through, wouldn’t care anymore and would give in to the pain and the abuse she’s been subjected to on a daily basis. But that’s not the case. Hope flickers deep inside of me, reminding me that the world is much bigger than the ugliness of this room, and the inhumanity my uncle and his men suffer from.

  Every time I close my eyes I picture myself in a big city somewhere far away from here. A place where nobody knows me. I imagine working at a diner as a waitress. And having good friends who care about me and love me for who I am. Without knowing where I come from, or who my family members are. Without realizing I come from one of the richest mafia families in the world. And that my family has so much money, they own half of Italy, France, most of America, and the list goes on. Once I am free, I want nothing to do with the Romano surname. I will change my name. I will become Amy Smith or Lauren Brown, or any other name but Elena Romano. I grew to despise my name, all because of my uncle.

  The thunder rolls and the lightning strikes. The sound comes strong and powerful from the small window in my room, causing the bed to vibrate. I curl into a ball, wrapping myself in my soft blanket. A few more hours and they’ll come get me. A few more hours until I am another man’s property. I hate the weakness that’s taking over me as I sit here, cold and alone and terrified. I shouldn’t be terrified. I have always fought my uncle, his men, and everyone who stood in my way. My weakness is something I never show the world. I hide it deep inside and let the darkness take hold of me and guide me through my fate. It’s what kept me alive so far. And I should bring it back.

  I take a deep breath in and let it out smoothly, allowing the sound of my breathing to calm my senses and keep me focused on my goal—freedom.

  Two hours later, the door clicks open. As always, my uncle’s guards, Roberto and Matteo, storm into the room. I have gotten used to them invading my space. I swallow the lump in my throat as blood roars in my ears. The amount of anger I have toward both of these cowards is unimaginable. But I never let it out. If I did, they would make the pain ten times worse by whipping me and beating the shit out of me mercilessly. And the worst part is, they would never fucking kill me. I begged for death so many times in the past. A bullet to my head would end my pain and sorrow. But my uncle needs me alive.

  “Are you ready, slut?” Roberto approaches me, a stupid grin on his face.

  I flinch as he fists my hair and brings his face so close to mine, his breath hot on my skin. It reminds me of when he . . .

  I swallow hard and block the memory from flooding back. That’s the last thing I want to remember right now.

  “I think she’s ready. Look at her. You’ve trained her well, Roberto,” Matteo says, standing at the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

  “I’m gonna miss you. You know that, right?” he asks, burying his head in my neck and taking in my scent. I don’t respond. I remain calm and collected, putting the darkness and anger to bed. I cannot ruin my plan.

  He jerks my head back, the sudden movement making my muscles hurt, and pain radiates through my skull.

  “Say something, slut. Are you going to miss me? Miss the feeling of my cock when it’s buried deep inside of you?”

  I fight the tears back that threaten to come out. How many times have I fantasized about killing him? Stabbing him to death and cutting his dick off and feeding it to the wolves?

  So many times that I lost count at this point.

  I nod and stare at his dark brown, devilish eyes.

  “I’m gonna miss you,” I say in a quivering voice.

  He finally lets go of my hair and walks over to the closet. He picks up a white shirt and a pair of black leggings and throws them at me.

  “Get dressed. You’re leaving.”

  I strip off my pajamas and put the clothes on. I do it in front of them because I’ve done it countless times in the past. Matteo would always stand at the door, guarding it while Roberto raped me repeatedly.

  I shake my head at the hostile memory and stand up as soon as I finish getting dressed. I stare down at my feet because that’s what I’ve been trained to do for so long. If I didn’t oblige, the
y would torture me. That’s always been the rule.

  “You’re not taking anything with you. Now let’s get going, slut,” Roberto barks, his thick Italian accent echoing in the tiny, empty room.

  I comply, head cast down, and as soon as I walk past Roberto, he slaps my ass so hard I whimper in pain. Hot blood rushes through my veins like a volcano, awakening the hostility I keep imprisoned deep inside of me. If I let it out, it will cost me my life. And I don’t think I’m ready to have my life taken away from me. Not until I paint my body and my clothes with the blood of everyone who ever did me wrong—my uncle included.

  We make our way through the long, dim hallways of my uncle’s mansion, passing by so many bodyguards and security men. As soon as we get to the main entrance, my uncle shows up from his office. I begin to shake uncontrollably and my breathing comes in ragged pants. With my head still pinned on the floor, I say, “Hi, Uncle.”

  He reaches for my hair and begins to run his fingers through it gently.

  “I don’t need to remind you to be a good girl. Just like how I raised you. Is that clear?” he says softly and all I do is nod my approval.

  “Good girl.” His voice is so soft. I never thought a voice like his should belong to a monster like him.

  He turns his attention to the two men standing at the door. He doesn’t say anything just nods and they walk toward me and grab me without hesitation. They place metal cuffs on my wrists that cut into my skin, and it fucking hurts. I hate these metal cuffs. Every time I had to wear them my mind was always reminded of who I am and what I’ve endured in my miserable existence.

  They drag me down the stairs and place me in the back of a car. Both men get in the front seats and we drive off. I don’t look back at my uncle’s house—my prison. I keep my head straight. For the first time in my entire life, I’m looking forward to the present and to what is yet to come. My heart thumps hard in my chest as the reality sets in.

  I am finally outside of my uncle’s house. For the first time in years.

  Elena

  I’m not sure how long we’ve been in the car for. The men both speak Italian and are deep in their conversation. My uncle didn’t let Roberto and Matteo drive me to wherever I’m going, which pleases me. I have no idea who these guys are, but I know they’re my uncle’s men—his dogs, just like Roberto and Matteo. I decide to test them. Maybe they have a heart and they’ll tell me where we’re heading and who my new owner is. Maybe they’ll be able to tell me why I’m even being sold to a man. I never thought my uncle would do such a thing. He let his men rape me, torture me, destroy me, and break me. I swallow thickly and let a huge sigh escape my mouth.

  “Can you please tell me where we’re going?” I ask, my voice soft and low.

  The driver turns his head around and looks deep into my eyes. His expression suddenly changes into a serious glare. I begin to withdraw myself mentally from whatever punishment is coming my way. My body freezes as the memories of Roberto raping me haunt me, momentarily crippling me. Would that be my punishment? Please God, not this time. Don’t let them hurt me that way.

  “Shut your fucking mouth. Understood?” He snarls and I nod helplessly.

  He then turns the other way, focusing his attention on the road and going back to speaking Italian to the man sitting next to him. I relax my body and breathe calmly. As long as they don’t touch me, they can call me whatever they want.

  I stare out the window and enjoy the sight of the trees we pass by. I close my eyes and daydream about my freedom. The day I claim it and roam the streets, take the bus, and get angry because of traffic. I dream of the normal life I always wished I could have until I eventually fall into a restless slumber.

  I wake up to the sound of loud laughter and I realize I’m still in the car. I have no idea how long we’ve been driving for, but I don’t care. I remind myself I should enjoy the time while I’m away from whatever house and man who’s about to claim me and make me his.

  I turn my head and look through the back window. I notice a big, pitch-black car following us. I don’t know if it’s part of my uncle’s plan for extra security, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t following us earlier. I squint my eyes in order to get a better view of the people inside the car but to no avail. All I know is they are wearing black sunglasses. Anxiety fills my blood. Who are these people? Something feels wrong. I’m about to say something to the two men who are still so deep in their conversation, not paying attention to their surroundings, when the car collides with another one right in front of it. It happens so fast I don’t even realize what’s happening until a hand grabs my arm and pulls me out of the car in a savage jerk. Without having any control over my body movements, I scream uncontrollably as the person drags my body down to the side of the road. My heart speeds up and I twist and kick out as hard as I can, bound by the fear that’s splintering my heart.

  A strong kick lands in my gut, causing a strangled cry to escape from my throat. My vision is blurry from all the tears filling them. Before I even turn my head to the left in order to understand what’s happening, I hear two loud shotgun bangs. They fill the air and for a moment, I think I’m the one who got shot. Not once, but twice. It takes me a beat to realize my mind is still active despite my aching body, which is limp and frozen. I glance to my right and see both the driver and the man who was sitting next to him dead, with a bullet to their heads.

  I lose all sense of control, my screams even louder than before. A fist slams into the side of my jaw, forcing my head to hit the unforgiving ground.

  It fucking hurts!

  The pain is unbearable and overwhelming, sending me into oblivion.

  “Stronger, little girl, hit it stronger!” My father’s voice echoes in my head.

  He leans forward, placing a kiss on my cheek. He puts the soccer ball in front of me and pats my shoulder.

  “You can do this, child. Focus on where you want the ball to go, and it will.”

  His voice is confronting and I smile as my heart feels light.

  “Don’t fucking kill her. She’s not part of the plan,” a deep voice yells out, bringing me back to reality. Four men, dressed in black, fancy suits stand nearby. They are huge and appear so put together. That’s when I realize they’re not my uncle’s men.

  Anxiety comes crawling back and the fear of the unknown restrains my actions. This time I don’t scream or fight or kick out. I remain lying on the ground and beg them to release me.

  “Please, let me go!” I manage past my quivering lips.

  I hate myself for not fighting harder, for being so fucking pathetic. I should try my best to get away from them. But how would I be able to do it when my arms are bound and the men standing above me are two sizes bigger than me? There’s four of them and only one of me. It would be a suicide mission.

  “We’ll bring her with us and ask sir what he wants to do with her,” the same deep-toned voice from earlier says. It sends chills down my spine as I look for a way to hide myself and disappear. I wish I could. The world is nothing but madness around me.

  A scream escapes my mouth as one of the men pulls me up and wraps his strong arms around my waist, pulling me into his body.

  “Please!” I beg, tears streaming down my face. I don’t even remember the last time I cried. It must have happened years ago. But the tears spill down my cheeks like a waterfall.

  Without saying a word. The man places me in the trunk of the car. And that’s when I realize that there’s two of them. One of the cars collided with ours. And that’s how they got to us. That’s how they were able to stop us.

  My body goes numb in the trunk, and every sinew in it tightens. But I don’t react. I hate to say it. I hate to admit it to myself. But I am giving up. I don’t even want revenge anymore. I want to escape and join my parents in heaven. I am ready to die. I hope they kill me and end my misery and agony once and for all.

  I miss my parents so much. My father wouldn’t be proud of me for not fighting harder. But I can’t do i
t anymore. Not when I’m being thrown into the trunk of a car, not knowing what my fate has in store for me. At least earlier, I knew I was going to be someone’s slave—their property. But now I have no idea what kind of hell awaits me. Whatever it is, I hope death is what’s in store for me.

  Oblivion takes over again and I know it’s coming from the hit my head suffered from earlier when the man punched me. The car jerks, indicating we’re moving. The darkness is oppressing, followed by the sound of my mother.

  “Wake up, little bird, it’s time to eat.”

  Her tone is soft and soothing. I look straight into her eyes and ask her what’s for dinner. I hope it’s mashed potatoes or fries. I love burgers. But Mommy says they are unhealthy. Mommy doesn’t like me eating too much junk food.

  “I made fries tonight, simply because I know how much you love them. And I am making an exception since tomorrow is your birthday!”

  My heart races in my chest as excitement rushes through me. I smile widely at her and hug her waist tightly. Tomorrow I turn eight years old. And I am excited to receive so many gifts from Mom and Dad as well as Uncle Leonardo. He is my favourite family member—the only one I know.

  My mom hands me a juice box and I drink the liquid, exhausted from playing outside all day long. Mom and Dad invited Uncle Leonardo to dinner tonight. He always brings me chocolate and gives it to me without Mom noticing. Because he knows she won’t be happy if she figured it out.