Ash to Dust (Falling Ash Book 2) Read online

  The threat is effective, and Silas keeps his mouth shut.

  We all watch as Xavier walks toward the door at the end of the hall again and points to the keypad. “What’s the code?”

  None of us replies. We all know just how much more danger we’ll be in if Xavier gets into that room.

  It doesn’t take long for Xavier to become frustrated by our combined lack of response. The situation quickly escalates as he strides across the room and grabs me from my trapped position on the couch. He drags me by the arm across the floor, then launches me into the corner at the end of the hall.

  It takes a moment to reorient myself after the fall, but when I finally do, I realize just how hard Silas is fighting the two men holding him to try to get to me. Seeing his struggle and the helplessness on his face makes me want to crumble back down to the floor right now, but I know that I need to be strong for him.

  I unsteadily push myself up to my feet, taking advantage of the wall behind me to help keep me standing.

  Xavier’s eyes light up as he looks at me before he turns his attention back to Silas. “She has such a pretty face, old friend. Please don’t make me ruin it. Tell me the damn code.”

  With Xavier’s back still turned to me, I take the opportunity to silently convey my thoughts to Silas, shaking my head back and forth vehemently.

  I breathe out a sigh of relief as Silas remains still and quiet, but the feeling is short-lived. Xavier quickly swings his body around and knocks me hard against the temple of my forehead with his left fist, launching my upper body into the door that he so desperately wants to enter.

  My breathing is more frantic now. I have to hold the doorframe for support while my reddened vision fades away for reality to come back into focus. When I can finally see clearly, I push off from the doorframe and stand tall again, ready for whatever else this fucker is going to throw at me.

  “That was my left hook,” Xavier says cheerfully, as if we’re all willing participants in this sick little game he’s playing. He glances back at Silas briefly. “Shall we see how the right hook compares?”

  Xavier turns and grabs my left shoulder, repositioning my body the slightest bit against the wall for no other apparent reason than dramatic effect. After taking a brief moment to observe my hardened expression, he finally delivers the hit that he promised, his right fist connecting with my cheekbone this time.

  The force of the blow sends me flying to the side and onto the floor. My vision is more black than red this time, making me wonder how close I was to being knocked unconscious just now.

  When my normal sight returns this time, I see that I’m lying at the foot of the stone fireplace that is built into the wall. My pitiful attempts at getting to my feet are unsuccessful until I grasp on to the pieces of stone sticking out from the face of the fireplace and use them to brace me so that I can stand up.

  “A resilient one, I see,” Xavier compliments when I face him on my feet once again.

  I’m preparing myself for the next hit, ready to take this as far as necessary to keep our weapons cache safe from those who would use it against us, but Xavier doesn’t reach for me this time. He steps forward and pulls Joseph back against his chair until it topples over, allowing Xavier the opportunity to launch Joseph head-first into the corner of the hallway much like he did to me before.

  Joseph isn’t as lucky in his landing, though. The side of his head hits directly on the sharp edge of the doorframe, and his body falls limp to the floor.

  I immediately move to check on him, but the man with the AR-15 grabs me by the elbow and pulls me back to stop me. Despite my struggle against him, he manages to hold me back with his huge arm around the front of my chest.

  Xavier crouches down next to Joseph and slaps his face a few times until he finally shows signs of reentering the conscious world with us. I expect Joseph would have preferred to stay blissfully unconscious, though, because Xavier has just taken the AR-15 from the man who is holding me and has the weapon trained directly at him on the floor.

  “I can beat you all to hell, but I can’t shoot just any of you.” Xavier contemplates Joseph’s face carefully while Joseph struggles to sit up. “I need to keep the siblings and the happy couple alive, so unfortunately, that means you’re expendable, Joseph. I’m sorry you had to be the odd man out.”

  “He’s not!” Jake cries from behind me, causing adrenaline to shoot through me in my worry over how Xavier will react to what Jake is undoubtedly about to say.

  Xavier lowers the AR-15. “I’m listening.”

  “He’s my partner,” Jake explains with a wavering voice. “We’re a couple.”

  At first Xavier laughs hysterically, clearly convinced that Jake is lying in a desperate attempt to save Joseph’s life. But when Jake’s expression remains completely serious, the laughter suddenly stops.

  “You really want me to believe that?” Xavier says incredulously, but he doesn’t even wait for a response. “We’ll see if you’re telling the truth.”

  He suddenly turns with the AR-15 pointed at Joseph again and brings the weapon high enough to take aim at such a short distance. My breathing comes to a halt as his finger brushes the trigger.

  “8-5-7-3-2,” Jake shouts desperately. “That’s the fucking code to the room.”

  A crushing feeling spreads over my chest at hearing Jake give in to Xavier’s demand. I don’t blame him, though. I would have done the exact same thing in his position. What other choice did he have?

  We will do anything for the people we love.

  Slinging his weapon over his shoulder, Xavier moves over to the keypad and enters the code that Jake provided. The moment the door unlocks, Xavier cracks it open to reveal the metal door hidden behind it.

  “Oh, this is going to be even better than I thought,” Xavier says with excitement as he sweeps open the inner door.

  The motion-activated LED light turns on to reveal the majority of our arsenal of weapons waiting inside, each wall covered with racks and shelves of weapons and ammo that Silas has stockpiled. They are the destructive tools he kept even after he exited the mercenary business to live a secluded life in the woods.

  Joseph struggles to move away from the door toward the fireplace, only advancing a foot or two before he stops at the sight of blood dripping down from his head to the floor. He leans back against the wall and presses his full palm to the wound, wincing at the touch that is needed to apply pressure to stop the bleeding.

  When Xavier has finished his tour of our arsenal, he emerges from the room looking more pleased than ever.

  “I love what you’ve done with this place,” he compliments to Silas. “There are enough weapons in that vault to arm all of my men five times over. And this room—” He steps over to the door to the dark room that is still partially open. “We’re going to make some great use of this room. In fact, I think we’ll start right now.”

  I know he’s coming for me even before he takes steps in my direction. The man’s arm around my chest suddenly lets go, freeing me directly into Xavier’s waiting arms.

  He’s exceptionally strong, easily lifting my feet off of the ground with the arms wrapped around me. I try to squirm out of his grasp and kick my legs against him, but my struggle only makes him move faster toward the dark room. He nudges the door open all of the way and throws me into the darkness inside.

  I try my best to brace my body as I fall, but landing on my side makes it difficult. The bare skin above my hip from where my shirt has ridden up scrapes painfully across the cement until I finally come to a stop.

  Just outside of the door, Silas struggles desperately against the men holding him back in his attempt to come to me. I try to scramble to my feet to go to him instead when Xavier appears at the open doorway with Jake in his grasp. He pushes him roughly down to the cement floor inside and spits on him.

  “Fucking faggot,” he whispers just loud enough for us to hear. Without another word, he closes the door and clicks the lock in place.

  Silas’ struggle is even more audible now, despite the thick wooden door separating him from us. I hear something crash outside of the door, and suddenly, the only sounds left are those of me and Jake trying to catch our breath.

  The calm doesn’t last long. Several sets of heavy footsteps reverberate outside of the door, crossing back and forth until eventually they fade away down the hall.

  The room is completely dark, just as it was when I was kept in here during the start of my time with Silas. It’s painful to be reminded of the days that I spent in here before—back when I thought Jake was dead at Silas’ hands—but it’s even more harrowing to know that this time, my brother, his partner, and my own other half are all in real danger. There’s no ruse here, no secret to be revealed that everything is actually okay. We’re all at Xavier’s mercy now, each the perfect leverage to be used against the other, and there’s nothing we can do about it.

  “Jake,” I whisper, having difficulty hiding my terror in that single word.

  I feel Jake’s hand connect with my upper arm. He moves it downward, searching in the darkness until he finds my hand and grasps it.

  “I’m here,” he says reassuringly.

  I nod even though Jake can’t see me, because I can’t formulate words now. My chest is tight with the sobs bubbling up inside me trying to break free, and suddenly I can’t hold them back anymore. The first subtle cries escape me, and with each subsequent heave of my chest, the sobs only come harder and faster.

  I’m in Jake’s arms now; he has me completely enveloped by his warmth and love. After being with Silas for so long and relying on him as my primary source for support, it’s comforting to know that Jake is here for me, too.

  I feel Jake’s silent tears fall on me, reminding me that he has just endured even more trauma than I have. I fear that he also bears the weight of guilt for giving in and providing the code to unlock the arsenal.

  “You had to do it,” I reinforce to Jake, but I can feel him shaking his head.

  “I should have been stronger.”

  “You were strong. You did what you had to for Joseph. You saved his life.”

  Jake lets out a deep sigh. “But for how long? How long will it take for Xavier to tire of these games and put a bullet in each of us?”

  I don’t answer that question, not only because I don’t know what to say, but also because I don’t want to think about all of the horrible ideas that Xavier could possibly have planned for us.

  “We’re going to be okay,” I insist, clinging to hope that those simple words will become our reality.

  I feel Jake nod against me this time while we continue to hold each other in this room of nightmares, facing the darkness together this time.

  9

  It’s strangely familiar to be in this position again: lying uncomfortably on my side on the cement floor without any concept of time in the darkness while I listen to the distant sound of footsteps elsewhere in the house.

  What’s unfamiliar is being stuck in this position with my brother just feet away from me, but I’m incredibly grateful for his presence here. As much as I hate that he’s experiencing the horrors of this room firsthand, I’m glad we’re at least together.

  The numerous sets of footsteps that I’ve been tracking and dissecting since the moment I woke up have started to become more intermittent. In the last five minutes or so, I’ve only counted two different sets of footsteps, one of which I’m almost certain belongs to Xavier. I fear the sound of those steps more than I ever feared Silas’ steps when I was held in this room before.

  I draw in a sharp breath, the sound of which causes Jake to audibly stir next to me.

  “What’s wrong?” he asks in a raspy voice.

  The familiar footsteps become louder. They’re approaching this room.

  “I think he’s coming,” I whisper, and within seconds, the footsteps are clearly heard just outside of the door.

  I sit up just as the door unlocks and creaks open. Natural daylight pours into the room from behind the shadowed man standing in the doorway, the pleased smirk on his face still visible despite the shaded areas trying to hide it. His light-brown hair isn’t slicked back today; it’s hanging loose around his face and looks more tousled than neat.

  It looks like a lighter version of Silas’ hairstyle.

  “Good morning,” Xavier greets us cheerfully. “As much as I’d love to keep you locked up in Silas’ fun room all day, I could use some company. I love my men, but they become quite the bore after a while.”

  Neither Jake nor I move or respond at all to Xavier’s greeting or request. We’re both stuck as pawns in the game that this asshole is playing, but it’s impossible to know how we’re expected to participate when we have no knowledge of the rules.

  With a mock disappointed sigh, Xavier steps forward into the room. “Well, if you insist that we do this the hard way—”

  I scramble to move back along the cement at the same time that Xavier reaches for me, making it a few feet away before he grabs my ankle and pulls me back. Jake manages to grab my hand before Xavier can pull me too far, and I suddenly find myself in the middle of a tug-of-war between my brother and my enemy.

  “You don’t get how this works, do you, Jake?” Xavier calls out as he reduces the amount of force with which he’s pulling me. “One single radio transmission, and I can have a bullet put into your partner’s head. And your sister—” He crouches down and runs his free hand slowly up my calf, pushing up the fabric of my jeans all the way to my knee. “I can have my way with her any time I want.”

  The fire in Jake’s eyes burns out the moment he connects gazes with me. It’s replaced by terror and regret instead as he reluctantly releases my hand, letting Xavier drag me away across the cement.

  We’ve faced the darkness of this room together. Now I face the darkness of this man alone.

  “I can be useful to you,” Jake suddenly bursts out when I reach the open doorway.

  Xavier laughs and lets go of my ankle, discarding me at his feet. “You’re my best leverage against your sister and Joseph. You’re already of great use to me.”

  “I can cook,” he says desperately. “I’ll clean. I’ll do whatever the fuck you want if you’ll let me out of this room.”

  Jake’s words seem lost on Xavier at first. He doesn’t respond, and instead, he grabs me by the wrist and roughly pulls me up to my feet right in front of him so that my back is against his chest.

  “You really want to be there for all that I have in store for your sister?”

  Hot breath crosses my ear just before the wetness of Xavier’s tongue touches the skin of my jawline. My body is frozen in fear and panic while his tongue slides up my cheek all the way to my temple.

  “You son of a bitch!” Jake yells before charging forward toward us.

  Xavier quickly steps back and pulls me with him out of the room. Jake tries to follow in his charge but has to stop when he’s met by an armed man approaching from the kitchen.

  I can’t see Xavier, but I can feel his evil smile behind me as he says, “You don’t have to beg to be the help, Jake. It was planned for you all along. Remember: I know you. I watched you for weeks living in my community. I know exactly what you’re capable of and what you’re willing to do to save your sister.”

  Jake looks stunned by Xavier’s rant, broken and defeated before we’ve even started. But I can’t have him give up hope. I’m going to need him to get through this just as much as he’s going to need me.

  “What do you want me to do?” Jake asks, making no attempt to hide his despondent expression.

  “I want you to make me and the lady some fucking breakfast,” Xavier replies. “Take him to the kitchen.”

  The man holding Jake at gunpoint moves to action at Xavier’s command, prodding Jake with his rifle barrel to encourage him down the hall. He doesn’t move at first, just stands there showering me with the worry pouring out of him. Eventually, the man becomes more forceful in his encouragement, grabbing Jake by the arm this time and practically dragging him away.

  Before they even reach the doorway to the kitchen, Xavier releases me and pushes me forward across the wood floors, but I don’t get very far. He yanks my arm to stop me in front of the door that leads up to my room.

  “Upstairs,” Xavier demands as he opens the door.

  I shake my head and take a step back, but my small attempt to move away only prompts Xavier to tighten his grip on my arm, and he launches me through the doorway to crumble onto the staircase.

  “Mmm,” he mumbles with amusement, causing me to look over my shoulder at him curiously from my position on my hands and knees on the stairs. “I do like this view of you. Stay in this position. Crawl up the stairs for me just like this.”

  My gaze immediately turns forward to avoid the increasingly hungry look in Xavier’s eyes. Taking just a brief moment to breathe and collect myself for whatever is about to happen, I do as Xavier asks and slowly crawl on my hands and knees up the stairs.

  The moment I reach the top and enter through the doorway into the room, I return as quickly as possible to my feet, fearing what else Xavier might want to do with me in my former position on the floor. Xavier follows into the room behind me and closes the door.

  His hungry expression has worsened in the few moments it has taken for us to come upstairs. I start to panic at being trapped in this room with him and the primal hormones undoubtedly swirling inside him.

  I turn to run for the corner of the room, but Xavier catches me by the arm and pulls me to face him. He holds me to him with his powerful arm all the way around my back as his mouth connects completely with mine to stifle my scream.

  When he has me firmly under his control, he parts his lips from mine only long enough to whisper, “You will not scream again.” Then he continues his forceful attack on my lips, kissing me over and over while his other hand dips past the hem of my jeans and down beneath the fabric of my underwear.