FRANKY

I slowly open my eyes but shut them the second I feel a shooting pain at the back of my head. I gently lift my hand to touch it and feel a wound with dried blood. I open my eyes and try to recall how I got the injury and where I am. My eyes widen in terror, seeing my environment. I'm in a cell. Oh my God! What am I doing here? How did I even get here?

I rack my brain, trying to remember anything that can explain why I'm here. My heartbeat quickens as everything starts to come back to me. I recall two men sneaking into my room and grabbing me. I can't believe I got abducted again. Melina must be worried sick about me. I wonder if she knows and has started looking for me. Most likely, I believe.

I whip my head to the cell door as I hear it squeak open. My heart beats faster against my ribcage as someone approaches me. I wrap my trembling hands around my body and wait at the end of the wall for my kidnapper to reach me. I whisper a prayer in my heart, hoping I won't meet the same fate as the last time. They were cruel to me. I tremble even more against the wall just thinking about it. My breathing seizes, hearing no more footsteps, and I get hit with a strong intoxicating cologne.

"Hello there," the man says in a thick Spanish accent, crouching down to my level on the floor. His cigarette and alcohol-laced breath lands on my face. "Don't hide from me; show me yourself," he coos softly.

The room is poorly lit, so the man can't see me as I hide in a corner of the room, but I can see him. I lift my head to look at the man standing before me. I don't recognize his face as one of the monsters who harmed me the last time. Their faces were imprinted in my brain forever, hunting me in my dreams. I examine his face more closely and am struck by the man's features. Hair as dark as a night sky with no stars and perfectly shaped, natural-looking brows. My fingers itch to stroke them, betting they'll be soft against my skin. The man's long eyelashes fan his face as he blinks, and his beautiful green eyes search for me by the edge of the wall. His nose is straight and slightly pointed. My gaze is drawn to his lips, and I find myself wetting my own. They're pink and the ideal size. I come to my senses when I notice his lips are adorned with a cigarette. He takes a drag and blows the smoke on my face.

"I suggest that you step out on your own before I fucking drag you out." His words send a cold shiver down my spine. He rises and moves away from me. He must be waiting for me to heed his warning.

I learned from my previous experience that I should always obey men like him. I noticed they would be gentle with me if I did what they asked. So I slowly lift myself off the ground, my muscles protesting. I lean against the wall, gathering my strength to walk toward him. I worry about what he will do to me and hope I will be able to handle it. After taking a deep breath, I emerge from the shadows.

His eyes widen when he sees me but quickly darken in anger. They explore every inch of my body. I'm not sure if he's disgusted or pleased by what he sees, but I soon find out. In the blink of an eye, the man pushes me against the wall. My dress does little to protect my skin as the man snarls in my face.

"Who the fuck are you?" he asks, breathing down on me as the anger coursing through him causes his body to vibrate.

I look at him, confused. I believe it should be me if anyone should wonder about the other's identity.

"Didn't I ask you a question?" he growls at me, his grip tightening around my neck. I lock eyes with him and gaze into his beautiful green eyes, which are blazing with rage. I find it saddening to see such lovely eyes filled with rage.

"Franky," I rasp out, finding it a little difficult to speak properly with his hand around my neck. He isn't blocking my airflow, but having his hand there is still uncomfortable.

"Why the fuck are you here instead of Melina?" he asks, and my eyes widen, realizing they weren't supposed to take me. Thank God they got me instead. Melina has suffered enough already. It's good that they made a mistake and kidnapped me.

His grip around my neck starts to hurt. I realize he's waiting for me to answer his question.

"I don't know," I say as he punches the wall, a hand span away from my head. My eyes close as he rips the wall open and yells 'fuck' into the room. When I don't smell his cologne, I slowly open my eyes. He throws his cigarette to the ground and extinguishes it with his feet. He looks at me for a good minute before walking toward the door.

"Please don't harm my sister," I say, halting the man for a second before he continues walking to the door.

"Please, I beg you, please don't harm her," I continue.

"Why the fuck should I listen to you?" He stops walking and turns to face me.

"I'll give you anything you want."

"Anything I want," he laughs drily at my statement. "What the fuck can you offer me?" he asks, walking back toward me.

"A lot of things," I speak with confidence even though I don't think there's anything I could genuinely offer to him.

"Even your head on a silver plate won't get me shit."

"I know that, but I have a lot I can offer you."

"I'm listening." He fetches a cigarette from his pocket and lights it. He takes a long drag before fixing his attention back on me.

I ruminate on what I can offer him that I know he will appreciate. My mind suddenly suggests something that causes me to freeze. I consider the implications of offering what just occurred to me, and as much as it breaks my heart to do so, I believe it's the only thing I know a man like him would accept in place of my sister's life. I believe it's even a small price to pay for my sister to live. I will do anything in my power to make sure Melina lives.

"My body." My heart quickens, waiting for his response.

"Your body," he draws out as his eyes roam every inch of it.

"Yes."

I might not be showing it, but I'm concerned he might not accept it. I hope he's a lust-driven man and accepts it. It's the only thing I can offer.

"Strip," he commands.

"You want me to take off my clothes?" I had heard him correctly, but I was hoping he would reconsider if he saw how unwilling I was. I hoped he would agree, but I was not ready to offer my body to him just yet.

"I don't think I need to explain to you what the word 'Strip' means."

"No, you don't."

My hands tremble as I move them to my shoulders and slowly pull down my dress. I have been naked in front of a man before, but it doesn't help build my confidence now because that was before consensual sex. I force my hands to the side of my body and draw them into a tight fist.

"Take everything off," he says, and my heart sinks into my stomach. I remove my bra and panties with tears filling my eyes. I have never felt more degraded than I do right now. I look to the ceiling as his heated gaze ranks my body.

"Turn around."

My tears stream down my face as I slowly turn around. I can't believe this is what my life has become.

"I'll think about it," he says finally after what seems like an eternity. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and quickly pick up my dress from the floor. As he walks toward the door to leave, I put it on, along with my underwear.

I know he didn't fully agree, but it's something. I will make sure to convince him. I must do everything I can to save my sister's life, even if it means suffering on her behalf. I walk back to the edge of the wall and drop to the floor.

I begin to think about how I will give my body to a gender I fear more than anything else in the world touching me. I don't think I can ever be with a man again after what happened during the first abduction. Thinking about sleeping with the unknown man brings back memories of the pain those horrible men inflicted on me. I wasn't a virgin when they raped me, but I can't remember what it's like to crave a man's touch. I mentally facepalm; I can't believe I still went ahead to offer my body to a handsome man whose name I don't even know. I don't know how I will do it, but I will figure out how to save Melina from dying.