The Silence That Surrounds

Sophia’s POV:

I looked down at my lap as I sat quietly and unmoving on the bed. The door had closed nearly half an hour ago – maybe forty minutes at most.

Dylan sat down next to me, his body facing my own.

“Soph –“He began after the long pause but I cut him off.

“Margin 52, Sector 105. Alan Spacer, passcode 22. Maybe?”

Dylan shook his head with little promise.

“No. To kidnap a king, you have to kill the pawn. In this case, there are thousands of them. Dad –“

I cut him off bitterly.

“No, not dad. Don’t you fucking dare –“I choked back an agonizing breath, my hands balled into fists before I used what was left of my strength to punch Dylan in the chest.

He groaned painfully, his arms wrapping around my upper body but since we were left alone to discuss the logins –

“I’m sorry Sophie. I’m sorry, alright? I didn’t know.” He croaked, his voice a blur of emotion and before I could think on it further, his arms were gently wrapping themselves around me.

His hand guided the back of my head to the crook of Dylan’s neck, hugging me to him firmly.

“Shh, shh, shh. Steady easy love, you’re going to be alright.” Dylan calmed, his voice a defeated softness but it was something I had yearned to hear. The false promises were serene, something easily slipped into and tried on. He not only guided me into the counterfeit feeling, he intensified it with a gentle stroke of his hand.

I whimpered at the stiffened muscles and painful bolts that shot up my spine.

“Come on, Sophie. Look at me.” He commanded gently, moving my head up toward his beautiful eyes. The same eyes that reminded me so much of my father – only his were lighter, despite the ocean blue reflection.

“I deserve this, Dylan. I deserve –“

“No sis, you don’t. No one deserves this kind of treatment. You most of all, stop playing the victim. Stop giving those bloody fuckers the satisfaction of seeing your weakness. We are Stones, we push back and we don’t crack.”

“They won before they even started. I’m scared, Dylan. I just want this to be over so I can finally rest in peace. I just want this pain to quit and they hold all the control.” I whispered defeated, my arms wrapping around to grip him tighter. Surprisingly he returned the embrace with a gentle one of his own.

“You’re still my beautiful sister. I’m sorry – I’m sorry for all of it and I know that won’t make it better but we’ll get out of here, escape if we have to.” He promised, making our forced conversation come to a halt.

“I tried to escape once already. They locked me in a midget sized coffin and left me folded up like a contortionist for three long days and then tied me back down on the bed. I don’t have any more fight left in me, we have to get into the system. It’s not a matter of trying, it’s a matter of succeeding.” I unwrapped my arms from my brother and stood up weakly, my body protesting every movement.

Dylan was up and wrapping his arm around my shoulders before I could blink.

“I’m just getting dressed. I have some clothes in my duffle bag by the corner there that Louis brought me when he went to my apartment.” I point to the furthest corner and allowed my flesh and blood sit me back gently on the bed.

Without a word he walked over and carefully knelt down to the bag, ripping open the zipper and shifting through the colorful material before taking out a beautiful light blue dress, the hem reaching down to my calves, the long sleeves would cover up the bruises. It was modest but my mind wasn’t focused on clothing. It was focused on Damien and Harry. What happens if Dylan and I don’t get into the systems?

I focused back on Dylan and noticed he had picked out a pair of cotton white panties and a matching bra. It seemed he knew his fashion – considering his choice of clothing were alligator polo’s and khaki shorts.

I studied his bruised and worn face. Dylan was handsome despite looking like he got hit by a delivery truck. He had the same shade of blue eyes as me – a trait we inherited from our father. His long blonde dirty hair was in need of a desperate cut and his lanky figure seemed slightly skinnier. His outfit was stained in dried blood and his lip was swollen, matching a perfect onset to his two black eyes and dried bloody nose.

I must have spaced because the next moment he was sitting beside me, his eyes a reflection between worry and regret.

“Let’s get you dressed, Damien gave us an hour – we don’t have long.” He sighed and reached for the hem of the nightgown Harry had managed to change me into last night after we were all but shoved and locked in.

“I’m not completely helpless, I can change myself.” I argued but it was weak and everything in me hurt. My heart most of all. I could feel the slow thumping against my chest, the feeling of it slowly being squeezed into a suffocating vice like grip.

“You can barely stand. Let me help.” He forced a smile but it was weak and it didn’t reach his eyes.

“I don’t deserve your kindness or your help. I’m the reason you’re here. I don’t deserve –“

He shushed me, his hand coming to rest on my cheek, wiping away the lone tear.

“It’s not about what you do or don’t deserve. I’d rather be here with you than wonder what ever happened. I wish none of this was happening to you or me but it has and we’re just going to have to deal with it the best way we know how.” Dylan explained, gently lifting up the light cotton material.

I flinched, my arms going across my bare chest when he pulled the nightgown from me. I felt utterly helpless and broken, my fragile mind slipping once again to its darkened corner.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered to Dylan, his hand grasping my own and pulling it from my chest, slipping the appropriate bra strap over before allowing me to recover myself and repeating it on the opposite arm.

“It’s forgiven, sis. Don’t worry about it. I love you and right now we’re all we have in this hellhole. I don’t want to lose you again.” He smiled, shifting his body to guide the bra to my chest. I removed my arms and adjusted the cups while Dylan snapped the closures into place behind my back.

He was treating this as a job – he didn’t perv or let his eye wander. He didn’t even make snide comments.

“Thank you –for your kindness.”

He let out a small sigh, positioning my underwear at the bottom of my feet. I easily stepped into them, using Dylan to balance.

He effortlessly pulled them up my thighs before guiding my back onto the bed again and grabbing the dress last.

“I’m your brother and you’re hurt. I’m the one who should be sorry, Soph. I couldn’t even stop it. I was right there – I watched them all take a turn and I wasn’t strong enough to stop them from touching you – from hurting and taking away something that was so important to you.” His voice cracked with emotion. His reserve breaking and the platform his feet had been on falling away. We maybe Stones but even we have a chipping point and Damien managed to find his.

I held back my own tears while the beautiful cotton material fell around my thin body in a perfect loose fit.

“You’re my brother and you couldn’t have helped me – no matter if they tied you up or not. We’re alone, we have only ourselves.” I reassured his own words, wrapping my arms around him and planting a fragile kiss to the bottom of a wound on his cheek.

He returned the embrace and we stayed like that for a few minutes in silence, our own thoughts carrying us to different parts of the world. It was only when the door opened and Louis stepped in with Harry did we take notice enough to disengage and stare at the tired criminals.

“Master Styles is requesting you both in the kitchen.” Louis murmured, a white bandage over the graded and torn flesh of his cheek.

I stood, the dress finishing its decent toward the floor, stopping at my calves by gravity and lack of material to reach further.

Dylan rushed up and helped me steady.

“I got her. Louis needs to tie your hands; Damien’s orders.” Harry growled, his eye sporting a punch from Damien.

I let out a panicked sob, backing back against the bed and letting out a whimper of pain when my body sat down harshly at the edge. Dylan backed up as well, sitting next to me while Harry came to kneel in front of the both of us but before he could retort anything I beat him to it.

“Let me. L-let me tie him, he’s my brother.” I swallowed thickly, seeing Harry’s glare darken.

“We don’t have time for this, Ms. Stone. If I am not out there with you two in a minute, he will come back here. So tie and gag him but make it quick.” Harry said, shoving a zip tie and piece of cloth into my hands.

I nodded and began to try to secure him.

My fingers shook as they struggled to connect the tie into the stopper.

Dylan noticed my petrified movements and shushed me.

“Sis? Do what they say. Just –be calm.” He instructed, smiling when I managed to zip the tie together, securing it to his wrist, slipping the cloth into his mouth and tying it in the back. I checked the slack and nodded to Louis and Harry.

Harry confirmed my nod with his own, getting up off the floor and grabbing me securely around the waist. Louis went for Dylan and forced him ahead of us.

Harry slowed his movement and took out three codeine based pills.

“This will make you foggy but these are Tylenol 4’s – it will help with the pain, can you swallow dry with no water?” Harry whispered, popping them into my mouth before even receiving a reply.

I nodded and swallowed with little challenge.

He seemed satisfied and led me out to the kitchen, sitting me in my chair – right in front of a laptop that had been set up. Dylan was placed next to me, both chairs close.

Damien sat the closest to Dylan, a disposable cellphone in his grasp.

“Senior Stone is expecting our call.” Damien smirked, grabbing Harry’s shirt and dragging him back to his side. “You, Harold, will be monitoring the call. With any luck Stone will realize how futile his alluding is. Louis already killed his wife – though he seems more upset with his mansion being blown to bits.”

Steel, who had been at the opposite side of the table let out an obnoxious, high laugh.

My heart dropped.

“Mum?” I managed to swallow, looking at Dylan who bit down on the cloth in his mouth, tears glistening in his eyes.

“Mummy is dead, yes. Her and about forty other guests. Louis used his brain for once and followed orders.”

The air around me staled and thickened. It was suddenly hotter than it had been a few moments ago. I couldn’t express into words as my world crashed in on itself.

“W-when?” I demanded weakly.

“Early this morning. You and the others were still asleep. Louis was awake so, he got the job. Your father was on another hunting trip, this time alone. He is of course back home grieving for his wife. Can’t expect the man to be totally heartless.” Damien laughed.

Harry took the phone from Damien and opened it silently. He looked defeated this morning –for some odd reason, he didn’t have the hostility.

Harry dialed the number already typed on the screen and put it on speaker.

It rang a few times before the other line could be heard picking up.

“What!?” My father’s enraged voice bellowed over the speaker.

“Good morning old chap! Fancy a chat, mate?” Damien asked enthusiastically but making no effort to hide his sarcasm.

“You blew up my mansion.” Daniel seethed.

“I also blew up your wife and her party favors but priorities over extravagancies, yeah?” Damien counteracted.

Daniel growled but remained silent.

“You owe me money, Stone. A lot of it. Twenty-nine years, interest at forty-nine percent – the company itself is worth billions now. You will find your assets frozen soon enough so I suggest you get your affairs in order before we come to collect you and I promise, it will be soon. I don’t have much of a heart – correction, I have no heart but even I think handing your daughter over to the sharks is a little bit of a dick move. Nevertheless, she has proven to be most helpful and most delicious. Have you ever tasted her, Stone? I know a man of your stature must have some kinks.”

Daniel went quiet –my father went completely dead air. It was almost as if he wasn’t going to speak at all.

“My son, Dylan? What of him? Has he been hurt?” Daniel asked, his voice carefully treading over the question. It seemed more detached, like an important question you propose before making a business deal.

“In a matter of speaking, he’s fine. We’ve been keeping him safe at a code red status. In fact he’s right here, listening. So is Sophia. Say hi, Ms. Stone.”

My heart was squeezed tighter, a small sob escaping my thinned and bloody lips.

“Why? I want to know why.” I demanded, my hand balling into a fist.

“And I would love to know what my son is doing there, Sophie.” Daniel counteracted back.

“He’s here because he had more extensive knowledge on the cliental. I’m here because my father was a dick tip bellend and traded me for a false deal. I just want to know why. If I’m supposedly your favorite daughter, I’d love to even know how you treat the children you hate.” I spat, making Daniel sigh.

“It’s not personal, Sophia. It was never personal. I just needed time and you weren’t pulling anything into the company like Dylan was. He was making contacts, you were making my client’s sons uncomfortable. Asher Heart – I had that deal in the bag. You refused to sleep with –“

I grabbed the phone from Harry’s hand in a vicious vice like grip.

“I refuse to sleep with someone and suddenly I ruin an account? Are you fucking kidding me?! Asher Heart was nothing but lovely and if I recall it was you not being able to hold your bloody liquor. You fucked that deal up, Daniel – I didn’t.” I took a chance to glance at Harry. His eyes were seething – I dunno if it was from me being grabby or if my father was working his last nerve. Whatever it was, it certainly was noticeable this morning.

Harry reached over and pulled the gag from Dylan’s mouth, encouraging him to speak.

“Daniel?” Dylan swallowed, looking at me with nervousness.

“Dylan, son, are you alright?” Daniel prompted, concerned etched his throat. It was funny, Daniel was detached with me but poor little Dylan Stone.

“I’m alive. I want to know why you lied, why you –she’s your daughter for God sakes.” Dylan exploded, pounding his tied hands on his lap.

“She was my daughter. I don’t own her anymore – the responsibility is that of her owners.” Daniel recited robotically.

“What is she? A bloody Goddamn dog you can just give away? She’s your daughter and MY SISTER! The bloody fuck is wrong with you!?” Dylan exploded, shooting to his feet but Harry was shoving him back down before he could even get his footing.

“She is no more my daughter than she is your sister. Her ties to us were cut the moment they chloroformed her. My hands are washed of Sophia as far as I’m concerned. You, however, were not supposed to be involved, Dylan. So now, we have a problem.” Daniel sighed, his attention going back to an oddly quiet Damien.

I let a loud and agonized sob escape my lips. I was expendable –my worth was always a standard low compared to Dylan’s and I don’t know which hurt more. The fact my father disowned me or that he just called me a worthless produce easily sold and bought like a common whore.

Harry slapped his hand over my mouth harshly.

“I believe she gets the point but it’s rather moot at this time to argue specifics. What we do have is a trump ace in our corner. Your son, he is obviously worth something and since it doesn’t take a genius to see this, what will you offer for his return.” Harry questioned calmly, his eyes glancing over Dylan for a millisecond before looking at Damien. “Although, you will most likely get him back in pieces.”

“I said we had a problem, Styles. I didn’t say anything about a solution. My son, as much as a father can love his son and do what’s best; the error has already been made and it is clear that you will not yield to any standard agreement. I won’t jeopardize my company. Not for anything. I worked too hard to get to where I am. Children are mere flesh and blood. I can slip my dick into any standard slag and pop out a living being. We do it all the time, it isn’t necessarily a miracle. A company however – a successful one at least, is not done so easily. It takes time, patience, care and a loving passion to be cut throat. My children were never seen in the big picture, although I was quite attached to my wife before you blew her and a quarter of the neighborhood to pieces.” Daniel finished with a growl, clearly still upset about the mansion.

Damien laughed, almost disbelievingly.

“So, mate, let me see if I can sum this up. You are relinquishing both children to my care?” Damien confirmed, grabbing the phone from my hand, hauling back his free one and slapping me across the face. “Ms. Stone really needs to learn to quit crying, has she always been like this?”

“Sophia has always been the weaker one. She knows compassion and Stone Enterprises is not run on that specific trait. Do with her and Dylan what you think necessary. Our business is done. Farewell, Damien. A pleasure to come to an agreement.”

With that he hung up.

Dylan looked just as shocked as I did – minus holding his stinging cheek.

Harry glanced at Louis, shaking his head. This was not the way they had it planned in their heads from the scowl Damien wore – or the almost unreadable emotion that barely reached Harry’s eyes.

“We can’t continue to keep Dylan at the cabin. We barely room for Ms. Stone, so, now what, Damien?” Harry sighed.

Damien was deep in thought but his dark olive greens were lighting up.

“No matter. We make arrangements for Daniel Stone to join me at my cabin within the week. You, Harold, will oversee Dylan’s training. If he is to make himself useful around here then he needs the training and structure to do it, have him ready by the end of next week. As for Ms. Stone –“

My eyes were searching desperately around for anything I could use – my emotion was raw and everything was being stuffed into my ears like cotton. I could hear my broken heart thump against my ribcage and bleed down within its prison. I could feel the shattered fragments and it was at that moment everything Harry told me began to make sense.

My senses were dulling and I could feel the pain pills Harry gave me start to numb the signals to my brain – that’s why what I did next was done on impulse rather than critical thinking.

In the hem of Damien’s jeans I spotted the tip of his gun and it was easily reachable. So when the chance presented itself I was up from the chair and had his piece in my palm securely.

Harry made a grab for me but I backed away from the table where Damien’s trainees were. Louis now by Harry and the other of Harry’s men were nowhere to be seen.

I backed myself into a corner to observe the criminals that surrounded me. Dylan’s panicked gasp sounding from the sudden movement – especially when I cocked the gun off safety and directed the barrel just under my chin.

“No more. N-no more. No more.” I repeated to them, my eyes scanning each of their faces. Damien looked pissed and Harry looked worried. Louis really didn’t give a fuck and my brother was standing before anyone could utter a word.

“Ms. Stone, give Damien his gun back, love. You don’t want to do that, do you? We’re not going to kill you –“Louis approached the situation with sprout gloves but his expression was still emotionless.

“Sophia? Give me the fucking gun.” Harry growled.

“Actually, I quite like the way things are playing out.” Steel laughed, making Harry ball his hand into a fist and approach the street thug, punching him across the cheek.

“Be fucking useful and give me your knife.” Harry demanded but took the knife from Steel and moved back toward Dylan, wrapping his arm around the younger Stone boy, whispering in his ear.

Dylan swallowed, the knife pressing to his throat.

“Sophia, please – we can discuss this. Put the gun down.” Dylan pleaded, whimpering when the blade was pushed a little deeper.

“I-I just want it to end. You heard Daniel. You heard him! What use are we? What use were we ever?” I sobbed, knowing I was showing weakness.

Damien laughed darkly.

“You know? I was going to murder you when this was all over with but you’ve given me so many reasons to keep you going Ms. Stone that I’m running out of room on paper. Since you seem to like having a sensation of adrenaline rushing through you, I’ll do one better. Harry has his orders for Dylan. He will be moved to my cabin and you most likely won’t ever see him again but Harry can teach you a few things – which he will go over once you are off suicide watch. Both you and Dylan are on that until further notice…however, since I am growing bored of your deer caught in the headlights look, I’ll end this game before it begins.

He took out his knife and turned to Dylan, slamming the blade into his shoulder, making the younger Stone scream and buckle into Harry’s chest, his tied hands gripping the handle of the knife instinctively.

My breathe hitched and throughout the screams – unbeknownst that they were coming from my own mouth, I saw a flash of blonde blur and before I could blink, the gun was knocked away and I was safely in the embrace of Christian – his hold strong but his eyes sorrowful.

“No!” I screamed, my voice echoing into the morning air, breaking the silence once more.

Harry made sure Dylan was settled on the chair before approaching my restrained body.

“Christian? Help me get her sedated and into the jacket, we’ll keep her in Dylan’s room. Liam and Jonathan will medic attention him once I have Ms. Stone calmed.” Harry ordered cautiously, his beautiful jaded orbs going to my deep blues.

“No! Let me go!” I screamed, realizing what I had just done.

“Shh, Sophia. We’ll take good care of you. Just relax.” Christian comforted but they fell on deaf ears.

Damien grunted and pulled the knife effortlessly from my brother, my voice never faltering in its desperate attempt to end my life – the life that was ruined, the life that was no longer mine.

“I’m going back to my cabin to make arrangements for Mr. Stone. I will leave at once, make sure my orders are followed and that junior there, keeps to his task. No pain medicine until the system is cracked. Get him started on it.”

Louis had left the room and reproached with the clear colored syringe, handing it to Harry.

Harry uncapped it and with surprise gentleness, stuck it into my upper arm.

“Don’t fight it Sophia, just go to sleep. Everything will be better.” Harry whispered, allowing the barely faint hum of a soft melody echo into my ears, right up until the blanket of black sea swallowed me again, this time – in a strange way, I welcomed it because it was the only way to escape…and with any luck, the waves of death would drown me just as peacefully.

Notes

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