The Silence That Surrounds

Sophia’s POV:

It was forty-five minutes later that I walked slowly down the hard wooden steps of the lodge, my delicate fingers grasping the branch shaped banister.

Truth be told, the lodge was mostly all wood and different colors of brown furniture – such as the couch, the chairs and the crafted kitchenette set was all contrasted to meet the artistic appeal of the decor.

I remember a long time ago my father telling me that all things will have a value but most things will have a higher worth if they outshine the ordinary. It’s best not to think about cost if you’re looking to appeal to those around you. I personally was happy with homemade clothing but I won’t lie – a boutique dress was far more appealing. Most of his partners thought so too. In fact, I had little choice of clothing in my old room and the only thing I could find was a white spaghetti shoulder dress, the hem stopping just at my calves’ and a pink sash was tied delicately into a neat bow at my side. On the bottom, near the hem, a ring of pink stretched all the way across with small beautiful flower stems following the fragile light color. It was the dress that sealed the Davis account. Possibly the only time I’ve seen my father so giddy. That was a fifteen million dollar business deal. Now that I can see myself in a mirror, the dress is complete rubbish and evidently, so am I.

“Have a seat.” Daniel spoke coldly, gesturing to an empty plate. The smell of Lamb chops and onion beef goulash stew filled the air. Amongst the odor was the slight aroma of freshly baked bread.

“What’s the occasion?” I asked skeptically, sitting cautiously in the chair he demanded me to.

“Why, my beautiful little girl just came back from being held hostage, why wouldn’t we have such a festive –“Daniel began, the sarcasm easily dripping from his tone.

“Cut the bullocks. You don’t give a fuck about me, my feelings or my life. Your party friends unable to make it?” I spat, folding my arms across my chest.

Daniel ignored me and threw the pot of stew on the table, along with the hot plate of lamb cuts.

“Tread carefully, Sophia. Don’t make him angry.” Harry warned, his voice coming through my earpiece and making me go quiet.

With a sigh I again submitted to the silence, allowing my father to set the table; although his face kept quenching up into a look of pure disgust.

“Your hair, it’s so – black and short. Quite unattractive really. Admittedly, I would not have pegged you to go with such an ugly hairstyle and you look like you gained a little weight, what have they been feeding you? Also, while on the subject, why are you so bruised up? Damien and Harry taking their payment out on your body in other ways than a strict beating? Though, I could hardly blame them. If I didn’t get the millions I was promised back, I’d settle my frustrations on the closest thing I had. Actually, if memory serves me correctly, I had, quite a few times. Didn’t I, kitten?”

I don’t think I could fall much harder to the bottom of the cliff but my father’s words were vast proving me wrong. There was always another rock ready to crumble under my feet.

“Well, there must be a god. Has to be if you no longer find me touchable anymore, right daddy? As for my hair, I’ll have to thank Harry for that later, he can take the main credit for my hair but funnily enough, it’s growing on me. I’m going to even go as far as to say that it matches perfectly with the color of your heart quite nicely. A man that gives his own children away, has very little heart at all.” I snapped back at his blatant insults.

I don’t know why my father was being childish and I don’t know why it had to be this way. He was my father – the man who raised me and here I was now, a complete stranger. I’m not the girl I once was and he was not the man I once loved.

“Sophia?” Louis came though this time. “Keep to the task at hand, okay, flower? Documents.”

I sighed.

“Fine. Let’s forget it and eat. I’m too tired to argue with you over my physical appearance and I’d like to get down to a business proposition myself.” I relented, talking to both Daniel and Louis.

Daniel hummed a response, filling his plate with lamb and stew. I followed in his stride and did the same but I was in no way at all hungry. I was nervous. Dad was dangerous when he went silent like this and his lack of response on the matter was unnerving.

“How is Dylan surviving? Are they treating him equal to you?” Daniel asked conversationally.

“He’s being treated fairly, same as they are me but you don’t give a fuck about his wellbeing. Just the same as you didn’t bother for a response when I was kidnapped. You let them have me and in turn, he was a key piece for Harry to hack into the system.”

“So, you put your younger in danger because of the agreement with Damien Crow?” My father snorted in disbelief.

“YOU TRADED ME FOR A BUISNESS PROPOSITION YOU NEVER INTENDED TO PAY BACK! What, was I not good enough, father? I TRIED everything and I mean EVERYTHING to gain your respect. I always did as you asked, I went to work and stayed late hours. You even told me I was your favorite – or was that your guilt? HUH?! Was I just so much your favorite that, you traded me like yesterday’s rubbish pile to suit your needs and to brush off when you assumed Damien Styles would roll over and take it? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH!? DO YOU EVEN CARE?! I HATE YOU!” I screamed, slamming my hand on the table with a loud ‘thwack’. It never felt so relieving to let out the emotions I had pent up deep inside me.

My father didn’t react. His eyes were downcast to his plate, his face though held a small sliver of contentment at my anger.

“Sophie, love? Calm down, that’s what he wants. Don’t give him the satisfaction. You need to remain calm.” Zayn tried, his voice was soft and he held a small tone of admiration.

I growled in response.

“Fuck off!” I hissed, not in the mood for being lectured by either of them.

“Sophia, you will not speak to us like that. Now, apologize.” Louis spoke again, this time it was calmly. He said it all in stride, like explaining to a child that yelling at adults was wrong but the apology was not something they would get right now. I’ll be damned if this piece of rubbish in front of me was going to think I was apologizing to him.

“No.”

Louis groaned and radio silence followed after.

“It sounds as though you’re upset about the agreement made between Damien and myself. I can understand that, luscious, truly I can but you need to understand that my deal with Damien and paying back on the loan plus the interests was never one I intended to complete. It was far too much once everything was added together. So, I struck him a deal, you were just an unfortunate participate but why should it matter? You’re back and they released you, yes?” Daniel smiled, setting his fork down, wiping his mouth properly with a napkin, standing from his chair, strolling to the back of my chair and wrapping his arms around my chest; his large fingers purposely fingering the nub of my left breast. He circled around it almost playfully.

“Unless you’re lying. You’ve always been good at that and I can see the small plastic platelet wedged in your ear, pumpkin.”

I tensed against his strong hold, struggling a little but he calmly shushed me, his mouth going by my ear where the earpiece communicator was.

“You lads must think I’m some sort of git. I assure you gents that I’m not. The wanted posters, the news coverage was just another guarantee to make your time in the public eye the final piece that would eventually lead you to wanting information you need to legally take over my company, which is the documents. Am I right?”

“Nightshade, are you okay?” Harry asked with concern.

I opened my mouth to respond but my father’s hand went from playing with the tip of my breast to sealing my lips tightly underneath his gigantic palm. So much so that only a tiny grown escaped.

“In case you’re wondering, she’s fine but given that she’s still wanted and technically still missing in the eyes of the law – I could always snap her pretty little neck, chop her up and feed her to the wild game outside. Then again, why waste the meat? I’m sure I could whip up something decent and enjoy it myself. After all, we have meat on us – the same as everything else. There really is no difference between eating human flesh and eating lamb. It’s all a matter of your ranking and where you are on the food chain. Humans, some at least, they eat other humans. Society says it’s wrong but really, what’s so unlawful about it?”

I felt myself let out a small exclamation, my father further sealing his hand against my face.

“Harry? What’s your order, mate?” Louis asked, his tone void of expression but I could sense his anxiousness. It probably was close to or exceeded my own.

“We do nothing, we wait. He’s trying to bait us out and he already has a gun loaded somewhere in there. We can’t take a chance, he’s trying to get us in the open. Sophia? When he takes his hand off your mouth, I need you to try and get some information, okay, flower? Don’t panic, keep him talking. We’ll be there when his guard is down, he still needs you alive to get him back into his company. Stall that for as long as possible.”

I hummed desperately into his hand, trying to scream out to Harry. I never heard my father talk so grotesque before and it was scaring me. He’s talking about killing and eating me! Harry needs to plan something – and he needs to do it soon.

My father grasped the ear platelet and pulled it harshly from my ear. Not at all gentle – not like how Louis had attached it to begin with. Though with dad doing that, it gave me a chance to reach by the bow of my sash, taking out the switchblade that Broker had given me. I use to think Harry and anyone associated with him were monsters – now I understand, more than I had before. I understand Harry and his reasoning to survive. Because living sometimes means you have to become the very thing that you hate. Razor was no more a monster than Harry – and I no more one than him.

With only a split second decision my fingers grabbed the switchblade, the hard plastic under the touch of my flesh seeming to produce an unnatural warmth. I pressed the lever and let the blade expand out with a loud click.

Daniel paused, seeing the gleam of the metal blade before I sunk it into his shoulder. That caused him to release me from his hold.

“HARRY I STABBED HIM, HELP ME!” I screamed before Daniel’s foot found the ear piece. My communication with the boys now cut completely. They could still hear me through the tracer in my throat but I wouldn’t be able to hear them.

“You fucking cunt! You BITCH!” Daniel screamed, completely enraged, his other hand pulling out the knife from his shoulder.

I backed away.

“Harry please!” I begged desperately, my shrill voice cutting through the tense air.

“He can’t save you, sugar plum and I’m not going to kill you.” Daniel grit his teeth, attempting to calm himself and me at the same time.

“You said you were going to snap my neck and eat me!” I screamed, still letting my footing carry space between us.

Daniel began to laugh.

“I said I should. You’re not the only one good at mind fucks, hunny.” He smirked, stepping back to sit in his chair. “Besides, Harry is too much of a coward and his father even more so. He sends his little lad to kill people, too afraid to get his own hands dirty and Harry? He’s a cute gent, when he’s not sucking his thumb. Face it, you don’t send a fucking kid to do a man’s job.” Daniel grumbled, tossing my knife on the table. “And you will not stab me again, you got me? I am your father! I am YOUR GOD and at this moment, missy – I’m really tired of all the screaming, the threatening and the crying. If you insist on acting like a child, I will happily treat you like one. Starting with you over me knee and I can guarantee you lemon, that I will get far more pleasure out of it than you would. Now, we’re going to have a nice and quiet supper. So sit down and let’s just eat.”

I stared at him as if he grew ten extra heads. I just stabbed the son of a bitch and he’s – sitting back down to eat like nothing happened.

“I-I’m not –“I stuttered but he slammed his fist on the table.

“I SAID SIT DOWN, SHUT THE FUCK UP AND EAT!” He bellowed.

My body shook in absolute fear as I made my way back to the chair, sitting my trembling body back into it.

Daniel smiled pleasantly, reaching over for a bottle of red wine, pouring it into two glasses and sliding one my way.

“Drink up; you’re look a bit pale, muffin. The wine should add a little more color to your cheeks.” Daniel chuckled, drinking down his – more than likely to get shitfaced enough to not feel the stab wound.

“I d-don’t –“ I stuttered again but when his smile dropped and his fist tightened on his own glass I picked mine up and gulped it down, sliding it back over to him, only for him to fill the glass up again. This went on a few times.

“Eat, I don’t make food only to have people waste it. I am rich but food, I spent hour hunting that game. I refuse to let any of it go to waste. If you don’t try to eat, I’ll come back over there, hold you down and force feed it into you until you choke.” He threatened with a mock cheerful tone.

I wasn’t about to test that threat. My fingers shook violently, grasping the spoon and bringing it to my lips.

In addition to that my stomach was flipping so bad that it would be a miracle if I didn’t throw up. I could not stop my body from vibrating but despite all this, I felt no tears. The urge to cry was gone. I should be on the floor in a heap and crying into my hands but I’m not. I’m sitting here like someone swallowed an earthquake and praying.

“Now, my turn to talk and your turn to listen, peaches.” My father began sweetly, grabbing a piece of bread and tossing it at my head.

It bounced off my face and landed on my plate, he didn’t even pause, he simply continued.

“You wanted to know the reason I gave you up? The business deal with Damien and all that, yes?”

I nodded, my voice failing me completely.

“Words, darling.” Daniel smiled.

“I w-want to k-know why my f-father choose a company over his own flesh and b-blood.” I gasped out, my throat unnaturally dry. I picked up the glass of wine but I didn’t slide it back. I didn’t want anything more form this monster.

Daniel shrugged.

“Truthfully? My company means everything to me. It always had. I busted my ass to get to where I am. You were just a cog – something my family and friends expected me to have for the sake of – passing on the genetics and wealth. Dylan, he was an accident as you may or may not know but his company was pleasant when it came to hunting. So I never minded him. Your mother was fertile and carried respectable genes, much beautiful twenty-nine years ago as you can imagine. You were a gorgeous little thing growing up – it’s a shame that being held prisoner can make a person less than attractive but anyhow back to point; I always knew that when Damien sent out for his payment that my backup plan was always going to be you. The man has been more than fair over the years but you see, Sophia, I’m selfish and Damien Crow expects too much to be paid back. The interest amount he wants collected would be the amount worth two of my companies. So I struck up a deal. You as the down payment.”

I felt my reserve give a little more.

“I’m not worth that amount. I’m not even worth half that.” I whispered, setting my spoon down, bringing my palm to my mouth.

“Not even quarter or half a quarter worth that, you’re right. Even if they pimped you out on the London Streets for a hundred years, it would never bring in enough revenue to what I owe your kidnappers,” Daniel chuckled but continued unaffected.

“Guys like Damien don’t deserve the business they get and people like me, we are smarter businessman not to give into people like him. You were something that I had to plan so that I had an heir to the fortune for when I passed or if anything happened. To be truthful, if I didn’t have a reputation to upkeep with my family, you wouldn’t even be here – I had plenty of chances to push your mother down the steps to cause an abortion. Both opportunities to do so with you and Dylan. If I had found out that your mum would have been having another girl, I could guarantee you that I would have killed the slag but a boy – it was a chance for me to train you two of my ways and you were good at what you did. A nice piece of ass and tits to stare at when I hosted parties and your brother was a strapping young lad eager to please – he had a chance. Honestly? I’m upset they didn’t leave my son out of it and just kill you. You were good at what you did but you were the weak link, Sophia. I need someone strong and Dylan was capable but he had his weakness too. He had you.”

I wanted to cry then. I could feel it tickle at the back of my throat, making my head cloudy and spin. I just knew I couldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“You never loved me, then? Anything you ever told me, ever did, it was a lie to appease your reputation?” I asked, wanting to know – no, needed to know.

“You were fun to touch and beautiful to look at. Now? You’re simply an inadequate. The only reason I need you around right now is to unlock my system. I want back into my company. Without access to my company, I won’t be able to change my will. I need to change it because legally, in the eyes of the law – you’re committed a crime, punishable in jail up to thirty years – maybe more.”

I swallowed nervously. It couldn’t be any worse than being kidnapped and I wasn’t sure if he was bluffing, so I called him on it.

“That company is no longer yours. The same as it is no more mine. You made a deal with the devil and now he’s here to collect and he did. I won’t take that hack off because I no longer have access to the server. Harry is now the main administrator, the rightful one. I’d rather see him in charge over the company then a heartless bastard like you. You can hurt me, I’ve been hurt – more than you’ll ever know. Damien is good at what he does and in turn, the little girl you knew – she’s long dead. She’s what monsters are made from and truth be told –“ I paused, a small smile gracing my lips. “She’s accepted the darkness. She’s accepted her fellow demons and we go out drinking every Friday together. My place – Dylan’s place, it’s with Harry because face it dad, you’re on the loosing team and now that I know that the documents haven’t been altered, now that I know that your lawyer safely has them – it’s time to invite him over for a drink so we can sign everything over to their respective owners, don't you think? So, will you be calling Mr. Scar or shall I?”

I stood up calmly and backed away from the table, grabbing my knife before doing so.

Daniel reached out to take a swipe at my wrists and because I was still unsteady from earlier, I was almost caught but once I got my switchblade, I kept it in front of me, my feet moving backwards as Daniel got up from his seat and marching toward me, his posture confident, his smile as determined as ever.

“Oh darling – you’re really going to wish you wouldn’t have said that.”

Notes