Owned by Him (Editing)

"Come on, baby. Wake up for me."

I could hear Phoenix. I could smell Phoenix. I needed to see Phoenix.

Only... I couldn't. Jordan had replaced the blindfold.

"Where are you?" I asked, my voice rough and raspy.

With the most tender touch, I felt Phoenix's finger tap the side of my foot.

"I'm right here, darlin." He replied softly, keeping his finger pressed lightly against my smallest toe.

"How bad was it this time?"

My head was pounding, and my mouth felt as though I'd eaten a bunch of cotton wool. My entire frame felt as though it was being weighted down by a slab of concrete. Every part of me hurt. Jordan had evidently unleashed his six months of pent-up aggression upon me.

"Pretty bad, baby. Bubba had limited movements for a few days." Phoenix replied softly, a twinge of guilt slipping through his tone.

I rested my head back against the spine of the chair and let out a sharp breath.

"How are we back here?" I whispered, more to myself than Phoenix.

Tears seeped into the blindfold. I'd had enough of this. I just wanted to be left alone.

"Is...is bubba alright, though?"

Each word was punctuated by a quiet sob. Each sob laden with wholehearted despair.

"He had one of the midwives come and monitor you. Bubba's heartbeat was strong, she'd said." Phoenix replied, stroking his finger up and down my toe, offering what little succour he could.

"There are midwives here?" I sniffled, not actually aware of where Jordan had brought us.

"Yes, baby."

From the tone of Phoenix's voice and his lack of elaboration, I assumed that wherever we were, was not a safe place.

"You know where we are, don't you bub?" I enquire softly. I was cautious to mind how I sounded, I knew Phoenix was already carrying the guilt of our capture on his shoulders, I didn't want to come across as accusatory.

He took a sharp breath before muttering "Yeah, I do."

"And?" I pried. I wasn't trying to be an asshole but somehow, knowing what to expect helped ease the vulnerability I felt shrouded by.

"He's brought us to 'The Nunnery'." He replied. I could hear his chains rattling. I knew he was repositioning himself to a seated position.

"It's an old convent that he brought years ago. He transformed it into a facility," Phoenix sighed heavily before he continued.

"He made it into a place where all the girls that he has abducted are brought to be checked over and trained before they are sent off to their new owners."

"Owners?" I asked, lost feeling somewhere between nauseated and incensed.

"The facility also deals with the women he has working the streets in cases where they become unexpectedly pregnant."

I knew he had more to say, but I could hear how horrified he was by what Jordan had been doing.

We both sat in silence for a while, allowing me to absorb the dreadful information I had been given.

It wasn't until I felt a tiny kick in my stomach that I spoke again. The question I had brought a potent and unignorable bout of anxiety to sprawl through my chest, but I needed to know.

"What...what do they do with the babies?"

My voice was trembling. I needed to know just how barbaric Jordan was.