Taken

Maicee awoke the next morning feeling sore like she knew she would. Her whole body ached from the beating she had received the night before and Synyster's arm, that was wrapped tightly around her, was not helping with the pain. She tried to gently pry his arm from around her without waking him. She done so successfully and eased herself out of bed to go to the bathroom.

Once she was inside the bathroom, she shut the door quietly and did her business. She walked over to the mirror when she was done to take a look at herself. She lifted up her shirt and examined the markings scattered around her body. She pulled her shirt back down quickly and closed her eyes. She could not believe the situation she was put in. She definitely couldn't believe her mom was the one who had put her in the situation. There was a time when her mom loved and cared for her, but that all went away the day her dad died. Her mom turned to alcohol for comfort and couldn't stand Maicee. She blamed Maicee for her dad's death and Maicee knew she had every right to. It was her fault after all.

Finally having enough of her thoughts, Maicee walked to the door and opened it. She jumped and screamed in surprise when she found Synyster standing there staring at her. She put a hand to her chest and breathed in deeply.

"What were you doing?" Synyster asked her, not phased by her outburst.

"Am I not allowed to go to the bathroom?" she asked him.

"You were in there for a while," he said.

"I was examining the work Shadows did to me."

Without warning, Synyster reached for her shirt and began lifting it up. Maicee tried smacking his hands away, but it didn't stop him. He looked at the markings on her body and put her shirt back down.

"It looks better than I expected it to," he said.

"I'd really appreciate you not doing that again," she said.

"You're really in no position to tell me what you'd appreciate," he said. "Plus, I've told you already, it's not anything I haven't seen before. Now move out of the way so I can use the bathroom."

Maicee mentally rolled her eyes, but moved out of the bathroom to let Synyster inside. He shut the door behind him as Maicee sat down on the bed. She couldn't help but think that she was suppost to be in school at that moment, but instead she was inside a mansion that five strange men owned. She hated school with a passion, but she'd much rather be there than where she was.

The bathroom door soon opened and Synyster stepped out. He made his way back to the bed and sat down on it. Maicee didn't even bother to look at him.

"What are you thinking about?" Synyster asked her.

"How the hell I wound up in this situation," she said, simply.

"We already went over this didn't we?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, "but I'm still confused by it all."

"What's so confusing about it?" he asked. "I found you, I followed you, I bought you, and now you're here. Sounds pretty fuckin' simple if you ask me."

"Why me, though?" she asked as she turned to face him. "I'm a seventeen year old high school student and you're like...what? Thirty?"

"I'm not quite thirty yet," he said.

"Big fuckin' difference," she said. "If you saw me and took an interest in me, don't you think you should have took a different approach. Like coming up and chatting with me instead of kidnapping me?"

"Where's the fun in that?" he asked as he smiled. "Plus, would you have really given me the time of a day if I were to have done that?"

Maicee pondered on his question for a moment. He was a good looking guy that was older than her. She would have been flattered if he would have came up to her, but she didn't know that she would have really given him the time of a day. She didn't date much. In fact, she rarely dated at all.

"You have a point," she said as she sighed, "but kidnapping me? Really? That's not the way to a girls heart."

"I guess not," he said as he stood up, picked his pants up from the floor, and began putting them on. "I'm tired of discussing this. I'm sure the girls are downstairs cooking all of us something to eat."

"I'm not hungry," she said.

"I didn't ask if you were. I want you down stairs with me. When I tell you to do something, you better do it."

"Look, I'm not hungry and I'm sore. Can't I just stay up here. I promise I'll be good."

Maicee looked at him with pleading eyes as he glared at her. She really didn't like the look he was giving her, but she didn't want to go down stairs and face everyone. She was still ashamed and embarrassed about what had happened the night before.

"Maicee, don't make me have to drag your ass down there with me," he said. "I'll do it."

"Fine," she said as she got out of bed slowly and groaned. "I really hate you."

"Yeah, but you'll learn to love me," he said as he stood by the door waiting for her.