Classified || 2 || ✔️ mature

21 | Cleo

Thump.

. . . Thump.

. . . . . . Thump.

I can feel my heart beating under my flesh, the rush of blood running through my veins.

My shoulders hurt from their position, chains wrapped around my wrists, pulling my arms above my head yet my body rests on the chair below me, the only thing holding my exhausted body up.

The room is so cold, frost bitten fingers running over every inch of exposed skin.

A guttural groan exits into the air, rattling inside my mind and sinking into my bones.

I force my eyes open, staring around the new room, neck aching where the needle was inserted, mouth dry.

The sob almost exits my mouth when I see the man across from me, my fingers flinching against the chain, wanting to run to Clay as he lifts his head, fair blonde hair falling over his forehead, coated in layer of sweat despite the frigid temperature.

Clays eyes widen when he sees me and he pushes himself from the wall, trying to get to me but his legs fail beneath him.

"Cleo." He says roughly, the sound of my name on his lips causing tears to spring to my eyes.

"Clay." I whisper, clearing my throat. My eyes sweep over him trying to find the problem, but I can't see anything.

His eyes do the same, glancing from the chain holding my hands up to the chair I'm strapped to, ropes binding my waist.

"What have they done to you? Are you okay?"

I nod my head even though I'm not entirely sure I am okay.

"I don't remember anything." I whisper.

Clay tries once again to get up but his body fails him, his face tightening with frustration.

"I can't get up." He mutters, looking up at me.

"I think they drugged you." I murmur, looking up and down his body.

I hear footsteps outside before the door opens, a person entering but I can't see them from my position with my back to the door.

Clay does though, his face dropping into a scowl, thunder in his eyes.

"Father."

"I really didn't want it to come to this, Clay." The man says walking around the side of me, his eyes on Clay, "You and your sisters left me no choice."

"Coward." Clay mutters, shaking his head, "You're a fucking coward."

Director ignores him, his eyes going to me. "I do apologise for what's to come. It's not my intention to hurt you but he has requested you specifically."

I swallow the saliva in my mouth, blinking back at the man.

"What have you done?" Clay snaps, his eyes flicking from me to his father.

"I haven't done anything." Director mutters, "You can blame Liam for anything that happens in this room, if he would just talk then I wouldn't need to take such extreme measures."

The door behind me opens once more, my own anxiety creeping up as I feel the person enter, feel their gaze on me.

"Don't damage her." I hear Director say, before his footsteps fade.

Clays eyes latch onto mine, giving me the courage to steel my spine for what's about to happen.

The man behind me walks around, his familiar amber eyes tracking down my figure.

Dimitri Volkov smiles when he reaches my eyes, his hand lifting to curl around the chain at my wrists. "Are you ready to play?"

Clay struggles to sit up from where he sits against the wall, his wide eyes on me.

"Leave her alone."

Dimitri ignores him, looking at the chain in fascination, "You're not my usual choice." His eyes go to my hair, fingering a pink curl. "But you will do." He traces a finger down the side of my face, humming under his breath, "For now."

Dimitri moves, his hand coming to rest at my shoulder, smoothing over the skin.

"Such beautiful flesh, so unblemished."

I jerk away, as much as the chains will allow, my eyes going to Clays.

"Leave her alone." Clay yells, his words rough.

Dimitri ignores him, hands resting on the chair before he pulls it out from under me, my body fighting to stay upright, exhaustion pulling me down.

The chain on my wrists, pulling and rubbing at the raw flesh.

The chair is pushed against the far wall, Dimitri moving to a contraption against the wall I hadn't noticed. 

He turns those cold eyes on me as he pulls a lever, cranking it up and down, the chains above me answering with a rattle as hey begin lifting, pulling my body off the ground.

"Did you know," Dimitri muses, "The human body can only hold itself up for so long before we're forced to rest." He pulls the lever once more, my feet dangling off the floor. "And when we do let our bodies weight fall, the action can cause asphyxiation and eventually death."

My hands grasp onto the chain, pulling myself up as I feel my airways closing, my frightened eyes going to Clay's.

"But don't worry, I'm not ready for you to die yet." He lets the chain slacken until my feet just barely touch the ground.

He steps away from the wall, stalking closer and stopping at my back, my eyes finding Clays, watching him for a reaction to what is happening behind me since I can see nothing.

Seconds later I feel a whisper of air across my back, my shirt falling forward and my eyes close, not wanting to look at Clay. Not wanting to see the devastation in his eyes.

"Cleo." He voice is choked as he calls my name and my eyes snap open, finding him. "Look at me, only me. Okay?"

I nod, wild curls falling in front of my face before a hand pushes them back, Dimitri looking at me through blank eyes. "Don't hide, I don't like it when they hide." He says through gritted teeth.

I look away, finding Clays gaze and holding it, blocking out the rest of the world, my vision tunnelling and he's the only ending.