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The key turned in the lock and the door slowly creaked open. "Room service."
Kacie ignored the bass voice and kept her eyes closed.
"You playin' possum with me, little mom?"
A booted toe nudged her leg, and she jerked away from the contact.
"Hey, you should be nice to me. I saved your hide today."
Kacie turned her head to look blearily at the man towering over her. "Feels like there's no hide left. But thank you for what you did."
Nixon stared down at her. "What did you ever do to her to make her go at you like that?"
Kacie closed her eyes again. "How should I know? I don't even know who she is." She felt lightheaded and sick. "I-I need something with some salt in it. Could I…could I have some soup or some vegetable juice?"
"What do you think this is, the Hotel Ritz? You're lucky I've been bringing you water."
"I don't think I can keep anything solid down, but I need something, because…"
"I know, I know, because of the baby. Jesus, you'd think you were the first broad ever to get knocked up."
"You-you've helped me before. Won't you please get me something? And-and I'm out of the water…" She looked up at him beseechingly. "Help me, please?"
A new voice harshly interrupted them. "Oh, don't tell me that you're falling for her 'feel sorry for me; I'm pregnant' routine."
Kacie instinctively cringed away from the voice, the movement causing her back to bump into the putrid slime on the rusting water pipes beneath the ancient bathroom sink. Fresh currents of pain waved over her, and she felt something warm and sticky trickle down her spine. Face twisting in pain, she moaned, "Why are you doing this?"
The woman's voice was cold. "Why? Because I don't like you."
"I don't even know who you are!" Kacie gritted out between clenched teeth. "What could I have ever done to you, if I don't know who you are?"
"You exist. That's enough to turn my stomach."
"I don't understand. I don't know you…" Kacie jumped at the sound of something striking the doorframe.
"Shut up! Just shut up! God! You are so sickening!"
Sounds of scuffling came from the doorway, and Kacie forced open her eyes, trying to focus on the man and woman playing tug of war with the same leather quirt that had been used on her earlier in the day.
Nixon tried to distract the woman. "Come on, leave her alone. We got better things we could be doing than hanging around here."
Furious, the woman ripped the ski mask off her head, releasing a cascade of long, honey-blonde hair. "God! She's gotten to you, too, hasn't she?" Stepping into the bathroom, she shoved Nixon out of the way and hooked her foot behind one of Kacie's knees, flipping the brunette onto her back. "Bitch!"
Kacie involuntarily cried out in agony as the raw meat on her back grated against the rotting tile on the floor. Writhing over onto her side, she curled up into a ball and bit her lip against the jolts of pain. Spots of light danced before her eyes, but she refused to give in to the encroaching blackness. "Who…are…you?" she gasped.
The woman pulled at the corner of one eye and blinked something into the palm of her hand, repeating the process on the other eye. The tinted lenses removed, green eyes glittered dangerously. "Take a good look at me, Mrs. Caine. I've been told I have a face that's hard to forget."
Kacie opened her eyes slowly, and shielded them from the glaring light of the uncovered bulb hanging from the ceiling. She blinked and squinted, trying to focus on the face sneering down at her. She frowned, trying to remember if the features were ones she had seen before. "Were you a patient at the hospital?"
"Try again. Maybe this will help you: I once spent the night with your husband."
Kacie gasped sharply and her eyes widened in sudden recognition. "I should have guessed that someone who pushed me down a flight of stairs when my back was turned would think nothing of beating me while I was tied up."
"Too bad you didn't break your neck that day."
"Too bad I didn't have you brought up on assault charges."
Sara Rezac took a menacing step toward Kacie, but Nixon moved to intercept the blonde. "Come on, Sara, let's get outta here. We have some…unfinished business upstairs."
"She and I have unfinished business down here."
Kacie painfully pulled herself up into a half-sitting position and glared at Sara, curling her lip as the spoke. "The only unfinished business here is what's going to happen to you when Peter gets his hands on you."
Sara hooted derisively. "Funny you should mention that. He IS going to get his hands on me, tomorrow night. And if he ever wants to see you again, he'll put them anywhere I tell him to for just as long as I want him to."
"What are you saying?" Kacie stared stupidly at Sara.
"That's the price he'll have to pay to get you back. One night with me." Sara laughed again, eyes cold and calculating. "When I get done with him, he'll never look at you the same way again."
Nixon raised his voice in protest. "Just what am I supposed to do while you're entertaining Caine?"
Sara smiled evilly. "You? Why you will be entertaining Mrs. Caine." She pressed herself up against him, caressing his jaw with the handle of the tawse.
Nixon's chuckle was low and lustful. "I've never had me a pregnant lady before. Might could be interesting." Looking back at Sara, he chuckled again. "But first things first, Babe." Snatching her into his arms, he held her tightly, fondling her bottom and forcing her crotch into the growing bulge in his jeans. "Baby, I got me an itch that only you can scratch."
Sara giggled as she slid both hands into his front pockets and teased his trapped manhood. "Do you care how hard I scratch?"
"Have I ever? Come on, let's find someplace more…comfortable."
"What about your friend here?"
"She can't come. Three might be interesting, but I'm not in the mood today. You're all the woman I wanna handle."
Kacie sickly leaned her head against the wall. "I need some… "
"You need to shut up, is what you need," Sara sneered.
"Please," Kacie whispered. "Some water?"
"I said shut up!"
Kacie looked at Nixon hopefully, but he was too aroused by the attentions being bestowed upon his lower regions to give her more than a passing glance.
The couple exited, locking the door behind them.
Closing her eyes, Kacie slumped in defeat, sliding down the wall to huddle on the floor. She felt her baby fluttering safely in its warm, dark home and spoke aloud, "You take anything you need from me, Baby. I will do anything to keep you safe, and your daddy is doing everything he can to find us." Tears puddled on the floor beneath her face as she thought, {Make it soon, Peter. Please make it soon.}