Fragile Truths by D. H. Sidebottom, R. M. James Page A

been the same and I knew one day it would become my downfall, the situation I was in then, verifying it.
    He didn’t say anything to me, just turned to Niko and narrowed his eyes. “You have a problem keeping her in fucking line?”
    He was angry and my stomach twisted with trepidation. I had a feeling I was going to pay for my attempted escape.
    “Took me by surprise, that’s all.” Niko defended.
    He snorted then turned his gaze back to me. His eyes roamed up and down my body and a cruel smirk lifted the corners of his mouth. “Strip her.”
    I heard Niko sigh and I stared in confusion at the dark haired guy.
    “Yard,” Jesus spoke up behind us all.
    My brain crashed the memory of Yard into my head and I virtually slapped myself. He had been the guy dancing with Mag`s in the casino where I had met Niko a few years ago. I hadn’t liked him then and I definitely didn’t like him now.
    Yard peered over my shoulder with a contemptuous glance at Jesus. “Well hello there Tate, I’d forgotten you had decided to bring yourself to the party.”
    “Just leave her alone, Yard. It was my fault, I told her to do it.”
    “What?” I choked out. “No.”
    Yard rolled his eyes and returned to look at Niko. “Strip her,” he repeated sternly.
    “Get off me,” I snapped as I struggled in Niko’s hold. He scowled at me as he grabbed the hem of my t-shirt and tried to lift it over my head. “Keep still or you’ll make this worse.” He warned but I ignored him and hit out at him, my hands flaying wildly as he grew angrier and started to rip at my clothes instead of removing them.
    I stiffened instantly when Yard wrapped a hand around my throat from behind. “I’m warning you bitch, enough of this shit.”
    I conceded and closed my eyes in mortification as Niko succeeded in removing my clothing, leaving me stood completely naked. A shiver racked my body and I froze when I felt Yard’s hand slide down my chest and cup my breast firmly. “Now what do you say, Francesca?”
    “I’m sorry,” I whispered begrudgingly as I tried to control the sob that was trying to claw up my throat. I wouldn’t give him the bloody satisfaction of witnessing my tears.
    “Are you sure?”
    I nodded feverishly, my eyes still screwed tight as though it would stop all three men leering at me.
    “You see, forgive me but I’m struggling to believe you. I think you ought to be made aware of how it works here.”
    My eyes shot open when his fingers circled my throat again and I was pulled backwards, my feet stumbling under me in surprise. “I love how you’ve been referring to Tate over there as Jesus, gave me a proper chuckle, darlin’” he sneered in my ear as he suddenly stopped pulling me. “Let’s see how good you look as his mirror image.”
    I was slung around so hard, the side of my face slammed against a column of wood and my breath launched from my lungs so fiercely I choked on it. “No!” I cried as he grabbed my wrists and started to secure them to some leather straps at each side of the horizontal wooden planks, the front of my body squashed harshly against the cross as my backside faced the room.  “Please,” I begged, too scared to care I was giving in. “I promise… I promise…”
    “Too late.” He spat in my ear, his hot breath curdling the emptiness that was in my stomach.
    “Ahh fuck, Yard!” Jesus, or rather Tate as I’d recently found out, shouted in a panicked tone causing me to frown. Why did he sound so panicked? It was me strung up naked not him… okay, maybe he was in the same position with nails through his hands but at least he wasn’t naked. “No, don’t. I’ll take it, just…”
    The scream that launched itself from my lungs when the severe blow hit my back was as intense as the pain that shot through every single nerve ending on my skin.
    “Yard!” Tate screamed as another stroke of the whip struck me. I could hear him bucking against his restraints as another scream ripped from