his plucked flower

Chapter 7: Psychotria Elata

"He used to sell you to other men." Axel gritted his teeth, ready to pounce at the man he left hung up in chains in his old underground prison.

"He didn't like me very well," Lillian said in a small voice, wiping her tear soaked cheeks.

"I'm gonna kill him," Axel hissed, his teeth gritting so hard that his jaw hurts.

There was an eerie silence as Lillian's heart palpitated at the sound of his angry voice. After realizing his mistake Axel forces himself to calm down and leave his sinful deed for later. He was going to make her father pay in the worst way possible.

"How did you get out?" He breathed heavily trying to mask his anger by focusing on her and her watery eyes, the sight pained him which didn't help contain himself.

"I saw an open w-window in the basement. I had to use a chair and a crate to reach it but I got out. I had a little bit of money with me and I got my passport and left. I threw my phone away and anything that could track me 'cause I knew he'd look for m-me. I-I barely survived, just living out of dollars people would give me and a comforting vending machine." Lillian smiled before continuing, "there was a lady, she was so sweet, she took me in, got me a job and convinced me to come back here."

"Oh," he pathetically replied. He hadn't had a clue what to say, only intently listening and drinking in the new information.

"B-but that's not it." She visibly gulped.

"What?" He shakily asked watching her sniffle and try to recollect herself.

"Someone's s-spying on me." She bit her lip examining him closely.

"What?" he asked suddenly feeling baffled, he had no idea how to react and his body is going on instinct.

"Someone planted a camera after the house party last week. I tried looking for it but I can't find it." She took a deep breath before continuing, "someone is sending me messages and I-I don't know what to do," her shaky voice said, suddenly scared. Tears fell drop by drop landing on her lap as she wiped her face but they still came.

"Hey, hey. Don't cry." He didn't think his voice could be any more gentle, nothing like how it usually is. It pained him seeing her so weak and vulnerable.

"Sorry." He pulled her in before asking the question.

"Can I see them? The messages I mean." He waited, listening intently to the sudden silence.

"Here." She handed him her phone.

She watched him press on the screen before taking in a sudden sharp breath looking at the pictures. His eyes wide reading the first comment, the one she never ended, before widening and gulping reading the second, the one that mentioned him.

"You don't believe this... do you? He started off trying to persuade himself in a whisper before asking her directly.

"Of course not." She smiled, baffled by the question.

He silently shrunk away in his seat on the bed. His heart deflating at how much she believed he wasn't a bad guy. He was and he knew it.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, I'll take care of this. Where did you see the camera?" he asked the question that feared her most.

"Living room."

They slipped off of the cotton covers and making their way through the hallways and to the largest room of the house, her living room. Axel looked around before making his way towards the television, already knowing it's somewhere there from the pictures.

Silently he picked up a small chip, this person was also listening in. He squished the chip in between his index and thumb before looking for the camera next. He knew it was hidden in plain sight, it was right there in front of him but he just had to look for it.

He brain was still processing everything she told him just then. He was planning going after her father after this before going after the guy who did this. He wasn't going to let this slip. He'll even try and look for every guy that ever paid and got what they wanted with his precious girl. They weren't going to get away with what they did.

"Aha!" Hidden in the soil of a small house plant was the small, tiniest camera he's ever seen. It was so camouflaged he almost over looked it.

A/N

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to vote and comment!

Sorry for the short chapter, I just don't have the motivation but I'll try harder.