What's wrong with me? I ask myself as I attempt to open my eyes and lift my arms for the umpteenth time. I can't move... it's like I'm completely paralyzed. I feel wetness slide down my cheeks and land on the corner of my mouth, followed by a cold sensation landing on my forehead.

"Gracie, it's time for you to wake up," I hear Chandler whisper, his breath warm against my ear.

I swallow the large lump forming in my throat as my heart rate increases with fear.

"I know you can hear me, darling. The faster you wake up the faster you get to go back to the bus with your brother and the band." Chandler teased me, making my heart race with hope that I would be free. With Chandler, I knew better but I still had hope.

I inhale a deep breath and I try once again to pry my eyes open against their will. I manage to let in a hint of light, making me close them once again. I can only manage a small moan as I struggle against the heaviness.

"Come on," he encourages, his voice too close to me for comfort.

I groan as my eyes inch open fraction by fraction until Chandler's face comes into view. I see his lifeless gray eyes peeking out from underneath his black hair. Stubble from not shaving is forming on his cheeks and part of his chin. My eyes dart away and instead focus on the off pearl colored walls of the hotel room.

"Let me go," I whimper, my fingers curling until my nails are digging into my palms.

"Oh, Precious," he begins, making my insides twist in turn in disgust at the old nickname. "I will let you go and you will be safe and sound. But not until you understand what is going to happen," He finishes before I feel his fingers skim my cheek, making me jerk my head to the side. I pull my legs up to my chest with all of my strength and I wrap my arms around them for any type of comfort. I open my mouth to speak but his fingers move over my lips to prevent me from talking.

"Don't talk, just listen. So, you know how I have been in jail for a while right? Of course you know," his voice cracks as his eyes narrow. "But that was just a little bump in our relationship. We are back together now and I will never let you leave me again. Now, before you start asking questions about when you will be able to leave, I came up with a plan. You will spend your time with your brother, the band until the tour is done, and you can be on your own. You will be meeting me once a week at various places, with me under a different identity, such as... you wouldn't remember a Brandon, would you?" he asks and my eyes widen, making all my breath leave my lungs.

"That was... you?" I ask, biting the inside of my cheek until I taste the metallic flavor of blood. I'd let him touch me and kiss me and my stomach turned violently at the thought. I remembered what that night had caused, ending here and tears slid down my cheeks.

"Yes, and must I say your lips taste so good, better than I remembered. Anyway, before I get wrapped up in you, you will meet me at different places and we will be talking and doing things normal couples in love do. Here's the catch though: you cannot tell anyone or things won't end well for your pretty face. I can trust you remember what happened the first time you did something I told you not to?"

I nod and I whimper in response as the graphic images quickly come flooding back. Memories of shouting, broken glass and other broken things, including my left wrist and two ribs.

"That's what I thought. Now do you understand this, darling? No one may know of our relationship. I have connections now and a girl will be stopping by the bus to pick you up. The cover stories will range from shopping to just a lunch date as friends," he explains, my throat contracting as I struggle to breathe.

"I-I understand," I nod, feeling more trapped than ever.

"Good girl.

I will drive you where Ben picked you up a while ago. You will walk back to the bus and explain you needed space. Oh! Before I forget, I have camera programmed on your clothes and places all around the bus. I even have a couple on your crush Luke. Don't think I won't know what will happen."

I nod once again my eyes close, thinking about everything Chandler has just told me. I wouldn't be able to live a normal life with him out of jail. I couldn't put him back in jail without him hurting me. I couldn't risk any harm to my brother and friends. It was hopeless, as much as I wanted to have some sense of hope for my future.

"One last thing," he says softly and I feel his breath hover over my lips and I hold my breath as his lips come crashing down on mine with brutal force. He kisses me hard, bruising my lips with his as his tongue slipped between my lips. I whimper and remain still, too afraid to struggle against him.

After what seems like forever, he lets up and runs his fingers through my hair. I follow his instructions and I sit up, moving behind him like a puppet. Sadly, he was my puppeteer and I had no way of getting my strings free from his clutches. I was trapped and there was nothing that I could do about it.

***

I tap my fingers absentmindedly as I watch out the windows, the soft pink and orange in the distance, signaling that the sun should be coming up soon. A small sigh escapes my lips as I realize I've been gone almost all night. My brother and everyone else on the bus must be so worried about me.

How was I going to explain that I went for a run that lasted almost six hours? That maybe I got lost and I fell asleep before I turned around and began my walk back? Yes, because that would be completely believable. I roll my eyes at the thought and I feel goosebumps prickle on my arms.

"Do you remember what we talked about Grace?" Chandler asks from the driver’s side of the car.

I glance over and I nod simply, forcing myself to breathe calmly as we come closer to the area where his buddy or whoever Ben was and picked me up.

"Wait! Who's Ben then? A friend?" I ask, looking over at him, wanting nothing more than to kill him on the spot, but I need answers. I need revenge!

"He's just someone I hired. I found him at the mall one day when I was shopping for new clothes, right after I got out of jail. I told him what I wanted done, he agreed after a price."

"So what was I worth to be fucking delivered to you?!" I yell, my emotions boiling over.

I feel his hand land on my leg and I slap his wrist as hard as I can. "Go damn you! Just tell me!"

I hear him chuckle, making me even more furious. I clench my hands together until I feel my fingernails penetrate skin.

"When did you get such a foul mouth? You use to be so innocent and sweet!"

"Just tell me," I spit out.

"$100,000. That was all I had on me at the time. You are nowhere near that amount. I would pay an infinite amount of money if it meant to get you back."

I nod and I unlatch my seatbelt before I push open the car door, the tries still moving slowly as Chandler pulls the car over.

"Remember what I told you. Keep a good look out for a girl around your age to be coming to find you. As far as you know, I am still in jail."

I nod and I grab my purse back from the floor and I begin running once again, pushing myself until I feel sweat break out on the back of my neck.

"Right, Left. $100,000. Stupid motherfucking asshole!" I scream as loud as possible as my feet hit the pavement harder and faster.