#mi... amore....

      The hardback chair pressed to her spine, forcing her to sit up straight.  The tighter he tied her, the worse it got.  He wasn’t a creature of mercy on his best days, and she didn’t expect him to start then on her account alone.  Any movement of her arm to shrug herself out of her bindings was met with splinters scraping flesh.  Rope bit into her, forcing her to be still  ( oh, so still  ;  like a doll ).      They had not said a word to one another since he started, and in her bitter silence she tried to focus on everything but his fingertips brushing across her skin.  Over her shoulders, the sides of her waist, her wrists  –  her throat.  Andromeda could hear the subtle sounds of the shoreline just outside the walls.  The water was calm that night.  She had noticed it when she had tried to dive from the second story deck into the river.  He’d all but dragged her back down the halls kicking and clawing.        Then his damned humming picked up again.  It circled behind her, deep in his chest and all too pleased.  Like his wicked work was something to revel in.  The woman tilted her head back, eyes cast to the ceiling as though heaven cared for her gaze, all distant and foggy.  “ You gonna put a bow on me too, baby ? ” she hissed through bared teeth, daring him closer.  It wasn’t until he came around to stand before her that she was able to see he was still bleeding  –  more than her.  She’d managed to slam her elbow into his face the moment he grabbed her, but it had only served to send them both reeling back across the floor.       “ You’re a real goddamned bastard. ”