Double Standards (Part 1)

The Den

Laney

My eye's slowly started to crack open through the fuzziness in my head. I realized I was laying in a bed, but I knew it wasn't mine. The bedding was black, where mine in Mexico was a bright multi colored pattern. Forcing my eyes to open farther against the pain in my head I seen that the walls that surrounded me was a dark mahogany wood.

Giving a groggy groan, I managed to sit up. "Focus Laney" I mumbled. Then it all hit me like a freight train. London. London found me, tied me up. Fuck the bastard drugged me, but where the hell am I? There was no windows what so ever. Spotting the door, I scampered over to discover it locked. Screw me. I walked back toward the bed and spotted a note on a table, along with a bag of fast food and fresh clothes, water, and what appeared to be asprin. Squinting to make out the writing on the note, through the radiating pain in my head, I settled in the chair. Slowly I began to read.

Babydoll,
I had to run out on business but will return shortly. There's food and asprin, as well as clean clothes. Eat, take a bath, and relax. See you soon pumpkin.
London.

Fuck him. Like I'm really going to trust taking pills or eating food he gave me. Not after he drugged me. Not a chance in hell. And why couldn't he leave my whereabouts written in his little note? A hot shower does sound good though.

London brought all my toiletries and cosmetics, along with a slinky, short dress he'd bought me, but I never got to wear because I was snatched away. Once showered and dressed, I sat on the bed and waited. Eventually after what seemed like eons, the door opened and in he walked. I stared a hole through him with my arms crossed.
"What?"
"What hell London. You know what". London only laughed. "You know I'm getting mighty damn tired of waking up in places I don't know" London shrugged "Then I suggest you stop doing it".
"Cut the shit London. Where am I?" Just as casual as ever London replied "The Den".
"The what? Why am I at the Den?"
"Well you always complained about me hiding it from you, so ta da, here it is".
"Cute London. Now why am I really here?"
"So you'll understand".
"Understand what? That your going to kill me".
London gave a exaggerated eye roll. "Sounds good at times". He saw that the food and aspirin hadn't been touched. "Why haven't you eaten?" Snorting I replied "Uh-uhh. I'm not crazy. Do you think I'd actually be stupid enough to eat anything given to me by the fucktard that drugged me. No thanks, that's one bullet I will dodge".

London ripped the bag open, fumbled with the wrapper, and took a bite out of the burger. "Happy now, satisfied? Now eat and stop being difficult".
"What if I don't won't to eat after you?"
A sly grin crept across London's lips. " Considering all the places your mouth has been on my body, I hardly believe eating after me should be a issue".
Burn. The asshole got me there. Flicking him off, I dug into the burger, ignoring his chuckles.

Between mouthfuls of food I asked. "Why did you do that?"
"Do what?" Rolling my eye's I enlightened him. "Drug me London?"
"Oh that, well babydoll if I hadn't you would have fought me the entire way back home, bringing unwanted attention to us and possibly the fuzz. Then I would had to kill cops or anyone else that tried to stop me".
Laney cocked her head to the side in thought. True, she would have put on a show, and God knows she didn't want any more blood on her hands. Then she remembered her men. "Where's my guys?"
"There here and fine. They've been a huge help as well. Told me everything I need to know".
"They what?" Laney couldn't believe they talked.
"Yep, once I took my drill out and threatened to make their nuts into wiffle balls, they sung like a canary".
"Your just evil, and vile, and, and just despicable. They better not be harmed".
"Okay, fine, yes I did rough them up a tad. Just a few punches, kicks, jabs, maybe a smack or six , but they had it coming. Fuckers thought they could shoot my tire out, run from me, hide you. O don't play that shit".
"Just whatever London. Now why am I here?"
"I'll show you when your finished harassing that burger. Now why would you give Angelo's money to them".
"I needed to make sure I could get out without being stopped. It was the only way". London hated to ask this next question but needed to know. "Did he touch you?"
Laney grimaced "No. Thankfully that was the only moral he had".
"I gave Aleck a nice burial". Laney nodded and turned her head. "Could we really not talk about this, okay".
"Babydoll you shouldn't hold this in. It's not good for you".
Laney stood, the food forgotten. "How would you know, your the one on the other end. The one that delivers pain, torture, beatings. I was chained in that room a total of three times, three days at a time. That's a total of 144 hours. No food, bathroom, nothing. You want to know why? Because of you. Because I wouldn't deny you to him. Then he shows me pictures of you and that bitch. After I went through all of that, you didn't care. Fuck you London". Laney was sobbing at this point. " I can't get what happened to Aleck out of my head. How many times I was hit or kicked, or the times that sick bastard kissed me. And the whole time you was canoodling with her, trying to take my company".
London had enough and flew up out of his chair. He reached Laney in two strides. Grabbing her by the arm, he proceeded to drag her out the door, down a long cemmented hall lit with yellow lightbulbs. "Okay Laney, since you know it all I'm going to show you something that maybe will open your fucking dumb ass eye's".
Laney struggled to keep up as London dragged her roughly down the hall. In a voice laced with fear, Laney cryed "Where are you taking me? What are you doing?"
London refused to answer. He came to a stop outside a heavy metal door. Laney knew exactly what was behind this door. Afterall she'd spent 144 hours in one of these rooms. Going into a panic, Laney started fighting against London as he pounded his fist onto the door. "No London, please, please don't put me in there". Laney clung tightly to his shirt, begging him to stop. One if his men opened the door and he tugged Laney on through. "Look babydoll, there's the bitch you accused me of loving". Laney pulled her face from London's chest and saw a ragged Emily Michaels chained to a chair. The smell of body fluids and body stinch was overwhelming, also indicating she'd been chained down here for awhile. Her face housed a series of old, yellowed bruises. She couldn't even hold her head up anymore. London pushed Laney away and went to stand behind Emily. Jerking her head up he removed his gun from his waistband, he placed it to her head. Laney screamed "please London stop". "See Laney, this is how much I care about this bitch. She was in on it. There was never a land deal. Bitch was lying for Angelo. Tell her". London yelled. "Tell her I never laid a hand on you, I never sucumbed to any of your slutty advances". Between sobs Emily cryed "it's true. He didn't want me. He walked away from me to go meet you that night, but it was to late. I'm so sorry".

Laney heard London pull the hammer back. "No London don't. Please. I'm begging you don't do it"
London took a deep breath and looked at Laney. Shoving Emily's head back down he put the gun away. Looking at his man he said "get doc in here to look her over, then knock her out and drop her off at her home". Then he jerked her head back up to him and glared into her face. "I'm letting you live this time, not because I want to, but because she's standing right there. You should thank her". Between cracked lips Emily sobbed "thank you". London continued "If I ever even think your working against me again I'll slowly slit your throat and watch you bleed out like the pig you are. Understood?" Emily nodded her head and was able to mumble "yes".

London drug a crying Laney back to the room. Once he had her safely inside he turned and left. Laney heard the door being locked back. Running to the bed, she threw herself onto and cryed. She had never seen this side of London before. Yes, she knew him being the mafia king that he'd killed people, but to actually almost witness it was entirely different. His eyes had clouded over and turned almost black. All she knew at this moment was that she needed to figure out how to get out of here and away from him. Yes, she still loved him without a doubt, but she truly couldn't be with a man who had no qualms about killing, being a criminal. How she wished she'd never came to New York for business that day. Oh how would my life be so different now.