A guy began to loosen his belt but Ola held up a hand,"No rape am, just beat."
Suddenly, I felt a strong hand hit my back. Then plenty of hands began to hit me all over my body. I screamed and cried until Ola said "STOP! That's enough. What's your name?" He asked me.
"Fuck you!" I was on the floor half-dead and he's been polite? Bastard!
"What's your name, young lady?" He asked again.
I stood up slowly and walked up to him. Ouch, my legs hurt. I slapped him and then slapped him again and again.
Everyone gasped waiting for what their boss would do. I was scared but I don't think there's anything worse he can do.
The room was so silent, we could hear each other's breath. He stared at me with angry eyes and then pulled me in. I could hear the rest murmuring as we left.
"What are you trying to make me seem like?" He asked angrily as we went in.
"Why did you order them to beat me up?"
"If your parents didn't hear you crying, they could think it's a prank and refuse to pay the ransom. Besides, that was mercy. We usually rape the girl one after the other and give them to my girls to finish up. If we kidnap boys, the beating is much heavier."
"So you think you were merciful to me?"
"Yes, I do."
"Why?" I hope this doesn't get me another beating, my body is paining me
"What?"
"Why did you show me mercy?"
"Stop asking useless questions, just tell me your name, parents name and phone numbers."
"You promise not to let them touch me again?" I asked in my cutest puppy eyes.
"Fine. I promise but just do as I say."
"My name is Vanessa. My mom is Emma and her Nigerian number is 0-8-..."
"Thanks." He said as he pulled me out to the living room with him.
"Oya, guys, time to call the mother."
The gang began to hail him. A girl even asked what he did because according to her, they didn't hear screams.
"Sola, there are other ways to collect things. I just asked nicely," he told her.
"Ah! Since when?"
"Ogbonni don dey catch feelings oo," a guy added and they all laughed. He held up a hand to stop them and dialed the number I gave him. After two rings, the phone was answered.
"Hello, who's this?"
"Is this Mrs Emma?" He asked.
"Who's asking?"
"This is doctor Timothy, from South Carolina," he said.
"Yes, this is Mrs Emma. But I don't know any doctor Timothy..."
His voice turned much deeper and robotic automatically.
"We have your daughter, Vanessa." He said.
A scream was heard on the other end as she called my dad to come and listen.
"Baby, they said they have Vanny," she shouted frantically.
My dad sounded calm when he answered. "What do you want?"
Ola laughed in the same robotic voice. "Don't be in a hurry now. Let's hear from her." Then he shouted at me in a very scary voice and grabbed my hair and with it, he pushed my head into the phone "Speak to your father!"
"Daddy, it's me, Vanessa, help me." I said in tears. How can a person be this wicked? I thought things like this only happens in movies.
"Baby, are you okay? We're coming to get you so stay right there, okay?" Mummy said, worry vivid in her tearful voice.
"Vanessa, it's me Vivian. Please get back here hale and hearty, okay? I love you."
Ola yawned in mock boredom. "Drop the sum of fifty million dollars in cash by the bloodies gang hideout in Yaba. If it's not there by tomorrow evening, I swear to God, your darling Vanessa go understand wetin we mean when we say 'pesin toto don wide.' Your father go know the place. And I'm watching you so don't bring the police into this or do anything stupid, okay?"
"Ah! This boy, na sure bastard you be!" My father cursed,"If you rape my daughter, you go see wetin you dey find."
Ola laughed for a while then hung up and let go of my hair. I stood up and ran into the bedroom and began to cry. A moment later, he came in with a plate of food.
"I'm sorry," he said
"What for?" I quickly wiped my tears
"For being so rough with you since you arrived here. I just needed my people to continue seeing me as the strong boss I am because me being soft with you like this dey cause see finish."
"What's see finish?"
"Disrespect. You see, I've never stopped my boys from fucking a girl as much as they want before and I always video call so the parents can see the bruises and pain the victim goes through. The fact that I didn't let all these happen to you will make my boys believe I've gone soft so I had to inflict as much hurt as I could so I'm sorry."
"Hmph! You're crazy! Just leave me alone! Bastard!"
I sat on the bed. He sat beside me. I adjusted my position closer to the edge. He kept coming closer until I was trapped between him and the high frame of the bed and then he stole a kiss.
Ok, I'm officially shocked. Why did that feel so good though? Anyway, how dare he? I should slap him now, right?
I landed a heavy slap on his lips and stood up. Then, with my index finger pointed towards him, I began.
"What do you take me for? A submissive slut? If your purpose of being nice to me as you claim is to have sex with me, then you are one of the most foolish people I have ever seen, no, you are the most foolish person I have ever met. Your disgusting and a whole bunch of..."
"Vanessa!"
"A bunch of crap. You're..."
"Vanessa!"
"What?"
"I like you..."