Crossing the Line (3 page)

Katya hadn’t let herself fall asleep until there was no sound from anywhere in the house. But the moment she woke, she knew he’d been in her room again. When she saw her backpack gaped open, she jumped out of bed. A moment later, she cried out in shock. Her money and papers had gone and she knew Vasily had taken them.

She considered phoning the police but would they believe her? They’d probably share her money if they were like the MVD. Russian justice was a swamp and it would be no different here. Vasily would lie and make her look a fool. More importantly, she didn’t want to be known to the police. That way, she’d achieve nothing.

Tears fell as fury and resentment bubbled inside her. The money was all she had after she’d sold a precious violin, the contents of the apartment, and then settled debts.

When Vasily returned, she exploded. “You stole my money and papers. Give them back.”

He placed sacks of groceries on the counter. “I’ve put them someplace safe.”

“I can keep my things safe. Give them to me.” She clenched her fists. “I’m leaving right now.”

“Calm down, Katya.” He helped himself to a beer. “I’m looking out for you. Burglars target isolated houses.”

“Why two women safe and documents not?” Her English slipped. “There is always someone in house. Who would want documents?”

“They’re in the bank,” he snapped. “I’ve done you a favor. Shut the fuck up.”

“You should have asked,” she shouted. “Get them back.”

“The bank’s closed.”

Why did I stay? What can I do?

“If you’ve finished yelling, I’ve got friends coming. I said you’d make stroganoff. I’m going for a shower.”

She stomped off to ask her aunt for help, but she was sleeping. Katya couldn’t leave without her money and papers. She cooked in a furious temper.

The sickly odor of Vasily’s cologne reached her before he did. He breathed on her neck as she stood by the sink and she shuddered.

“Irina was a good cook before she got sick.”

His hand slid onto her hip. She slapped his fingers away and he laughed. When he went outside to lock up the dogs, she slipped two kitchen knives under her mattress, one on either side and sat trembling on the bed. Maybe he’d cleaned himself up for his friends, but she didn’t think so. Bile surged into her throat. While they were here, she’d be safe but after…
Oh God, I want to leave. If I have to walk, I’ll walk. But my money…

A vehicle pulled up, lights shining into her window. The dogs barked and Vasily yelled at them. Doors slammed. Deep voices spoke. A moment later she heard the words she’d dreaded. “Katya, get in here.”

There were four men with Vasily. One her age with dirty blond hair and a goatee. Another dark skinned, plump and a little older. The other two looked like Vasily, big ugly men. They’d brought beer, lots of it. Cans and bottles were stacked on the counter. The youngest blew a bubble with his gum and popped it noisily as he stared at her.

“Introduce yourself, honey,” Vasily said.

She stayed silent. These were bad men. She should have run. Now it was too late. Fear pooled in her belly and turned her feet to lead. Vasily put his hands on her shoulders and steered her toward them.

“This is Katya, from Moscow.”

The older guys were Dave and Edgar. Jance was the youngest and Setter the fat one.

“Do you speak American?” Setter shouted.

“She’s foreign, not deaf, you fuckwit.” Edgar leered at her.

“She speaks English better than you,” Vasily said. “Sit, you’re in for a treat.”

After a moment’s argument she was put between Vasily and Edgar.

“How’s Irina?” Dave asked.

Vasily shrugged.

“Good thing you have Katya to give you a hand,” Jance said.

“Like to give me a hand too?” Edgar made a pumping gesture over his crotch.

Heat flooded her face and goose bumps skittered down her arms.

“Ignore him.” Vasily dumped a cold six-pack on the table.

“Hey, this is really good,” Dave mumbled, his mouth full of food.

“Yeah, it is.” Jance ran his tongue slowly over his lips as he stared at her.

She filled their plates, put out more beer and washed the dishes while they played cards. When everything was tidy, she tried to slip away.

“Katya, get over here,” Vasily said. “I need some luck and we all need beer. Bring Setter a coke. He’s driving.”

She brought the drinks and watched over Vasily’s shoulder for a while, hoping he wasn’t using her money because he’d not won a hand, though the pots were small. She stayed quiet and motionless praying they’d forget she was there.

As soon as she could, she slipped away to her room and climbed out of her window intending to hide until they’d left. When they’d gone, she’d rip the place apart until she found her papers and money, and then call a cab. She doubted Vasily had been anywhere near a bank.

But she’d hardly moved away from the house before she heard them coming, whooping and hollering, calling her name. For a moment, she froze, stunned they’d chase her and then she started to run, panic clawing at her chest. In the gloom, she lost the path almost at once, and with every noisy step trampled shrubs and bushes and dry undergrowth.
Don’t think about snakes.
As she convinced herself their voices grew fainter, she tripped and fell headlong. When she pushed to her feet, sounds came from several directions. They’d split up.
Oh God, oh God, oh God.

Her heart pounded, and she shook in terror, gulping air in panicky gasps. She could guess what would happen if they caught her, even if she didn’t want to believe it. They’d spread out, not too drunk to understand that would help them, though they bulldozed around making more noise than her.
I can still outwit them.
She kept moving.

Terror morphed to anger. Vasily was a pig. She’d have to stay out here until they gave up, went home or fell asleep. With luck they’d find each other and not her. But it was hard to figure out where she was going, they didn’t seem to be giving up and she was afraid to stray too far from the light of the house. When she caught the sounds of breathing, she moved more cautiously.

Whispers of her name followed her through the trees. “Katya, Katya, Katya.”

She pressed her lips together, torn with indecision, choked by fear. Stay still or run?

“Found you,” someone yelled and instinct forced her hand. She ran, fueled by adrenaline, blindly forcing her way through the undergrowth, batting aside branches, only to run into a man’s arms. She screamed, lashed out, kneed him in the gut and as he bent double, she ran on, lungs burning.

He yelled for the others and as the crashing noises sounded all around her, she spun in a circle not knowing which way to go. No matter how hard she tried to keep quiet, she couldn’t. There was nowhere to hide, no one to save her. Panic held her tight. She wanted to scream but if she did, they’d find her. Staying still was a mistake, but she might run straight to them. She
had
to run.

A branch caught her across the chest, knocked her off her feet and she crashed to the ground in agony, overwhelmed by the knowledge there was no one left who cared what happened to her except for her dying aunt.

It was Edgar who wrapped his hands around her neck and squeezed. “Mine.”

He hoisted her over his shoulder and slung his arms around her knees to stop her kicking. Katya screamed as loudly as she could and beat at his back with her fists. The others joined them as Edgar made his way back to the house. She yelled and cried out for help in English and Russian. That they didn’t try and stop her made her think they knew no one would hear. Once the door was closed and Edgar dropped her, she scrambled for her aunt’s room. “Irina, help me!”

Vasily yanked her back, slapped his hand over her mouth and she bit him. He yelped and let her go.
Run!
She bolted to her room, slammed the door and raced for the window. Halfway out, a hand clamped around her leg and jerked her down. Sprawled on the bedroom floor, she turned to find all five men looking down at her. Her lungs locked with the certainty they would kill her yet knew that wasn’t the worst of it.

Edgar wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’ll give you two hundred more to go first.”

Vasily stared at her for a moment and then nodded. “Why not?”

“Come on, guys. Leave her alone,” Dave said. “She’s scared.”

Katya shot him a desperate look. Words refused to come out of her mouth.

“Russian women like it rough.” Vasily slid his hand inside his pants and adjusted his cock.

“Please,” Katya blurted.

“I don’t think—” Jance began.

“Shut the fuck up.” Edgar didn’t take his eyes off her and Katya had to tear her gaze away to look at Jance.

“Help me. Don’t let them hurt me.” Terror swamped every cell of her body. She shook so hard, her teeth chattered.

“Let’s see the color of your money,” Vasily said. “Cash up front in case any of you pussies can’t perform with an audience.”

“I’m not doing this,” Dave said. “You told us she was willing, that chasing her was a game.”

“I don’t want this,” she gasped. “Please.”

“Fuck off then,” Edgar said.

“Don’t leave me.” Tears flooded her eyes as Dave and Jance walked out.

Even while one part of her registered all too clearly what was going to happen, the other part remained in denial, still thinking she could stop it.

“Please, please, please,” she babbled.

Setter hesitated and then handed money to Vasily who put the pile of bills on the bedside table.

“We should use rubbers,” Setter said. “Just in case.”

“Yeah, we might catch something from you, you dirty dog.” Edgar sniggered.

“Well, guess what? I think ahead.” Vasily left and came back with a bag full of condoms, rope and bottles of beer.

“Are they large?” Edgar clutched his crotch.

“Something to prove now, big boy.” Vasily slapped him on the back.

Katya curled up on the floor. “Uncle Vasily, please don’t.”

When Edgar started to strip, the others followed. Katya tried to close her eyes and couldn’t. Edgar’s chest was covered by a tattoo of Jesus on the cross.

He met her horrified gaze and smirked. “Fucking me is a religious experience.”

Setter was the last to remove his shorts. He kept his face turned away from her.

“You’ll go to jail for rape.” Her mouth was so dry she could hardly speak.

Edgar laughed. “It’s not rape if we pay for it, bitch.”

The three attacked her like mad dogs. Katya screamed and kept screaming until her throat was raw and she had no voice. Fingers dragged at the zipper on her pants, ripped away buttons on her shirt and they laughed as they did it. When Edgar threw her on the bed, she tried to reach a knife, but he and Setter pinned her down while Vasily fastened her wrists to the headboard.

They stood back, chests heaving, and stared. All she wore was a pair of torn panties. Setter fixed his gaze above her head, but he had an erection like the others. Icy with shock, she shivered uncontrollably.

“Setter, rip’em off,” Edgar ordered.

Setter’s hesitation returned her voice and she croaked, “Please don’t do this.”

His fingers clenched at his side.

“Come on, you pussy.” Edgar sneered. “You dream about doing this every time you jack off to porn.”

Edgar and Vasily had their hands around their erections, pumping and twisting. As Setter stepped forward, Katya struggled to get free, the rope tearing at her wrists. He put trembling fingers in the top of her panties and a moan burst from her throat. “I beg you.”

“Get on with it,” Edgar said.

Setter’s expression tightened and she watched his need to be accepted overwhelm his conscience. He yanked hard, jerking her up from the bed. The bunched material pulled into her skin, and she cried out. Setter gave a triumphant grin as the fabric tore. Vasily grabbed what remained and pressed it to his face. Edgar dropped on top of her and tried to force her legs apart with his knee. She writhed, fighting to keep her thighs together.

“Get. Off,” she gasped.

She could hardly breathe, her heart pounded hard enough to break her ribs, but beneath her terror hate began to grow.

If I have the chance, I will kill you. I will not let you kill me. I am Katya. I am a person. You are worse than animals.

She twisted and turned trying to get loose. She
had
to survive.

“Stop fighting, you’re in for a treat,” Edgar said. “American cock.”

As he forced his hand between her legs, Katya began to pray in Russian.

“What’s she saying?” Edgar asked.

Vasily tsked. “That you’re a small-dicked bastard and she hopes some infected maggot does this to your wife and daughter.”

Edgar glared.

“Don’t forget the condom,” Setter said. “I don’t want your jiz on my pecker.”

Edgar ripped open the packet with his teeth and rolled on the rubber. He wrenched her legs further apart and shoved his fingers inside her. Pain crushed the adrenaline racing around her body. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

“We’re going to rip her apart unless you got some lube.” Edgar turned to Vasily.

Vasily handed him a tube.

“She’s tight, guys, but I’ll stretch her for you,” Edgar said.

As he pushed himself inside her, Katya screamed and thrashed. She yanked at the ropes around her wrists, crying out every time he thrust into her.

“Goddammit, Edgar, you’re like a piston,” Vasily said.

Don’t fight. You can’t stop them. You have to survive this. Think about what you plan to do. Remember why you came here.

She pushed herself back to Moscow, to when she’d stood at the railings and imagined the collision, the way her family would have shot over the river as if they’d been fired from a cannon. She’d told herself whoever had destroyed her family would pay. These men would not stop her. What they were doing would not stop her. All she had to do was endure.

Edgar’s fingers bruised her hips as he forced himself into her body, and Katya stopped resisting.

His face contorted with pleasure as he came. “Fuck me, that was…different. Like riding a wild horse.”

“Me next.” Setter hopped from side to side, his penis bobbing up and down.

“My turn,” Vasily said.

“I’ll pay more,” Setter said. “Another hundred.”

Vasily laughed. “By the looks of you I won’t have to wait long.”

As Edgar backed away, Setter took his place, sliding his hands under Katya’s hips to bring her closer.

Her breath came in noisy gulps. “I could be your sister.”

“Shut up, bitch.” He slapped her hard across the face and her world blanked out for a moment, the taste of blood flooding her mouth as she bit her tongue.

Don’t kill me. Don’t kill me.

Edgar snorted. “Make sure you fuck the right hole.”

Setter barely got inside her before he climaxed, then glared as if it were her fault. She felt him shrivel between her legs, though he continued to thrust. Finally he groaned and rolled away, pulling off the rubber.

Vasily came forward and Katya met his gaze.
You bastard.
He smiled and twisted her onto her stomach, the rope burning her wrists. She clenched her teeth in the pillow as he forced himself inside her and she stared at the bedroom door.
Irina! Hear this. Come. Help me.
She didn’t know whether the words came from her mouth or stayed in her head.

Edgar kept up a running commentary. “You should be in the movies. Christ, Vasily, you man or machine?”

Vasily gave a loud gasp and sinking his fingernails deep into Katya’s hips, he rammed so hard into her when he came that she screamed.

The door swung open and Katya saw Irina leaning on the frame. The men went quiet and a glimmer of hope pierced her growing despair.

“Go back to bed.” Vasily stood up, pulling off the condom.

“What the hell are you doing?” her aunt asked.

“We’re welcoming Katya to America,” Edgar said.

“Help me,” Katya gasped.

Edgar twisted her hair and she yelped. “Katya’s fine. Go back to bed like your husband says.”

“Vasily, what have you done? You monsters. You—”

Vasily pushed Irina out of the room and Katya’s fragile heart finally shattered. Pain radiated down every limb.
They’re going to kill me.
They wouldn’t risk her going to the police.
I’m sorry, Papa. I tried. I did my best.

Edgar flipped her over, squeezed one breast and sucked the other as she shook.

Vasily came back and Edgar asked, “Irina going to keep quiet?”

“Yeah.”

Oh God.
Had he killed her?

“Ready for a honey sandwich?” Edgar asked.

“Fuck, yes.”

No more, no more.
Katya kept repeating the words over and over in her head. Edgar put on a condom and smeared himself with lubricant. Katya couldn’t understand why her heart was still beating. Vasily forced himself into her, then unfastened her hands and turned so he lay on his back holding her on top of him, her breasts to his chest, his legs pinning hers, the smell of him making her gag.

“Well, I reckon Friday night
poker
just took on a whole new meaning,” Edgar said.

Setter laughed.

Tears dripped down her face and fell onto Vasily’s lips. She stared into his eyes. No spark of regret, only lust. She whimpered as Edgar pressed his cock against her backside.

“Keep still or they’ll rip you apart.” Setter jerked himself off next to her face.

Katya closed her eyes and tried to pretend it wasn’t happening, but they bit, licked, hit and fucked her until she couldn’t pretend she was anywhere but in a filthy shack being raped by dirty men. She had no strength to even scream. But something inside her changed. Defeat slipped back into defiance.

Let me live.

She repeated the new words over and over until finally her hold on reality slipped.