by Bane, Lucian
He wasn’t going to cry in front of Kane, now standing next to him. “You hold down the fort. I have to go,” he whispered.
“I got it,” Sade said. “Where’s Bo?”
“He’s in the next room,” Liberty said behind him. “I sedated him. He was in a lot of pain. If you don’t mind, I’ll need to ask a few questions so I know how to best treat him.”
Sade reached out and stroked Mercy’s brow, unable to keep his fingers from shaking. “I’ll be back, Angel. Just going check on Bo.”
“I’ll say goodbye now,” Kane said. “Just need a few moments with Mercy before I go.”
Sade nodded and followed Liberty out of the room and into a studio sized living room. He realized it was the same room they’d first passed through. Wow. It hadn’t just looked carved out of slate, it was.
“I know right?” Liberty said as she went into the adjoining room that appeared to be a large kitchen embedded in rock, too. “Fucking Bat Cave. Getting you something hot to eat and drink, to help get your strength back. Have a seat while I find my way around, sure it can’t be that hard,” she muttered.
Sade made his way to a black leather couch, taking in his surroundings. He couldn’t help the giddy feeling of being in one of the hideouts of his childhood hero. He eyed the floors, ceiling, walls… all various shades and textures of gray rock. The floor reminded him of glass while one wall looked rough enough to rock climb. The media wall before him appeared three-dimensional. Two feet of that shiny gray floor material sat on top of a long slab of rougher slate below the theatre sized television.
“Check out that ceiling,” Liberty mused, heading his way.
Yeah, it was hard to miss. Three trays held hidden lights that cast their glow toward the giant abstract chandelier hanging in the center. For him, the most impressive was the wall of glass. Judging by the tint on it, it was one way. You saw out, but you didn’t see in.
Liberty set down steaming food and Sade wasn’t sure he’d be able to eat it. But once his stomach smelled sustenance, he devoured every drop of what could be called vegetable soup. He realized she was watching him, and for the first time he allowed himself to assess her without actually looking. She had large mocha eyes that held a calm fearlessness, telling him this was definitely not her first rodeo. How skilled was she, was the question. The casual black slacks and black dress shirt said professional, minus the jet-black shoulder length ponytail. The leather gloves seemed a bit overkill, but the fact she was with Kane allowed whatever the fuck dress code she liked. He’d have been happier with a small army anywhere Mercy and Bo was.
“What happened to Bo?”
Right to business, good. He leaned and set the bowl on the table before him, hoping the food in his stomach stayed put while he answered all her questions. “How’s he doing?”
“I sedated him as I said.”
“Abraham happened to him.”
“The hook in his cheek?”
“He did everything to him that you see done.”
“The cuts on the body, how did they get there?”
“He cut him with a scalpel. After nailing his feet to the floor. After putting a fucking whale hook in his mouth. After beating him to manage it all. Then he pissed and ejaculated semen onto his incisions and licked them up nice and clean,” Sade said, wanting to make sure she got the exact trauma he’d been through. “He did all this in the span of I’d say… ten minutes. The only thing he had for pain was given at the time his feet were nailed to the floor. Which wore off by the time he was cut.”
“Alright,” Liberty said. “That’s enough recollection for now.”
“I’m fine. It’s him that won’t be fine, not for a long time.” Sade looked down, his chest burning. “Not for a long time,” he muttered, remembering how he’d peed and wailed like a lost, abandoned boy. “Sick fuck broke him. I’m only sorry I hadn’t had the pleasure of killing him with my bare hands.” He looked at her. “Slowly. Piece by fucking piece. You know what I’m saying?” His sadism burned white hot as his gaze bore into hers.
She angled her head a moment and held his gaze with her own empty looking one. “I do.” She got up then and went into the kitchen, ponytail swishing. “When he wakes up,” she called back, “he’ll want to see a face he’s familiar with.”
“I’m his brother.”
She returned with a steaming drink and handed him the mug. “Kane told me.”
He took the drink and eyed it. He only trusted her because Kane seemed to. How much did she know about him? About Mercy? About his family’s sick little operation? He didn’t like not knowing that. He was in the dark again, and he was a little tired of that disadvantage. “What did Kane tell you?”
She sat in the matching leather chair next to the couch again. “Everything I needed to know. Which is everything. Your life history since you were born, up until I met you. Same for his daughter and your little brother.” She looked around then, showing a sharp jawline. “Didn’t know about this place though. He kept this one tight.” She gave a tight smile that was purely superficial. “Place is loaded with everything. Self-contained city in a home. Something you’d want in an apocalypse. Or long term hiding.”
Sade was suddenly curious with what she knew about Bo and Mercy than him. But he’d keep it on Bo for now. “So you know Bo’s had a bad life.” Sade looked down into his drink and lifted it, sipping carefully while the bite of steamy herbs saturated his sinuses.
“I do,” was all she gave back with ease.
The sound of a straining voice crackled nearby and she shot up, grabbing a device off her hip. “I’m coming, don’t try to move,” she said into what looked like a walkie-talkie before calling over her shoulder, “Our young Geronimo is waking.”
Sade fought his way standing. He used his bad shoulder to keep the weight off his feet, making it scream. Definitely would pay the price more than anything during this healing.
He peeked in on Mercy as he passed by, the sight of her in the same position putting his insides in knots.
“Help,” he heard Bo mumble.
“I’m here, I’m here,” Liberty said like she was all the salvation he could ever need. “What are you up to in here, causing trouble for me?”
Sade paused at the door while she made quick work checking his incisions, mumbling mundane things as she pulled her light out of some pocket and shined it in his eyes. Her soft tone was a stark contrast to the tough façade, but he was grateful for it. The kid could stand a little tenderness in his life. Because God knew Sade had never shown him a fucking ounce of it.
“S-Sade, where…”
She waved Sade over. “Hey, bro,” Sade announced. “Last thing you need is more beauty rest. Any prettier and I might marry you.”
Bo turned as Sade made it to the bed on his crutches. At seeing him, he let out an audible gasp and closed his eyes seeming relieved.
“How’s his pretty face?” Sade asked.
Bo raised his hand up when Sade stopped at his bed. At seeing a slight tremble in it, Sade took it in both of his and squeezed, not sure how to show the feelings suffocating him. “No more fishing expeditions for you.”
Bo gave a light chuckle and met Sade’s gaze with a worried one. “Mercy…”
“She’s fine. In the room next door. We’re all safe now. You hungry, our maid here cooks a mean soup.”
“Maid my ass,” she muttered. “I’m getting him better so he can be my maid. I’m due a vacation.”
Bo lowered his eyes and leaned his head away as she pulled one side of his face bandage off to inspect. “Wow,” she said, impressed. “I am good.” She shut the bandage gently in place and pulled his covers up a little. At catching her fly by caresses in her hurried movements, Sade relaxed more. In fact, seeing with his own eyes that Bo was okay and in good hands brought weakness to his knees. All that was left was Mercy waking up and showing him she was okay. Until then, he’d be a silent wreck.
“I’ll go get your lunch, you keep him company,�
�� she said hurrying out.
When she was gone, Sade grinned and muttered, “Yes ma’am Nurse Liberty who likes Bo.” He winked at him and Bo gave a barely shy grin that made him chuckle.
“I’m sure she’s so impressed,” he said.
“Hell yes she is. You’re alive, aren’t you? I’d say that’s pretty impressive.”
He gave a small nod and looked up, the shame shadowing his dark blue eyes bringing Sade’s fury. “Guess so. Mercy is really okay?”
“She got a nasty bump on her head, but she’s fine.”
Bo looked at him for several seconds, that terror in his eyes again. “He’s dead?”
The tremble in his voice said he’d be needing endless confirmation on that. “I didn’t bury him personally, but I did see his brains splatter out of the back of his head if that’s any consolation.”
He gasped and nodded. “Yeah. It is. All I saw was…” He paused for a few seconds.
“How are you feeling besides like shit,” Sade asked, moving him away from that ledge.
“That’s about it.” He looked up at Sade then. “Can you ask her not to make me sleep anymore? I want to be awake, get stronger.”
Sade’s gut tightened as he sat next to him. “I can try, but she’s pretty bossy. You having bad dreams?”
He shot out a gasp. “That too.”
Fucking needed painkillers for his feet. Felt like the nails were still in them and he wasn’t in the mood to get off to pain. “I’m having them too. Sure we all will for a while.”
“Well, I’d like a short break from them if you don’t mind.”
Sade angled a grin at him. “I feel you my man. I’ll make sure she helps keep you awake until you’re so tired you won’t give a fuck. Maybe she can read to you.”
He laid his head back and closed his eyes with a sigh. “Don’t think I’ll ever be that tired.”
Liberty entered with a tray of food. “You wanna feed him or am I?”
“If you need me to I can,” Sade said.
“I don’t.” She set the tray down on the other side of the bed.
“I’ll go check on Mercy then. You good with that, Bo?”
He nodded but Sade knew he wasn’t good with it. Which was odd since he’d always been a lady’s man. Fucking Abraham had broken more than skin on his little brother.
“There’s a sauna and a whirlpool tub next to the workout room at the end of the hall,” she said. “I’d advise you to take a nice hot soak with a cupful of Epsom salt, get those feet all clean and ready so I can properly treat them and prevent infection. I searched around and found a ton of supplies in the closet next to it. Towels and robes, whatever. In fact if you don’t mind, do it now so I can take care of Bo’s. I’ll need to sterilize the tub when you’re done, the sooner the better.
“Yes ma’am,” Sade muttered, eyeing Bo’s tense face. “I can help you with that. I mean I can do it. Take care of Bo.”
She pffed. “I’ve bathed plenty of patients in my days, this tiny chump is nothing.”
Of course she’d miss the whole problem. “I can bathe myself,” Bo said.
“You damn well can, don’t be thinking I was going to wash your manly parts.” She yanked off one of the leather gloves she wore and wagged mechanical fingers with a half-smile. “Not really qualified for gentleness, I’m afraid. But she was certainly a helping hand with that hook in his cheek.”
Holy shit. His curiosity made a mental note to ask what the fuck later. Meanwhile, all the color left Bo’s face. Sade grinned, unable to help himself. “I’ll leave you two love birds then.”
She shot her middle mechanical finger up at him. “There’s your love bird baby,” she muttered.
“Yeah, and here’s another one,” Bo said, flicking him too.
Sade laughed and turned to go. “I’ll kick your handicap ass.”
“Not on my watch you ain’t,” Liberty warned as she sped past him out the room.
Sade glanced back and raised his brows at Bo, who double birded him. “Better watch your cock-a-doodle-doo around that one,” he said, glad to have something to distract him with.
“No need to, she’s not my type.”
“Right, right,” Sade chuckled. “Mr. Loverboy.”
“I don’t do GI Janes,” he hissed.
Sade laughed lowly. “I don’t think you’d need to, my brother.”
Chapter Six
He walked out, anxious to finally see Mercy. Once, at her door, he stared in on her. Same position. When was she supposed to wake up? He needed to drill Liberty about that. He hobbled his way to her bed and sat slowly then leaned the crutches quietly next to him.
“How she doing?” Liberty whispered as she zoomed in and went straight to the trash can next to the bed, putting in a bag.
“You tell me.”
Without stopping or looking she shook her head. “Gonna run another scan tonight to see how much help that Mannitol was. We’ll know a lot more then.”
“What do we know now?”
She leveled her gaze on him while tying the trash bag to the can. “Not much. But I’ve seen worse, if that helps.
He wanted to know more but he didn’t really want to ask or beg for the fucking details. “What time are you doing that scan?”
“After dinner.”
“Which is?”
“Six o’clock sharp, I guess. Thirty-minute chow then scan our sleeping beauty at seven. Work for you?”
Her tone said it’d have to. “You’re the doc.” He carefully took Mercy’s hand in his and immediately everything fell away, but feeling her. Her warmth soothed him as he stroked her skin with his thumb, silently hoping Liberty would leave so he could speak to her.
He finally got his wish and as soon as he did, inadequacy and fear restrained the urge to lean in and kiss her. He stared at her hand in his. So small. And yet so strong. He stroked each digit reverently, sliding his index finger over the tips of her fingernails. Their jagged edges made his heart ache, knowing how they’d gotten that way. He stroked her forearm next and lifted it, resisting the nightmare images that already haunted him. Especially what nearly happened to her. Kissing the top several times, he then turned her hand and kissed her palm. He closed his eyes just feeling her with his lips. Smelling her.
He needed her so bad, but he also knew he needed to let her rest. Leaning in, he kissed her cheek and rubbed his nose softly against her skin. “Angel,” he whispered, bringing her hand to his neck and pressing it tight to him. “Get your beauty sleep. Bo’s fine, he’s awake and eating. I’m fine too. Following the doctor’s orders and taking a hot soak. After that, we’ll peek in that pretty head of yours, see what’s going on. Take all the time and rest you need baby. But hurry and fucking wake up, okay? I miss you.” The words strained on a hot whisper and he wiped his eyes on his shoulder before pressing several kisses to her cheek and pulling back.
Felt like forever for six o’clock to get there. While waiting, he did as told, soaked in the giant whirlpool for an hour, willing his body to heal quickly so he could be ready for whatever might come. When he returned to his room in the white terrycloth robe, he found a basket of clothes his size. GI Jane was right on top of things.
Sade decided to eat supper with Bo just to help him get his own food down. When he entered Bo’s room, his handsome face lit up. Hard to believe polar opposites could be related. Bo could pass for a sweet angel, and Sade… Satan’s prized vagrant spawn.
How the fuck did he end up with the Angel of Mercy was the question. He still couldn’t help feel like the joke was on him and any minute reality would slam him into his highly elusive grave.
“Want company?” Sade asked.
“Yes, please. About to go crazy. No TV, no radio in here?” He held up a book. “She gave me this. To read,” he whispered exasperated.
Sade chuckled and sat on the chair Liberty must’ve placed next to the bed. “You forget how to read?”
He held the book up. “The Land That Time Forgot? Doub
le dose of valium right there.”
Sade laughed for real at that and looked down, smiling. “Mercy read to me when I was tied up.”
“Well that’s a big difference.”
“Maybe Liberty will read to you.”
“Or crush my balls in her iron claw. Holy shit,” he shrilled quietly. “You see that thing?”
“Ohhhh,” Sade hissed at that idea even while his cock jerked in response. It had become reflexive when ball crushing was mentioned.
“Wonder what happened to her,” Bo whispered.
“You could ask her.”
“Ask her what?” Liberty said, coming in with a large tray of food.
“Nothing,” Bo shot out while Sade bit back a mischievous grin.
“Keep your secrets then, fine with me.” She set the tray on the foot of the bed and handed Sade a plate with a TV dinner on it. Sade noticed the plate she gave Bo looked like a professional chef had prepared it. The steamy food with fancy garnishing made him hide a grin. He was glad she was taking extra good care of him.
“Wow, this looks good,” Bo said, grabbing the fork and digging in.
A few moments later, Liberty got up. “Eat as much as you want but don’t gorge, you’ll get sick. And I’m not cleaning up vomit because you’re too stupid to pace yourself.”
“Yes ma’am,” Bo muttered, woofing his food down.
By the time she returned with a small cup of his medicine, he was moaning. “Oh my God,” she said, “you ate all that already?”
“It was sooooo good,” he said. “Did you make that?”
“Of course I did, you see anybody else around here? Here’s your vitamins and something to help you sleep.”
Bo’s head came forward. “I’m fine on sleep.”
“What does that mean, ‘he’s fine on sleep’?” she asked Sade.
“Means he doesn’t want to sleep so much.”
Liberty quirked her brow at Sade and he quirked one back, hoping she got it. She looked at Bo, who took his vitamins. “Suit yourself, but don’t be crying later when you’re in pain.”