by Dark,A. A.
“I’m telling you, we spoke of real estate! That woman has been up to nothing but trouble since Master Vicolette died. What Master Harper did to her clearly wasn’t enough to put her in her place. She is out of control. I demand when you learn the truth that she is punished.”
“Wait.” Master Yahn’s eyes widened with dawning and I almost smiled as his head spun to Master Kain. “Master Harper, that’s it. We spoke to him about our project. He was going to take Master Vicolette’s spot. He’ll back us up and put a stop this this nonsense. Speak to him, Main Master. He’ll tell you about the project. It’s all the evidence you need.”
“So you have a project.” I shrugged. “It doesn’t excuse what I know the two of you were planning with my old Master.
“Enough!”
Bram’s fingers tightened until I nearly winced. “I will speak with West about what he knows. I will also look into it myself. In one hour’s time you will meet me in the boardroom. If you try to run or escape, you will be killed. If any of you try to convene before our meeting, you will be murdered on the spot. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Main Master.”
Bram didn’t allow me to move as they left. It was only when the front door shut that he ripped me out of the chair to face him.
“Are you lying to me? Is this story true?” He shook me so hard that my brain was rattling in my head.
“Did you see the map full of secret tunnels? Did you not see the large red X that marked your old apartment? One of them led right to you! What do you think that means?”
Large arms pulled me in, squeezing around me so hard I could barely breathe. “They all want me dead. They all want what I have.”
The haunting tone as he pulled back had me taking a deep breath. The calming was almost immediate. In a way, I felt bad from Bram. What I had come across was true and he’d see that. I’d already looked at the tapes. Hell, I had it marked for him. But I could have told him days ago. Instead, I did what I did best. I made it benefit me.
“I have to tell you something and you can’t be mad.”
Bram’s head pulled back and his arms dropped. I watched the cold seep back into his features. If I was going to go through with this, it had to be this way. I couldn’t see the loving part of him. That would kill me. It would ruin everything.
“What?”
“Promise me.”
“Slave, you’re making it a habit to piss me off. That is not a good thing.”
I nodded. “And I’m about to do it again with one word.”
“Oh, we’re back to one-word phrases now?”
“Evermylove.”
A roar tore from Bram’s mouth and both of his hands locked on my throat. “You broke into my laptop? You looked through my things? Everleigh!”
“I didn’t go into your private files. I give you my word. I … marked … the tapes for you.” Air filled my lungs as he let go and I gasped to get oxygen. My fear was suffocating at the look he held. “I had to know. I couldn’t accuse them without seeing the truth for myself.”
“Why not tell me when you had your suspicions? Why hide this from me?”
Again, his hand rose, but he stopped it just short of my neck. Hesitantly, I reached up, grasping lightly to his fingertips and easing his hand down so he was aware of what he was doing. He had to know. He had to see what I did. Someday, he’d either hurt me severely or he’d kill me.
“I don’t know you anymore. I’m scared of this new you.”
Chapter 27
West
“What do you mean, y-you’re not talking to me anymore? I d-didn’t do anything! I love you. I l-love you!”
“West.”
Bram’s voice pulled me from pleading with Everleigh, but I barely saw him. I felt heartbroken. Absolutely gutted at my wife’s declaration.
“Baby, please. C-come to me. Let’s leave here. I know you love me, too. We’ve talked about t-this.”
“West, there’s no one there. Everleigh is not in this room.”
Again, my eyes cut over to him, angrily. “We’re n-not talking to you! Leave us! Baby, p-please.” My hands rose. It was another way to beg her to come to me. I couldn’t lose her. She couldn’t leave me. “I’m sorry. Please. Come sit on my lap. Let me h-hold you.”
An aggravated sound filled the room, but I ignored it, taking in her sad expression. Had I done something to hurt her again? I didn’t remember doing anything. I was trying my best to be a good husband.
Everleigh’s arms crossed over her chest and her head lowered, shaking in disappointment.
“I’m sorry!” I sobbed. “I didn’t m-mean to. I’ll never hurt you again. I p-promise. I swear. Never. F-fuck.” The word dragged out as I watched her frame flicker in and out. I took a step, starting to rush toward her when I heard the chains. Their jingling left me even more confused.
“She’s not here, she’s at home. My home—the Whitlock wing. She’s sleeping in my bed. We’re married and a family now, remember?”
A roar left me and I was racing for Bram before I could even process the action. Air exploded from my lungs and the jolt that tightened around my stomach from the restraint left me gagging as I was knocked off my feet.
“Welcome back. Now answer my questions. What do you know about this project with Master Yahn and Master Kain? Were you going to join them? They said they talked to you.”
“I want my wife. My wife! Everleigh! E-Everleigh!”
The side of Bram’s mouth pulled back in what appeared to be annoyance. It had me pushing to my knees as I glared with every ounce of hate I harbored for him.
“Enough about her. That Everleigh is dead. You killed her, piece by piece. Lash by lash. Rape by fucking rape.” Bram took a step toward me and I knew he wanted to hurt me. To torture and kill me. Guilt should have been there, but it wasn’t. I knew something he didn’t. I had something he would never have again.
“She loves me,” I said, beginning to smile. “Your s-slave loves me. She’s not your wife. I own her, now. She wears my marks, just as I carry her scars. If she said y-yes to your vows, she lied.”
Pain exploded in my mouth and the top half of my body rock back at his punch. I somehow managed to stay on my knees, regardless that the room was spinning. The only thing keeping me from exploding was the metallic taste of blood on my tongue. It sent a wave of calm washing over me.
“You know I s-speak the truth.” I turned, splattering the floor with crimson as I spit. It took everything I had not to smear it into the white so I could watch the color spread. Instead, I tried to stay focused, smiling again. “She’s mine. We both know it. What is it? Does she not warm to your t-touch? Does she cry out to me in her sleep?”
At his eyes narrowing, I felt my teeth become exposed through my even bigger smile. “Yes,” I whispered. “She’s always talked in her sleep. She can’t h-hide the truth. I may have fucked her up. We may have fucked each other up, but she f-fell in love with me. She won’t let you kill me.”
Bram shoved his hands in his pants pockets and shrugged. “She couldn’t stop me even if she wanted to. Not that she does. The simple fact is you betrayed me. You attempted to kill the Main Master. You’re paying right now for what you did to her. Afterward, you’re mine to do as I please. This,” he said, gesturing to the room, “will take your mind. That gift I give to Everleigh. She deserves it after what you did to hers. But what I do … you’ll never recover from. I’m not going to just kill you, West. I’m going to do it in the vilest way you can imagine. But that’s still not good enough. When you die, I’m going to have Dr. Cortez bring you back. I’m going to let you recover and then I’m going to start all over again. How many times do you think you’ll die before I can’t have you brought back?”
I laughed, not able to help it. I should have feared his words, but I was past the point of threats. “You’ll turn me into Frankenstein, then? You’ll cut off my arms and l-legs like Master Kunken? Fill me with organs that aren’t mine just so I’ll live? I s-sound l
ike I’ll be a badass. I’ll look it when I manage to break free.”
“Free is something you will never be again. You make light of this now, but you won’t be when you’re bleeding out all over my hands.”
“Perhaps.” Movement from the corner of my eye had my head jerking over. Everleigh was back and she was grinning at me. Grinning with evil and truths only we knew.
“Hey! We’re not done. You look at me,” Bram said, snapping his fingers. “Tell me what you know of this project with Master Yahn and Master Kain.”
“Luxury condos,” I mumbled.
Closer, she went toward him. When she disappeared behind his back, I was almost afraid she wouldn’t reappear, but she did. Her hand rose, tracing from his shoulder, down to his forearm. My mouth opened to tell her not to touch him, but she seemed to read my mind. Slowly, she stepped forward, coming to kneel only inches away.
“So they spoke to you about this? Did they mention Master Vicolette was going to partner with them? Did their plans concern me in any way?”
“Tell him to leave us.”
“Leave us.” I didn’t even look at Bram as the words poured from my lips. I knew I was hallucinating again, but I didn’t care. I lifted my hands, overjoyed when her fingers slid along my palms. “I knew you’d come back.”
“West!” Footsteps approached, making reality fade as I put all my attention into Everleigh. Fire burned into my cheek, but I didn’t let the slap pull me away from gazing into her face as she began to talk again.
“We’re so much more powerful than him. Look at us. We’re going to leave here. We’re going to be happy away from this place. Whitlock makes you a monster, but you won’t be when we return to the real world. You’re going to love me. We’re going to be happy.”
“Yes,” I said, nearly groaning through the ache that tugged at my heart.
Whack!
My eyes rolled from the hit and Everleigh faded, causing me to panic. “Don’t leave me! Happy. W-we’ll be so happy! Keep talking. Pleas—”
Whack!
“Everleigh is mine, not yours! West, look at me!”
“Don’t listen to him. You know I’m yours. He knows I’m yours. It’s why he’s so upset.”
“Yes. He knows you’re mine.”
“No!” Whack! “No!” Whack! Whack!
Lights blinded me and I could feel myself fall to the side. Regardless that I could barely see, my hands scrambled out to find my wife. “Everleigh? Everleigh!” Fear took me. She was gone, again. She was … My eyes rose to Bram’s enraged expression and I yelled, pushing back to my knees, trying to lunge toward him. Sounds I wasn’t even aware I could make left me. They were laced with the madness that encompassed my entire being. And they only grew when I realized I couldn’t reach him.
“I’m going to kill you, Bram. I’m g-going to rip out your throat with my bare teeth. This time you won’t come back!”
“Is that right?”
“You just wait. You fucking wait!”
His hands lifted while he threw me a grin. “Here I am. What are you going to do?”
“Let me out of these c-chains and find out.”
“I don’t think you held that knife, yourself. Nor do I remember having the chance to fight back or defend myself. You’ll stay in your chains. If you’re lucky, I may not forget to have you fed again. How’s that rice?”
My yell echoed around the room and with it, I thrashed against my restraints. The knock had both of us looking over. Bram paused, his face turning hard as he stalked to the door and jerked it open.
“Let me in.”
My pulse jumped and my back bowed as I tried to get closer.
“I told you to stay in the room and go to bed.”
“Bram,” she said, quieter. “I need a moment with him.”
“For what? What are even doing here?”
“Wife? Wife!” My voice had Bram glaring at me from over his shoulder.
Whispering turned heated, but I couldn’t hear what was being said. Finally, Bram widened the door, allowing her to slip through. Her hair was disheveled and she was wrapped in a white robe. Underneath, she wore a long white silk nightgown with lace accents. Although I couldn’t see it, I knew every detail. I knew, because I had bought it. I’d made love to her once while she wore that gown. God, this was real—she was real. It took my breath away.
“W-wife.” My stuttering had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the sob that tore from me at her presence. I could barely look at her beauty. I didn’t deserve to and I knew that down to my very soul.
“The last time we spoke, we talked of divorce. Do you remember that?”
“Everleigh.”
I stole a glance at Bram, confused by what was real or not. Was she married to Bram? Me?
“You’re my wife. You’ll a-always be my wife. I love you. I’m so sorry I hurt you. I can change. We c-can leave …” I couldn’t breathe through the cries that were crippling any control I had. I was breaking into pieces and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
“West.” The name was but a whisper. There was no anger in her tone. No hatred like I deserved. My eyes blurred with more tears and they fell the moment her palm slid over my cheek. “I dreamed of you the other night.” Her thumb wiped over the wetness and I saw Bram pace in the background. I moved deeper into her touch, soaking in her warmth and love like it would save my life. Maybe deep down I knew I was going to die.
“Was I hurting you or making you s-suffer?” I sniffled, wedging her hand between my shoulder and face so I could make her even more real.
“No, we were both suffering. We were here, together, in the white.”
“We were both prisoners?”
“Yes. But you were sick. You were dying. I kept trying to get to you, but I couldn’t.”
I nuzzled more into her palm, not able to look at her anymore. The smell of her skin was a torture far worse than the white. I wanted more of it. Needed it like I needed her. “You probably wish I was dying.”
Pressure from her lips eased against mine only making me break even more. After a few seconds, she withdrew her contact. Slowly, Everleigh pushed her hand against her chest and wiped down. A bloody handprint followed, soaking into the silk. Had that come from me? Yes. The color stood out in so many different shades of red that it took me a moment to tear my gaze from it. Flashes blinded me. Memories of her being beaten and bloody. It was because of me. It was always because of me.
“Do you wish I was … d-dead, wife?” My head shook and I battled the conversations I’d had with her since I’d been here. I wasn’t sure what was said before or during my white out. Nothing was making sense, again. Even with all the added colors and interactions, I could still feel the white warping my mind. “Don’t answer that. I’ve hurt you so much. Don’t t-think about me. What about our child? Do you really want to put him through this, Everleigh? I love him. He doesn’t deserve to be without me. I’m a good father. You k-know I am. He doesn’t ever have to see that side of me. Please. Let’s go from here. What are we waiting for?”
“Jesus.” She turned, glancing behind her to Bram. “Does he really believe this?”
The anger only increased on his face as he nodded.
“Is it permanent?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes. It does to me.” Everleigh turned back to me. The flash of emotions that drew in her features was beyond being able to read. She swallowed hard, straightening her shoulders.
“West, we don’t have a child.”
“Of course we do,” I argued. “Why would you say that? Our child is our life. He’s going to be somebody, someday. We’ve talked about this. I …? Please …”
Her head shook, but her confusion was as clear as day to me. It fed my anxiety. I somehow knew what I was saying wasn’t right, but I was so desperate I couldn’t admit to myself that it wasn’t real. I wanted it to be. I held to our family with everything I had. It was the only thing keeping me going.
“Everleigh,” Bram snapped.
“Just …” her hand rose, but she continued to stare at me. “What is his name, husband?”
I paused, drawing a blank. The fuzziness was worse than ever. “West. Baby West.”
“And what does he look like?”
“What is this? You know what he looks like. He looks like us. He has my brown hair and your blue eyes. He’s … a baby. An infant. He’s our child. Why are you acting like you don’t know this? We argued over the color of his nursery before he ever came home. I let you have the fucking white walls. They should have been blue. He needed the blue walls, Everleigh. I bet he’s still crying. God, I can hear him all the time. When are you going to start listening to me? When will you see? I do what is best for us. For you, for baby West. I’m doing so well. Why am I still here?” I jerked against the restraints feeling the panic increase. “I promised I wouldn’t hurt you. I haven’t. I’m so gentle now, right? Right?”
My head shook and I couldn’t stomach her distraught look. Fuck, what was I saying? I didn’t have control anymore. It was just coming and I couldn’t stop it.
“Yes, gentle … I should go,” she whispered. “I … have to go.”
“No. No! Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me, baby. I’ll do anything. Just … take me with you. Take me and chain me in our room. Lock me in the closet. Beat me, if that’s what you want. I don’t care. Don’t leave me, again. I can’t be without you. I can’t. I love you!”
Sobs tore from me as Everleigh eased to her feet. Desperate, I somehow found the strength to push to mine. And then she did it. One minute she looked shocked, the next … a manipulative grin. It was gone so fast, I wasn’t even sure I truly saw it. But I didn’t care. Not if she was going to leave me.
Chapter 28
Bram
“Don’t leave me, Everleigh! Everleigh!”
I jerked her to my side, not able to get a hold on my temper as my fingers dug into her bicep. How she had reacted to him. What I had heard come from her lips. She had kissed him. Caressed his cheek. Called him husband.