Madness: Part 2 – Chapter 22

I stand outside the room, giving her a few minutes of privacy to let her mind wander. She knows I’m going to see her naked. The gown is just a false sense of security.

Pulling my cell phone out of my pocket, I give it a quick look before I go back in there. I’ve had it on silent since I arrived at her place.

I have a text from Kash.

Call me. It’s urgent.

Grinding my teeth, I hover over his number but am reluctant to press call. He answers on the first ring. “Make it quick,” I say in greeting. This is the first time I’ve spoken to him since I left Carnage.

“We found out a few things about Benny,” he informs me.

Glad I took the call. “And?”

“He was a Lord.”

“Was?” I ask, wanting him to get to the point. I’m not in the mood to play guessing games. I have the toy I’m going to play with behind the door I’m leaning on.

“Yeah. He never made it through all the initiations. Failed sophomore year.”

Running a hand through my hair, I growl, “Then how did he know so much if he wasn’t a fucking Lord?” We had looked for a Lords crest and hadn’t seen one, but there was no reasonable explanation for that. And Ashtyn was seeing him while she lived in Vegas. No way would she have willingly dated or fucked a Lord when she was on the run from them.

“We know he was working with Laura and Ashtyn’s mother four years ago, but we think he’s connected to someone else…”

“Who?” I bark out, hating that he’s not willing to give me information. He’s the one who said to call him.

“Our guess is Costello.”

Like a gunshot to my chest, I stop breathing at the mention of the name. I begin to pace the hallway. “No⁠—”

“It’s the only plausible explanation,” he growls. “Saint and I have gone round and round on this for days now, and it makes perfect sense. She spent time in Carnage. She knew the system⁠—”

“But Benny had raped Ashtyn before the vow ceremony our senior year with help from Laura and her mother.” I interrupt him. “Costello wasn’t at Carnage until after Ash ran…”

“That we know of,” he snaps, getting irritated with me. “Who knows how long she had access before our training.”

I sigh, not wanting to believe him but also knowing I don’t know enough to argue any of it.

“Look.” He softens his tone. “I don’t want to believe it either, but what if our dads had something to do with it? We know that Ashtyn’s mother was part of Ash being raped because she was trying to make sure that Ashtyn didn’t become Saint’s chosen. And Laura…” He trails off. “That bitch is fucking nuts. We all know how far she’ll go to get her way. And Laura had access to Carnage before our training. So if—a big if—it wasn’t our dads, maybe Laura helped Costello get into Carnage after our dads were killed.”

“The question is, how did Costello know our fathers were dead?” They weren’t even cold, and she was already there.

Senior year at Barrington

I pace the hospital hallway at Carnage while Kashton sits in a chair up against the wall, bent over with his hands gripping his hair. “Saint’s going to be okay,” I tell him.

His head snaps up, and his bloodshot eyes meet mine. “She shot him.” Getting to his feet, he steps into me. His chest bumps mine, and I can feel his anger at how much he’s shaking. “Ash⁠—”

“Calm down, Kash.” I place my hands on his trembling shoulders. “We don’t know what happened.”

His watery eyes widen. “Are you fucking serious?” he snaps, taking a step back. “She broke my fucking nose and kneed me in the fucking dick! Then she shot our brother.”

“Devin is going to take care of him. He’ll be okay.” He doesn’t even mention the fact that our fathers are also dead. The only person he cares about right now is Saint. We carried him up here from the morgue, where Kash found him lying in a puddle of his own blood. Devin just took him back for surgery. Now, it’s just a waiting game.

“She’s his wife!” he shouts. “What the fuck was she thinking?” He goes on, not expecting me to answer. “And where the fuck were you?”

Saint had called me saying there was a code 26 and that it was for Ashtyn, I pretended to be asleep as if I wasn’t the one who helped her run. “I⁠—’

The sound of the elevator dinging gets our attention, and we both turn to face it as the door slides open. A woman steps out wearing a skintight knee-length white dress, showing off her curves and paid-for chest. She’s followed by four men, all dressed in black cloaks and white masks.

“What the fuck is this shit?” Kash demands.

“Boys.” She smiles, and her dark green eyes go from Kash to me. They lazily take in our sizes and appearances. We’re both covered in our brother’s blood.

“Hey! I asked you a fucking question, bitch!” Kashton snaps, stepping forward.

I reach out to grab his bloody shirt to keep him back, but he shrugs me off. “Kash⁠—”

“We’re going to have so much fun.” She gives us both a chilling smile and snaps her fingers.

Two of the guys dressed as Lords step forward, and chains drop from their hands, clanking on the floor.

“Escort them to the arena, boys. I’m going to check on the status of the other.”

“I don’t know how she would know they were dead, man.” Kash sighs heavily, answering my previous question and pulling me out of that memory. “Are you coming home soon?” he asks.

Hearing someone walking toward me has me looking up to see Gavin. “Have to go,” I say.

“Wait,” he rushes out. “When are you coming home?”

I end the call without answering and pocket my cell. I’ll worry about that later. They’re obviously getting some answers, and I’m ready to play with my newest toy.

CHARLOTTE

I sit on the edge of the table dressed in the gown but pulled tightly around the front, tucked under my arms so you can’t see anything. I’m naked underneath. My clothes are folded neatly on the counter with my underwear and bra hidden underneath. He’s getting ready to see me naked. It’s humiliating and embarrassing. I’m sweating, and when the door opens, I startle, seeing Haidyn enter with an older man. I know who he is.

Gavin takes care of the Lords and their dirty work. From what I’ve heard, he’s like their father. One they actually trust with their lives and secrets.

“Hello, Charlotte. I’m Dr. Gavin, and I’m going to be running some tests today.”

What kind of tests could I possibly need? I notice he calls me Charlotte, not Annabelle, and it makes me wonder if Haidyn has told him who I really am.

Haidyn comes to stand beside me, and I can’t make eye contact. Instead, my blurry eyes remain on his T-shirt.

“Lie on your back,” Gavin orders softly. His voice would be soothing if my chest didn’t feel heavy.

I lie down, the white paper covering the length of the table crinkling at my movement. I look up at the ceiling tiles as my heart hammers in my chest. I hear the opening of wrappers as Gavin moves around on my left. Then he walks over to the table. “Any family history of diseases that you know of?”

“N-o.” I clear my throat.

“Any pregnancies?” he asks.

“No.” I shake my head as a fresh tear falls out of the corner of my eye. “I’m on birth control,” I add. Is that why I’m here? Because Haidyn is going to make me his fuck toy, and he wants to make sure I’m protected? Men like him don’t wear condoms. Ever. So I’m going to have to be the responsible one.

“What are you currently on?” Gavin continues.

“The pill,” I answer vaguely, knowing there are several different options out there but not knowledgeable enough to go into detail.

My doctor tried to put me on them years ago, but my mother refused. Said there was no need for them. I’m supposed to remain a virgin.

“How many sexual partners?” Gavin questions.

“Two.” I don’t know why I lied. Actually, I do. I don’t want them to know how inexperienced I am. But I have no fucking clue why I chose two—maybe one is not enough and three is too many.

Gavin begins to open my gown. My hand lifts to cover my breasts, but Haidyn grabs my right hand in both of his. It feels like a lover’s hold—one on top, the other on the bottom. But I know the truth. Gavin takes my left hand and lifts it above my head to rest on the cold paper while he begins to check my breast and underarm.

You can hear my heavy breathing over anything else in the room, and my nipples harden. Goose bumps cover my skin, and it’s freezing in here even though I’m sweating. I feel like Haidyn had them lower the temperature on purpose. I pull my knees up, put my feet flat on the table, and tightly hold my legs closed as I focus on a single spot on the ceiling. I can feel Haidyn’s eyes on my body, and I bite my tongue to keep from making a sound.

“All good.” Gavin taps my left arm. “You may put your arm back now,” he says, then covers me up.

I bite my inner cheek to hold in a sob as Haidyn lets go of my sweaty hand.

“Now…I’m going to give you a pelvic exam.” He moves to the end of the table and pulls out the stirrups, making the table rattle.

I allow him to place my shaking legs in them as he instructs. “Scoot your bottom down to the edge.”

I try to wiggle my way down, but my skin is stuck to the paper.

“Little more.”

I do as instructed, then wrap my arms tightly around my chest, wanting to cover my tear-streaked face.

“You’re going to feel some pressure.” His glove-covered fingers enter me, and I raise my hips up as he stands between my spread legs and presses down on my lower abdomen. “Doing great, Charlotte,” he tells me, and my cheeks flush.

I’ve had a male gynecologist for years, but to have Haidyn in here with me is humiliating.

Gavin’s free hand presses down on my stomach as he feels around before he removes his hand from between my legs, and I sink into the table, letting out a long breath. He takes his gloves off and throws them away. I go to move my legs, but Haidyn’s voice stops me.

“Stay,” he commands. It’s the first word he’s spoken since he entered with Gavin, and it sends a chill up my spine.

I take a shaky breath and lick my lips. Gavin walks over to me with a clipboard. He looks over and speaks to Haidyn. “Looks good. I’ll go get everything ready and be right back. Should have you out of here within a couple of hours.” He exits, closing the door, and I try to take a calming breath, but it doesn’t work.

“Haidyn…?” I can only whisper his name and glance up at him.

He’s already staring down at me. He gently runs his knuckles down the side of my wet cheek. “Yeah, doll face?”

“What’s going to take a couple of hours?” I’m sucking in air but feeling lightheaded. The idea of passing out sounds good.

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he says, “Place your arms above your head, Annabelle.”

The way he calls me by my real name tells me he’s serious. My stomach sinks at the order, and I lift my arms, which seem to have gained twenty pounds each, but I manage to lay them above my head, bent at the elbows.

Haidyn steps away from the side, and he grabs my wrist, placing it where he wants it, stretching it above my head. The sound of medical restraints hits my ears before I realize he’s secured it to the table. Then he repeats the process with the other.

I try to pull on them, but they’re tied down above my head. “Haidyn…please…” My voice trembles, and my legs shake.

He comes back into my view when he stands next to me once again. His hand cups my face as my eyes find his. They don’t look amused or intrigued, just empty. I’ve never seen such pretty blue eyes look so dead. It’s scary. There’s no telling what kind of initiations this man went through to become who he is today. But I have a feeling he’s going to put me through the same humiliation. “I’m not going to hurt you here.”

The fact that he said here just confirms what I already knew—pain is in my future. But of course, it is. That’s how the Lords are taught to treat women. Pain and pleasure go hand in hand in our life.

They’re bred to give it, and we’re conditioned to like it.

I open my mouth to ask again what he’s going to do, but he moves to the stirrups. They’re the kind that cover your entire leg, not just for your feet, bending at the knees. He buckles another belt around my upper thigh, then my ankle. He goes and does the other two on the opposite leg.

I’m strapped down to the table from my wrists to my legs secured to the stirrups. I lift my hips the little it allows because that’s all I can move. I wish I was face down so I could at least bury it in the table so he can’t see me cry. When I pull on my legs, my thighs tighten at the lack of movement. My body heat is rising, and my breath comes in short pants.

We’re made to be whores, and I hate that no matter how much I lack in experience in that department, my body still wants to explore it.

The door opens, and I can’t see who it is from my position, but I know it’s Gavin. The sound of squeaking wheels makes me flinch. He’s got a cart of some kind.

“Here you go, Haidyn. Take all the time you need. Once done, I’ll return to draw some blood, get a urine sample, and administer the birth control.” With that, he exits, leaving me strapped to the table with a man who can do anything to me in this position. Seriously, the options are endless, and my mind runs wild.