Madness: Part 2 – Chapter 34

Blackout is the place to go when it comes to clubs in our city. It recently caught fire, but the Lord who owns it—Tyson Crawford—had it rebuilt from the ground up. Even though he kept it exactly like the original, it’s still better than ever.

Like always, it’s packed tonight. We’ve been here for two hours, and I’ve downed more drinks than I can count. Not like I care. I had an Uber drop me off, and I’ll either Uber home or find a man to drive me.

Man? I look around the club as the flashing lights hurt my eyes and the floor vibrates under my heels. I have a rum and Coke in my hands that I’m sipping on.

The only man I’m supposed to be with is Haidyn. Especially now that the Lords gave me an ultimatum, I have to honor my decision. So much for taking a random guy home to fuck my ass.

That thought has me sucking down more of my drink. It doesn’t even burn my throat anymore. It slides right down.

I’m out with my friends, and my mind is on Haidyn. It pisses me off, but I knew taking him on as an assignment would control my life.

Making my way to the bathroom, I enter and pull out my cell. I dial his number and hold it to my ear as it rings.

“Yes, Annabelle?” he answers. His voice sounds irritated. As if he is tired of me. Like I’m some obsessed bitch following him around, and for some reason, the way he says my name infuriates me. I like it better when he calls me Charlotte.

“What the fuck do you want, Haidyn?” I bark out but then hiccup.

He laughs lightly. “You called me, doll face.”

I stomp my foot. Fuck! This is why women shouldn’t take their cells out with them. Unable to come up with anything, I hang up and slam the cell down on the counter.

Bowing my head, I take in a shaky breath. My cell beeps, and I grind my teeth. Picking it up, I expect it to be him, but it’s a text from UNKNOWN.

Tick tock.

I want to scream. Are they watching me? Bugging my cell? Most likely since they’re the ones who gave me this one.

I suck down what’s left of my drink, then place my cell to my ear, calling Haidyn once more.

“Yes?” he answers. This time, his voice sounds amused.

I straighten my shoulders. “You branded my ass,” I snap.

“You’re welcome.”

I bite my tongue to keep from telling him to go to hell.

“Just giving you a reminder of me, doll face.”

Fisting my hand, I take in a deep breath and get this over with. “You said that it’s my decision…that it depends on me when we’re done.”

“I did,” he agrees.

“What if I’m not done…?” I bite my numbing lip, hoping he doesn’t make me beg him to be his whore. No matter how much my body liked it.

“Done with what, beautiful?”

I roll my eyes, my knees buckling at his choice of words. He’s just too good. “You…and me.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” he says, and I bow my head, running my hand through my hair.

Motherfucker…

Sighing, I lift my head and stare at myself in the mirror. “I want to be your dirty little whore, Haidyn.” My chest rises and falls quickly, my breathing accelerating. My face is red, but I’m pretty sure that’s from the alcohol I’ve consumed since arriving.

His silence on the other end of the phone has me panicking. What if he was being serious and doesn’t want me? I can’t take no for an answer. The Lords have given me an order, and now my life is on the line. If I have to crawl, beg, and spread my legs for him like the desperate woman I am, I will.

The line goes dead, letting me know he just hung up on me, and I toss my phone onto the counter like it’s on fire. Gripping my hair, I grind my teeth. “What the fuck?” I hiss. This is why women don’t drink and call their exes. They end up regretting it the next day.

I turn off my phone, stuff it into my clutch, and stomp my way out of the bathroom to go down some more drinks. I’ll deal with my lack of dignity tomorrow.

HAIDYN

I drop my phone to my lap. I should be happy about the call I just received, but I’m not. She was drunk. I’m not surprised about that, but why did she suddenly change her mind?

I kept her at her house because I didn’t want her anywhere near Carnage. I can’t chance the guys figuring out who she really is. Not until I find out what the fuck it is she’s after. I can guess, but that’s not good enough.

I want to know, and that will take time. I’m not going to pass up an opportunity to play with her in the meantime.

Looking up, I see Sin and Ryat in the middle of a conversation. I interrupt, not caring what they’re talking about. “Ryat?”

“Yeah?” His green eyes meet mine.

“What did Blakely do for her initiation after you two got married?” A Lady has to be initiated, and considering the rank her Lord holds, will depend on how much the Lords require of her to prove her worthy of him.

He sits back on the couch. “They gave her two…the first one was to prove her loyalty to me with divorce papers—she passed by not signing and tossing them into the fireplace.” He smiles proudly at the thought. “The second was she had to kill a Lord, but the night of the initiation, she was attacked, so the Lords excused it.”

Hmm. That’s interesting that they didn’t give her a new one. Or at least fulfill the previous one later, but that’s all the information he wanted to give so I’ll accept it. I look at Sin, who sits next to him. He’s typing on his cell. “Sin, what did Ellington have to do?”

His eyes meet mine for a brief second. “They made me put her through hell.” Then he goes back to typing to who I can only guess is his pregnant wife.

Tyson gets my attention, sitting behind his desk. “Found a wife, Haidyn?” He smirks.

Tyson’s wife didn’t have to be initiated. He got to choose who he wanted and when he wanted to make her his. It was something he had negotiated with the Lords in taking over Blackout.

I shake my head. “Just curious.” Vague, I know, but I don’t want anyone to know anything just yet regarding Charlotte. Plus, the Spade brothers have different rules when it comes to wives and Ladies.

Getting up, I exit Tyson’s office on the second floor of Blackout. I walk across the walkway and come to a stop. Curling my hands around the railing, I look down over the packed club.

I spot her immediately. She’s hard to miss, dressed in a black minidress and red heels, and standing at the main bar with three shots lined up. She throws each one back and then slams the glasses down. Two women stand next to her doing the same and a man at the end.

I know who they all are. I went through her cell while she was down in the basement. I wanted to know everything I could about my newest toy. They’re part of her “fake” life. The question is, why did she come out with them tonight? Just how deep is this second life she has?

It’s not hard to figure out, really. She needs to keep up the facade. That’s why she called me. The Lords sent her to me, and she can’t walk away. No matter what I do to her, she has to take it or else…the real question is, what is the else? Am I her initiation? If so, why me? Maybe she’s been handed over to another Lord, and they’ve sent her to me because they think I’ll give them inside information about Carnage. Too bad for them, I’m not talking, but I’ll make sure to send her back to her Lord with my cum dripping from every hole she has to offer.

Maybe this is about Ashtyn? I don’t see that being a possibility, though, because Charlotte was placed in my life before Saint dragged Ashtyn back home. Not by much though. But in our world, you can’t rule anything out.

I’m going to do whatever the fuck I can to find out. She’ll tell me what I want to know, even if I have to force it out of her. But I’m all for the long game.

“Your latest fuck?”

I look over to see Sin has joined me out on the walkway. Placing his tatted forearms on the railing, he leans over, his eyes looking down over the bar where I was. His eyes immediately come back to mine…then return to her.

Looking over at the door to Tyson’s office, I see him and Ryat standing right outside of it in conversation.

“What did you drive tonight?” I ask Sin.

Straightening his back, he turns to look at me. “My car. Do you need it?”

I look back over at her and see her lift a shot up in the air. Her friends clank them together, causing some of the liquid to spill over the edge of hers and run down her arm. Her friend grabs Charlotte’s wrist and licks it to lap up the drink spilled as Charlotte throws her head back and laughs.

“Yeah.” I dig my hand into the pocket of my leather jacket and hold up the key to my bike. “I’ll trade you for the night.” I can’t put her on the back of my R1. And she’s not leaving this place with anyone but me.

He takes it and drops his keys into my hand. “I’ll swing by tomorrow and swap them out.”

“I’ll text you the address.”

“I know where Carnage…” He frowns. “You’re hiding.” It’s not a question.

“I’m not hiding.” I slap his shoulder. “But this stays between us. And if I find out you told someone, I’ll nail your fucking dick to the wall.”

He just laughs. Fucker would probably get off on that.