Madness: Part 2 – Chapter 44

I’ve been a prisoner at Haidyn’s for a week now. Being his fuck toy isn’t as bad as I originally thought it would be. I get fed three meals a day, provided with an endless amount of snacks, and am fucked senseless. What else can a girl ask for?

The Lords have been silent, and I’m starting to think it’s because they know I’m no longer seeing Haidyn inside Carnage. My only question is what do they want me to do now? How long until they decide I’m failing my assignment and just take me out?

I’m uneasy, and Haidyn sees it. At least I’m able to blame it on the incident that led me to being his prisoner inside his home.

He’s hidden my laptop because I haven’t seen it anywhere in this house, and I’ve looked every chance I get—which isn’t much. I swear the guy never sleeps. And he’s only left that one time after finding me upstairs in the other man’s bedroom.

I haven’t heard one word from my mother, and I have this sinking feeling that I’ve failed her. I’m the only one who can carry on my father’s legacy, and I can’t even do that right.

I sent a few messages to Wesley. I told him I’m still away, which isn’t a lie since I’m not allowed to go home right now. I sent him a few selfies and Photoshopped the background. I felt bad when he told me how gorgeous I looked and wished he could have joined me.

I’m lying in Haidyn’s bed. Muffin is curled up on his pillow like she owns the place. She quite likes it here. She loves all of his windows and spends most of her days bird-watching and napping.

The door opens, and Haidyn enters. He’s got a towel draped around his shoulders with a T-shirt and sweatpants on. He’s been working out in his home gym. It’s part of his daily routine. Sometimes he’s in there more than once. Without saying anything to me—doesn’t even look my way—he enters the adjoining bathroom and shuts the door to shower.

Waiting for the shower to turn on, I pick up my other cell phone. I chose to leave my real one back at my house. This is the number that Haidyn knows. If he hears another phone going off, he’ll start to question why I have two. He’s already taken my laptop; I don’t want him to know the Lords gave me this too.

Turning on the spare phone, I see it has an email. I open it up to see there’s a video attached.

My eyes go to the closed bathroom door quickly before grabbing my earbuds out of my bag. I put one in and leave the other out. That way, I can hear when he’s done in the shower.

I wonder if the Lords know he has my laptop. If they can monitor which device I access the emails from?

Getting back into bed, I sink down into it and pull the covers up and over the phone as I open it up and push play.

It’s a concrete room. It reminds me of being in my basement, but I have no doubt that it’s at Carnage. The camera is positioned high up in the corner, so it shows the entire room. The sound of a squeaky door opening has my eyes looking up at the bathroom door. It’s still shut, and the shower is still running, so I drop my gaze back to the video on my phone.

Haidyn enters the room, pulling a gurney inside. Saint pushes the other end. A woman lies on it with duct tape from her jawline to right underneath her nose. A black tube sticking out the center of her mouth makes it possible for her to breathe, and a blanket covers her bottom half.

It’s Ashtyn!

I sit up straighter in bed and once again check the door to the bathroom to make sure Haidyn hasn’t finished. Then I go back to the screen.

They remove the blanket that covers her, and I gasp, slapping my hand over my mouth when I see she’s strapped down to it. Her arms are secured in a straitjacket, and her legs are buckled to the bed. She screams behind the tape and thrashes in the bed that she’s secured to.

The bed is adjusted into more of a sitting position, and the belt around her neck pulls tighter on her skin.

It’s choking her.

Both Haidyn and Saint go over to the cabinets. “Adrenaline?” The sound of Haidyn’s voice makes me jump.

“No,” Saint answers. “I don’t want to kill her. I’d prefer her to pass out.”

What the fuck are they going to do to her? I thought they loved her? How long ago was this taken? A quick look tells me that it’s old because neither one of them has any ink.

“And if she doesn’t?” Haidyn asks, but his tone doesn’t give off any concern. It’s more like curiosity.

“She will. Her body won’t be able to handle it.”

Ashtyn yanks on her arms secured in the straitjacket and begins to choke as saliva shoots out from the black rubber breathing tube from underneath all the duct tape. Saint turns and walks over to her. She’s naked from the waist down. He wipes her pelvic bone, and my heart hammers in my chest, wondering what they’re going to make her endure.

My eyes go to Haidyn, and he hands Saint a branding iron with the Lords crest on it. “Take a deep breath, Ashtyn,” Saint tells her.

“Are you sure?” Haidyn asks once again.

“No,” Saint answers. “Go ahead and give her the adrenaline.”

Ashtyn shakes her head, and her wide eyes go to Saint, pleading for him not to do it.

Haidyn walks over to the counter, opens a drawer, and fills a syringe from a clear vial. She’s screaming into the tape as he walks back to them. Haidyn undoes the belt around her neck to the stretcher, and she goes to lean up, but he grips her taped face, tilts her head back, and pushes the needle into it. She instantly goes limp, and her eyes close.

Then the video goes dark. I close the email and open it again quickly, wanting to see more, but it’s gone.

The shower turning off has me yanking the earbud out and shoving it along with my cell between the mattress and box spring.

I lie down and pull the covers up and over my face, praying that he thinks I’ve gone back to sleep so he won’t find me all worked up and wonder why.

I close my eyes, trying to calm my breathing while wondering why the fuck the Lords would send me that. Why do they want me to see that? Haidyn was supposed to give her adrenaline, but it’s obvious he didn’t. He knocked her out because he didn’t want her to go through the pain. Why?

He loves her. My mother’s friend’s words come back to me. For some reason, they had to brand her, and he couldn’t bear to put her through that kind of pain.

The thought makes my Lords brand itch, and I slowly move my neck back and forth, trying to scratch it against the pillow. The one on my ass burns as well. I freeze when I hear the bathroom door finally open and hold my breath.

Seconds later, I hear him exit the bedroom, and I close my eyes, releasing my breath. Fuck. I feel like the Lords are trying to tell me something, but I’m not sure what it is. Or if I even want to know.

HAIDYN

My cell went off while I was in the shower, and it was a text.

SAINT: Come home please…she needs you.

I haven’t spoken to him since he stood in the doorway of my house, so I know it must be important if he’s reaching out. Running a hand through my hair, I contemplate ignoring it. But the fact that Saint was the one who messaged me makes me think it’s important.

Walking back into my bedroom, I go over to the side of the bed that Charlotte is lying on. I gently pull back the covers from her face. “Charlotte?” I place my hand on her shoulder, and her heavy eyes open to meet mine. “I have to run.”

“Okay.” She yawns.

“Get some sleep, doll face. I’ll be right back.”

I jump on my bike and pull up to Carnage in less than twenty minutes. Jessie meets me at the main entrance. “They’re upstairs in the birdcage, sir,” he informs me, knowing I was coming. I guess Saint informed him that he requested my presence.

Making my way up to the birdcage, I exit the elevator just as the door to Saint’s room opens. He steps out into the hallway to meet me. His head is down, and he runs his hand through his already disheveled hair. When his eyes meet mine, I feel a coldness run down my spine.

What the fuck happened? “What’s going on? Where is she?”

“In our room,” he answers, and his voice is hoarse.

I reach out to open the door, but he steps in my way. “Saint⁠—?”

“I…” He pauses, lowering his voice. “I need you to talk to her for me.”

“I came, didn’t I?” I snap, getting irritated.

He nods to himself a few times. “I just need her to know that I’m here for her.”

I frown at his words and go to ask him what the fuck he means by that, but he steps out of the way and opens the door for me. Knowing she’ll tell me more than he will, I step inside to find her sitting on their bed, back against the headboard and staring straight ahead. Her eyes are red from crying, and her face is splotchy.

“Ashtyn?” I ask, closing the door behind me.

She blinks, her eyes finding mine. They widen, and she gasps. Scrambling off the bed, she rushes to me and throws her arms around my neck, leaping into my arms. “Haidyn,” she whispers before I hear her sniff. Her body trembles in my arms as she begins to cry.

I walk her over to the bed and sit her down on the edge, prying her body from mine. I kneel in front of her. “What’s going on, baby girl?”

She sniffs, trying to get her emotions under control, and takes in a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

I was afraid of this. Kashton had told me that she found out she was pregnant, and all I could think about on the way here was that she lost it. I pretend I don’t already know that information because this isn’t the first time Ashtyn has told me she’s expecting. She had run into me in a hallway here at Carnage. She was upset, and I couldn’t get her to calm down, so I snuck her out and took her to see Devin. I didn’t want her to worry about being pregnant without proof.

Four years ago

“Saint…”

“We’ll figure it out,” I assure her and kiss her forehead. I don’t understand why she’s so afraid of being pregnant. Saint will take care of her. Hell, Kashton and I will also take care of her. She’s not alone here.

The door opens, and her breath catches when she sees Gavin enter. She rises onto her elbows, but I push her down.

“No…”

“This is Gavin,” I tell her. She thinks it’s Devin—our doctor on call at Carnage—but I understand that. They’re identical twins. “He’s here to help, Ash.”

“Haidyn.” He nods to me before placing her in the stirrups and not wasting any time. We’ve got to confirm the pregnancy and get back to Carnage before anyone notices she’s missing.

Her eyes are wide, and her heavy breathing fills the room. I take her hand and give her a reassuring smile, trying to ease her concern.

Gavin begins a vaginal ultrasound, and the sound of a heartbeat makes me smile. She was right. She and Saint are going to be parents. I’m going to be an uncle.

He finishes it up and then stands. “Give me an hour and I’ll have a room ready.”

“Room?” She jumps up. “What…what do we need a room for?” She’s panicking, and her body trembles.

Gavin looks from me to her. “I’m assuming you came here for termination…”

“No,” she cries, frantically shaking her head.

“Give us a minute,” I tell Gavin, and he walks out.

“Ash—”

“I want this baby,” she cries. “Please, Haidyn. I want this baby…We just can’t tell Saint.”

I run a hand down my face. “You can’t hide a pregnancy from him. I can’t hide this from him.” I cup her face. “He’s going to be happy⁠—”

“It’s not his child.”

I frown, my hands dropping from her tear-streaked face. “What do you mean not his child?”

She drops her head and sniffs. “I was raped.”

“Who the fuck raped you?” I snap, and she flinches.

“I don’t know who it was.” She lifts her eyes to mine and whispers, “But it happened before the vow ceremony.”

My mind tries to comprehend everything she’s telling me. “No…” I was there. I saw what happened. “You bled⁠—”

“Saint cheated.” She interrupts me. “At the ceremony.”

I take her hands in mine. It’s the same thing she told me when she ran into me in the hallway at Carnage. I didn’t understand it then, and I don’t understand it now. “I believe you, baby girl, but you’re not making any sense.”

“Saint knew I was raped beforehand, and he cheated at the vow ceremony to make it look like I was a virgin.”

“Fuck.” Now it’s all making sense. The reason for her overreaction isn’t really an overreaction now. Saint will be in deep shit with the Lords if they find out he did something to the vow ceremony. “Who would have known that to tell him?” I ask, trying to think of my next step. I’m now on damage control.

“My father.”

“Goddammit,” I hiss. “And Laura told you all of this?” Ashtyn had also informed me that the fucking therapist was the one who forced her to take the test during one of her sessions. Right before I ran into her in the hallway at Carnage and I snuck her out to see Gavin. We needed proof other than a test that Laura could have altered. Turns out, she wasn’t wrong. We heard the heartbeat. Ashtyn is pregnant.

She nods.

What the fuck? How does that bitch know everything?

There’s a knock on the door before it cracks open, and Gavin looks at me.

“I’ll be right there.” I give him a nod, and he pulls it closed.

“I don’t want Saint to get in trouble,” she rushes out. “I need you to help me.”

I step forward, wrapping my arms around her shoulders, and pull her in for a hug, rubbing her back. “I’ll take care of it.” Pulling away, I step out into the hallway and shut the door behind me so she can get dressed.

“What the fuck are you doing, Haidyn?” he demands, his eyes going to the closed door and then back to mine. “Is that your child?”

“No.”

“Then why the fuck are you here with your brother’s girl…who is pregnant?”

“It’s complicated, and until I figure it out, I need you to keep your mouth shut.”

The door opens behind me, and Ashtyn steps out. I take her hand in mine and exit the clinic. I help her into the car and then send a quick text before getting into the driver’s seat.

We’ve got a problem.

If I’m going to pull this off, I’ll need help.

I’m not sure why she’s so upset this time, so I remain silent as I let her continue. I’ve found the best way to get information from someone is to let them ramble. Silence makes them nervous.

Her watery eyes drop to her bed. “It’s twins.” She takes another deep breath. “We’ve been monitoring the pregnancy and running tests…” She sniffles.

“And?” I hate to ask, knowing if she’s this upset, then it’s bad news. She’s already lost one child.

She licks her wet lips. “Devin suggested a DNA test for them.” Her eyes meet mine, and fresh tears fill them. “He said we could wait until they’re born, but he suggests we do it as soon as possible.”

I’m no expert on pregnancies, but I’m not sure why a DNA test would be important to do while she’s pregnant. “And you don’t want to?” I ask, confused and trying to figure out why she’s so upset about that. “What about a second opinion?” I question.

She gives a slight nod. “Gavin was there as well and agreed with Devin. They said they could do it tomorrow and that Saint and I should take the day to discuss it.”

If both of them suggested it, then I wouldn’t see any harm in it. My eyes go to the closed door, and I’m surprised he hasn’t joined us. “Ashtyn⁠—”

“Heteropaternal superfecundation.” She interrupts me. “They said it’s rare but possible.”

“I don’t know what that means,” I tell her softly. She’s going to have to dumb it down for me.

“It means…” She takes in a shaky breath. “That they think I’m pregnant with babies from two different men.”

Her tear-filled eyes lower to her legs as she runs her palms down her thighs. Tears spill over her bottom lashes and hit her legs. I swallow the knot in my throat, realizing what she’s telling me. When Saint dragged her back, he had Devin remove her IUD. He was going to make her his in every way possible. But he never expected Benny to kidnap and rape her while he held her in the woods for four days, which could have possibly resulted in him getting her pregnant…again.

She sniffs, getting my attention. “I…” Her eyes lift to mine. “Is it bad that I don’t want to know?” Her lip trembles. “That I want to believe Saint is the father to both of my babies?”

I straighten before sitting down next to her, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her to my side. “No,” I tell her. She turns, wrapping her arms around me, and buries her head into my shirt as her cries fill the room. “There’s nothing wrong with that, baby girl.”