24690 (3 page)

Chapter 4

24690

“You would be honored? The correct response would have been, I’m not worthy of you, Mr. Harper.”

“You’re right, Mr. Whitlock. I am unworthy of Mr. Harper. I apologize. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

I continued to take in the white tiles lining the floor as we walked to Medical. My response was ingrained. The words came from deep within, barely even registering as I said them.
Honored.
Yes, I would have been honored to belong to Mr. Harper. I was guessing he was in his early thirties, and he was extremely attractive with light brown hair, brown eyes, a thin, straight nose, and nice lips … but, I would have been even more honored to leave this place. My mind said it was wrong to think that, but the other part of me—the rebellious part I tried to lock away, couldn’t be muted.
Honored.
I hated being owned. I hated not having choices or a life of my own.

A guard opened the door as we approached and we walked through, taking a left into a slightly curved hall that led deeper into the round fortress.

“Do you know who killed my master?”

Bram slowed, coming to pin me with those intense eyes. The attraction I harbored for him was something I had a hard time controlling. I’d felt it from the first moment I met him … holding me as I bled out from cutting my wrists. I thought he was an angel then, destined to take me far away from this place. That wasn’t the case. Far from it.

“Maybe I should be asking you. Do you know who killed your master?”

“Me?”

“That’s right. This person wore dark clothes and a mask. He slipped through a place that has been closed off for a very long time. He knew things he shouldn’t have. Perhaps you’ve been transpiring with him the entire time.”

I blinked through the news, not able to contain my shock. “I haven’t transpired anything. I don’t know anyone who would want my master dead. I swear it.”

“You’ve seen nothing suspicious? No one has been overly giving you attention that maybe you haven’t mentioned?”

Flashes blinded me of the last few times my master had guests over. All were other masters within the fortress—Rob, a famous actor—Yahn, a billionaire banker—a handful more. A rockstar, I didn’t get the name of because I was excused almost immediately. My master rarely let me in the room when his acquaintances were over. He was very jealous, and the others looked at me.
A lot.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. I wasn’t allowed around other men.”

“I know.” Bram closed the distance between us. Inch by inch, I stepped back until my back was against the wall. And he didn’t stop adding his weight when he made contact. Not until I looked up. The moment I did, his finger slid under my chin, making me keep my eyes on his. “What was it this time? Why did he beat you? Did you look at someone? Take interest in a younger man instead of an old, sick, fuck like Master Vicolette?”

I jerked my head to the side, not able to stop the action. “You know it was you.”

The chuckle left my body shaking from his laughter. “I saw you looking at me this morning when I came by. Do you like what you see, slave?” He moved into me more and I tried everything I could to fight the arousal that was automatic toward him. It mingled with the pain I still felt from my rape, twisting my mind with sick possibilities.

“I returned after I left. I saw what he did. I almost killed him myself, but I withheld after I saw you were sleeping.” He paused. “Did you know your Master was looking into buying another slave?”

Pain lanced my heart and I had no idea why. Betrayal? Perhaps. I loved my Master just as much as I hated him.

“Another slave?”

Mr. Whitlock’s thigh pressed between my legs. I winced at the stinging and it only made his grin pull back even more. He paused, gazing at my lips before he brought up his stare.

“A little girl. Ten years old. The same age you were when he bought you. You do know he’s the reason you’re here? That your first auction wasn’t real, right? He had to have told you the truth after all these years.”

My mouth opened, but nothing would come. Nothing but the tears that blinded me.

“I guess you didn’t know. He’s the reason your parents are dead. He hated your father. He had you taken as part of his revenge. Everything that has happened to you is all his doing.”

“That can’t be true.”

“Oh, but it is. I know this to be fact. I know everything about you, Everleigh.”

I couldn’t stop the gasp that exploded from my mouth. The name was like a fist in my gut. How long had it been since I’d heard myself called that?
My name
.

Fingers grasped around my wrist, pulling my arm up to be pinned against the wall. In a slow decent, Bram traced his thumb over the scar that ran from my wrist, down to the middle of my forearm. “Do you remember taking that blade to your skin? Do you remember me sitting on the floor holding and rocking you while your very life flooded all over me? Do you remember what you said to me?”

The tears escaped down my cheeks and I closed my lids as his touch stopped midway.

“I begged you to let me die, or take me away from here.”

“And what did I say to you?”

The blue of his eyes seemed brighter as I met them. “You said if I lived, you would watch out for me. You promised I would be okay.”

“I was barely a man, then, but I held true to my word. The rape from your master stopped, didn’t it? He didn’t force himself on you again after that day, did he?”

“N-no.”

I sobbed, remembering how the beatings increased right after. But the rape … it
had
stopped. It was two years before my master touched me and I consented. He’d always pulled back at my no, but I hadn’t said no, then, or afterward. He’d grown gentler during that time. More wooing. I thought it was because of my suicide attempt, but it wasn’t me at all. It was Mr. Whitlock.

“Thank … you?”

Bram’s fingers began to trail down, sweeping over my bicep before easing along my shoulder. The grip was firm as he locked onto one of my breasts. I tensed even more, not sure how to react. “Like I said before, I’m not your savior. I do nothing for free.”

And just like that, he was off me and walking away. My pulse was pounding so hard that I nearly fell from the adrenaline that was numbing out my limbs. I tried to catch up, but in truth, I was scared to. I knew what he was implying and knowing the position he held, it frightened me even more. Especially after what I had just gone through with Torrance and the guards. There was no one that would stop this man if he wanted to have his way with me. I ached already. Would Bram be just as savage when he finally did come?

I caught up to his towering frame, glancing to his hard features.
Yes.
He might very well tear me apart. Then again, did I know him at all? I saw moments of gentleness. A caress here, a brush of his fingers, there. We’d been going about this now for years.

“Hurry up.”

We took another turn and a door appeared in the distance. I swallowed hard, braving the question I feared the most.

“Will the guard … Billy have access to me in Slave Row?”

Mr. Whitlock spun on me so fast, I stumbled back, half expecting him to throw a punch.

“You still doubt me? Even after I had them remove his hand?”

“I’m sorry, Master. I don’t mean to doubt you. I just—”

“Just
nothing
. You’re a scared little mouse. Maybe I made a mistake. Perhaps I should have him go to your room every night and let him have his way with you. Maybe then you’ll stop fearing what you
need not fear
!”

The last was yelled only inches from my face. Where the slave in me wanted to curl into a ball and beg forgiveness, the spark within me burned with fire. Had I any sense, I would have doused the flame on recognition, but I didn’t. I leaned forward, pressing my lips into his.

“Thank you.” And just like that, I began to walk, leaving him there. My eyes widened through my stupidity, but something was happening. An invigorating feeling that I hadn’t experienced before. It surged through, feeding the woman I had chained away inside of me.

After a few seconds of only my footsteps, I turned to see Mr. Whitlock staring at me. Just … staring, as if he was lost on what to do. His shock appeared as great as the one I held.

“Don’t ever do that again.”

The words came out harsh, but his expression was anything but. It was still lax and slightly confused. There was no slash of his lips or narrowed angry eyes. Quite the opposite. He was beautiful unmasked.

“Do you hear me?” He stalked in my direction and it took everything I had not to cower.

“As you wish.”

“That’s it? Where’s the apology?”

One would apologize to a master if they were in the wrong. And I should, but I couldn’t drown out this new feeling.

“I’m not sorry,” I said, peeking up at him.

“You’re not sorry? I give you one speech on toughening up and this is how you behave? I should have whipped.”

I did cower, then. My shoulders drew in and on instinct, I took a step back. I’d seen enough lashings in the old days to know that it sometimes killed slaves.

“I forget myself, Master. Please forgive me. It won’t happen again.”

Bram stepped in and he used the wall to his advantage once again by showing me there was nowhere to go. My back pressed firmly into the stone so I could avoid contact, and my face turned away as a sign of respect for his station. It was routine. It was who I was and I couldn’t forget that.

“Look at me.”

It took seconds before I could obey. I was shaking through the possibilities of what he could do. When I turned, his face was so close that all I could see was his eyes. They steadily held mine as his palms flattened next to my head.

“There’s still an Everleigh inside of there. I thought she died long ago.” He pulled back, but only a few inches. “I’m sorry for that, slave. For your sake, I wished she
was
dead. I fear she may not like what her future holds. I know way back there in your mind, you hold to West Harper’s declaration, but I’m here to tell you right now, he will not win your bid.”

“But why? He thinks he can.” My voice died out and I couldn’t deny that I held hope for West. I wanted to believe it was possible. That there may be happiness for me in this hell I was cast into.

“Do you want him to be your Master? Like, want him, as a woman would a man? Or are you wanting his kindness?”

Tread lightly.
The statement rushed through my mind as I saw a darkness edge into his depths.

“He has always been kind.”

“But do you find him attractive? Do you hope that he might fall in love with you if he buys you?”

“Love?” My eyes broke their connection with his. “I’m a slave. I do not deserve love. I only live to please my master, whoever that may be.”

Mr. Whitlock stepped away. “Such a robotic response, but a correct one. West won’t find the money, and your new master will most likely be another old man. If you’re lucky, he’ll want you purely for sex.”

“And if he beats me? Cuts and peels back my skin like Master Kain does to his slave? Kills me like Master Pollock’s does with the multiple slaves he buys?”

“You can take a beating.” He paused. “But if he breaks your skin, I’ll break his neck. Then we will be here, reselling you, again. It’ll be like that until you die. The only way you’ll ever escape Whitlock is in ashes.”

“Why are you doing this for me?”

“I told you, it’ll not be for free.”

I stole a glance as we continued walking along the curved hall. “So you’ll come to me, then. You’ll want sex even if I have a master? What if he finds out? What if he hurts me because of it?”

The door opened to Medical and Bram grabbed my arm, nearly dragging me into the room he was pointed to. When the door shut, he was angrier than I ever saw him. I was practically thrown onto the hard hospital bed and his hand settled on my throat as his face moved in close. My injuries screamed to life as pressure built in my face.

“You ask all of these questions, yet you’re afraid of the wrong people. Don’t fear your master, slave. Fear the devil at your back. Fear the reflection you can’t see staring back at you in the mirror. I’m everywhere. I see your every move. I’ve seen …
for years
. When and what I want of you, I will take. Fuck everyone. Let them try to get in my way. You belong to me when I decide the time is right. For your sake, you better hope the day never comes.”

Chapter 5

Bram

“
Move
.”

The nurse nearly dropped her tray, instead pulling it into her blue uniformed scrubs, as I pushed through the door to leave my slave’s room. I couldn’t think through the conflicting emotions colliding inside of me. Anger, jealousy …
love
. God, the love. She’d kissed me. And then to tell me she wasn’t sorry? What the hell had I been thinking, bringing her back to my room and delivering her myself? I should have left her with the guards. I should have steered clear. But I hadn’t. If I had any weakness, it was her. The small span of time we’d spent together only proved that. I knew this morning when she kept staring up at me that there was a small part of her that was at least interested. But the kiss. God, that fucking kiss.

The halls blurred as I made my way back to my quarters. The moment I burst through the door, I only wanted to curse more. West was standing next to the bar, watching me as he sipped on his drink. He wanted her. He wanted what was mine. If I was any friend at all, I’d hand her over to him and be done with it. I just wasn’t sure I could. He’d fall in love with her even more than he probably already was. And her, she’d love him, too. Then, what? Would I kill him out of jealousy? Possibly.

“Get cameras on that underground entrance. I want them down the road, too. It should have been done a long time ago.”

West refilled his glass, eyeing me as he made me one.

“Already done. I’ve been told it will take a couple of days, but I put a rush on it. They’ll do it as fast as they can.”

I nodded, taking the drink and tossing it back.

“Are you in love with her, Bram?”

The liquor burned my throat, but the lie on my tongue scorched me even more. “I’m assuming you’re referring to slave twenty-four-six-ninety. The answer is no.”

“Then tell me what I have to do to convince you to let me have her.”

I threw my best friend a look, walking over to pour myself another drink. “We have rules. If I’m lenient with you, others will expect the same. I can’t do that, West. She goes up for auction and if you have the money, you have the opportunity to buy her.”

“What’s the starting bid?”

I downed the shot, refilling another. “Seven hundred thousand.”

Silence. I turned to see West’s face harden as he stared at me.

“That’s a lot more than blue slaves go for.”

“She’s more than blue, she’s beautiful. She has a fantastic body. Men will pay a lot for someone like her. Besides, I already told you. You can’t afford her.”

“I’ll give you three million this very minute if you let me have her now.”

My eyebrows rose in surprise. “You have a mortgage—a fancy little place on Mansion Hill. You have three expensive sports cars you dumbly got a loan for.”

“The house is on the market. I’ve already got an offer. The cars are gone. I sold them.”

“That’s convenient. And
suspiciously
alarming.”

West smiled. “I live here more than anywhere. Why would I keep a house and cars if I’m not even using them? Truth is, I’ve been thinking of buying a slave for some time now. Twenty-four-six-ninety just happened to come at the perfect moment. Nothing more. One could even call it fate.”

“Fate is for fools.”

He shrugged. “Maybe, but I like the sound of it. Bram, take my offer. Let me buy her. We both know she deserves better. She’s not like the other slaves. Everleigh is different.”

“Everleigh? Is that what you’ll call her?”

“No. She will be my slave in every sense of the word. She’s already trained, she’s beyond gorgeous. I don’t want a virgin, or have to go through the process of training one. She’s a good match for me.”

“I said no.”

A deep sound left West and he joined me at the bar, grabbing the decanter.

“You’re a stubborn son of a bitch. You always have been. I would do this for you if you asked. Rules, be damned. You’re like my brother. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. You know that.”

“And the moment you gave into my stupid request, the walls of this place would come tumbling down. Mark my words, West, it can’t be done. Ask me for anything else. Ask me for a fucking one-hundred-million-dollar yacht for a belated birthday gift. It will be yours. But do not ask this of me.”

“Fine. Forget the yacht and match me the price of the highest bidder so I can have her. No matter the cost.”

I slammed my glass on the bar, pinning him with a look that no doubt revealed the evil inside of me. What he was asking nearly killed me—killed him. It fed the jealousy and it took everything I had not to wrap my hands around his neck until he convinced and begged me that he’d changed his mind. “You test my patience, friend.”

“You test mine every damn day.”

Heated singed the inside of my chest as he kept my stare. I couldn’t continue to do this. West was right. They were a great match. “Fine. You want her so badly, come auction day, I’ll do what I can to make her yours.”

West’s eyes closed while he let out a long exhale. “I’m indebted to you. I’m here for whatever you need. And I’ll pay you back. You have my word.”

“Indebted. Yes, you are.”
More than you know.

A knock had me leaving him without another glance. Things were shifting within me. To feel was hard enough. I knew I loved West, but now, I had a wall up concerning him. He was somehow different in my eyes—fading from the one man I thought myself able trust. It was always ironic how things worked out that way. Anyone could have wanted my slave and I wouldn’t have held a quarter of the anger to them like I now did toward West.

“Main Master, the bodies are delivered to the holding room awaiting your instruction. Is there anything else you need?”

I took in Lyle—his short black hair, his slightly crooked nose, amongst handsome features. He had broad shoulders but wasn’t anywhere near my height. He had to have been close to his mid-forties. Choosing him was the wisest thing I could have done. I could trust him, and I would need to as I threw West a glance.

“I want you and a team of men to head to the far west wing. The part that isn’t used anymore. In the very back, you will come across a door. It leads to an abandoned garage and road. Scour every inch and find me something this murdering intruder may have left behind.”

“Yes, Master.”

He bowed his head and turned, taking off at a quick pace. I shut the door, wanting nothing but peace … and silence. I wanted to go over my slave’s kiss again.
Watch it replay over and over.
What had been in her eyes when she had pulled back and looked at me? Who had she seen when she stared up at me, afterward? Surely not the same man who was standing here now. Definitely not the one that slammed her raped and bruised body on that hospital bed and told her what a mad man he was. No … she wouldn’t have expected the monster or the secrets I divulged in those moments. I was losing it. Slipping, with my pent-up frustrations of not having her for myself.

“You look tired and it’s getting pretty late. I’m going to take off to my room. Are you okay? You sure there isn’t anything you need?”

I glanced at West, shaking my head. I couldn’t speak to him right now. There was something going on with him that was throwing red flags. I had learned to trust my intuition long ago and this had nothing to do with the jealousy I felt concerning my slave.

“See you tomorrow, Bram.”

I barely heard the door as it shut behind him. I was already heading toward my computer. Toward the one place that had been a window for me to my slave. I hit the buttons, pulling up Medical. She was curled on the bed, crying. The reality of it hit as I turned up the volume to hear the soft cries.

The nurse was standing at the far side of the room with her back to twenty-four-six-ninety, but I cared nothing about her. Fascination drew me in closer to the monitor while I watched my slave’s tiny body shake. A sense of calm settled through and my shoulders lost their stiffness.

Happy or not, nothing mattered except for the fact that we were together now. Her sadness I could deal with. Her absence, I could not.

The door opened and a female doctor walked into the room wearing her designated white scrubs. She held a chart. While she read through it, she came closer to the bed. I went back and forth as I quickly let my fingers work to pull up our moment in the hall on a smaller screen.

“You have some bruising and tearing. Nothing that won’t heal from rest. As for your face …” She finally looked up. The woman’s brow drew in and she sat on the edge of the bed while twenty-four-six-ninety pushed to sit up. “You’ll need to ice over the next few days to bring down the swelling. Do you think you can stay out of trouble in the mean time?”

“Oh … well, yes. My Master …”

More sobs.

“Her master is dead. She’s headed to Slave Row.” The nurse came up from behind to address the doctor. She got closer, stopping just a foot from them. “She’s the one I was telling you about,” she whispered.

“I see.”

The women looked between each other and my slave shifted uncomfortably as they did.

“I didn’t kill him. It was a man in a mask. They’re looking for him now. I ...” my slave sniffled, wiping away the tears as fear shadowed her face. It was evident the crying wasn’t over. She looked worse than ever. “I just want to go home,” she sobbed. “I want to wake up and know this was just a dream.”

“Shh,” the doctor said, reaching for her hand. “No more crying.”

The scene had me cocking my head as I watched. Why hadn’t I been aware of this doctor’s caring nature before? Or the nurse’s, for that matter? This wasn’t what was best for slaves. Slaves were meant to feel like no one. They weren’t supposed to get support from anyone but their masters, and only if the master willed it.

“Look at me,” the doctor continued. “Everything will be okay.”

“No, you don’t understand. Where I’m going in Slave Row, it’s full of rapers. I’m not a virgin. I’ve heard such bad stories. They’ll get me. They’ll be waiting. A guard had his hand cut off because of me. They’re going to want revenge. Maybe even to see me dead. I’m not safe. I’ve been assured that I am, but I can’t be watched at all times. They’ll know when to strike, and when they do, I’m done for.”

The doctor’s eyes cut up to the nurse’s. Both of the women’s anxieties were evident on their faces as they stared silently at each other.

“I know the man you speak of. He’s down the hall.” She took a deep breath. “What is your name?” the doctor whispered.

“Twenty-four-six-ninety.”

“No … your real name.”

More tears. “Everleigh.”

“That’s a beautiful name, Everleigh.” Her hand lifted my slave’s while her other came up to sandwich their embrace. “Listen to me, Everleigh. If men come for you, don’t fight them. I know that sounds horrible, and in other circumstances outside of here, I wouldn’t be telling you this. But this place is unlike any other I’ve ever seen. And like you, I cannot leave. We deal how we must.” She paused. “That’s why I’m going to tell you not to fight. If you fight, they will hit. Rape comes with injuries of its own, but I can help you with those. You may not be so lucky if they beat you again. Men can kill here and get away with it. I can’t help you if you’re dead. Do you understand me? Lay there. Do nothing … not until you’re able to.” 

My slave’s nod was full of something I couldn’t even understand.

“We never had this talk,” she said, lowly. “But I am here should you need me.”

The doctor stood, glancing at the nurse who followed. The moment the door shut, my slave opened her hand and her eyes flared. Her fists were under the blanket so fast, I didn’t get a chance to see what she held.