24690 (18 page)

“You want me. God, I knew you’d want me.”

He rose higher, a grin forming as he stared. Softly, his lips brushed against mine and the cringe came naturally. It reflected my mind and I held to hope. But it didn’t last as he began to stretch me with his cock.

“Yes. This,” he whispered against me. “This is how things will be between us. I like this side of you: quiet, unmoving. Someday I will tell you why. Someday, you will know more of my secrets.”

A jolt locked my body as he slammed forward. Pain hit sharp but faded almost just as fast. The oil was feeding me false emotions. False sensations. His cock began to feel good. Almost as if it were meant to be inside of me.

With each inch, each thrust of his long length, the oil burned me hotter. My fear faded as did my nonconsensual mindset. Everything vanished but the pleasure, and I knew in that moment the drug had me. I wasn’t Everleigh anymore. I was no one but a dead slave, alive.

Chapter 29

West

Could I get any happier? I didn’t think so. Bram was almost in the ground; my slave was pretty much mine. I had everything a man could dream of.

“Mr. Harper, my condolences. I’m so very sorry for your loss.”

I shook the older woman’s hand, having no clue who she was. Hell, I didn’t know barely anyone who’d attended Bram’s funeral. Some of the masters came, and all of our associates, but as for the others … I didn’t have a clue. Not that I cared. I shook their hands and said thank you. They moved to Everleigh, saying the same. She was a damn mess, again. I’d barely been able to keep her under control during the service. She was crying harder than anyone. Her body shook against mine as I held her close, and it looked good in appearance. But it was driving me crazy. Good thing was, I knew how to make it better when we left. I bathe her again. And again. Every day.

“My condolences, Mr. Harper. Mrs. Harper.”

“Thank you,” I said, already looking to the next person. Everleigh sobbed and I glance over as her hand broke from my arm. She turned, walking back to Bram’s grave. I frowned, shaking the couple’s hands, but continuing to turn back to look at her. The high leader was heading in her direction. I relaxed, going through the motions. He’d make sure she didn’t do anything stupid. Not that I thought she would. With each hour that passed, she grew quieter. More unresponsive. I should have worried, but I didn’t. I preferred her silence. It left less work on my end.

“Mr. Harper.”

I nodded, grasping the hand of the younger man. The line was coming to a close and I couldn’t wait to get back to the penthouse. In truth, it was Bram’s … or now, my slaves. I wouldn’t think about how he left the bitch everything.
Even his money.
Not right now. Come tonight, I’d make her my wife, anyway. It may not be officially legit, but no one would know the difference. Everything of his would become mine. It may have seemed impossible from the paperwork, but I was no fool. I’d figure out a way.

I went through the rest of the handshakes, nodding to the last person. Cars were already driving away and the cemetery was clearing out. I headed toward the closed casket, crouching to place my hand on Everleigh’s back as I arrived.

“It’s time to go, wife.”

Her head shook. “I don’t want to leave. I’m not leaving.”

My eyes went to the high leader’s and he frowned.

“Come, Mistress,” Lyle said, coaxingly. “Mr. Whitlock wouldn’t want to see you so upset.”

Bram? What the fuck about me? She was meant to be
my
slave. These guards standing out here shouldn’t be seeing her moping over a dead man. She had me!

“Everleigh.” My tone was deeper. When my arm grasped around her bicep to help her stand, she turned, letting out a scream so high pitched and forceful that it froze me from surprise. Her body launched toward me, knocking me on my back as her fists slammed down toward my face and chest.

“Rapist! You sick, vile—I hate you! I hate you!”

I rolled her over, pinning her arms as I looked around at the men gathering closer.

“
You push me
. You don’t want to do to that.”

Blood swept over my tongue and I stood, jerking her to her feet. I wasn’t two steps in before the high leader rushed up. “I’ll accompany you back to the penthouse.”

“You will not,” I exploded, continuing on. She fought me the entire way to the limo, screaming and cursing as she tried to break free. The moment I had her in the car, my hand locked to her throat and I slammed her on the seat. I pushed my weight into her as hard as I could, squeezing around her neck as her face turned a deep red.

“Rapist? You think what I did to you was rape? Oh, slave. You want rape, I will show you rape. You’ll be hanging to life by a thread. And I’ll bring you back and do it all over again. I will make you
beg
for death.”

I let go, pushing back to sit. Coughing shook her chest, but she didn’t join me. She stayed in the fetal position, panting while she cried and fought to breathe. Within seconds the car began to move.

Had I thought I had this under control? Had I thought I could pretend to be the man I’d been my entire life so I could make her fall in love with me? No, perhaps I knew things would go to shit before we ever returned to Whitlock. Maybe it was even the reason I’d brought her to begin with. I needed a cold dose of what my subconscious already knew. I’d never have Everleigh. Not how I wanted. But I could have her money, the appearance of her as my wife, and her body. That was good enough for me. I didn’t need her heart. Bram could keep it. It was probably just as cold as his dead body was, anyway.

“Tonight, you’ll sign a paper saying we’re married. You will sign it or I will slaughter every one of those children you intend to protect. If you so much as hesitate in moving pen to paper, I will make you help slice open their little bodies while they beg you to stop. Do you hear me?”

Slowly, she sat. The hate was like nothing I’d ever been faced with before. My fist clenched through the need to hit her, but I held still. I couldn’t do that yet. Not until we were back at Whitlock. There was no telling if I’d run into anyone before I left, and I couldn’t have them suspecting that I abused my wife. I still had my business and status on the outside world I needed to maintain. Especially if I was going to make a name for myself like the Whitlocks’ had.

“I will sign your paper and hand myself to you freely … after I see every one of those children gone from that wretched place.”

I laughed. “You don’t give the orders, slave. I’ll kill them all.”

Everleigh came at me so fast that I barely had time to catch her hand as she stabbed something into the top of my chest. I ripped back her wrist, seeing it was the letter opener from the penthouse desk she still grasped.

“Bitch!”

Pain flared, but I knew she hadn’t stabbed me deep. I dove forward, flipping her over to her stomach, and tearing up the dress as I threw myself on top of her. Just knowing what I was about to do sent my adrenaline racing. My cock got so hard while I pulled at my belt. She was struggling, but she couldn’t break free with my hand planted on the center of her back.

“You want to kill me? You hate me so much?”

Whack! Whack! Whack!

A scream echoed around from me spanking her ass, but still I continued to undo my pants.

“You have no idea. I
will
kill you. So help me, I will.”

“The slave has found a backbone somewhere deep inside that pretty, little body. You keep fighting and hating me. I’ll keep making you scream. It’ll be a wonderful marriage.”

I spit into my hand, stroking down my cock for only a moment before I jerked up her hips. With one hand, I held the top of her body down, with the other I spread her ass, looking at what I knew was going to be mine. Fuck, it was beautiful. So much so that I ground my teeth imagining the way it would feel. Two of my fingers pushed into her entrance, slamming in hard. Her cries were like the sweetest melody. It drifted around me, exhilarating me while I rubbed the wetness over her back entrance. Back and forth I went, pussy, ass, pussy ass. My thrusts became fierce as I plunged them into her pussy hard and deep. When I moved her juices back to her ass, again, I buried my fingers in as far as they could do. Watching her stretch. Feeling the unbearable tightness squeeze against me. Everleigh’s body locked up and she gasped so deep, she choked as she fought for breath.

“No! No!”

I didn’t coat my fingers in saliva this time. Impatience and sick pleasure had me spitting directly on her back entrance while I rubbed it into her. When I added more to my cock, she twisted and almost broke free from under my hand. I didn’t wait. In one swift motion, I slammed into her ass with everything I had. The pitch that filled the interior was like nothing I’d ever heard before—half agony, half plea for help. It said everything she couldn’t, and it made my sadist soar.

My arms wrapped around her chest in a bear hug, keeping her captive as I forcefully pushed into her even more. The strain around my thickness had me grounding my teeth through the pleasure and pain. I saw everything, and yet nothing. What I was doing was like a dream. One I could have had over and over and never got enough.

I withdrew, slamming and burying myself into her just as violently. Everleigh gagged, still trying to scream, but I didn’t care. I loved our moment, more than anything in the world.

“How’s this for a rapist? For a husband? Oh, Everleigh, how I adore you. Cry for me a little louder, baby. Don’t get quiet. Don’t stop fighting.”

I thrust in a steady pace, not going deep, but more teasingly to me. I didn’t ever want it to end, but the pleasure of my cruelty was too much. It didn’t take long to use her. Cum shot from my cock and for seconds I still couldn’t break away. To savor the moment was easy. The sobs were temporarily gone. She was barely even moving. The blood that met me as I looked down to fasten my pants had me smiling in my moment.

“You have one minute to get up to the seat or I have Eli do this to you again when we get to the penthouse.”

The smell of vomit had me rolling down the window. I’d only just realized she’d actually gotten sick.

“Now! One minute.”

Everleigh pushed the top half of her body up, only for her shaky arms to give out. Her eyes appeared dilated as she clawed at the floor toward the seat. And her teeth, they were chattering. I stared, fascinated, as her legs barely moved at first. They trailed behind, gaining strength as the seconds passed. Nails tore at the leather and her ankles turned out as she slithered up beside me. Small sounds kept coming, but she didn’t say a word as she sat angled on her side. Tears weren’t even streaming anymore. It made me frown as I continued to stare at her.

“It didn’t have to be like this. Hate me all you want, you’re the one responsible for everything that happens to you.”

Nothing.

I reached up, pushing against the tear in my suit jacket. Blood was soaked around it and I cursed as the scene replayed. There was no way I was going to be able to hide what happened. And I didn’t have to look behind me to know I was being followed by more than one car. The guards would want to escort us into the room. They’d want to do a sweep of the place before I even entered. I shouldn’t have cared what they thought, but the cautious attorney and new master in me did. Some of the guards had a soft spot for Everleigh. I didn’t understand it, but I didn’t have to. It was fact I’d be stupid to ignore. Until I made my mark—set in stone my leadership—I couldn’t afford to lose any of them that might have been loyal to Bram.

“Let me fix your dress.”

I reached forward, pausing as she flinched at my approach. I continued, moving slowly to ease her dress down. When she cried out at me trying to lift her, I jerked her into my lap. Fuck it. I’d carry her inside. Except, my leg was already becoming saturated with the blood. I could see the wetness glistening against the black leather seat.

“Look what you’ve done. Could this have not waited until we got home? What was so important with staying at that fucking grave?”

I brushed back her hair, internally getting even more pissed at how pale she was. I grabbed my phone, hitting Eli’s number. He answered almost immediately.

“You’re in the car with Lyle, correct?”

“Yes.”

There was pause in his answer.

“Everleigh’s not well. I need you to have them pass us up and get to the penthouse as fast as they can. I want it swept before I arrive. Make something up. Say I told you the alarm went off or something. I don’t give a shit. Get in and out as fast as possible.”

The line disconnected without so much as a word. One SUV passed, and then two more. I took a deep breath, pulling Everleigh more into my chest. I hated how the need to apologize was there. With it, came the need to hurt her more. A few more hours … then I wouldn’t have to worry about anything. I’d be home free.

Chapter 30

24690

“Deep breath.”

My hand shot to West’s shoulder as he stood from the limo. The need to cry out beckoned, but I suffocated it back inside of me. We’d entered from the parking garage instead of through the front like we usually did. It was dim and empty of people as we approached the elevator. But it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. No one could help me.

I tensed through the pain from his shifting, taking slow, deep breaths as I stared around in a daze. There were no thoughts. No grief or fear as I floated in the security of myself. Silent, I was safe. Silent, I didn’t exist.

A ding echoed in the distance. Or maybe it wasn’t so far away, but I was.

The light brightened inside of the enclosed space and I gazed at the buttons as they lit up. West kept stepping us back and forth. He couldn’t stay still. He reached up, pushing my head to rest on his shoulder and I let him. I didn’t fight to lift it or even care that it was him I was laying on.

A jolt fluttered my stomach and he swept through the doors the moment they opened. His pace was fast and heavy and he didn’t slow as he stalked between a few guards standing outside the opened door.

“We’ve checked the residence, Master Harper. Nothing seems out of sorts.”

“Great. Leave us, High Leader.”

“I have something to discuss with you if you can spare a few minutes.”

Lyle’s voice had us turning back to face him.

“Make it fast. What is it?”

He cleared his throat. Although my face was buried in West’s neck, I knew he was approaching by the sound of the boots getting closer.

“Mr. Whitlock left behind instructions he wanted me to go over with you. If you’d like, one of the guards can put her to bed and we can handle business in another room?”

“Absolutely not. Can you see she is unwell? I’m not leaving my soon-to-be-wife when she is not well.”

Silence.

“I wasn’t aware you were intending to marry Mistress Davenport. Has she consented to this?”

“Of course she has. Haven’t you, honey? You were just upset earlier. Tell them.”

His chin brushed against my forehead and I blinked my heavy lids as I lifted to face the high leader. Before I could so much as speak, a light was blinding me.

“She’s in shock,” Lyle said, lowering the flashlight. “I’ll call the doctor.”

“You will do no such thing. It’s grief. She’s devastated, nothing more. I have medication and she’ll be sleeping in no time. You’re all dismissed.”

Lyle seemed to pay no attention to West as he reached toward me. Before he could touch my burning throat, West stepped back.

“What do you think you’re doing? Did you not hear my order? I said dismissed!”

“I heard you, but I don’t take my orders from you, Master Harper. If you would have followed me and listened to Mr. Whitlock’s instructions, you would know this. I am assigned to Mistress Davenport.
Not to you.
She is under my care from here on out and abuse of her person is not something I will tolerate. If you’ll just hand her over, I’ll assess her myself.”

“We’re all going to die,” I whispered. “The children will bleed.”

“Give her to me,” Lyle said forcefully, moving toward us.

Grrth.

Warm splattered my face as I stared into the high leader’s bulging eyes. And then he was falling. Was I falling? No. I lifted my stare, coming face to face with the bloody blade of a knife. Of Eli’s knife he’d used to slit the high leader’s throat. Guards were rushing over, but no one was doing anything.

“I believe your Main Master gave an order. Out!”

Dark uniforms hesitated while they looked at each other, but they filed out of the door shutting it behind them. Eli turned to us, raising an eyebrow to West. “Now what the fuck is going on? What’s wrong with you?” he asked me.

“Turn on the shower, dammit.”

The order had Eli turning to leave us. We followed behind, but at a slower pace. Emotion was gone, singed and scorched so far within me, I wondered if I could live in the blissful sense of nothingness forever.

West stood me, snapping at his guard to come over.

“Unzip her and then grab her so I can get undressed.”

Cool air brushed against my back as the dress opened and dropped to the ground. Pain had my body seizing up as he spun me around. Stars danced before me and I clawed at his chest through the burning.

“What … the fuck?” He stared at the crimson on his hand, returning his gaze to my body as he scanned over me. “Where’s the blood coming from?” He held me out, moving to the side. Gently, he pulled at my panties, lowering them. I could see the tear on the side seam as he let them drop. “Son of bitch. You … raped her?”

“Give me a break,” West cut in. “Like you’ve never raped a woman.”

“I never
have
raped a woman. Haven’t needed to. I told you that. Just because I don’t mind killing, doesn’t mean I’m capable of everything.” He reached to my back, unfastening my bra. The action had my shoulders jerking. I lifted my leg to step toward the shower, barely able to stand at the amount of agony that kept zapping through me.

Well, Mr. Holier-than-shit, the bitch deserved it. She fucking stabbed me in the chest with a letter opener. She wanted a rapist so I gave her one. She’ll learn to keep her fucking mouth shut.”

Eli held to me as he let me take one step, and then another. When I stopped, he lifted me, walking the rest of the way to place me in the shower. He eased me to the seat and I automatically moved to rest my weight on one side. I could see West in my peripheral, but I didn’t have the need to look over. I was beginning to feel again and I didn’t like it. My emotions were all over the place and I didn’t want to experience what I’d gone through. I didn’t want to feel anything at all.

“I don’t think it needs stitches,” West said, more to himself. “Get me some butterfly Band-Aids. Those will work.”

“He’s going to kill the children.” Eli jerked to a stop and I slowly turned to look at him through the glass. “He’s going to make me cut them open all because he wants me to marry him and I don’t want to. Does that sound like a man to you? I’m going to rape him just like he did to me, and then I’m going to kill him.”

Each word was at a leisurely pace, just as my mind was. Control over what I said was gone. Luckily, I was still numb enough not to care.

“You fucking cunt.”

West only got two steps before Eli had him around the waist.

“She’s in shock. She doesn’t know what she’s saying. She’ll probably barely even remember this. Let it go. Come shower in the other restroom. I’ll get you the bandages.”

Color disappeared from the corner of my eye and I stared ahead. Water rushed over me and time passed. When motion pulled me from my thoughts, I only then realized I was crying.

“I’m to get you out and put you to bed. Master Harper is cooling down in the study.”

I grabbed the bar, struggling as I stood and straightened. The glass door opened and Eli’s lips twisted.

“Did you wash yourself? You need to clean yourself with soap. It’s going to hurt, but it has to be done.” He turned to the side, facing away from me as he waited. I reached for the bottle, trying to wash as fast as I could. The stinging was like nothing I had ever felt before. My hands came up and I noticed the bleeding had stopped.

I finished rinsing myself off. The moment the water stopped, Eli had the robe ready. He helped put it on me and let me take my time as I fought to walk. When I finally reached the bed, he helped me climb in, even covering me. I wanted to hate him as much as West. He’d killed Lyle. But I could barely feel anything. All I knew was that he’d kept West away from me. He cared about the children. That was the only thing keeping me from attacking him, too.

“Get some rest. People will be here soon. Master Harper will return to you after that. I’d suggest you do as he says and not put up a fight.”

“The marriage,” I mumbled.

He nodded and stepped back. “Sign the fucking papers. It’s only signatures. A slave has no use for money anyway.”

“I’m not a slave; I’m a mistress.”

“No, you’re a slave. You will always be a slave at Whitlock. Nothing will change that. Not even marriage. Accept and make the best of it. That’s all you can do.”

“And if I refuse?”

His jaw flexed as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Then you’re the stupidest woman I’ve ever met. Think of those children. Do they not need you? Accept your role and I will do what I can to convince him to let you have visitation. Spend your days there, away from him. Do your duty to
them
. I’ve seen things you can’t imagine in The Cradle. They need you. I need you,” he said dropping his voice. “My little sister is in there. We do what we must.
We can do something
.”

My lips separated and my eyes jerked to the opened entrance of the room. “Kill him. Kill West right now and we will leave this place and release them.”

“You think it’s that easy? There are guards who are loyal to the Master. I couldn’t get through them with Bram leading. I’m hoping I can with West.”

“Bram? Did … you? Did he?”

Whatever my expression said had his hand slapping over my mouth. “I did what I had to. Just as I will continue to do. That means you, too. Don’t give me a reason to hurt you. I told you about my sister hoping you would help. Don’t make me regret it.”

I knocked his hand away, slapping his face with every ounce of power I had. “Don’t you threaten me. If you want my help, from now on,
you answer to me.