Keegan squeezes my hand again. “You don’t need to do this, if you’re uncomfortable…”
I shake my head. “No, we all know it needs to be done. I can’t hide from this. Not as a Council member, as your partner, or as a father.”
“You’re still Cole’s father, even if you don’t do this,” Marcus assures me. “We know it doesn’t mean you love him any less. And we won’t love you any less for not going in. You’re a part of us now, Carter; it doesn’t hinge on if you can torture someone with us or not.”
Looking at Marcus, I stare into his eyes, which are so full of pain mixed with anger, and for a moment, I find it hard to breathe. Letting go of Keegan’s hand, I bring mine to Marcus’s face, cupping his cheek gently. “Thank you, but…Ineedto do this. I…I want to be as strong and as brave as you are.”
His features soften a little. “You already are.”
Leaning in, I kiss him gently, soaking up his warmth and love. If Marcus can do this, can force himself to be here despite everything he’s been going through, then I need to as well.
I know if my loves heard my thoughts, they wouldn’t be happy with me, but I can’t help how I feel. Not when so much of who I am started in this warehouse.
Pulling away, I drag my thumb along his spit-slick lip. “Let’s go show that bitch why she never should have touched our son.” I try to sound braver than I am, but I’m not sure it works.
We get out of the car, and my heart pounds in my chest. Marcus takes my hand as Keegan leads the way into the warehouse. Just standing in the first empty room takes my breath away.
Images assault my mind.Walking out of here battered and bruised with Cristian’s arm around me, feeling the judgmentalstare of the guards, knowing they wouldn’t hesitate to take me out should they think I’m a danger to their Boss.
Taking a breath, letting Marcus’s hand in mine center me, I head further into the warehouse, taking the lead since I know the layout.
Joel waits outside the larger of the individual torture rooms, and when he meets my eyes, there’s a flicker of compassion there. He knows what happened inside this room, how Cristian and Tennant took turns making my life a living hell. It was nothing I didn’t rightfully deserve, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
Keegan steps up next to me, placing a steadying hand to the small of my back.
“Open it,” I order.
Joel doesn’t hesitate, pulling the heavy metal door open for the three of us. “Let me know if you need anything.”
I nod in acknowledgment and stride into the room, not allowing myself a chance to second guess what’s about to happen.
As soon as we enter the room, the bitch we trusted with our son is there, clothed but hanging from the ceiling, her toes barely touching the ground. For a moment, I wonder if she’s hung there all night, then I realize I don’t care. She deserves to be uncomfortable after what she put our little boy through.
There’s fear in her eyes as the three of us move to stand in front of her. Her gaze darts between each of us before she shifts her attention to the floor, as if she can’t bear to see the consequences of her actions.
Standing in front of her, more feelings come to the surface. I was in her position once, hanging from the ceiling in anticipation of what came next.Being taunted by Tennant. The whip connecting with my flesh. The tearing of my skin, andblood searing into the open wounds as the pain refused to stop, not until Cristian had to go call our son.
I release Marcus’s hand and pull out my knife. “Let’s make this easier on us, shall we?” My voice doesn’t feel like my own as I speak.
Stepping forward, I slice her clothes off, leaving them hanging as rags. Cris once told me“Dead men don’t need clothes,”and the same concept is applied here.
“What shall we do with her?” I ask, not looking back at my lovers. “Tennant has so many fun toys in here.” I fight not to grimace at the firsthand knowledge I have of some of them.
“It looks like Ten left his favorite out,” Marcus muses.
I glance over and flinch at the sight of the electricity machine. My bones tingle and I taste blood, because I remember far too well what it feels like to be electrocuted. The shock of the current rippling through my body. The idea that I was going to feel my heart stop…
Sucking in a breath, I try to stay focused on the here and now. Refusing to give into the past that's trying to bulldoze its way in.
“There are knives on the table over there.” I point to the far wall. “And other instruments in the cabinets around the room. You can choose whatever you want.” I hope my voice is steady.
I don’t dare glance at the knife table. Having to choose my own instrument of torture… No, that’s not something I ever want to relive.
“Thank you, Love,” Keegan says. “For now, we’ll start off easy, before we get to the fun stuff.”
He steps closer to the hanging woman. “Look at us. Don’t you dare think you can get out of this by looking away. You deserve to see every ounce of pain you put us through…as we put you through your own.”
The bitch raises her head, fear still in her eyes, but there's anger there too. “You have no right,” she hisses.
