Page 90 of Her Wicked Plan

“This isn’t up to Dr. Madden. This is up to me.” Dr. Bennett pulls my attention.

“Fuck!” I curse and cup my hand over my mouth, muffling a sob.

“Dr. Madden?” Dr. Bennett turns to Leo. “Please help me escort Ms. Rollins downstairs.”

My eyes widen, and I spare a glance at Leo, who stands frozen in the moment. His eyes dance between his boss and me. Swallowing hard, he nods and takes my arm into his hand, leading me towards the door.

“Dr. Madden, please!” I beg again, attempting to tug my arm away from his grasp. “I’ll do better! I promise! I... I’ll keep my temper at bay!” My eyes stare at the back of Dr. Bennett’s head. “I’ll do whatever you say. Just please don’t make me go down there.”

The tears are spilling down my cheek now that we are away from the others. I try to pull my arm out of Leo’s grasp, but it is useless. He looks over at me, concern in his eyes. “Veronica, please. Don’t make this harder than it already is.”

Biting my bottom lip, I give up on the fight and walk willingly with him.

“It’s going to be okay,” he whispers to me, making sure Dr. Bennett can’t hear us.

“No, it’s not, Leo.” I shake my head and whisper back. “You don’t know what it’s like down there.”

For a brief second, he looks over at me, now with worry etched in his expression, but diverts his stare as Dr. Bennett stops at a doorway to unlock it.

We descend the concrete stairs, the air becoming colder, making me wish I had worn a sweatshirt today. The lights that line the tops of the wall are dim, even more so than the lights upstairs.

It makes it harder to see.

From where we are standing, I can make out a guard at the end of the hall. Shivers filled my whole body as we continued our walk.

Passing steel doors with other patients shouting through the thick metal, begging to be let out. Guttural screams and cries are loud despite the thickness of the doors holding them in.

How long have they been down here? Are they losing their minds more than they already were?

My eyes shoot over to Leo, who keeps his eyes forward, trying to pretend he isn’t hearing the same things I am. He can act calm, but the fear is written all over his beautiful face. It shows itself in the way his jaw ticks with discomfort.

Lightly and briefly, his thumb brushes over my arm as if trying to comfort me. For a moment, a tiny amount of relief flushes through me but soon disappears when we reach an open door.

“Are you going to punish the other girl?” It’s a question I probably shouldn’t ask. The one that I already know the answer to.

“For almost being killed? No, I’m not,” Dr. Bennett answers me.

“Seriously?” Why must I continue to fight? “She started it!”

“Do I need to add another week to your sentence?” He looks me dead in the eyes, no emotion reading on his face.

“No, sir.” I finally shut up.

Leo lets go of me, and Dr. Bennett steps out of the doorway, allowing me to enter my home for seven days. I can’t move. My feet are stuck to the floor as I stare into the darkness I know what awaits me in there.

“We don’t have all day.” Dr. Bennett gestures for me to move.

I blink the tears away and enter the dark room. Crossing my arms over my chest, I peek out the door to find Leo standing there. His eyes take in the room.

The cement walls, the shitty bed in the corner, along with the ice-cold metal toilet for me to use. The dim light cascades over his face when he holds my gaze.

His hand meets the edge of the door, closing it while still keeping his eyes on mine until just before the door blocks our vision. Only then do his eyes fall to the ground.

Letting out a breath, I watch as he completely shuts the door, leaving me in complete darkness.

CHAPTER 23

Veronica