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Seething rage curled off her. He’d betrayed her. If she hadn’t been so disoriented when Brian released her to wander, she would have come straight to the doctor and screamed at him for being such a fucking liar.
“Lindsay, I hate you. You are fucking filth for doing this to me, and I will never forgive you as long as I live.”
It wasn’t the way out of here, but she’d already begged and pleaded for him to keep her himself, and that had fallen on deaf ears. Not that she wanted to be his anymore after the myriad ways he’d hurt her. She’d already asked to be released. The answer had been no. There was no reason to think his decision would change now.
He reeled back as if she’d hit him. It took him a moment to gain his composure, and then his expression hardened. She knew now that his civilized facade was perhaps the weakest in the house. Even Brian had managed not to yell at her yet.
“Sir,” he gritted out.
“No.” At least with her master’s order, Brian was the only one who could do anything to her. Not that that was much comfort.
“I’m sorry… No?”
“Brian said not to give anyone else any formal address and that no one here has any authority over me but him.”
“Dr. Smith, then,” he said after a long, disgruntled moment.
“No. He said first names only.” She watched as the doctor struggled to push the rage down.
“Very well, then.”
“You lied to me. You said you would sell me to someone kind. You said I would be happy and safe. And then you give me to the biggest psycho you know?”
“He swore he’d honor the contract.”
“And youbelievedhim?” Wasn’t Lindsay supposed to have some vague understanding of human behavior? Was he even licensed? Did he have a real degree?
“Has he hurt you?”
“He hasn’t had time yet. He was called away. But there’s nothing to stop him.”
“I know this is hard to understand and accept right now, but I believe he needs you. I believe he truly means you no harm. Just try to take a step back. Take a moment to think about what sorts of things might make a person become like Brian.”
“What are you trying to say?”
He shrugged. “That’s the point. I can’t say. He’s spoken to me in confidence. I can schedule an appointment to check in with you daily to ensure you are safe if it will make you feel better.”
“And what if I’m not?” There was silence while the doctor looked down at his hands. “You know you can’t stop him. You just gave me to a sadist because he gave you enough money to sooth your conscience.”
“Mina, that’s not…”
“I don’t want to hear it.” She got up and slammed the door on her way out. Her situation may be terrible, but at least she didn’t have to kiss the doctor’s ass anymore. Or his boots. Fuck him. Fuck all of them. She wanted to include Brian in that big fat fuck-you, but he hadn’t hurt her. Yet.
Mina climbed the endless steps to the tower. She doubted anybody would send her things. If she wanted them, it would be up to her to move them.
She packed her bags, trying not to think about where she was taking them. She caught her reflection in the mirror and stared at the collar.
She’d forgotten it was around her throat. There had been too much panic to give it a second thought beyond her initial reaction. But now that she knew who it was from… What did that mean? He’d noticed her ring and taken the time to have a collar made to match it. And what about the Chopin? And how he’d made the exchange as easy for her as he could? And all the small moments she’d shared with him. None of it went with the picture of Brian she’d been given, or her strong instincts to avoid him.
Mina shook the thoughts from her head. No. She’d been down this road. She’d played these games. It was the same bullshit small kindnesses to make her rationalize away her smarter instincts—if she had any at all.
She lugged her suitcases down the many flights of stairs, ignoring the gawking from the girls in the house as she passed.
When she got the luggage to the dungeon corridor, she paused to catch her breath. And in that pause, she heard the screams coming from cell B.
She couldn’t stop herself from going to the door where the sounds emitted. The cell had a window, and Mina didn’t have the strength of will not to sate her curiosity. Upon looking, she wished she’d resisted the temptation. What had she hoped to see that could possibly make her feel any better?
The woman was nude and tied to a pole in the center of the room. Her arms were crossed and tied over her head, and then farther down, her waist had been tied to keep her in place, allowing Brian to nudge her legs apart. Harsh marks glared from where he’d whipped her, and her face was swollen from crying. He fucked her, one hand wrapped around her throat, pulling her back closer.
