Light (Beautiful Ashes #3)

by Lora Ann

  Around a yawn, he replied, “I told you, he’s a shadow man.”

  “And he’s going to hurt you?” she prodded.

  “Uncle Tar.” His little head hung low.

  “He’s a patient here?”

  “He bumped his head really hard.”

  “Did you bump yours too?”

  Cole thought about that. If they thought he was hurt like his uncle, maybe he could stay in his room. The shadow crept toward him, standing behind her, as he crooned, “That’s right, Cole. You worry about yourself. These grownups can’t help you.”

  He knew that wasn’t true. The doctor lady wasn’t trying to upset him. “No.”

  “Okay, Cole, I think we’re done here for now. May I keep your pretty drawing?”

  “Yeah,” he mumbled.

  “Thank you.” She held out her hand for him to shake.

  She was soft and he saw kindness in her eyes. “Welcome,” he yawned again.

  The mean man opened the door. He stepped closer to the doctor. “What’s wrong, Cole?” she inquired, angling her head toward the male nurse. “Why is he afraid of you?”

  “I’m the one who had to give him another shot.”

  “Oh, Cole, that’s his job,” she reassured.

  His head shook emphatically to no avail as the man took his arm and led him out. Cole screamed, “KIAN!”

  They were out of earshot of the good doctor. The man hissed, “Shut up, kid.”

  The demon whispered, “Let him scream. Then you can give him that drug the rich bitch is paying you for.”

  His cock hardening at the memory of just how she’d convinced him to help her. The orders were clear: Do not harm the child. But she needed him talking, so medication to help with that was encouraged. He was to call her so she could be there. His job was on the line. For what?

  “Best damn blow job a man could want,” the demon hedged.

  “Come on, kid. Let’s get you to your room.” He tried to fight the temptation, but the demon needed this to happen.

  “You know you need to fuck that mouth. Hell, fuck her everywhere. She’ll love that.”

  He didn’t think that was true. Even with his dick down her throat, she was still in control. But…he wasn’t against trying to persuade her.

  The demon chuckled low. “You can blackmail her. That gives you the ability to demand whatever your heart desires.” He let that stick, slinking back and watching.

  Cole sat down and glanced at him, noticing a scary look in the nurse’s eyes. The needle slid into his arm before he had a chance to fight. His gaze now fixed on the angel standing across the room.

  The angel whispered, “Don’t worry, Cole, I’m right here.”

  Cole drifted off to sleep, knowing he was safe.

  “Look…” What’s his name? “I’m pressed for time.” Lisa rushed along the hallway as the nurse spoke. Damn, she’d really sank to a new low, paying to have her baby drugged and giving head to some guy she couldn’t remember the name of.

  “Well, the medication will only be effective for about an hour. After that, it stays in his system but won’t give you what you want.”

  She half-growled, “Then why didn’t you call me first, imbecile.” A quick check of her watch told her she had possibly thirty minutes to spare. One was not late when they were meeting Clark. Experience from the past told her so. Her ass still ached from the memory of the punishment he dealt out. “I’m here,” she spat out, hitting end call on the cell.

  The nurse escorted her into the room where Cole was curled into a tiny ball, snoring softly. “Doesn’t do me any good if he’s asleep, dumbass.”

  “Listen up, pretty lady. I can wake him. But you need to understand, this is now on my terms.”

  Her brows raised. “Really.” Her foot tapped in impatience of this idiot thinking he had the upper hand.

  This was not going according to plan. “I’ll tell what you’re paying for, and that this kid shouldn’t be in here.”

  “Oh,” her voice softened into a sultry tone. “I thought you liked the gift I gave you.” Her gaze on his crotch, watching his dick respond to her seduction.

  God, did he! He nodded. “But you could really hurt your son.”

  “He is of no concern of yours.” She licked her lips.

  His eyes were glued to her tongue darting out. “Okay. Your secret is safe.” He adjusted his erection.

  Damn fool. Didn’t he realize he had more to lose? His participation in this scheme was documented, hers was not. Men, so pliable when their dicks were involved. Cole stirred, drawing her to her knees beside him. She caressed the side of his face. “I’m here, baby.” Her eyes shot up toward the nurse as she recalled his name. “Jim, may I have a moment alone with my son?”

  “Sure,” he muttered, giving them privacy.

  “Mommy was bad,” Cole chastised.

  “Am I?” she hedged. “Tell me what you saw.”

  “You hurt him.”

  Her hands were trembling. “Who did I hurt?”

  “So sleepy,” he yawned wide.

  “Yes, baby, I know. Tell me who I hurt so I can say I’m sorry.”

  “You hurt her, too. She needs you to ‘pologize.”

  He was remembering Keeley’s fall from the bedroom window? And what else? She gasped, “You mean the scratches on Uncle Tar’s belly?”

  “That’s mean. You don’t scratch people when you’re mad.”

  “Yes, baby, I know.”

  “Auntie fell.”

  She cringed at his title for Keeley. Over her dead body would that woman become his aunt. “She did, yes.”

  “Your fault, Mommy.”

  “I’ll tell her I’m sorry.”

  “O,” his mouth opened wide, “kaaaaaaaaay,” he slurred.

  Her hand stroked the top of his head before she kissed him softly. “Sleep sweet.” She stood and began to pace. Did that mean Cole never saw what she did to Tar here in the hospital? She wasn’t sure. They’d have to drug him again. Which meant, the door opened on cue, she was going to be late. She tugged Jim’s hand. “Storage closet?”

  “Let me show you.”

  Goddamn man and his need to get off. And Clark would be furious. She wasn’t sure she’d survive another round of his discipline. The cock in her mouth thrusted forward as she began to suck with vigor. Disgust filled her as he squirted. From the prestigious role of an assemblyman’s wife to a whore. They were right, the mighty really did fall.

  *****

  They sat at the club around a table in the back corner. From that vantage point, everything could be seen. Nik was still with Aimee but was planning his return within the week. E shook his head. “Not sure Aimee is going to let Nikko return to the life of Dangerous and Dastardly.”

  Alex smiled around his glass of scotch. “Fitting title there, brother. But don’t underestimate our dear sister. She wants to bring these sickos to justice as much as we do.” Neither brother forgot that it was Aimee’s involvement with the late Senator Caleb Reynolds who put them all on this path. They didn’t hold her responsible. She couldn’t have known just how deep his depravity went, or who all was involved. To date, it was a reach no one fully grasped.

  Sofie shifted in her seat. “I need to fortify myself before we attend and peruse the ‘selection’.”

  “I may be able to help some.” E cocked his head toward the opposite corner.

  Her eyes followed the path noticing, for the first time, a door. “I didn’t realize your clubs were used for such things.”

  Judgement in her tone was met by fury in E’s. “What the fuck do you take me for?”

  A calming hand stroked his knee under the table. “Sofie, we would never be involved with such dirty dealings.” Lacey, the ever-present voice of reason, pointed out, “However, if you saw how some picked their ‘playmates’ it could help prepare you.”

  Sofie was still appalled. Her shoulders stiff and her jaw hard. “I thought you only catered to committed couples and their desire t
o get kinky. You know, away from home and the kids possibly walking in on them. Not…my God, casual sex with whomever you select for the night.” She went to stand when Alex pulled her back and held her closely to his chest.

  “Think about what you are accusing my little brother and his wife of, Sofia.” His voice as stern as the grip he held her in. The harder she struggled, the tighter he held on.

  The position was starting to hurt. “Asshole,” she mumbled, then conceded, “All right, please explain.”

  Alex eased up on his hold but never fully released her. “Were you talking about role play, E?”

  His fingers flexed, still pissed off that she’d jumped to such horrid conclusions about him and his business. “I expect that assumption from outsiders, Sofie. But coming from you…”

  “Was hurtful,” Lacey finished. Her gaze sliding to Alex’s. “Yes to your question.”

  “And could you explain further just how that works.”

  E angled a look at his wife. They were still struggling through their own shit, but there she was defending him. He couldn’t help but feel a little pride in that. “Of course, we have strict rules,” his gaze slid to Sofie, “everyone understands you can only select your partner.”

  The light went on in her head. “Ohhhhhhhhhh, but it’s the excitement of being paraded in front of others and handpicked.”

  “Ding, ding, ding, give her a prize.” E smirked, still working off his anger.

  “Do you think it’ll help?” Alex let Sofie sit upright but held her hand in his, softly stroking her inner wrist.

  “I don’t see where it could hurt,” Lacey assured. “I mean, obviously, we don’t know how these things are ran, but—” A cough interrupted her.

  “I do know. And before you ask,” his teeth now clenched, “I’ve never bought another human being.”

  Now Lacey was appalled he would think she could accuse him of such an atrocity. Her hands on his face as she turned him fully to her. “How dare you,” she grit out, “think that of me. I know you. You are a good man. Yes, you’ve had a shady past, but even then you never crossed certain lines.” She released him in a huff.

  God damn she was sexy when she was defending her man—him. “Thank you, Sweetness.”

  “Don’t do that,” she retorted.

  “Do what?”

  “Get all sweet when I’m mad at you.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll let you punish me later,” he promised with a twinkle in his eye.

  Lacey turned ten shades of red and smacked his chest. “E!”

  He angled his head toward his brother. “Suffice it to say, I can come close to reenactment if that’s what you want.”

  Sofie reached for his hand to shake. “I’m sorry. I was out of line.”

  Alex squeezed her other one in his. “How soon?”

  E stood and offered Lacey assistance in a gentlemanly fashion. “Give us about thirty minutes. I’ll have someone escort you.”

  “See ya then.” Alex turned to his wife. “I so want to spank your ass for that.” His voice low and full of wickedness.

  The words should’ve made her angry, would’ve in the past, but now, they turned her on. All because of him. “I do deserve it,” she said while licking her lips.

  He slid his hands in her hair and yanked her forward, sealing the agreement with a mind-blowing kiss.

  Neither one realized how long they had been making out until… “Pardon me, Mr. and Mrs. Strand, but it’s time.”

  Now Sofie understood how Lacey felt earlier. Her cheeks hot as she tugged her blouse back into place and stood. Hand in hand they followed, not knowing exactly what they were getting into, but trusting E completely.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Viv —Carla as she was known now—sat staring at Chase. The earlier noise had been one of the many minions sent to summons her for Clark. She knew the refusal to go would come with a cost. But as she brushed her long ginger locks, she thought more about why that wasn’t bothering her like it should. He was cruel. Not in the torturing ways she’d grown accustomed to, but in the way he fucked. An animal who only did it to show he was in control. Stupid man. Lisa McNeil called the shots around here behind his back. Her head tilted as she heard a door slam against the wall, wondering again, if she should keep playing the game, or tell him everything. Chase was finally in a non-drug induced sleep, she didn’t want to disturb him. Her hand against the door to keep it quiet, she pulled it to and locked it. Without haste she then locked another door, making sure Clark had to really put forth an effort to get to him.

  “You’re protecting him,” came the dry voice from her side.

  “I suppose I am.” She half-shrugged, earning her a glare of fury before he acted.

  He held her by her jaw in an unforgiving grip. “Do you know what I do to insubordinates, Carla?”

  Show no fear. “Fire them,” she answered.

  His laugh was humorless. “Yeah, that, when it’s a legitimate employee.”

  “You mean when you’re legally bound,” she retorted.

  The smile as he leaned close was downright disturbing. His brows pinched tight as he thought about her smart mouth. She needed to be taught a lesson. Torture wasn’t really his thing, but an exception had to be made. Though he wasn’t sure he could stomach it. Then again, she was a doctor. “You need to learn not to backtalk.” His voice dripping with malice.

  The maniacal look in his gaze told her he was about to do something sinister. “I’m sorry.” She tried to reason with him. “I was in the mood for a hard fuck. I meant nothing by it.” Difficult to look sweet when he held her face in a vice grip. There would be bruises, albeit she had a feeling that was nothing compared to what he was planning. She’d been around madmen long enough to know when their grip on reality slipped. If they ever had one.

  His hand moved to her hair where he yanked so hard she barely stayed on her feet. “Time to teach you some respect.”

  Oh, fuck no! This would be bad. Very, very, bad. “Please. Give me a chance to show you I do respect you.”

  “Too late. Now walk.” He shifted behind her keeping a deadly hold in her hair. If she moved even a centimeter he’d pull it out of her head. His destination, one of the rooms used for medical procedures.

  A hard shove sent her into the side of the exam table, her stomach catching most of it. “Ow,” she cried out.

  He held her by the hair again. She fought the second yelp. “Do that again, and you’ll watch this happen to your precious Chase.”

  Son of a bitch knew just how to get her compliance. “Yes, sir.”

  “Strip.” He stepped back and watched with a deliberate eye.

  Dear God, what was that all about? She stood before him naked and exposed. Vulnerable. That was what he was after. He turned to the cabinets and began to pull all kinds of equipment out. With purposeful movements, he laid them all out on the silver tray so she could inspect them. “What?”

  He back handed her for speaking out of turn. “Park your ass right here.” He patted the table and yanked out the stirrups.

  “Clark,” she begged.

  “Fine with me. I’ll bring Chase to the party.”

  He did that and she doubted Chase would live through it. She was strong. She could do this. “Okay. I’m moving.” Adjusting herself on the table, he pulled first one foot and secured it with rubber tubing, then repeated it on the other. She lay wide open and at his disposal. But he didn’t move between her legs. Instead he placed a mirror there. What for? “I…”

  He slipped a metal tool in her mouth, holding her mouth open. “Stick out your tongue.”

  “Clark,” her words garbled around the thing in her mouth.

  “Shhh, I’m not removing it. Yet.”

  Shit. Shit. Shit. Her jaw held open he then secured her hands to the rails tucked underneath. His gaze focusing on her cold, hard nipples before he went back to work. He’d fuck her afterwards. This wasn’t about getting off, it was about teaching her a lesson. Using the sc
issor-like clamps, he pulled the tip of her tongue out and glanced at the mirror, fascinated by how her whole body responded. “Nothing is hidden from me, Carla. You are completely at my disposal. Now, if I’m doing this right, you look at the mirror. If I’m wrong, look up.”

  What the hell? There was a mirror on the ceiling too! She attempted to nod her head.

  He grabbed a long thick needle and placed it at the center of her tongue, then pushed. Tears seeped out as he forced it through the thick muscle. “Am I in the right location for a stud?”

  She glanced between her legs.

  “Hmm…maybe we should put one there next.”

  She blanched and looked up.

  “Oh, you are right. Much better through those.”

  Finally making his way all the way through her tongue, he placed a rod. Her tongue in pain and, because he wasn’t sure of what he was doing, she was a bloody mess. She thought she would vomit until he moved between her legs. It was too much, and she screamed just before losing consciousness.

  “Fucking slut fell asleep. That’s no fun.” He rifled through the drawer until he found smelling salts, bringing her to before continuing with his procedure of piercing her everywhere he knew would be sensitive. Knowing full well, he’d rip them right back out after he proved his point. Finishing off the last one, ignoring her cries of pain, he did fuck her harder than he’d ever fucked before, all with no mercy.

  Clark proceeded to tear out what he’d just put in. Afterward, she curled up in a ball on the table, processing the entire horror show. He walked toward her and she squirmed away. “Next time you decide to speak out of turn, you’ll watch Chase endure the same.” He could hear her sobs but didn’t stay to relish in them. The plan went well, he thought, standing in the shower to wash off her blood. Now, he needed to teach another cunt a few lessons on respect.

  *****

  Keeley slid a glance at Mitch to see how he was holding up, thankful these were consenting adults choosing to be slaves. At the end of the night, they’d leave this place and go back to their everyday routines. Many facets of the lifestyle were being displayed for him that he did not choose. Well, not in a normal way. She angled her head, he was on an assignment. One that needed him fully alert and participating. And damn if he didn’t deserve five gold stars. Everything he did was with accuracy, paying close attention to detail. A moment of clarity hit her, Tar was like this, too, constantly adapting to his surroundings in order to get the job done. Yet in the process, never losing sight of themselves, the mission, or why they were doing it in the first place. Wow.