by D. L. Raver
“He punished me,” she said in a small, pain-filled voice.
“That mother fucker! I’ll kill him.” I squeezed my eyes closed and sought the calm and control I commanded when I played.
“Please trust me, baby. Please,” I said calmly and opened my eyes. “We have to leave now before Marcus tries to stop us. Please.”
Irelyn glanced up at the stage then back at me. She took my hand and let me guide her through the crowd. The trembling of her hand in mine nearly stole my resolve not to beat the shit out of Marcus. Before anything, I needed to get Irelyn out of here and safe.
As we walked, I pulled out my phone and speed-dialed our driver. “Pull the limo around now!”
“Irelyn!” Marcus’s voice boomed through the sound system. “Join me. This means nothing without you by my side. You belong with me.”
Irelyn stopped and turned toward the stage. Peter Campbell shifted uncomfortably on the stage as Marcus glared in our direction.
Her eyes darted to me, then Marcus, then back to me. Torment darkened her gaze, and for a moment I worried she might decide to stay.
“Irelyn,” I squeezed her hand. “Please. Let’s go. We have to go.”
“He’ll hurt her. I—”
“Trust me. Trust that we will get Kenna out. You have to come with me.”
“Irelyn!” Marcus said again more forcefully and held out his hand.
The entire room turned in our direction as this crazy situation played itself out.
“As I was saying,” Peter Campbell continued much to Marcus’s dismay, who scowled at the man next to him. But Peter kept talking, continuing with his false praise even placing his arm around Marcus’s shoulder.
Irelyn shook her head and then turned to me. “All right, I’ll go with you.”
“Thank God.” I guided her through the onlookers to the door. By the time we were outside, the limo waited with the door open.
Irelyn cried out as she climbed into the back and I cursed.
Crazy Zolt wanted to take over, tell the driver to take Irelyn to my house while I went back inside and fucked Marcus up. But crazy Zolt didn’t control this situation tonight.
I slid in next to Irelyn and the driver shut the door. A minute later, the limo pulled away.
Irelyn sobbed into her hands, leaving me at a loss for what to do as my heart broke.
“Baby, please don’t cry.” I tried to pull her to me, but she cried out again.
“It hurts, Zolt. It hurts so much.”
“What did he do to you?” I ground out.
“H-he flogged me. Said I had to be punished.” Her words died on her lips and she looked at her shoes as if ashamed.
“When?” I asked. When she didn’t respond, I lifted her chin. “When? Answer me.”
“M-maybe two or three hours ago,” she stuttered through her sobs.
Motherfucker! Motherfucker! Motherfucker!
My jaw clenched, and I gritted my teeth, trying to stay in control. “It will be okay. I’ll make it okay.”
I dug into my jacket pocket and pulled out my phone, dialing Brody.
“Brody, I have Irelyn. We should be there in about forty-five minutes. Listen, Brody, Marcus beat Irelyn with a flogger. She’s in a lot of pain. I have no idea how bad it is, but you need to be prepared.”
I disconnected the call then texted Cory, telling him we’re on our way to my house. I felt at a total loss on how to help her until I noticed the collar around her neck. Instantly, I knew the one thing I could do.
“We’re getting rid of this. You’ll never have to wear it again.” I unhooked the collar, pushed the button and rolled down the window. With the power I used to use to throw spirals down the field, I flung it out into the black night.
“Thank you,” she said, gracing me with a grateful smile.
“You are so very welcome.” I kissed her lips, restraining myself from pulling her to me. “How about a shot?”
Irelyn nodded, and I found the tequila and poured a healthy shot into a glass.
“This will help until Brody can treat you.”
She downed it, coughing a little before handing me the glass.
“What can I do? Would it help if you were on your stomach? You could stretch out on the bench seat.”
“Okay. Could you unzip my dress?”
“Sure, baby. Anything.”
Gingerly, she maneuvered herself to the long side seat and lay on her stomach, her head facing me.
Once she was settled, I moved to her side and carefully unzipped her dress. When it fell open and exposed her back, I had to bite the inside of my lip to stop myself from screaming. Several angry welts marred her lovely back, and I could feel the heat radiating from them.
My eyes started to sting with tears of anger and impotence. How a man could do this to a woman, I didn’t understand, and I couldn’t get over the fact that this was my fault.
I sat back in the seat, leaning forward so I could stroke Irelyn’s hair. “Did the shot help?”
“A little.” She glanced over her shoulder toward the driver. “Where’s Sloan?”
“He’s with T-bone’s men searching for where you were held. Is there anything you can remember about where it might be?”
“No. He blindfolded me on the ride over there.”
“Of course he did.”
“Zolt, there’s another woman there who needs help. Her name is Delaney Carmichael. She’s Marcus’s stepsister. She slipped me a note asking me not to forget her.”
“Okay.” I rubbed my chin. “How do we know if we can we trust her?”
“I just do. It said she helped Kenna. Zolt, I heard Kenna’s screams. I don’t know what Marcus did to her… We have to find her.”
“We will. I promise. Did you keep the note?”
She gave me a sheepish look. “No. I ate it to keep it from Marcus.”
“You ate it?” I started laughing. It was not funny, but I found it hilarious. None of this was funny. Tragic might come close, but even that didn’t seem appropriate. So why I laughed, I couldn’t say, and I felt like a complete shit as I continued.
“Zolt, why are you laughing? I was terrified,” Irelyn said, her beautiful red lips curved down into a frown. “You have no idea what he did.”
“It’s…because I’m a dick. This is anything but funny.” I kept stroking her hair, hoping she’d come to understand how fucked up and scared I had been this last week. “I’m sorry. Relax until we get home. Brody will make it all right.”
“Text T-bone and tell him about Delaney, please.”
I nodded and did as she asked. We stayed silent for the rest of the drive, but I kept touching her, continually stroking her hair.
When we finally arrived, I helped Irelyn out of the car, making sure her dress stayed in place. I wanted to carry her, but I worried it could hurt her.
“I’m set up in the spare bedroom,” Brody said.
“She should be in my bedroom,” I said, irritated that Brody had made that decision without checking first.
“I had no idea what we’d be facing. I figured it was best to give her a room to herself.”
“It’s fine, Zolt. You’ll need to get your rest.” Irelyn gave me a weak smile that made me want to cry. That she tried to be strong for me when I didn’t deserve it ripped at my heart.
“I’m going to step out while you help Irelyn get settled. Have her lie face down, undressed. You can cover her with a sheet, but leave her welts uncovered.” Brody left the room and closed the door.
“You heard Dr. Hamil,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “Drop the dress, young lady.”
Irelyn remained silent and let her dress fall.
I covered my mouth and gasped when I saw the extent of Marcus’s handiwork on her lower back. The man wielded a flogger like a professional. He did just enough damage to cause her extreme pain but not to completely disable her.
I’m going to fucking kill him, but not before I beat the shit out of him first.
/> “I’m so embarrassed.” Though she had her back to me, the quaver in her voice told me that she cried.
“Don’t be, baby. Brody’s a doctor. He’s seen it all before.” But to be honest, my brother seeing my girlfriend’s sweet ass pissed me off.
If she’s still my girlfriend.
Irelyn lay on the bed naked, and I covered as much of her as I could, leaving her injured back exposed. She whimpered the entire time, and I had a hard time keeping it together.
“Are you comfortable?” I sat on the side of the bed and caressed her face with my finger. “I mean, stupid question, but do you need anything else before I get Brody?”
“No. Well, maybe a tissue. I’m sure my mascara is running down my face by now. And can you twist my hair into a knot?”
“Sure.” I did my best with her hair then handed her a tissue. Yes, her makeup had run, but I still found her beautiful.
“Your face is perfect.” Her being back in my house made everything perfect.
She wiped her nose and face, and then handed me the tissue to dispose of. “Anything else?”
“No.”
“Okay. I’ll go get Brody.”
“Zolt.”
“Yeah,” I said with my hand on the doorknob.
“Stay with me while he tends my back. I’m scared.”
I closed my eyes, praying for strength, and then I swallowed hard. “You got it. I’ll be right back.”
I opened the door to find Brody waiting in the hall. His short, curly brown hair stood on end, resembling a stressed-out man who had constantly run his hands through his hair.
Closing the door, I joined him. “I’m going to fucking kill him, Brody. I swear if it’s the last thing I do, I’ll kill him.”
Brody squeezed my shoulders. “We’ll deal with that later. First, we have to help Irelyn. This is going to hurt her, Zolt. I need you to pull yourself together. You have to be strong for her. Fall apart after, yeah?”
With a nod, I followed Brody into the room and shut the door.
“How are you doing, Irelyn?” Brody asked as he pulled on gloves. He was all business, and I was thankful for that.
“It hurts. My back feels like it’s on fire,” she said as more tears coursed down her cheeks.
“I’m sure. I’m going to insert an IV and give you some pain meds. Thankfully, T-bone has wicked connections and obtained everything we needed. I’d prefer to do this in a hospital, but they might report it.”
“But you can tend her back, right?” I asked and worried my lip with my thumb and forefinger.
“I can,” he answered as he inserted the IV. “Sorry, if this hurts I haven’t inserted an IV in a while, so bear with me Irelyn.”
“Okay,” she said weakly.
I watched with horror as Brody inserted her IV, thanking God he hit the vein on the first try.
“Okay, we’re good to go. Do you have any drug allergies I should know of?” Brody asked as he adjusted the IV settings.
“No. No allergies.”
“Good. I’m going to give you morphine for the pain and an antibiotic, as well. Are you on oral contraceptives?” Brody glanced at me and I shrugged. We’d never talked specifics about her birth control other than her mentioning being on it.
“No. I have an IUD.”
“Hormonal?”
“Yes.”
“It should be fine,” Brody answered. “Since that IUD works in two ways, it’s almost foolproof. Nothing to worry about. Though I’ll caution you against sexual intercourse until you’ve healed.”
“Okay.” Irelyn’s gaze flicked to mine and I smiled at her.
Sex was the last thing on my mind, but I had to give Brody props for covering all the bases. We didn’t need an unwanted pregnancy on top of everything else. Hell, we hadn’t even talked about kids.
We hadn’t talked about many things.
Brody picked up a vial and inserted the needle, drawing out some liquid. “This is the morphine. I’m going to start with ten milligrams. Tell me if you get nauseous, and I can give you something for it.”
“Okay,” Irelyn said again.
He inserted the needle into the IV port. “While we wait for that to take effect, there are some personal questions I need answering. Do you want Zolt to leave?”
“No. I want him to stay. If you’re going to ask if he raped me, the answer is no. Before today, I hadn’t seen him.”
I let out a relieved breath.
Thank God.
“Good. That makes things easier. Is the morphine working yet?”
“Yes. The pain is less. Thank you.”
Brody let out his own breath. “I’m going to cleanse the area with an antiseptic wash so I can get better assess your wounds. This is going to hurt; there’s no way around that.”
I took off my jacket and untied my tie, tossing them both on a chair. Then, I sat cross-legged on the other side of the bed from where Brody worked.
“Turn your head, baby. Watch me. Keep your eyes on me.”
Irelyn turned her head and our gazes locked. Even red-rimmed and makeup smeared her eyes were still those beautiful sable-browns of my dreams. “You looked very handsome in your tux,” she said and smiled just before Brody began tending to her.
“Thank you. The one thing missing though was you on my arm.” I took her hand and held it tight while Brody cleaned her wounds. Every time she screamed, she squeezed my hand. I’m not going to lie, she had my hand in a death grip and it hurt like hell, but I didn’t care.
Somehow, I found the strength to keep it together as Brody tended to her, performing a full physical exam. With each of her cries, I felt my heart break just a little more.
“Okay. I’m done, Irelyn. You did great. Just great. There’s only one I’m concerned about. The skin is broken and weeping, but I’ll keep an eye on it. The best course of action will be to keep you sedated and on pain meds so you can heal.”
“What about eating, Brody? She has to eat,” I complained.
“I’ll prepare a high-calorie, nutritionally-balanced shake that she can drink for the few hours she’s awake. It will be for just a few days at the most. The less ambulatory she is during the first days, the faster she’ll heal.”
“That’s fine, Brody. I trust your opinion,” Irelyn said. “Besides, I’ll lose a few pounds. That’s never a bad thing.”
“Your body is perfect as it is. You don’t need to lose any weight.”
“It’s going to be okay, Zolt,” Irelyn said and tried to stroke my face. She winced at the movement and dropped her hand before it reached its destination.
I hated that she tried to comfort me.
“I need to step out and get the sedative. Be right back,” Brody said and left the room.
Stretching out on the bed next to her, I caressed her face.
“I’m sorry, Zolt.”
“For what?”
“Lying to you—hurting you. Everything I said were lies. I had to make you go away so Marcus wouldn’t hurt you again.” Her tears were in full flow now and her voice sounded hoarse.
“Don’t, Irelyn. It’s in the past. You’re here where you belong. We’re safe from Marcus.”
“I love you, Zolt. I need you to know that.”
Tears swam in my eyes, making my vision blur. My heartbeat thrummed with her words and their implication. I didn’t want to break down in front of her. I wanted to stay strong.
“I love you, too, Irelyn.” I gently kissed her soft, tear-moistened lips. “Now rest, baby. Just rest.”
Irelyn closed her eyes just as Brody returned to administer the sedative.
I stayed lying next to her, holding her hand until she fell asleep. Then, I went to the backyard and sat on the steps leading down to the lawn.
In the darkness with my face in my hands, I did something I hadn’t done in years.
I cried.
I faded in and out of consciousness for a few days, waking only to do the essentials. Every time I woke, Zolt was there, watc
hing over me. The burning pain on my back had lessened considerably, but the psychic pain stayed constant, though muted by the sedatives. I thought about letting Brody keep me numb, but I had to return to the world of the living.
“Hi. How are you? Better?” Zolt asked and sat on the bed. He brushed stray strands of hair from my forehead.
“Hi. Yeah, I am better; ready to get up and about.” I pushed myself up, wincing a little. It still ached, but not near as much. “I’m sick of lying in bed, and I’m starving.”
“Oh, well, that’s a good sign.” Zolt caressed my arm and I closed my eyes; the electricity of our connection still took me by surprise.
“First, I’d love a shower. I feel disgusting.” I touched my oily hair and grimaced, imagining what I must look like.
A knock sounded on the door, and Zolt opened it.
“You’re awake,” Brody said. “That’s great. How’s the pain?”
“It’s much better. I’d like to take a shower and wash my hair.”
“Let’s take a look. Lay on your stomach,” Brody directed, his intonation all business.
I did as he said and lifted my T-shirt. With no panties on, I felt a little exposed, but I told myself to get over it. By this time, Brody had seen my naked ass so many times it probably didn’t register with him anymore.
“You’re healing well. You can take a quick shower if Zolt is with you and helps you wash your hair. I want him in there with you in case you feel faint.” He removed the IV and secured a bandage over the site.
“Okay.” I smiled at Zolt.
“Keep your hands to yourself, Zolt,” Brody commanded.
Zolt threw up his hands then winked at me. “I won’t touch her.”
Brody left and Zolt went into the en suite bathroom and started the shower. He stripped off his clothes and climbed in first with me following. I could tell by his body’s reaction to my nakedness that seeing me excited him, and I wasn’t totally immune to him, either. In the past, if we took a shower together, we had sex. And watching the water roll off the ripples of his abs—and past his hard length that stood out proudly before him—stirred something deep in my belly.
Zolt caught my gaze and gave me a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I can’t help it. My body reacts to you regardless of whether we’re going to have sex or not.”
