24690 (13 page)

Chapter 21

West

“Three things of popcorn, three large drinks, and candy. Lots of candy. One of each.”

As Bram went over the selection with the clerk, I smiled over at Everleigh. Bram couldn’t believe she hadn’t tried any of the sweets. He seemed to know maybe she hadn’t when he began asking her each one, but he was quickly making up for what she’d lacked in the past. And me, I was soaking it in. Watching every little move my best friend made. Moments were important like that. You had to pay attention and soak in the details if you were going to grow as a person. If you were going to remember an unforgettable night …

“Anything else? Cotton candy? West, you want anything specific?”

“No, I’m good. I think we have enough to last a lifetime.”

“Or at least until after the other movie tonight. Two movies in one night.” He shook his head, still smiling. “I haven’t watched one in years, and now, two. Why haven’t we watched more movies?”

My smile faded as I took in his question. It stirred something in me almost making me question if the plans I’d set into motion were the right ones. Here I was trying to fool him, yet he was fucking with my head. Or was he? Was he pretending, like me? I just wasn’t sure anymore.

“I don’t know. Work?” I said, shrugging. “We’ve been so busy since we got out of school. Hell, even before then. I can’t remember the last time where we just relaxed. It’s always been something. One dilemma after the next. And they’ve gotten tougher each time, haven’t they? More challenging or time crucial? Is it just me?”

Bram handed over my drink and shook his head. “No, you’re right. Every time, every year, it grows tougher. I used to think, it can’t get harder than this, but it does. It always does. What do you think would have happened if we would have just walked away? Just put up our hands and said fuck it, we quit?”

My smile was completely gone as I let his question simmer. “I don’t know. That’s not us. We’ve never run from anything.”

“Nope.” Bram grabbed the bag holding all of the candy and handed Everleigh her drink. “We never run. We never call it quits. Duty is who we are. It’s what we were bred to take on.”

We.
Not he.

My brow creased with confliction. He had been born and bred to take over Whitlock, not me. Yet, he put us as one. The significance meant more to me than I wanted to admit. I’d always thought Bram kept me at his side because I was just another duty, a routine ingrained in him. It didn’t sound like it when he’d said that.
Brothers.
We had always said we were. Somehow I’d never really believed it.

We weaved through the crowd, handing the attendant our tickets as we broke into the hallway. Darkness engulfed us as Bram held open the first door for me and Everleigh. Goosebumps tightened my skin and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Perhaps I wrong? Or … maybe I needed more time?
He needed more time?

“We should do this more often,” Bram said, letting the door close behind us. “Maybe once a week? Every Saturday night or something? That’s when new movies come out, right?”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled. “I can find out.”

Lower and lower my voice dropped. My mind was racing, my pulse, damn near exploding at the force it was pounding.

“West, you okay?”

Bram came to a stop short of the turn that would have led us seating. His face was illuminated by the previews on the screen and everything felt so surreal. My legs wouldn’t even walk any further.
They couldn’t.
They were meant for this exact spot—all of my life—all of these years.

“West?”

I glanced at Everleigh’s concerned face, forcing myself to breathe.

“I’m suddenly not feeling so well.”

“Even in the dim light, you look pale as shit. Here, let me help you.” Bram took my drink, putting it on the ground as he wrapped his arm around mine to keep me steady. We broke for the doors and light was enveloping us once again as we made it just outside into the hallway. But the light held no sense of hope for me. I gestured toward the bathroom, forcing my weight in that direction, still not able to speak.

“Hold on,” Bram whispered to me. “Everleigh, stay. You, guard,” Bram called out. “Watch her. Don’t let anyone near her.” He turned back to me, wrapping his other arm around my back as he walked us faster. “It’s okay. Are you going to be sick?” 

“I think so.” And maybe I was right. Even though excitement was pumping through my veins, I couldn’t dismiss the sickness that was coming with it. I knew it would fade. I knew it was only a matter of time before I looked back at this day with relief and not regret. It was just going to take time.

Bram pushed open the bathroom door and the moment the room opened up, I was jerked at the impact of him being caught off guard. I spun to the side, catching myself before I fell. The stabs were so fast that I barely righted myself before Bram’s legs were buckling.

“Cut off my hand, you son of a bitch! How do you like that!”

Eli met my eyes, letting his arms slide out from where he had Bram restrained, dropping him. I didn’t wait. So many emotions were rolling through me that I lunged forward, grabbing Billy’s blond hair and twisting his neck, hard. He thought he’d be helping us, and he had. But not like he assumed.

“You were just in here going to the restroom. Get the guard by Everleigh and tell him to ring the alarm. The Master’s been attacked. Take her back to Bram’s. I’ll meet the both of you there. Don’t let her out of your sight for any reason.”

“Got it.”

“And, Eli?”

He turned in his fast retreat.

“Touch her in any way, I’ll kill you.”

He laughed. “Are you going to get me to do it, myself?”

“Don’t underestimate me. I have no one to hide from now. Meet Whitlock’s new Master …
me
.”

“You son of a …
bitch
.” Groaning left Bram as he tried to roll to his side. But he couldn’t. He was fighting to even breathe. “I’ll … k-kill you.”

Blood was soaking through his gray shirt and crimson sprayed from his mouth as he began to cough. I felt nothing anymore. No guilt or remorse. Nothing but the need to end this as soon as possible.

“Kill me? You can’t even move. Sleep sweet, dear brother. I’ll take good care of her you. I promise.”

My leg came back and I kicked Bram in the side of the head as hard as I could. No more pain. No anger. No more possible fear of death for him. Peace. I’d given him a gift. Luckily, he gave me more.

“Go,” I growled to Eli.

Within seconds the guard was bursting through … but not before Everleigh. How she’d managed to make her way around Eli was beyond me. All I knew was that scream. It pulled me from staring into Bram’s unconscious face as I kneeled over his body. It sent the hair on my arms standing, and my rage boiling.

“Get her out of here!”

“Bram! No!” She was a foot from reaching us when Eli’s arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back. The guard was still yelling into his radio as he slid to a stop at Billy’s body. Screams, they were echoing around everywhere, amped by the tile walls surrounding us. Harder Everleigh fought, scratching and trying to claw at Eli. The pure determination on her face to make it to Bram was like nothing I’d ever seen.

“The high leader is in the field. He’s calling in the surgeon now.” The guard lowered, letting his hand hover as Bram’s chest as he pushed the button to speak again. “Three stab wounds centered in vicinity of the chest. One seems to be right around the heart. Maybe over it. That’s all I can see right now.”

Within moments more guards rushed in. The high leader was almost right behind him, panting as he pushed the others back and began ripping off his gear to remove his shirt.

“You, you, and you. Help carry him as I apply pressure. The chopper should be here shortly.”

“Chopper?”

I stood as he moved me out of the way and took his place next to Bram.

“That’s right.”

“What’s wrong with the hospital here?” I asked. “They can get to him sooner.
They can help him
.”

I knew the moment I met the leader’s eyes that something was off. He knew things. Things I couldn’t begin to guess.

“Mr. Whitlock warned this may happen. He’s to be taken out of here and moved to a civilian hospital.”

“Civilian hospital? Which one?”

His eyes shot up to mine as he pushed the shirt down onto the wounds.

“That for only me to know.”

I swallowed past the guilt as the guards lifted Bram and began rushing him out. The scene blurred, but I followed through the large gathering crowd in the theater until we were heading outside. It wasn’t long before the spotlight from the helicopter flooded the green grass. As it lowered, I didn’t stop running behind them until the door came open and I was faced with a woman I knew all too well. Those eyes, they’d stared at me with more terror than I’d ever been confronted with, and at the time, I had loved it.

But how was this possible?

“You! Jarett!” The high leader’s voice was barely audible as he pointed to one of the guards. “Take lead. I’ll contact you when I can.”

And just like that, the door closed and only moments later the light turned brighter as the chopper rose into the sky. I couldn’t move as I watched it leave Whitlock.

I’d overlooked more than I should have. If Bram expected something and gone lengths to secure the woman surgeon, Dr. Cortez, when I was told she was dead … what else did he know?
igh

“Sir, I need a word with you. Can you tell me what happened?”

The temporary high leader …
I didn’t know him. Not personally. I’d seen his face plenty of times, but we had never spoke.

“I wasn’t feeling well. Bram was helping me into the restroom when some guy … I think he was a former guard. He just started stabbing him. I fell at the initial attack. By the time I stood, Bram was dropping to the ground and …” I took a ragged breath. “I barely remember lunging forward. I jumped the attacker and in our struggle I managed to break his neck.”

“And that’s it?”

“No.” My head shook. “There was another guy in the restroom when this happened. A friend of mine, actually. I yelled at him to get help. I’m not sure when I yelled it. If it was while I was fighting off the former guard or after, I can’t really remember.” I paused. “Do we have to do this now? My best friend was just fucking stabbed in front of me. The mistress we were with had to witness the aftermath. I need to get to her.”

I didn’t wait for permission. I took off toward the stairs at a fast pace—half jogging, half walking. The moment I burst through Bram’s door, Everleigh was flying toward me.

“What happened? Where is he?”

“Shh. Calm down. It’s okay. They airlifted him to a hospital.”

“What happened? Was he …? He wasn’t …”

Sobs left her as she pushed the short hair back from her face. All I could do was what I had wanted to from the beginning. I pulled her into my arms, holding tight as I tried to soothe her.

“I don’t know. I don’t know anything right now. I’m sure they’ll update us the moment they know something.”

I glanced toward Eli, who was moving his stare from me to the computer. He wanted me to delete the footage and I had every intention to as soon as I calmed Everleigh.

“It was B-Billy. I saw him dead on the ground. He did this and it’s all my f-fault. If anything happens to Bram, I …”

“It was not your fault. No. Shh. Come.”

I led her to Bram’s room, jerking back the blankets as I forced her to sit on the edge. “I’m going to get you a drink and I want you to try to stop crying so hard. You’ll go into shock if you don’t try to relax. Do not move. Do not get up.
Stay
.”

The authority in my tone had her brow creasing, but she nodded as I headed for the door. I shut it behind me, pointing to the decanter as I walked to the computer.

“Pour her a drink.” I pulled a pill from my pocket. “And put this in it. She’ll be out in no time.”

Eli grabbed the pill, breaking it open as I hit the button to wake the computer. The lock screen appeared and I quickly let my fingers type in the letters.

Password denied.

“What the fuck?” Again, I typed.

Password denied.

My eyes shot to Eli.

“What is it?” He was stirring the drink as he walked over.

Again, I typed it in.

Password denied.

Chapter 22

24690

“I said it doesn’t matter. I’ll take care of it.”

West’s raised voice had me focusing to hear more, but nothing was said. The door opened and he walked in, bring forward a glass with amber liquid.

“Drink this. It’s going to make you feel better.”

“I don’t want it. I’ll be—”

“
Drink
.”

The anger in his voice had me reaching for the glass despite that I didn’t want to. I took a sip, cringing at the fiery bitterness.

“Nope. Not good enough. Drink it all.”

“All?”

He nodded and I looked at the amount. It was a third of the way full and I knew I wasn’t going to like the effects or taste. Regardless, I braced myself and took a huge swallow. The immediate need to spit it out was overwhelming, yet somehow I swallowed it down. My body jerked through the vile flavor and I swallowed the rest, nearly gagging.

“Good girl.”

A smile stretched across West’s face and it was anything but nice. It didn’t look normal. It looked evil. The sight triggered the former slave within me making her want to cringe back in fear.

“I’m proud of you. I tell you to do something and you do it. You’re going to be such a good slave.”

“I’m not a slave anymore.”

“Yes you are.” He took the glass, placing it on the table. “You have no inheritance, Everleigh. The note is on Bram’s desk. You’re still a slave. And with him injured, possibly dead, I guess that makes you
my
slave.”

The coldness left my lips parting. Another sob came and I couldn’t believe how unfeeling he was suddenly being. It was like I was looking at a complete stranger.

“Bram’s not going to die.”

“Oh, but I think he is. He was stabbed three times in the chest. Not many people would live after that. I’m sorry, slave. I don’t think he’s going to make it.”

“He will make it,” I argued. “He can’t die. He
won’t
die!”

“I hope you’re right. Here, lay back and get some sleep. Maybe by the time you wake up we’ll hear some news.”

My hand lifted to knock his away from me, but something was different. My arm was heavier than normal. I rotated my shoulders, feeling my body began to sway.

“What did you do?”

“It’s just a relaxer. You’re very upset. This will calm you.”

Fingers pulled at the buttons of my blouse and I somehow managed to push his arm away. The slap to my cheek wasn’t hard, but I gasped trying to keep myself upright.

“That was a warning. Raise your hand to me again and I promise it will be the last time. I have a feeling you and I are going to have a very intense first few days.”

“Bram won’t … allow … for this.”

My head fell back and rolled to the side. West barely caught me before I hit the mattress. My shirt was jerked free and the bra followed. When I was stripped completely, I could barely stay awake to feel the covers pulled over my body.

“Bram gave me permission to have you long ago. Face it. You’re mine.”

****

“Everleigh. Everleigh.”

“Hmmm?” Colors blurred, blinding me as I tried to force my eyes open. I was so tired. Too tired to wake up for a voice I didn’t care to place.

“
Slave!
”

Like an alarm clock, the title ingrained in me had my lids flying open. A face distorted before me and my eyes rolled as my lids began to close. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t fight the pull of sleep. At least not physically. Mentally, I knew there was a reason to be awake. There was something important. Someone ...

“Slave, I have bad news. You have to wake up. It’s about Bram.”

“B-Bram?”

The name came out stuttering as my thick tongue seemed to almost choke me. My entire mouth was bone dry and I felt sick.

“That’s right. Open your eyes. Here, let me help you sit.”

My body swayed, feeling as though I were falling to the side, but it stopped as soon as I was sitting. Light broke through again and I blinked a few times. West’s features took a few moments to come in clear. When they did, I somehow found my voice.

“What about Bram?”

He handed me a glass of water and I took a drink as he stared at me solemnly.

“He just got out of surgery. He’s alive, but they don’t think he’ll make it another couple of hours.

My chest tightened and my lip trembled as a small sound left my mouth.

“Oh, slave. I’m sorry. I know how upset you must be.”

Slave.
Yes, to him I was still a slave. I didn’t have an inheritance. And soon, I might not have Bram. If that was the case, I didn’t have time to be stubborn.

“May I please ask you something?” The title got caught in my throat and I cried, hating to even think about saying it. “C-can I please ask … Master?”

A slight grin appeared and he nodded, reaching up to move back the hair that was falling in front of my eye. “Ask anything of me, slave.”

“Will you take me to see him? I want to say … goodbye.” I did sob then. It tore from me with a power that left me hunching over and curling into myself. I had no power over the agony serrating my heart. We’d been so close to being together. For the first time in my life, I almost felt happiness. Like something good was finally going to happen to me. He tried to scare me with how he was, but I’d already seen, and I wasn’t afraid. I loved him, and I knew he loved me, too.

“I wish I could take you to him. I really do. I’d give anything to see him, myself, but it’s impossible. For one, they won’t tell me what hospital he’s at; and two, I have no one to contact. The high leader is relaying the messages, but it’s one way. All the information are coming from him and I have no return number.”

“But … why would he not give you the number? You were Bram’s best friend. Why can’t we see him? His attacker is dead. W-we deserve to say goodbye.”

Louder my voice grew and there was nothing I could do to stop the hysterics beginning to creep in. Bram, on the verge of death? It didn’t seem possible. Yet, I’d seen him. He was covered in blood. And his eyes, they’d been closed. It wasn’t some nightmare. It had been real. I’d seen it, just as I had seen my first master. Both, stabbed, lying on the floor.

I wiped the tears as West patted my back. Red lights caught my attention and I took in the numbers on the clock, confused.

“Is it day or night?”

“What?”

I sniffled as pieces of the night before filtered in. I remembered Bram, but then … the drink.

“It’s day. Why do you ask?”

“It’s three? Three in the afternoon?”

The concern melted from his face as he pulled back and sat up straighter.

“You were very upset last night. I just helped you sleep.”

“You drugged me.”

His head gave a quick shake. “It wasn’t like that. I did it for your benefit. And see, I told you when you woke up, we’d probably know something. Now we do. Although, I learned about this an hour ago, and I’m guessing Bram got out of surgery way before that. It’s possible he’s already dead.”

My breath hitched in my throat and he rolled his eyes at me as he pushed to stand.

“I told you this was going to happen. Last night, I told you he might not make it. I saw his wounds, slave. There is no way he’d survive that. Besides, that’s the reality of life in this place. No one can be trusted. You know that better than anyone.”

To argue with a man who I was quickly becoming disgusted with was not going to help me. I had to think of a way to learn more about Bram.

“May I take a shower, please?”

“Make it quick. The masters are stirring. They’re requesting a meeting and you’ll be attending.”

“Me?”

I pushed back the covers, standing.

“As my slave, of course. They’re all going to have to see at some point. What better time than when they face the new master of this place.”

My head shook through the sickening in my stomach.

“If Bram dies,” he bit out, “who do you think is left to rule this place?
Me.
I am the closest to kin he has concerning Whitlock. Everything goes to me.”

“Did you kill him?”

The words left me before I could take them back. Something didn’t seem right. He was too cold. Too uncaring over a man he claimed to be his best friend.

Fingers bit into my bicep as he jerked me close. “If I ever hear that question from your mouth again, I’ll cut out your tongue. Get in the fucking shower.”

The slight shove almost had me falling. My legs were heavy and shaking as I fought to catch myself. I could still feel the drug in me, leaving me groggy and delayed. It did nothing to the horror I suddenly felt concerning the situation.

Jittery, I reached to turn on the water. Before I could so much as draw back, West was barging through the door.

“You’ll wear this, makeup, and I want your bangs pulled back from your face. Today things begin to change. When I become Master of Whitlock, we bring back the old ways.
But better.
This place will be thriving more than it ever has.”

He glanced over, but I had nothing to say. Nothing to think. I was shocked to the core, staring at a man I didn’t even know. Bram wasn’t even dead, yet West seemed oblivious to the fact.

Cautiously, I got in, watching him through the glass. Panic was running rampant inside of me. Trust was gone concerning Mr. Harper. He scared the slave still inside. She knew these men. Knew what they were capable of. Hadn’t I told Bram I didn’t like West? There was always something bothering me about him. I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Now, I knew.
She had known, all along.

Again my new master returned, placing jewelry down next to the white form fitting dress he’d hung up next to the counter. He turned to leave, pausing as he reached forward and picked up Bram’s razor. When he turned to me, I fought not to cower.

“Until I can get you into Medical to have them laser the rest, shave everything. Everyday. You’ll keep it that way from now on. If you don’t, I’ll make sure you don’t forget.”

He walked over, pulling the glass door open. My fingers fumbled over the handle and I almost dropped it. Back and forth his head shook as he took in the dark strip just above the junction of my legs.

“I don’t mind it so much, truthfully, but Bram would have seen you like this. I want a new version of you.
One he didn’t fuck.
Shave it all off.”

The door slammed shut and I jumped at the impact. How in a matter of hours did it go from one of the best days of my life to the worst?

Tears stung my eyes, but I pushed away the need to break down. There were bigger things going on than myself. West wanted to bring back the old ways. I knew enough to fear the possibility of that happening. I had to reach the high leader. He had to know what was going on. Until Bram was gone, the guards needed to step up and take control. If not for my sake, then for the children and every slave here. If West had his way in ruling, the moment Bram took his last breath, he’d open up The Cradle. He’d bring back the trials, public executions, stoning, and public rape. This wouldn’t just be a nightmare. All the sins of hell would come to Whitlock and we’d all burn with them.