Savage: A Bad Boy Fighter Romance (11 page)

I
t’s
the day of the wedding. I don’t sleep at all, tossing and turning for the whole night. When my maid comes to my room with the breakfast tray, I’m already wide-awake, nervously messing with my bedspread as I get ready to get up.

There’s a small note on my breakfast tray, and once again, I recognize my mother’s handwriting. I hurry to get the note out of the envelope, my eyes skimming the contents of her letter.

Dear Adrienne,

On this day, I want you to remember how much love there is in the world. The love I had for your father, the love we both had for you. You were a lucky girl, Adrienne. You saw what true love means, and I hope, having looked into your eyes a few nights ago, that you have found someone as well. I couldn’t be happier for my only daughter.

We might not see each other for a while. I want you to remember how much I love you. And I want you to know I will always be there, no matter what. All I do now is for you, to make sure you have a happy future.

I hope one day, you will know love and happiness combined like I did.

Mom

I stare at the letter for a long time. It rings a little sad in my head, and it’s to be understood given the fact that mom is about to marry a man we both despise. I feel tears pricking my eyes and I do my best to keep them there.

I don’t want to be weak today. I want to be stronger than ever, and hold my head high as I watch my mother walk down the aisle.

The rest of the day passes in a flash, and at the same time, drags out horribly. I keep remembering what my mother told me when she was being fitted for her dress. I’d have a window, an opportunity to escape today. I keep wondering how she’s going to give it to me, but mostly, I’m worrying about how I’ll be able to take her and Memphis with me.

I could never leave either of them behind. They are all I have left now.

And Hannah…

I bite my lip nervously, wondering how I’m going to get all of us out of here. But I can’t worry too much – my mother didn’t give me enough information to prepare any kind of plan for my escape. I’ll just have to go along with whatever happens tonight.

My maid helps me into my bridesmaid’s dress, a forget-me-not color that brings out the shade of my eyes. My hair is left flowing in big waves down my back, with a simple braid tying a few loose strands off my face.

My makeup is simple, and my cheeks don’t need any color today. I’ve already got some there, and I hope no one realizes it’s because I have a plan to carry out.

I’m forced to wait in my room until the actual ceremony, and I spend precious minutes nervously pondering whether I’ll actually manage to escape. When the door to my bedroom finally opens, and Sage motions for me to come out, I’m almost thankful.

I’ll figure things out.

I follow Sage and a few other guards, now dressed in their best suits, down to the hall. The ceremony will happen here, on the grounds of the mansion – I assume in an attempt to stop the bride and her daughter from running off on Cobb.

Before we step into the room, I feel a strong hand’s vice-like grip on my forearm. It twists my body sideways, and I know right away it’s Cobb.

“Let go off me,” I hiss at him, feeling anger bubble up inside me. “Don’t fucking touch me.”

“Hello, sweet thing,” he growls at me.

I turn to face him, my face wearing a polite mask for the guards, but seething underneath it.

“Would you excuse my stepdaughter and me for a second, gentlemen?” Cobb’s voice is a hiss, and he reminds me of a snake.

Sage gives me a fleeting look before walking out with the rest of the guards. And then it’s just Cobb and me, and the walls of the room feel like they’re closing in on us.

He circles me, and as he walks around me I feel like I’m trapped in another one of his sick, twisted games.

“So, then,” he says. “Today is the day you officially become my stepdaughter.”

He approaches suddenly, forcing my chin back with his pointer finger. I look up at him. I hate him touching me.

“Not that I want to.”

“Well, you don’t have a choice, do you?”

He grins that viper-like smile at me, and I shudder, my body resisting his touch. One of his hands goes to the small of my back and he pulls me closer, making me snarl in protest.

His hands feel cold and clammy, his finger sharp as he jabs it at me.

“I bet I’m making you wet right now,” he says in his syrupy voice.

I can’t help it – I snort with laughter. Right away, his eyes change from what I assume is his seductive gaze to pure hatred. His hand leaves my back and for a moment, I’m certain he’s going to slap me. He seems to change his mind, though, and his hand drops down.

“Your mother is going to make the prettiest bride,” Cobb tells me.

“I’m sure she will.”

“Don’t be so fucking impolite, sweet thing.”

He looks half-amused, half-pissed off at me.

“I’ve given you everything, haven’t I? You have all you fucking need here. Shelter, a place to stay, clothes, food. I even let you fuck someone when I’m not around.”

He grazes my lip with his finger and I fight the urge to bite him, hard.

“Of course, that’s not going to go on for much longer.”

“What do you mean?”

My heart is pounding. I know he’s talking about Memphis. And he can’t take him away from me – that man is all I have here besides my mother, whom he’s already claimed.

“Oh, did I not tell you?”

He pulls on my hair next, making my head go back and exposing my neck to him.

I feel disgusted as he leans down, his lips dangerously close to my neck. He’s fucking scenting me, like the animal that he is. I feel a tear fight its way down my cheek.

“You’re getting married too, sweet thing.”

He delivers the blow carelessly, not giving a fuck about me or what he’s doing to me.

“W-what do you mean?” I ask, stuttering over my words.

Wilson licks his lips slowly, and my eyes follow his motions as he steps away, pretending to busy himself by looking at a book he’s picked up from the coffee table.

“You’re getting married,” he repeats like it makes perfect sense. “Your husband is an older associate of mine. I’m sure you’ll get along just fine.”

“You can’t just…” I almost lose my capability to speak. “You can’t marry me off like a piece of meat!”

“Why not?” Cobb grins at me. “Your daddy would’ve probably done the same.”

I swallow every insult I can think of, instead glaring at the man in front of me.

“What about Memphis?” I ask, my hand shaking as I wipe my tear away angrily. “You promised him my freedom! You made a promise to him. You can’t just break it.”

“He won’t know.” Cobb is smiling wide, thinking he’s won the game. “He won’t see you after today. Oh, and Adrienne?”

I raise my eyes to his, and can’t quite look away. His eyes are blazing with a fire and a manic intensity that scares me.

“I’m going to come back for you,” he tells me quietly, brushing my hair off my face. “Once I’m done with your mother, I’m going to move on to you, sweet thing. That’s what I’ve wanted all along, after all.”

My mouth gapes open. Cobb shrugs, giving me a careless look.

“Sure, your pussy’s been tainted by now,” he tells me nonchalantly. “I’m sure Angel wasn’t fucking gentle, and Don Salvatore will be even less careful with you. But sweet thing…”

He grabs my face forcefully and I whimper as our eyes connect.

“You’re going to be mine in the end,” he snarls at me. “And trust me, I’m the least gentle of all of them. That’s how I want you. Broken and used. Filthy.”

He lets go of me suddenly, and I stumble backwards. He cannot be serious. I need to be with Memphis.

I need to stay close to him, I need him by my side. Without him, this whole endeavor is pointless. If I want to save myself, I need him with me.

“Don’t do this,” I whisper to Wilson. “You can’t.”

“Oh, Adrienne.” He chuckles to himself, buttoning up his suit. “I’m just getting fucking started.”

With that, he leaves the room. My mind is swimming with horrible thoughts, but there is one at the center.

I still have my chance to run.

Mom promised me she’d give me a chance to get away from this whole madness. I glance towards the trap door, hidden by the carpet, and I wonder whether I’ll actually be able to escape. I need to.

I decide on the spot I won’t worry Memphis with what Wilson just told me. He has enough on his mind already, and I don’t need to trouble him with it.

If it all goes according to plan, we’ll both be free by the end of the night.

I
’m not entirely
sure what I’m doing here, but I know better than to question the decisions of my ‘lord and savior’, Mister Wilson Cobb, at this point.

I’ve been stitched up to the best of the abilities of Hannah and the one guy who passes for a doctor down at the pits, one of the guards names Smokey. He’s a nice enough guy, though I wish he knew something about sterilizing wounds. Mine don’t feel particularly… well, clean.

I have a million tiny cuts all over, and then too many big ones to count. My forearms and chest were torn up the worst, adding several scars that fuck up my tattoos. It’s a small price to pay, though. My face was mostly spared because I don’t think Travis really had the mental capacity to aim that high, so at least I look somewhat presentable in the black suit I’ve been shoved into.

It actually feels pretty expensive and fits me fine, though we had to go for a black shirt instead of a white button-up because I kept bleeding through it every couple of minutes.

“So what do you make of this, lily?” I ask Sage conversationally, my gaze scanning the wedding procession so far.

We’re at the far corner of the church, seated in one of the pews, waiting for all the guests to get there. I keep searching for a sign of Adrienne. I can still feel her sweet lips around my cock from after the fight, when I was too fucked up to fuck her like she deserved. The thought of never seeing her again hits me like a hot poker to the side, but it’s the lesser of two evils.

The other option would have been that she would have remained stuck here. After tonight, though, she’ll be free and that’s for the best, even if she doesn’t agree with me. Selfishly, I still hope I get to see her though, at least once.

“Of what?” Sage asks grimly, unamused as ever.

“Of the shindig? You know, big white bouquets, crying mothers, weeping bridesmaids, bawling guests… Oh wait, I think I’m getting some of this mixed up with a funeral. I don’t think there should be so many tears.”

Sage doesn’t appreciate my humor and I’m not sure I do at this point either. I actually haven’t even seen Valerie yet, but I assume there will be plenty of tears, and not the happy kind.

“I think we get to shut up and you
especially
get to shut up, Memphis,” Sage says, and I lean back against the seat.

I straighten up immediately. Travis got me in the back a few times as well and it hurts to try and get comfortable, as ironic as that may be.

As people pass us and take their seats, I see a lot of them looking at me, grinning. Some of the twerps even wave. I recognize some of them, Wilson’s buddies from the pits, the spectators that have been watching me tear people to pieces. The way I see it, Wilson has two reasons for having me here.

One, he wants to show off his prized lap dog. And two, he wants me to see all the ways he can hurt people to make me remember my place.

I’m not naïve enough to think that Adrienne can walk out of here and never have to deal with Wilson again. I know for a fact that he’ll keep an eye on her and if I misbehave, she’ll be the one to suffer for it. That’s what half of this is about, I think.

I get it though. I’ll behave. For her.

Even if the only thing I really want to do is pound Wilson’s face into the dirt until
he
is a headless corpse. The mental image is oh so fucking appealing but just as I’m about to fall into that daydream, a sweet voice calls my name and rouses me.

“Memphis,” Adrienne says, and I jerk forward like someone stabbed me.

Again.

“Adrienne,” I counter, unable to fight the grin appearing on my lips.

We both look at Sage, sitting next to me and blocking my path to Adrienne. He doesn’t get up and just stares right ahead of himself, like he can’t hear a thing. I grin to myself. Sage isn’t half bad, for a soulless Wilson flunky.

“How are you?” she asks, looking at me with worry on her pretty face.

She looks gorgeous, dressed up in the bridesmaid’s gown. I can’t help the urge to want to take it off of her, though. I don’t think anyone could blame me for it, though.

“I’m okay,” I tell her, and it isn’t a lie.

Compared to the alternative of being six-foot underground, wincing with every step and not being able to sleep because your arms are constantly bleeding is a sweet deal.

“Good,” she says softly, smiling that smile of hers.

It still feels insane, everything that’s happened. I keep having to wrestle with my feelings, unsure of whether I’m mad or glad half the time. Having figured out that Wilson Cobb was behind the murders of my parents, I’ve been carrying an immense, swirling pool of hatred within me constantly now.

On the other hand, Adrienne has changed the way I look at the world, too. Now, there’s a purpose in my days, something to strive for. To make sure that she is happy and safe is my primary goal and I’m still shocked the change came so easily. That I fell for someone like that, head over heels.

Like it’s some sort of a twisted fucking fairytale. I’m no Prince Charming and yet here she is, looking like a proper princess.

Despite everything, I’m a lucky man.

“You?” I ask, filling the nervous silence with my voice as a few people pass us by, giving me curious looks.

I’m a regular old celebrity here. That’s never happened outside of the cage. Guess killing one too many people does that in a dump like this. Though I guess Wilson Cobb’s mansion is anything but a dump, with its high, arched ceilings and the fancy murals on the walls and the Italian marble everywhere.

“I’m good as well,” she says, but the look in her eyes tells me that she’s anything but.

I’m about to ask what’s wrong, but a bell is rung and she glances over her shoulder, worried. The ceremony’s about to start.

“I have to go now,” Adrienne whispers urgently, and I take the moment to memorize her, with her honey hair swept over her shoulder and her fair skin inviting me to touch it. “But… Memphis… Pay attention.”

I scowl as she rushes off down the aisle and towards the makeshift altar set up in the far end of the large hall, taking her place.

Pay attention? To what?

Is she planning something? Fuck, I hope it isn’t anything stupid. She’s so close to getting out of here and if anything happens to her, I won’t be able to live with myself.

I feel my body tensing up like I’m about to go ten rounds with another Travis or Beau or Sawyer or Salem. I press my lips into a thin line and I’m so close to doing something stupid, like asking Sage what he thinks Adrienne meant, when I see Hannah quietly sneaking down the aisle as well.

She’s been given a dark gray dress that’s a bit too big for her, hanging off her small frame in all the wrong places, but she’s put up her hair and even dabbed on some make-up. Her finger stump seems to have healed somewhat. I’m surprised they allowed her here, but then again I don’t think I should be here either.

She gives me a small smile over her shoulder as she passes me, moving to stand further behind Adrienne, well out of the way. I assume she’s been told to stand there in case Wilson needs anything, like someone to tell him how awesome he looks or something.

I take a deep breath and will myself to calm down. I can’t stir any trouble. Not now, not today. Adrienne and Hannah are both here and I don’t want either of them getting hurt on account of my fucking ego.

For once, Memphis Danvers’s going to play by the rules.

When Wilson Cobb walks into the room though, it takes everything I have to keep seated instead of hurling myself out of there and lunging at Wilson. Fuck him and everything he stands for.