The screen goes black, and I stare at it waiting for another to pop up, but nothing happens. Blood rushes in my ears, and I drop the phone next to me, cupping my face and trying to catch my breath.
“Charlotte?” I hear Haidyn’s voice in the bedroom.
I open my mouth to tell him that I’m in the bathroom, but nothing comes out. That burning sensation returns, and I crawl over to the toilet once more, where I begin to dry heave.
“Charlotte.” His voice is closer this time, and he grabs my hair as tears spill down my cheeks while he kneels behind me. One hand rubs small circles on my back, and when I have nothing left to get out, I flush the toilet and fall onto my ass.
“Hey, doll face.” His soft voice makes me cry harder, and he pulls me into his lap as we sit on the marble floor. “It’s okay, Charlotte,” he assures me. “I took care of it. You’re safe.”
Of course, he thinks I’m worried about myself and his meeting with the Lords tonight. That’s how this night started out, but that’s not it now. Not at all. It’s what I just watched this man go through. Who was torturing him? And why? One had said that he took away their toy. What did they mean? And who was theshethat said they couldn’t kill him? Who did Haidyn kill to keep from being raped? The Lord had mentioned a chosen. Was it Sierra? My friends had asked what happened to her? And that they didn’t know.
There are worse things than dying.
I have so many questions that I can’t ask him.
“You’re safe here, doll face. I’ll protect you.”
I throw my arms around his neck, and he wraps his arms around me tightly, holding me to him while I try to hold back a sob. I let him think he’s reassuring me. I’m okay, but I hold him, knowing he’s home safe. Something actually worked how we wanted it to.
“Shh.” He rubs my back. “You’re okay.”
I need him. There’s an ache between my legs and a pain in my chest. I need him right now. As his wife, as his whore. What I saw on those two videos was only ten minutes of his life. What else has he gone through? How many other times did they punish him? Was it because of Ashtyn or someone else? Pulling away, I gasp, needing to breathe, and he cups my face with both of his hands.
“I’m…sorry.” I manage to say through the lump in my throat.
He gives me a soft smile, running his hand through my hair. “Don’t be sorry, doll face.”
My husband thinks I’m apologizing because I almost turned him in. And I don’t correct him.
HAIDYN
“Come on.”I help her up and walk over to the bathtub. I turn on the faucet, and she goes over to her sink and brushes her teeth, followed by mouthwash. She’s still silently crying, but she’s not sobbing anymore.
She’s got herself so worked up that she’s made herself sick again. Poor thing.
I grab a towel and place it on the counter and then help her into the tub. She pulls her knees to her chest and stares down at the water as the tears fall down her cheeks.
“I’ll be right back,” I say and then make my way to the kitchen. Grabbing her a bottle of water, I return and set it on the edge of the Jacuzzi tub. “You need to drink something.”
She stays silent while I bathe her. Her tear-filled eyes remain on the water while I wash her hair and then her body. She doesn’t even ask me how it went at the cathedral. Which I’mglad. I don’t want to have to lie to my wife, but I will if she asks. I don’t want to upset her more than she already is.
Rinsing the conditioner out of her hair, I grab her hands and help her stand on her shaking legs. Then I dry her off and cup her face, forcing her eyes to meet mine. “It’s all going to be okay,” I assure her.
She nods as if she believes me, but we both know she doesn’t. And why should she? I’ve blackmailed her for my own selfish reasons. More than she knows. I’m almost sorry for what I’ve done to her. But like I once told Charlotte, I have no regrets. That’s still very true.
“I have something for you,” I tell her.
Her large, tear-filled eyes meet mine. I hate to see her so upset, but her eyes are gorgeous when she cries. She swallows nervously before licking her lips but says nothing. I drop mine to her left hand and remove the small ring the fake boy toy gave her earlier tonight. I feel sorry for the fucking bastard. That he’ll never get to have her…not like I’ll get to. I’m a proud enough man to know what I have, but I’m too selfish to let anyone else experience it. I set the ring on the black marble counter with the reminder to throw it away later.
Reaching into the pocket of my jeans, I remove the box and open it up. Her eyes drop to it, and she gasps when I remove the ring and slide it on her finger. “You deserved more,” I tell her.
“What…how…?” Her eyes go from mine to the wedding ring and back to mine again. “Haidyn it’s…gorgeous.”
“Just like you,” I say, pushing wet strands of dark hair behind her ear as my eyes search hers. “I want you to see what I see every time I look into your eyes.”
Her breathing picks up once again and I take her face in my hands. “Hey, it’s okay.” She’s starting to panic…regretting her decision to be my wife. It’s too late. She can have secondthoughts all she wants. She belongs to me now and I’m not going to let her go.
“Can I have a minute, please?” she asks softly.
