“Do whatever they want you to do. I’m so sorry I let them hurt you. I promise that I love you. Just do whatever they want you to do. Can you promise me that, Charlotte?”
“Haidyn,” she cries softly. “No…I love you…”
“Shh, it’ll be okay.” I want her to know that no matter what, she’ll be okay without me. “I love you,” I whisper.
Somehow, I feel a little more at peace. I had already made up my mind that I was going to leave her, but I didn’t know until now that I needed to hear her one more time. I was already willing to give up my life for hers. Now I can without them hurting her in the process. She shouldn’t have to prove who she is. Not when I can show her who she can be.
Maybe this is what hell is. I’ve had it wrong all these years. It’s not Carnage or physical torture. It’s the mind games. The what-ifs…what could have been…
I wish I could say that I’m stronger than this, but I’m not. If I’m dead, then they won’t have anything to show off for. They won’t force her to do shit against her will if I’m not here to witness it.
I don’t need a gun and a bullet to end it all. I just have to let go of her.
EIGHTY-ONE
CHARLOTTE
His body goes limp against mine just as the door opens. I jump off the bed and spin around to see two tall figures enter the room. I can’t make out who they are because I’ve been in a blacked-out room, and the light from the hallway behind them is blinding.
I reach into the back of my jeans, pulling the gun out that Bill put there after he dragged me out of his car. I point it at them, stepping in front of the end of the bed that my husband lies on, blocking him.
“Wait!” One throws up their hands. “Charlotte, it’s Kash and Saint.”
I lower the gun and sniff. “Something’s wrong with him,” I rush out, stepping to the side. “He was talking to me, but I couldn’t get him to wake up.” I can’t explain it, but he wasn’t really here. “Then he went limp.”
They both run past me and over to Haidyn. “Is there a goddamn light in here?” Saint snaps.
I turn the flashlight back on my phone and shine it on the wall, searching for some kind of switch, but see nothing. I go outinto the hall and search the wall. I see a few switches and flip them on and then rush back to see if they’ve worked.
It did. The room has a single bulb hanging from the ceiling, and both of his brothers are leaning over the bed, speaking into his face and shaking his shoulders. Nothing.
“Let’s get him the fuck out of here,” Kashton barks to Saint.
I wrap my arms around myself. “Where is everyone?”
“Tyson and his boys are searching for your mother. There’s another guy…”
“I’m right here.” My hair is grabbed, and my neck yanked back to stare up at the ceiling.
“Let her go,” Kashton demands. “And I won’t blow your fucking head off.”
Wesley laughs. “Do you really think I’ll let you drag me to Carnage? That I’d ever go back to that god-awful place?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Saint barks.
He doesn’t answer and the room falls silent, and I try to wiggle free of his hold. I’m so tired, and my head pounds. I just want to crawl back into bed with my husband. He needs me. We’re wasting time.
“Wesley…”
“My name isn’t Wesley,’” he shouts, shaking me.
I feel the heavy gun in my right hand, and I point it down at the ground, not taking a second to think about it. I pull the trigger, momentarily going deaf as it echoes in the tight concrete box. Wesley shoves me forward, and I turn around to see him step out of the room. His mouth is open, and he’s screaming, but the only thing I hear is the sound of my ears ringing from the first shot.
Lifting the gun, I shoot again, and he falls to his knees as blood covers his jeans.
The gun is ripped from my hands, and I’m pushed to the concrete floor onto my back. I look up to see Kashton straddlingme. His hands grip my wrists, holding them down as he looks over to the right. His mouth is moving, but I can’t understand what he’s saying.
That ringing is still there. I don’t even try to fight him.
