“Yeah,” I answer, and he’s already heading to the bathroom. “But I think I should talk to Haidyn first.” I don’t want him to think I’m afraid of him.
“He went to the basement.” He reaches up and removes his T-shirt. “He’ll be down there for a while.” Kashton starts the shower.
Turning, I exit the bedroom and ride the elevator down to the basement. I’m not a coward, and I don’t want my brother to think I’m one.
I exit when the door opens and step out, passing through the plastic curtain strips, and don’t see him in the pits area.
Continuing on through the hallway, I see a woman ahead of me. She looks frail. Her head is down, and her dirty hair covers her bare shoulders.
The sound of “Hallelujah” by No Resolve echoes throughout the hall, and I know Haidyn is in the process of torturing someone. He’s been in a sour mood because of me. Even Charlotte won’t be able to pull him out of it. I’ll have to do it.
I know a part of Charlotte likes that about him. No Lady willingly gives herself to a Lord without knowing what he’s capable of. You have to crave that kind of darkness to allow it into your life.
The woman’s bare feet drag across the concrete floor, and she holds a piece of rope in her right hand that pulls a baby doll behind her. Looking up, her eyes meet mine, and my heart races when she speaks. “They took my baby.” Her voice is raspy as she steps into me, and I turn my shoulders to avoid her touching me.
“They took my baby,” she repeats, shoving my chest and pushing my back against the cold concrete wall.
I go to shove her in return, but she’s yanked away before I get the chance. “Laura.” Haidyn places himself between us. The smell of blood hits my nose when I see it’s all over his clothes. “What are you doing out of your cell?”
“THEY TOOK MY BABY!” she screams.
“Here it is.” He bends down and picks up the doll and holds it out to her. The rope she grips is wrapped around the doll’s neck several times. It’s naked, an eye missing and covered in dirt. One of the arms is twisted backward.
Her wild eyes go from his to mine, and I wonder if she knows who I am. She looks back at Haidyn, throwing the baby to the floor.
He sighs. “Come on. Let’s put you back where you belong.”
She begins to scream at the top of her lungs. The screeching sound makes my ears hurt. He bends down, wraps his arm around her thighs, and picks her up, throwing her over his shoulder, then carries her down the hallway while she drags the baby behind them.
I follow after him, passing cell after cell until we come to an opening. It has a set of stairs on either side that goes up to the second floor of cells. The basement is huge. Covers the entire length of the building. I’ve been everywhere down here. I could navigate it with my eyes closed.
Haidyn throws her in the cell, making sure to toss the doll in there as well, and slams it shut, locking it.
Turning around, he looks surprised to see me. “Are you lost, Eve?” His voice is cold, and I swallow nervously. “Kash isn’t down here.”
“I was looking for you,” I tell him, and my tongue feels heavy all of a sudden.
His eyes soften, and he looks hopeful, asking, “What do you need?”
“I was wondering if you wanted to have lunch with me tomorrow?” I ask nervously.
“Of course.” He frowns as if there isn’t another option.
I take a step back, nodding awkwardly. “Okay. I’ll see you then.” Before I can make a fool of myself, I rush through the hallway and to the elevator.
Stepping into Kashton’s room, I lean against the door and close my eyes, trying to catch my breath as my shaking hands come up to my face.
“What took you so long?”
I jump at the sound of my husband’s voice. Dropping my hands, I see him standing in the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his hips, water still dripping down his tatted chest. “I’m having lunch with my brother tomorrow,” I say, trying to wrap my head around it.
There’s so much happening so fast. I went from having no one but myself to rely on to having a husband and a brother who has a wife of his own and babies on the way. I’ve got a family.
Kashton strolls over to me and gently kisses my forehead. “That’s great, angel.”
The following afternoon, I’m standing in our bedroom when there’s a knock on the door. I take a shaky breath and run my hands down my shirt. I’m so nervous. I’ve been around Haidyn several times, but never just the two of us. And never as brother and sister. Opening the door, I find Haidyn standing in the hallway.
He places his hands in his jeans pockets and rocks back on the heels of his boots. He’s nervous too. That helps me a little. Neither one of us knows what to say or what to talk about. Our childhood is out of the question, and I’ve married his best friend. What else is there to know?
