I need to talk to them in person. Fill them in on what’s going on. I can’t just bring her here without giving them a heads-up. Especially if Ashtyn and Eve have a past. Adam said they weren’t friends, but will Ashtyn recognize her? If so, how will that go down? I haven’t been a fan of Ashtyn since she shot my brother. We put too much trust in her, thought she was one of us, and she betrayed Saint. I see that as a betrayal toward all of us. My brother loves her, and I respect that, but I don’t have to accept her.
The moment the elevator door slides open in the basement, “Hallelujah” by No Resolve hits my ears, informing me that Haidyn is in a mood.
A quick look at my watch tells me it’s a quarter till four in the morning. He’s down here later than usual. Pushing the plastic strip curtains out of the way, I come face-to-face with Saint.
“Good luck.” He nods to me, walking by.
“What’s going on?” I ask, turning to face him.
“He’s been down here for two hours with that song on repeat.” Then Saint disappears, walking toward the elevator.
I continue through the basement and pass the pits, headed to the hallway where the cells are. I come up to the fourth on the right and see the door open.
The song blares from the concrete room. My brother’s bloody white T-shirt is wadded up on the floor while he stands in the center with a lit cigarette between his lips. Hudson lies on the floor, curled up in a ball, soaking wet with blood covering his trembling, naked body.
“Haidyn?” I call out.
Reaching up, he removes the cigarette and turns to look at me. He appears calm as can be, and that kind of scares me a little.I’m not sure why. I’ve seen my brothers throw some temper tantrums and fuck shit up. But this is…different. He arches a brow at me.
“Everything okay?” I shout over the music.
Bringing the cigarette back to his lips, he takes in a drag, the end glowing in the darkly lit room. Once done, he flicks it down onto Hudson. He whimpers when it lands on his neck, and his hands flail to push it off. The man has no eyes. Haidyn ripped them out after he bragged that he watched videos of Haidyn fucking Charlotte. I would have done the same.
“Yeah, why?” he asks as the song comes to an end.
“Just wondering.” I glance at my Hublot. “It’s late. Or early…”
“We’re having a good day, aren’t we, Hudson?” He kicks the bastard in the stomach, and he rolls away, cradling his arms around himself in a protective posture.
The song starts once again, and Haidyn removes the pack of cigarettes from his jeans, lighting up another one.
“Haidyn?”
I spin around to see a sleepy-looking Charlotte standing outside the cell in the hallway, wearing a T-shirt, cotton shorts, and a pair of fuzzy pink slippers, her heavy eyes on her husband.
“Hey, doll face.” He exits the cell and leans down, kissing her.
She pulls away, her eyes now showing concern as they search his. “Come back to bed.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Taking his bloody hand, she gives him a small smile. “I want you to come with me now.” Her eyes go from Hudson to him. “This can wait until later.”
“Charlotte—”
“I want you,” she interrupts him.
After a second, he kisses her forehead. “Head upstairs. I’ll be right behind you.” She goes to argue when he says, “Get undressed and crawl into bed for me.”
With one last look at Hudson, she turns and disappears down the hallway, headed back to the elevator and up to their room.
Haidyn walks into the cell, turns off the music, and tells Hudson, “This isn’t your lucky day. I’ll be back to play with you after I fuck my wife.”
Hudson rolls over, giving us his back, and I follow Haidyn out of the cell as he closes the door and locks the bastard inside. “Want to talk about it?” I ask. Our talk about Eve will have to wait until another day. Adam said I had a few weeks. That gives me plenty of time to come up with a plan and then fill the guys in on it.
Haidyn comes to a stop, runs a bloody hand through his hair, and sighs. “While I was at Dollhouse, I hallucinated.”
I nod, remembering him telling the guys that they might have side effects from the founders’ enhancement.
