We all kept our mouths shut. Anything we said would be used against us.
“I think we should take them to Mr. S. Let him decide on what we do with them.”
I gulped. My little beating heart fell to my feet in one swift second.
Tonight was the night I was going to die. I could feel it in my bones. I prayed, for the first time in my life, that death wouldn’t be painful. That whoever was to do the deed would give me mercy and make it quick.
Chapter 9
Will, Erik, and I knelt on the floor, the tile biting against our knees. Despite how mouthy Will had been before, now he was quiet, refusing to do more than breathe.
We were all naked and blindfolded, spaced apart evenly. The last thing I had seen before the cloth had been put around my head, was one of the blandest rooms that this master house had. Or I assumed so, anyhow. The room had nothing in it. Not even a chair.
Footsteps were circling us, watching and gauging each of us in turn. I didn’t have to have eyes to know that whoever it was that was eyeing us like trash.
We were nothing as we kneeled here. Nothing but breathing humans that were passed from one person to the next. Our thoughts didn’t matter. It was our actions.
“I’ve gone over the recording,” one of the men spoke up at the same time a hand brushed along my back. “And while Mr. S isn’t thrilled his most prized toy was at the cause of it, he understands what must be done.”
“That one can’t be put out of commission again so soon.” That was Carson. His voice was on the other side of the room.
“Yes yes, we know,” the one right behind me sighed. “But this feud between these three needs to end.”
“It’s my fault,” Erik spoke up, his voice quiet. “I...”
“You what?” Another voice, this one rougher. When there was no reply, he went on. “You thought you could have both of these boys as your lovers? Is that it?”
“No, Sir.”
“What was on the tape?” Carson asked. I think it was him who was walking closer to me, but it was hard to tell for sure.
“This one was egging these two on. He was teasing them.”
My shoulders sagged. It wouldn’t matter what anyone saw on that tape, because whatever they said would be a lie.
Will wasn’t the only one in this room that wanted me gone.
“This one wouldn’t lift a finger to harm a single thing,” Carson muttered, stopping right in front of me. A gentle finger lifted my chin, and although I couldn’t see, I knew the man was looking at me. “So, Brody. Try again. Mr. S will come down here if this isn’t taken care of in a timely manner, and I have to get this on to the gathering area sooner, rather than later.”
“You do know the senator isn’t the only one in charge in this place, right?” Brody snarled. “So what if we break his flavor of the year? He’ll just find another one.”
“You’re right. But not tonight. Not when there are witnesses who will gladly put you in your grave.”
“The middle one was starting shit. This one spat in his face, and the last one tried to stop it. Happy?”
“No,” Carson replied quickly. “You two deal with them however you see fit. I’ll take this one.” I was pulled to stand, my legs almost giving out. A part of me didn’t want to leave Erik behind.
“Erik....”
“Oh don’t worry about your friend. He’ll be fine.” Carson huffed, dragging me away. “The other...well he’ll be dead.”
“What!” Will’s voice echoed in the empty room as I stumbled over my feet.
Was it bad to say that I liked that idea? But then my gut fell, knowing that wasn’t fair.
The farther we walked, the voices faded more and more. I didn’t dare remove the blindfold, knowing better than to assume what I could or couldn’t do. All I knew, or at least assumed, was that I was being taken to the event of the night.
“Do you trust me?” I shook my head. No one here could be trusted. Not even Erik. “Well, that’s smart. Follow my lead.”
