I did, following a bare hallway with the same carpeting as the room. There were no pictures on the walls, only bright recessed lighting. We came to the stairs, and I stepped up, immediately feeling the extra effort pounding inside my skull. Vertigo hit me hard, and I grabbed the railing to keep myself from falling.
Daniel made an impatient clicking noise like you would to get a horse to walk. I pushed through it, wondering if death wasn't a better option. Would I lay down and give up, let him beat me to death, if not for Mason coming for me? I couldn't quit on him now.
“You asked about my boss,” Daniel said, seeming to sense that my thoughts weren't on him but rather on something that gave me strength. “He's dead and has been for a while, but it is quite fun using his corpse like a puppet to torture your husband.” Between Mila’s warning and everything he’d said, the admission didn’t shock me as he had hoped. But I forced a gasp, making him think he’d knocked me off kilter.
“You’re disgusting!”
He chuckled. My words pleased him, which pleased me. There was hope for survival yet.
“No, I’m just good at what I do. You, you’re disgusting because you’re going to cause the person you love unbelievable pain. Who could do that?”
“Iwon’t be doing it.”
“Oh, but you will.” We came to the top of the stairs, “Left!” he commanded in an aggressive shout, and I jumped as I complied. “I’ve warned you not to slow us down.” I picked up my pace at the threat and turned into a wide entryway. The house was tremendous and impressive, but it was all white and silver with crystal accents. It looked incredibly dated and not the way you would expect from a palatial estate like this.
“You're my new toy to torture him with, and oh Claire, you will be so much more fun to break apart than his father was. Down the stairs and to the right,” he ordered softer this time. There were four steps leading into a sunken sitting room, “Right again.”
I gasped when I saw the room he led me to.
“Oh, you recognize it, don’t you? Downright Freudian that he has a replica of it in his own house. Does he like to fuck you there and call you mommy?” He shoved me, but I didn’t hit the ground as hard this time. My knees connected with the tile, and I held in my cry. It hurt terribly, but it almost took the edge off the pain in my head.
“Even if he did, who the fuck are you to say anything about it?” I didn’t bother trying to stand. He didn’t tell me to, and I didn’t have the energy to get thrown to the ground again anyway.
“I already told you. I'm Mason's friend. I've known him since we were children. So I think I have a right to be concerned.” But, of course, I shouldn't have believed him kind enough to let me rest against the hard tile. Instead, he yanked me up by my arm, forcing me to my knees.
“He wanted a place to feel close to his dead mom. What is wrong with you?” I looked up at him, and the fear inside me morphed into fierce determination. The anger I faked earlier came effortlessly as I sat beaten and powerless at his feet.
“Much more than you can imagine,” he stared deeply into my eyes as he spoke, surprising me when he stepped aside, revealing that we weren't alone. The woman who led me here kneeled entirely naked on a plush pillow. Her cuts were clean and bandaged, and her hair was brushed into a perfect shine. She didn't look at me. Her gaze trained on the ground directly in front of her.
She looked like a perfectly satisfied pet. Yet, I could still see the terror in her eyes when we left the library. I could hear the agony in her apologies as that van brought me here. The pain in her scream when the man who grabbed me hit her to silence her apologies. This woman was more his victim than I was.
“Do you want to hurt her?” he gestured toward her lazily, “You can, you know. I’ll let you take your revenge.” She showed absolutely no reaction. “Ju led you right out of that library to me. She knew what she was doing. We talked through every step. You wanted to help her, didn’t you? And look how she repaid your kindness.”
“I don’t want revenge on her. I want it on you,you fucking idiot!” His words from earlier came quickly.Rage, pure and unadulterated, popped into his eyes as he took a step toward me.
He slapped the gash on my head, and I cried out. “Oh, Mason's pet, don't sound so put out. Despite how poorly Mason has trained you, I can still have fun with you,” he twisted his grip. “Pain can be quite the motivator, can't it?” I said nothing, sealing my lips shut against the pain. “Answer me.” His wrist jerked.
“Fuck you!” I cried, not strong and determined like I wanted to be, but broken and pathetic.
“Hm, interesting suggestion. I'm painfully unattracted to you, but I was still planning on fucking your throat in front of Mason,” he bobbed his head, “But that was before I realized what a nasty little bitch you are. You'll bite my cock if I do, won't you?”
“Yes.”
“What if you knew how much that move would hurt?” To prove his point, he yanked my hair again.
“I’d still bite your cock off,” I spit out, not even knowing if it was true anymore. I just didn’t want him to try. The painwasan incredible motivator.
“That’s okay. Your pussy doesn’t have teeth.”
There was a bang on the door, interrupting his train of thought, “Mr. Sharp, your son is here.”
His laugh was pure evil, “Let the games begin!” Grabbing a rag off the table, he wrapped it around my head. Forcing my mouth open, he tied it, painfully gagging me. He pulled a knife from his pocket, flipping it open and revealing the wickedly sharp edge. I squealed in terror as he pressed it against my throat, “You’re going to be such a good girl for me.” Those words on his lips made me sick, but no more so than his next order, “Ju, bring up our other friend, please. Make sure she’s tied tightly this time. I don’t need the tricky bitch sneaking away again.”
Chapter 25
Mason
VictorandIpulledup in front of my father’s estate what felt like hours later. In truth, the ride took no more than twenty minutes. The gates were closed, the tall iron rods stretching into the sky. I remembered how trapped they used to make me feel and how badly I failed Claire for her to be trapped behind them now.