Chapter 3
Rue
Leon is pissed, which means I’m about to have a very bad night.
My hands are sticky from the table at the club and I feel gross after the brief interaction in that filthy bathroom, but that’s the least of my problems right now.
Leon hasn’t said a word to me since we left the club, and I don’t know why. There’s no way he heard about me talking to Carnage or I’d already know about it. I can’t for the life of me figure out what I did wrong though.
“Leon?”
He turns his head to me slowly, glaring at me in the backseat of the SUV.
“What did I do?”
He scoffs, shaking his head. “You have to ask?”
“Yes, because I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You lied.”
“To who?”
He shifts in his seat so he’s facing me. “To No Neck. You said you were taking a shit in a public bathroom at a dirty club. Do you think I’m fucking stupid? You would never.”
Oof. He’s got me there. I guess he has noticed my revulsion about germs.
“I felt the urge, and I couldn’t ignore it. It was just gas.”
Leon studies my face and I really hope he can’t see through the lie.
“Hmm. You weren’t trying to get away from me, were you?”
“No.” I shake my head rapidly. “Why would I do that?”
“Yeah, why would you? You have everything you need. I’m way better than anyone you’d find. Who would even want you?”
“Why do you want me?”
I wish I could pull back the words as soon as I say them. Anger flares in his eyes as he scowls and grabs my chin roughly.
“Talking back to me? You sure you want to go there?”
Swallowing hard, I consider whether backing down and apologizing or shifting the situation is better. Leon is mean, but he’s not the sharpest tool in the box.
“It’s a legit question, Leon. I want to know what you like about me. That’s all.”
His grip loosens slightly but not completely. “I don’t fucking know. You’re a pain in my ass most days, but I’m a sucker for a pretty blond.”
Gee, thanks.
“I like that no one has ever had you before. No one has ever fucked your virgin hole or watched you suck their dick. It’ll be me who does it.” He brushes his thumb across my cheek, causing my stomach to turn. “Unspoiled, untouched. I get to make you dirty.”
“When?” I manage to ask even as my voice shakes and my eyes sting with building tears.
“When I’m fucking ready.” His thumb moves to my bottom lip, pulling it down, and the temptation to bite him is strong, but I’m not stupid enough to do that, and I don’t want his dirty finger in my mouth anyway. “You’ll be my perfect little toy.”
He doesn’t know that I know he plans on sharing me with all his buddies. “Why are you waiting?”
His eyes narrow slightly. “Why are you asking me so many questions?”
“Can’t I be curious about something that affects me?”
“Don’t worry about it. You’ll know when it’s time.” He leans in close, his sour breath fanning across my face and making my stomach turn. “It’s gonna be fun. I hope you love dick ’cause you’re gonna get a lot of it.”
“What if I say no?”
Leon pulls his head back slightly and raises his eyebrows, then laughs. The other guys in the car laugh too and my heart feels like it’s free-falling to the floor. Consent is obviously not part of the fun.
“Cute,” Leon grunts, finally taking his hands off me.
“You’ll just rape me?”
That was clearly the wrong question. Leon backhands me so quickly I don’t even see it coming. My cheek stings, but I’m too shocked to react otherwise. He’s never hit me before. Sure, he’s a little rough with me, but not like this.
I stare at him wide-eyed, and as he turns to me, his expression softens.
“Don’t ever say that word to me again.”
I nod, blinking back tears. I won’t cry in front of him. No way.
We arrive back at the house but my body is too heavy to move.
I have to get out of this situation, but how?
I know that guy from the club could help me.
I sensed it. He was so tough and intimidating, walking through the club like he owned the place.
But how would I ever find him again? All I know is his name, and Carnage doesn’t exactly sound like a government name. Besides, Leon monitors my every move.
Maybe if I can get us to go back to Redlight, Carnage will show up there again. It’s a long shot, but it’s the only one I’ve got. I’ll just have to be on my best behavior and charm Leon into going out again.
“Take a shower,” Leon says, practically yanking me from the car. “I’ll be up later after I take care of some business.”
I nod, choosing quiet compliance after seeing his anger explode.
I want to shower anyway so I can wash away his touch and that gross club as much as I can, even though he’ll be in the bed later, rubbing his erection against my ass while I pretend to sleep, then jacking off loudly beside me.
It happens most nights if he doesn’t bring someone else home to fuck.
I prefer it when he’s occupied with someone else.
I hate his scent.
I hate his voice and the grunts he makes when he gets off.
I hate the feeling of his body rubbing against me even through my pajamas.
I hate his hot alcohol-and-cigarettes breath on my neck.
I hate him and everything about him.
And I’m going to get away from him. I have to.
Three days later, I’m sitting in the den reading my book, aware of the steady stream of men entering the house and disappearing down the hall. I guess Leon is having a meeting about something, and I really hope it’s not birthday prep. I need more time.
After the house quiets down, I slip my phone from my back pocket and open the web browser. The chances of finding someone online named Carnage are pretty fucking low but I need to start somewhere, and this is the first time I’ve been completely alone in days so I could try.
I type the name in and the first hit is a simple definition.
Extreme destruction and chaos, violent slaughter or butchery.
Well, that’s comforting. What kind of man calls himself that?
My instinct that he was dangerous was probably right, but I also saw something else in his eyes.
Maybe it was attraction, but it felt like more. Like he would help me if he could.
Scrolling a bit more, I look for any sign of a man named Carnage but come up empty.
Then I search organized crime in Mistone, but the articles are vague.
After a few more minutes, I give up and clear my browser history, then type in something innocuous: shoe stores in Mistone.
That way, when Leon checks my phone later, I have something to say if anyone notices I was on my phone and reports back to him about it.
Not long after that, No Neck enters the room. What now?
“Go upstairs and change clothes,” he says. “Leon picked something out.”
“Are we going out?”
No Neck shrugs before turning and leaving the room.
Great. With a heavy sigh, I close my book and make my way to the bedroom, where there is indeed an outfit lying on the bed.
It appears to be a jumpsuit, navy blue with gold zippers on it.
It’s cute enough I guess, but not my style at all.
There are some nice black shoes with it though.
They look like fancy loafers with a pointed toe.
I change into the outfit then go into the bathroom to check my hair and freshen my face.
Fortunately, Leon didn’t leave a bruise when he smacked me, but the spot over my cheekbone is still a bit tender.
I put a little mascara on so my eyelashes are visible and slick my lips with gloss.
I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but I do enhance what nature gave me.
Then I sit on the edge of the bed and wait for instructions, hoping we’ll go somewhere my path will cross with Carnage’s again. The chances of that happening are astronomically low, but at this point I’ve got nothing else to cling to.
We’ve been holed up in the house since the night we went to Redlight, and I’m desperate to get out again. Every time I’m around other people, hope blooms, however slight, that I’ll manage to ditch Leon and get away.
About ten minutes later the bedroom door opens and No Neck is there again. He looks me up and down, his eyes showing more interest than they have before, and my stomach twists with anxiety. I never want that man to touch me. I’ll have to peel my skin off if that ever happens.
“Let’s go.”
Rising, I walk slowly toward him, doing my best to stamp down my fear of what the night may hold. This is no way to live. I spend hours a day wondering how I’m going to be violated, if today is the day he finally rapes me, or if it’s just another exercise in poor decisions and humiliation.
The word bounces around my head, turning my stomach.
Rape.
That’s the only appropriate term for it, but somehow, I always try to minimize it in my mind. Maybe it’s a defense mechanism.
Leon and others are waiting at the bottom of the stairs for me. He’s laughing, which is a good sign that he’ll be decent to me tonight. When he looks up at me, he actually smiles.
“I knew you’d look good in that. Do you like it?”
“I do. Thank you.”
“Come on.”
I follow him out to the SUV and climb into the back beside him. I don’t bother asking where we’re going. I’m learning that the less interest I show, the more compliant I seem, and maybe that will keep him calm for a few hours.
Twenty minutes later we pull up to Redlight and my stomach flutters. Maybe Carnage will be here again. I probably shouldn’t get my hopes up, but hope is all I have at this point.
Leon holds my hand possessively as we enter the club. This place is a shithole, but they treat Leon like royalty so I see the appeal. With the amount of money he spends here the management probably has no problem looking the other way.
As we sit at Leon’s table, I glance around as discreetly as possible, hoping to find the handsome potential hero again, but either he’s not here or I can’t see him through the crowd of people.