Chapter 2
Chapter two
Palmer
As I slept, my mind raced with nightmares—ones that I thought I'd banished long ago.
His hands were everywhere. Cold. Demanding. Cruel.
I thrashed in my sleep, but my body wouldn't respond the way I wanted it to. The way it should. Scorpio's blood coursed through my veins like poison, dulling my senses, making me compliant. Making me his.
"Shh," his voice whispered in my ear. "Just let go, Palmer. Give in to me completely."
Even in my dreams, I fought. But fighting was useless when your mind wasn't your own anymore. When someone else pulled your strings like a twisted puppet master. The difference this time was that his influence was fueled purely by trauma.
My eyes snapped open, chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath.
For a split second, I thought I was safe.
That it had all been just another nightmare.
But the silk sheets beneath me weren't mine.
The expansive ceiling above me wasn't familiar.
And the heavy weight of the ghost of Scorpio's control still pressed down on my consciousness like a steel trap.
"Fuck," I whispered, my voice hoarse. How long had I been screaming in my sleep?
The room I was in was decorated nicely; deep maroon on the walls and dark blankets set the scene for what could have been a cozy, intimate scene.
But it didn’t matter how the room looked; kidnapping was kidnapping.
I was furious with myself. I’d let my guard down.
I should’ve known that he wasn’t over his obsession.
I had no idea how long I'd been asleep, but I desperately needed the bathroom, so I hopped out of bed and opened one of the closed doors. A closet. Damn.
I hustled to the other side of the room, hoping I'd get lucky. Finding the door unlocked, I audibly sighed when a large bathroom was revealed. As I relieved myself, I made sure that nothing felt... violated. It had happened before.
Assured that nothing was amiss, I washed my hands and noted no mirror on the wall. That was smart of him. He probably didn't want to give me any opportunity to use a weapon against him... and I would, the first chance I got.
The cabinets under the sink were also completely empty, and there were no bubbles for the large bathtub or soap for the shower. Hell, I didn't even see any towels.
Think. Think, Palmer.
I had to get out of here as soon as possible. I was lucky that Slade hadn't immediately drugged me with his blood. I still had my mind, and as long as I did, I'd have to make it count.
Not that I wanted to even see the bastards, but I believed they’d find me.
They wouldn’t let me just disappear, especially not now that Slade had sent that picture to Rhodes.
The one Exiled member who had already written me off would now be convinced that I was a rat.
All that image would do was fuel his hatred and desire to see me dead.
Of course, he would tell the others, show them the proof.
They’d come for me to kill me. My stomach twisted because my thoughts and emotions were so fucked up. Stupid. I’d been so stupid!
That they were the ones who had murdered my parents.
I backed up until I hit the closed door and felt myself sinking to the floor.
He knew I wanted to avenge my parents’ deaths. Why hadn't he told me that before the mission?
Because you would've killed them on sight, the small voice in my head whispered.
While that was probably true, I definitely wouldn't have fucked four of them, and I certainly wouldn't have gotten my feelings all twisted up in my head.
Thinking that they weren't truly the monsters they portrayed themselves to be.
.. that they did actually have hearts and did good things for their city.
That’s when I felt it, those tiny squirrely hands hugging my overloaded brain. I could sense his anxiety, which was definitely being fueled by my own.
“Hey, Snakey boy. I’m not sure where I am exactly, but right now I’m okay. Working on an escape.”
He pushed concern and questions through our connection, and I knew he wanted to come to me. But I couldn’t risk that. As much as having Snake at my side would’ve done wonders for me not feeling alone, it wasn’t worth his safety.
“No, stay where you are. I want you to stay close to Haunt for now.”
Another nudge hug came through, and I returned it.
He was very loving, for a zombie squirrel.
I closed the mental link and ran my fingers through my tangled hair.
Everything was fucked. I was in this on my own.
Nobody knew where I was... but shutting down, giving up, that wasn’t an option.
I’d rather die than be Scorpio’s toy ever again.
If I was going to get out of this nightmare, I'd have to save myself.
It wouldn't be the first time, and as history tends to repeat itself, it wouldn't be the last.
One thing was certain, though. The longer I sat here wallowing, the more time I lost while I still had my wits about me.
With that terrifying thought, I jumped up and raced into the bedroom with renewed determination.
There had to be something here that could be useful.
Two windows were hidden behind floor-length blackout curtains, and I wasn't surprised to find them locked.
From the outside. Even the windows themselves had been covered with some sort of blackout film.
I could see out, but I was pretty sure nobody could see in.
I scanned the view, quickly taking in the people walking around. All of them were dressed in black—either workout clothes or tactical gear. I spotted many Scorpion tattoos, telling me I was right in the heart of their gang headquarters.
This was getting better by the minute. I listened closely and picked up on the faint squawk of seagulls, which told me we weren't far from the actual harbor.
Aside from the bed, there was one upholstered sitting chair.
I ran back to the closet to see if there were any hangers, but, of course, there weren't.
"Fuck!" I shouted, pissed off and losing myself to the adrenaline that was taking over.
I slammed the closet door shut, and my eyes landed on the chair.
Lifting it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, but I was able to get the thing over my head.
I was a second away from launching it, full force, at the window when I paused.
If this actually worked, and I wasn't exactly hopeful that it would, the gang members outside would spot me immediately.
Alarms would sound, and I'd be busted before I even got one foot out the window.
Growling in frustration, I awkwardly set the chair back down.
As I moved to step away, my fingers brushed the underside where the thin fabric was stapled to cover the wooden frame.
A realization hit, and I quickly flipped the chair onto its side.
Tearing through the fabric like I had claws, a wicked grin spread across my face when I found what I was looking for.
Springs. The seat was loaded with thick metal springs! I could go in through the bottom, and nobody would know.
I was most skilled with metal, blades to be exact... and it felt like I actually had a shot now that I had twenty or so weapons at hand. They weren't cheap springs, and it would take some time to remove them from the chair and straighten them out as best I could... but I could do this.
I would because I wasn't going to be Slade's victim ever again. I refused.
The sound of a key being inserted into the door had me flipping the chair upright so fast that it bumped into the wall.
My ass hit the cushion as the door was flung open, revealing a woman who made me do a double-take.
Her ice-blue eyes scanned me from head to toe, and if they could've cut me, I would've been bleeding out.
She was on the taller side for a woman, probably 5'8", and had dark brown hair.
Aside from her height, we could have easily passed as sisters. We looked that similar.
I remembered then what he'd said to me in the car, 'I want you to know, I've only been with women who remind me of you.' It was sick and disturbing, the kind of revelation that made you want to scrub your skin with soap and boiling water.
"I had to see for myself," she said smoothly. "The woman who Scorpio is infatuated with."
"It's not mutual," I spat.
She chuckled and shook her head as she closed the door behind her. "My name is Meredith."
Did she think this was social hour? Were we going to have tea and biscuits and talk about the weather? When I didn't respond, she continued, "And you're Palmer."
I lifted a brow.
"Yeah, I know your name. It's not easy to forget when the man you love calls you that as he fucks you."
I grimaced. Fucking sick. This woman must be under his influence, just like I had been.
"Meredith," I started, slow and calm, unsure of how she would react to even something as small as the sound of my voice.
"We can get out of here—you and me. You have the key, and you know how everything works here, right?
You don't really love Slad— Um, Scorpio," I corrected.
"His magic, he's able to control people.
Listen, he did it to me. For a long, long time.
I was able to get free of him, and I can help you, too. "
"He's different now," she insisted, but her voice wavered. "He's changed. Everything he does, he does for love."
I fought back the bile rising in my throat. How many times had I told myself the same lies? How many times had I justified his cruelty as devotion?
"Love doesn't leave bruises," I said softly, noting how she unconsciously touched her wrist. "Love doesn't take away your choices."
"You don't know anything!" She stood abruptly, and I tensed, ready to defend myself. But she just paced, her movements jerky and unnatural. "He saved me. He gave me purpose when I had nothing."