Chapter 11
GEORGIY
Ihear him in the middle of the night, whispers and pleas. He’s remembering. And it’s not just Henry. It’s the man who tortured him all those years ago.
I will find that monster too and take him apart. Just like I did when I found the men who hurt me. Who took the skin from my back, piece by piece. I cut them apart, the screams of their pain and anguish a symphony to my ears.
I don’t comfort Bane, though. I just listen to him, taking in the sounds of his distress and letting it build inside me. The rage, the utter need for destruction.
I would hold him, try to calm him like he needs me to, but I can’t stand it. The brush of his fingers against me almost made me feral. The way I enjoyed it.
The way I would ravage him if I let his hands brush against my body.
The way I would own him.
Bane sneaks out in the morning while I pretend to be asleep, but despite his attempt, he’s loud, making a ruckus as he trips over items he threw on the floor.
Blyat.
I hurt his feelings when I snapped at him on the phone, distracted by my mission to find the person responsible for hurting him. I was too focused. I used to do it to interns when I was in surgery as well. I don’t like to be interrupted.
Why do I even care what he feels?
Why do I care?
But the way he turned his back on me in bed, how he didn’t wiggle closer and closer…
I stalk down to the kitchens to find him, to apologize, but I can’t locate him. I do find Agatha, who just glares at me.
“You should be careful what you eat and drink while you’re here, Mr. Sokolov.”
I don’t touch anything she’s prepared all day.
And I don’t see Bane either. He’s vanished, probably scouring the catacombs beneath the house.
But I am followed, by several guards, in fact. Anthony doesn’t trust me. Who knows what Bane told him.
“I’m leaving for a while,” I tell Anthony after finding him in his office.
“You coming back?”
“Yes.”
He nods and then narrows his gaze at me. “You’ll take Nova with you.”
“I will not.”
“You will or I won’t allow you back on this property, and you know how Bane will feel about that.”
My teeth grind, but I give a subtle nod of my head.
He’s won this one.
So I take Nova and let her drive me to the motel on the outskirts of town. In one of the rooms on the second floor is the person I captured yesterday—Ellery. That’s their name.
I considered putting them in the trailer where I placed Bane, but I didn’t want to pollute that space. It holds memories of Bane, of when I marked him. I own that memory, and I won’t give it up easily.
Pulling the key from my pocket, I unlock the rickety door and see Ellery lounging on the bed, a magazine in their hand.
“Tell me what you know,” I demand, and Ellery just reaches over and throws a vase at my head. It hits the wall next to me, and I seethe.
Pain in my ass. I locked them to the bed, a chain around their foot, holding them in place. But with how feisty they are, I may have to get more security over here. Perhaps I should look on Craigslist for someone reliable.
I don’t trust Nova. The way she watched me in the rearview mirror as she drove tells me she won’t side with me. I left her in the car to watch out for intruders. I only hope she stays and does what she’s told.
“Fuck off, you piece of shit,” Ellery says, the Boston accent thick and groggy.
Probably from the drugs I’m pumping into their system to keep them docile.
I feel like they’re someone who would claw through the walls if they could.
A bit like Bane, if you ask me. “I’m going to scream and you’re going to go to fucking prison. ”
I step around the broken ceramic pieces scattered on the floor. “No one will hear you. There’s a reason I picked this place. And there is no need for dramatics. I just want to speak to you.”
“Over my dead body. And why aren’t I dead, huh? You in the mob or some shit?”
“I’m a surgeon.”
Ellery rolls their eyes. “Fuck off, asshole. You look like a ghoul. Bet you were a shitty surgeon and were fired when you ended up eating your patients.”
My jaw cracks as I grind my teeth. I should have killed them when I had the chance, but something about them…the fierceness they possess, stopped me.
I won’t tell you any of the answers you’re searching for. Fuck you. They’ll die with me.
So I know they know something. And I plan to get it from them.
“What do you know about Henry?”
“Who the fuck is Henry?” Ellery spits, still looking at the magazine they’re holding.
I sigh and take out my phone, pulling up a picture, and showing it to them.
Something flashes in their eyes that tells me they know exactly who this person is.
“Tell me.”
Ellery just flips me off instead, and I sigh, putting my phone away and pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Fine. Then I’ll have to start the dismembering.”
Their eyes narrow. “Go ahead and try it. I’ll give you hell.”
I’m sure they will. They’ve been nothing but a pain in my ass since I brought them here. Even when they were passed out, they were swearing in their sleep.
Ellery is a fucking thorn in my side. It will be nice to rid myself of them.
But not yet. Not until I get the information I need.
I move toward my bag and pull out some tools, trying to figure out the best way to go about this in a motel room.
It would be much better if I were at my own place.
The basement makes for much better soundproofing and an easier clean-up.
I can just hose it down and then scrub it with bleach.
The carpet here leaves something to be desired.
“I bet your hands shake when you cut into people. It’s why you left the profession. You couldn’t hack it, huh?” Ellery says, tossing their magazine aside.
I peer at them over my shoulder as I pull out a pair of scrubs, a face mask, and gloves.
“I was the best in my field. People flew from all over the country to be operated on by me.”
Ellery swallows and then composes themselves. “Bet your hands shake this time.”
“I bet I’ll make a beautiful mess of you. They will be able to sew you back together without much of a struggle.”
As I tug the scrubs on over my clothes and tie the pants around my waist, I hear something rattle the doorknob, and a moment later, Bane comes barreling in.
He looks around the grungy motel room, his eyes wide, his hair a mess. And is that dirt on his cheek? My eye twitches.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, and he turns his gaze toward me.
“I don’t trust you. I wanted to know where you were sneaking off to. I thought maybe you were cheating.”
His eyes sweep up and down my body. “Oh dear. You’re in scrubs. That’s hot. I should be very mad at you. I am very mad at you.”
“Shit,” Nova says, appearing in the doorway and glancing at everyone before her. “I didn’t know Bane was in the trunk. He slipped out before I could catch him.”
I watch him puff up and wiggle on his feet. “I am very fast. Like a hummingbird.”
“Who the fuck is this prick and this bitch?” Ellery asks angrily, and Nova’s gaze goes to the person on the bed. “Surgeon-man and I are in the middle of something. You can leave.”
My eyes narrow on Ellery, and I feel Bane tap my shoulder. “Why do you have this girl here? Is this some kind of sex thing?”
“Fuck no. I wouldn’t touch that nasty dick with a ten-foot pole. And I’m not a girl. I’m non-binary, so fuck off.”
“Oh, well, how was I supposed to know that?” Bane says and then bobs his head. “But I’ll make sure I don’t call you that again.”
“My dick is not nasty,” I murmur, and Bane turns to me and giggles.
“It’s not nasty. I’ve seen it. It’s quite nice.”
Ellery scoffs. “I’m not into it. All right. Now, fuck off. All of you. I want to get this over with. Seems I’ll be having a long recovery period.”
My teeth grind at the open defiance as Bane moves toward them. “Well, since you’re not trying to encroach on what’s mine, it’s nice to meet you, angry demon. I’m Bane.” He holds out his hand toward Ellery, and they stare at it before shaking his hand.
“You have nice wrists. I have a bracelet that would look nice on this,” he says.
“Bane, Ellery is not a friend.”
He ignores me. “You’re giving him hell, right?”
“You know it,” Ellery says, flipping their hair behind their shoulder. “This guy can fuck right off. Kidnapping me, tying me up. Threatening me. He better sleep with one eye open.”
“He barely sleeps, so that is probably what would happen.”
Ellery eyes Bane and then moves their gaze to me. “He yours?”
I give them a clipped nod, and Bane shrugs. “It’s yet to be determined. He tattooed my ass, but then proceeded to ignore me. So I’m not sure if I’m going to keep him.”
“You’re keeping that tattoo,” I murmur, and Ellery laughs.
“Show me. If it’s shit, I know someone who can remove it.”
“Do not show them,” I grumble, but Bane, of course, ignores me. He turns around and shoves his pants down, making Nova give a choked laugh. My glower makes her swallow it right back down.
“Yeah, that’s shit. He has terrible handwriting. Told ya you had shaky hands.”
I find myself starting to unravel. It’s too much. And I need Bane and Ellery away from one another.
“Bane,” I growl, but he ignores me.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I should get it removed,” he says. “He’s mean to me anyway.”
“You will not touch it,” I say, feeling my blood pressure starting to rise. “I got that trademarked. It cost me thousands.”
He glares at me. “And yet you sneak away, and you don’t accept my gifts, and you make me sad. So fuck you, George!”
Ellery whoops and then sticks out their tongue at me.
“I have no problem taking that tongue from your mouth,” I murmur, but Ellery just rolls their eyes at me. It only makes Nova chuckle and Bane grin.
I want them all to die. One by one.
Well, not Bane, of course. He’s not going to die. Yet. But maybe I’ll tie him up and make him bleed. Yes. That would be very nice. A little blood, some cum.
My cock twitches in my pants.
Not the right audience, though.