Chapter Twenty-Six #3
“You think I’m lying to you, Raphael?” he snarls, dangerously quiet.
“You wouldn’t be the first liar I—” My voice dries up, and I gulp. “Do you know where Ren is?” I’m unable to mask the accusatory tone.
His blazing gaze narrows. “Why would I?”
“I don’t know…” I’m stiff, but my eyes are pleading, desperate for it not to be true…
I really don’t want to believe he’d lie to me about something like this. But I can’t shake this gnawing feeling…
“Why would I keep that from you, Byron?” he growls.
“Because… maybe you were trying to protect me,” I stammer. His eyes soften. “Or maybe you’re jealous…”
“Oh, I’m most definitely jealous,” he bites out, and my brows jump. “I mean, you’ve really spread yourself around in here, my sweet fury.”
What… the… fuck.
Fast, wrathful indignation sweeps me up, and I seethe, “Fuck you. Are you calling me a fucking slut??”
His hand curls around my throat. “If the mask fits, baby…”
“Shut the fuck up!” I rip away, shoving him hard in the chest. “What the fuck do you know anyway?? You’re a fucking stranger to me.”
Pain flashes in his eyes, filling my mouth with remorse. But I hate it because I’m right . It’s true…
I don’t fucking know him.
“You don’t know who I am…?” Trevel hisses, getting back in my face. “Is that right?”
“Fucking correct ,” I growl.
He goes for my neck again, but I keep fighting him off.
“Well, maybe you should just think that through, warrior… Because if you don’t know me, then who’s been draining your balls all these nights?
Huh??” He’s coming at me quick, grabbing my shirt and my face while I block him and shove him away.
“Who have you been letting inside your sweet little pussy, Raphael?!”
“Fuck you!” I roar, vision splattering red. Without hesitation, my arm cocks and I slap him. Hard , right across the face. Like a fucking bitch. “ Fuck you , you goddamn head case fucking cunt!”
I slap him again, even harder. His face flings, and he stumbles, clutching his cheek. When he turns back to me, he’s grinning, his lip split and bloody. Licking it, he lets out a deranged cackle. Like a fucking psychopath.
I swallow a mouthful of unease.
This dude is insane. Am I gonna have to beat him into the ground right now?? I don’t want to…
We’re staring at each other, chests heaving, for no more than a few seconds, though it feels like hours.
“Hit me again…” Trevel whispers, tone low and more sinister than anything I’ve heard before.
My eyes widen, forehead lined. “What?!”
He lunges forward, and I back up. “You want to, baby, I know you do… I deserve to bleed for hurting you, sweet fury…”
“What the fuck…” I breathe out, ducking and stumbling away from him.
This feels like the last time we fought, only way worse. Because he’s making this happen, and I don’t fucking get it… Why he’d rather take a beating from me than just be honest with me.
“ Please , Byron…” He grabs my arm, eyes alight with anguish I just don’t understand . This teetering scale of misery and rage is too much for me.
“You’re unbelievable.” I scoff, spinning away from him.
Storming up the hall, I’m quaking, fists balled at my sides. Just praying that he lets me go…
“Byron, wait,” he grunts, coming after me.
So I take off running.
I’ve gotta get away from this…
“Oh, you’re running from me now??” he growls from behind me.
“Screw you, Leo! ” I snap, sprinting up the hall and barreling through the door. “You don’t want me to see you?? Fine . You’re invisible.”
The music of a vicious storm is audible through the cold concrete, winding me up even tighter. I’m riddled with heavy thoughts and bustling emotions, and it’s more than I’m equipped to handle. Running is easier.
Running, I’m used to.
I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m barely paying attention, and I don’t care. I just need to get away from Trevel fucking Fenwick. Away from the memories in this goddamn building, the feelings I’m too afraid to confront and all of this psycho shit—how unhinged he makes me feel.
Fuck it all.
Racing the halls while the lights flicker, I’m heaving for breath. I grab the next handle and turn, slamming my weight against the door. It whips open… And my entire body goes still in shock.
It’s outside.
The door opened to… outside .
I’m gaping in disbelief. Staring at… out .
A gravel path leading out to a small road. Trees off in the distance. Wet dirt and leaves. Raindrops.
I can smell it all, and it’s the most overwhelming sensation I’ve ever experienced. Smelling the ocean air and rain and wet earth for the first time in three years .
“What the fuck…” I gasp, blinking over and over.
Am I hallucinating?? How is this happening right now??
“Well… bollocks,” Trevel mutters from behind me, pausing his pursuit to marvel at this crazy shit with me.
Slanting my face, I gape at him. His eyes are also round and mystified, though there’s a shade of nervousness to them.
“How is this possible?” I shiver from nerves and the cold air hitting my skin. “Why would they… let us open this door?”
“They wouldn’t,” Trevel rumbles suspiciously.
He glances up at the ceiling, and I follow his line of sight. The camera is slumped downward. No red light to indicate that it’s on .
I squint at it. “Do you think… the storm knocked out the servers?”
I’m fizzling with a sudden thrill, peering out into the world beyond these prison walls.
“This is…” Trevel’s baffled, breathy words cut off when I step through the doorway. I’m half out when he grabs me by the wrist. “Wait!”
“ Wait? ” I grunt. “Are you kidding me?!”
Lightning illuminates the sky, catching my attention.
“Byron…” He slides his fingers through mine, filling me with warmth.
I peek at him, his violet irises much calmer than a moment ago. It’s not placating… But it is electrifying.
Thunder rumbles.
“You want me, Trevel…?” I whisper. His head cocks as his tongue slides over his bottom lip. “Then you’ll have to catch me first.”
Slipping out of his hold, I’m outside and sprinting in a flash.
Holy shit…
Holy fucking shit!
Feet pounding the dirt, cold rain hitting my face, my pulse rocks my insides. I can’t believe I’m doing this. I can’t believe I’m out .
I’m fucking outside!
I have no idea where I’m going or what I’m doing, but I can’t deny that just being out here feels incredible. Even if I were to get caught right now, it’d be worth it for five minutes of jogging outside in the elements.
“Byron!” Trevel roars from somewhere behind me. I nearly stumble over my feet. “Get back here, you sweet little twat!”
A morbid smirk tugs at my lips as I huff, running faster, toward the forest. Based on the sound of his footsteps, he’s probably less than twenty feet back. A chill sweeps through me, like a current of the electricity crackling in the sky.
The fear and adrenaline… the arousal . I can’t fight it; how enticing it feels to be running from him. To be chased by him.
I wonder what he’ll do if he catches me…
Once in the woods, a bit of anxiety lessens. There are trees surrounding me, which means plenty of cover. My mind races as fast as my feet, but the farther I get from the prison, the less worry I feel.
I just need to get away from there.
That place is the problem. It’s been the fucking problem for three goddamn years.
Out here, I’m free of chains for real . Not just an illusion made by Manuel Blanco as some favor to Trevel.
I don’t care what I have to do, I’m staying out here.
Obviously, I’ve never been out here before.
I’ve never seen anything on this island outside of Alabaster Penitentiary.
But I know there’s a mansion, and I know it’s on the other side of the island.
I also know that the entire island is only a couple of miles across, and while my cardio is pretty rusty, I know I can run two miles in less than fifteen minutes.
Regardless of what’s happening in the prison, despite knowing what The Ivory could do to me if he finds out, right now I’m free.
Finally… I’m fucking free .
“Byron!” Trevel hollers again. “You’ll regret running from me, baby, I promise .”
I don’t understand it, but my balls throb.
I’m higher than I have been in years. This rush… Fuck, I missed it.
The stalking. Breaking into his rich-boy townhouse to tie him up and fuck him like a possession…
Rain is soaking into my hair, and I’m panting. Slinking behind a tree, I pause to catch my breath, peeking around it for any sign of Trevel. But I don’t see him.
The mansion is visible up ahead, just through the trees—probably less than half a mile. There’s a cluster of stone buildings and structures leading up to it. And along the shore, a baroque monstrosity of luxurious alabaster.
The Ivory Mansion. That’s it.
Wow… It’s breathtaking.
A twig snaps, and my pulse pops. He’s close…
“Warrior…” Trevel sings. “Come out and play .”
It’s so difficult for me not to snort at that reference to one of my favorite movies. But I force my lips together and slip, quietly, around the other side of the tree.
Yea, great . So we happen to like a few of the same movies and bands. Like The Warriors , and The Princess Bride , The Used and Northstar — weird that almost all of them start with “The.”
I do know things about him, but it’s all superficial, and that was the point I was trying to get across… Though our argument has seemingly taken a backseat to him chasing me through the woods like The Big, Bad Wolf.
“You can run, but you can’t hide!” he bellows.
I mean, come on.
Dashing as quickly and quietly as possible, I weave between trees, with the Ivory Mansion in my sights. There’s something of a house just ahead. Not part of the mansion per se, most likely staff quarters or something. I creep closer to get a better look.
There are vines and strange flowers crawling all over the exterior of the building made of weathered stone, interesting, being that it’s technically winter. I have to say, it doesn’t feel cold at all right now… Maybe it’s because I’m running.