Page 130 of Brainwashed

She stops me with a hand on my chest before I can walk in, stepping over to two guards who are posted up just outside the doors to the showers. I don’t remember their names since I’ve barely interacted with them, but one is built with a crewcut and the other is taller and slimmer, with shaggy hair brushed back and tattoos on his arms.

“Is #62 in there?” Joy asks them. One of them nods. Joy rolls her eyes. “Great.”

She grabs me and yanks me through the doors, bringing me to a shower stall all the way at the end of the room before removing my chains.

“Make it quick, okay?” she says, a little too seriously for my liking. I nod fast. “I’ll be right out there.” She nods toward the doors.

I undress quickly while Joy wanders away to linger outside the entryway. The fact that she seems on high-alert has panic rising inside me.

I’m really not a fighter. I know this might seem surprising, being that I’m able to literally squeeze the life out of men larger than me, but it’s true. The element of surprise works in my favor, and yes, I can defend myself, if need be, but I don’t scrap.

I’m an introvert. I hate confrontation.

Stacking my folded clothes up on the concrete wall that separates the showers, I press the button for water and move my naked self beneath the spray. I contemplate leaving my glasses on for a moment… I know I’m not supposed to shower with them on, but I really hate not being able to see clearly, especially when I’m vulnerable like this.

Still, I decide to take them off, leaving them with my clothes before dunking my head under the low-pressure stream of lukewarm water. It feels good to clean myself. I wish I had my toothbrush up here, but of course it’s in the room with the burst pipe. I’ll have to ask Joy if I can grab it when we’re done.

Opening my mouth, I catch some water and swoosh it around before spitting it on the floor. It reminds me of what Dr. Love said last night… about how he liked the taste of kissing me.

My dick moves at the memory.

He’s just so different from any guy I’ve ever hooked up with. He’s older and so very serious… Stoic and severe. Quiet.I mean, how many times have we just sat and stared at one another?

But it doesn’t feel unpleasant when he does it. It feels good… Like having his attention on me is right.

Running my hands through my wet hair, I reach out and pump some soap into my hand from the dispenser on the wall. It’s not as nice smelling as the Dove soap bar I have downstairs, but I guess it’ll do. Using it to wash myself all over, I quickly swipe it through my hair, under my arms, my balls… the whole nine.LOL.

But as I’m rinsing off, I feel someone watching me. I turn quick, blinking droplets of water from my eyes.

There’s a man standing there, but without my glasses, he’s hard to make out. I can tell he has black hair and a few tattoos. Tannish skin, average height and build.

“So… you’re The Carver, huh?”

My heart thumps as I reach for my glasses. But they’re not there.

Where are they?? I left them right there!

My pulse speeds up as the man comes closer. I lift my hands. “Look, I don’t want any trouble.”

Before I even know what’s happening, he’s lunging at me. His hand is around my throat and he has my naked body pinned to the wall with his.

Up close like this, I can see that he’s Asian. I’ve seen him around before, but I don’t know his name.

“You killed my cellmate,” he growls in my face. “You killed myfriend.”

Does he mean O’Malley?He must… after what Joy said to me downstairs, I’m guessing this guy is pissed off about my dealing with Kieran. And I know I should probably apologize or something to get him to back off… But it’s really not in my nature.

I swallow beneath his palm, registering that he’s very warm, and our dicks are touching. “Your friend… deserved to die.”

The man bares his teeth, lifting my neck away from the wall, then slamming it backward until my skull cracks on the concrete. It hurts like a bitch, and I hiss, eyes squeezing shut.

“You know, psycho… I should fuck you raw for what you did to my friend. But you’d probably like it,” he seethes in my face. “So instead, I’m just gonna fuck you up. Leave you bleeding… See how you like that.”

My heart is hammering, fear winding up inside me. But still, I accept what’s coming to me. I brace myself for intense pain and murmur, “You do whatever you feel like you need to do, man.”

I wish the expression on his face was visible, but he’s just blurry. Still, I think I make out his eyebrows zipping together…

Before he shoots a right hook directly into my gut.