Page 5 of Carver

“If I needed you, then I’d say so. As of right now, what I need is for you to answer when I call. That’s it.” Having said all that was needed, Carver hung up the phone and left his office.

Church would involve the entire club. While they would absolutely bring everyone in later, he needed to meet with his top men first. It was pivotal they understood what was at stake.

He found the four of them waiting in the chapel. Moving to stand in front of them, he made sure to make eye contact with each man.

“Who’s ready to get in a bit of trouble?”

Two

“You’re goingto fix him up, then make sure he eats. I want him ready to move in two weeks. That’s when he’ll go to the main house. He’s no longer of use to me.” The evil woman’s voice grated against his skin as she told the doctor what to do.

The older man nodded slowly. “I will do what I can to help him along. It might take more than two weeks.”

A gun appeared out of nowhere. The barrel pointed against the doctor’s forehead.

“You were saying?”

“Nothing! I’ll… I’ll get him better.”

If he’d had the strength to laugh, then he’d have let himself be amused at the entire interaction. The woman’s ability to intimidate amazed him. Grown men cowered around her. You’d think she was ten feet tall and built like a giant.

Instead, she was only a bit taller than him and thin. She also remained dressed up at all times like she was going to a fancy dinner. It confused him when he first arrived. After many years, he’d grown used to it.

Part of him wanted to be surprised she’d be sending him away. For years, she’d promised to keep him forever. She said he was her favorite.

Clearly, it was all lies.

She was ready to send him off like she’d done with the others. He was no fool. He knew what happened to him once he left would be ten times worse than what he’d already experienced.

A healthier version of him could have fought to escape. He might have been able to find freedom and start his life over.

But he’d been with her since he was young. In all that time, she’d only given him enough to keep him alive. There was no chance for him to truly get strong and build muscle. And when she left, the guards would often ignore him as a way to punish him for distracting the boss.

It was all messed up. He’d never asked for her attention, nor did he want anyone else’s.

The doctor left while he was lost in his thoughts. When he came to, it was to find the woman watching him with a soft smile.

“I’m so sorry, darling. I was hoping to not be gone so long this last time. Those stupid guards should have taken better care of you. Don’t worry. I took care of them. You won’t have to worry about them ever again.”

Her words were said with an excitement that shouldn’t be there. She doesn’t have to say they're dead. It’s obvious she’s happy about taking more lives.

He didn’t know how many people she’d killed in all the time he’d been with her. It was a lot. More than he’d been able to keep track of.

He used to try to count them. Then one day, he’d been beaten by a new guard who wanted to prove a point. When he woke up, he’d been told three days had passed. There was no way to know how many men had come and gone in that time.

“The doctor will see to your care. Once you’re well, we need to have a talk about your future. I have big plans for you, darling. Plans I think you’ll find refreshing.”

Refreshing.

What does that mean? Why does she think he’ll feel that way?

Too many questions ran through his mind. He wanted to know what it all meant and what would come next. He had a bad feeling about it all. A feeling so bad it hurt worse than the aches in his body.

This was a soulful pain. One he knew he’d never escape from.

“Fix him,” the woman growled at the doctor who’d just stepped back into the room before storming away. Most of the guards left with her, though two stayed at the door to monitor him.

No one was ever left alone with him. Not since that guard hurt him before.