Page 21

For the first time in what feels like forever, I let myself close my eyes, too.

The fear doesn’t leave entirely, but for now, it’s muted, drowned out by the steady presence of the man who promised to wait for me; only that calm doesn’t last long.

I may have escaped Kade in the waking world, but how he tortures my dreams, is another thing entirely when I wake back up there.

I try to move, to speak, to fight—but I can’t.

My limbs are useless, my muscles slack, and my tongue feels heavy in my mouth.

It’s like I’m trapped inside my own body, wide awake but paralyzed, forced to endure whatever Kade plans next.

I want to scream, but no sound comes out.

The only thing I can do is watch. Watch and suffer in silence.

“Make her watch,” Kade orders coldly, his voice devoid of anything human. “If she closes her eyes, hit her.” this was the first night I spent in the brothel, all night he tormented me, first with Blaire and then Lacey. Each time forcing me to taste them afterward.

The man gripping my hair tightens his hold, yanking my head upright. The sudden motion sends a bolt of pain through my scalp, but it’s nothing compared to the agony blooming in my chest. I know what’s coming.

“Get on the bed, Lacey,” Kade snarls, pointing to the large bed draped in red blankets. The woman hesitates for a moment, glancing at me with wide, frightened eyes.

She’s afraid. I can see it in the way her hands tremble as she reaches to unhook the clasp of her bra.

It’s then that I realized Blaire warned the other girls that must work here because she can’t meet my gaze.

Her lips part as if she wants to speak, to object, but the fear keeps her silent.

I want to tell her to run, to scream for help, but no one comes for us. No one ever comes.

“Do you need me to remind you what happens when you disobey me? Do you want the same punishment as Blaire?” Kade growls, his tone deadly.

Lacey flinches, her hands working faster as she strips out of the delicate black lace lingerie clinging to her body.

Within moments, she’s standing naked in front of him, her gaze fixed on the floor as if she can make herself disappear by not meeting his eyes.

“I didn’t think so,” Kade sneers, stepping closer while I wonder if Blaire is alright and what he did to her.

He doesn’t spare me a glance as he removes his suit jacket, tossing it carelessly to the floor.

His shirt follows, revealing the lean, muscular frame I once found comfort in before I learned how monstrous he truly was.

Lacey climbs onto the bed, lying back with her legs slightly parted. Her breath is shaky, and her hands grip the sheets tightly as Kade approaches her. I can see the tension in her body, the way her chest rises and falls rapidly as if she’s trying to brace herself for what’s to come.

I try to look away, but the man holding me doesn’t let me, he never lets me. He tightens his grip on my hair, yanking painfully until my eyes are fixed on the scene unfolding before me.

“No closing your eyes now, maybe she’ll teach you a thing or two,” he growls, his breath hot and foul against my ear.

Kade climbs onto the bed, settling between Lacey’s legs. His hands run along her thighs, his fingers digging in hard enough to leave bruises. She winces but doesn’t move, doesn’t cry out. I wonder if she’s learned, like I have, that showing pain only makes it worse.

He leans down, pressing his mouth to her neck, and she lets out a soft, forced moan. I can tell it’s fake, that she’s trying to give him what he wants so he’ll get it over with quickly.

“Louder,” he commands, his voice low and dangerous. Lacey obeys, her moans growing louder, more exaggerated, as his hands roam her body. I can’t tear my eyes away, no matter how much I want to. Every second feels like a knife carving into my soul, each moment a reminder of how powerless I am.

Tears stream down my face, but I don’t dare blink them away. The man holding me would notice, and I know he’s waiting for any excuse to hurt me further.

Kade’s movements grow more aggressive as he positions himself, forcing himself into Lacey without care or tenderness. She gasps, her body jerking at the sudden intrusion, but she doesn’t resist. She can’t. Resisting would only make it worse.

The room fills with the sounds of skin slapping against skin, of Lacey’s forced moans and Kade’s low grunts.

The scent of sex hangs heavy in the air, cloying and suffocating.

I feel sick, bile rising in my throat, but I can’t do anything about it.

I can only watch, my heart breaking a little more with each passing second while the bond roars it agony in my chest.

Kade’s eyes flick to mine occasionally, a cruel smirk playing on his lips as he watches my reaction. He enjoys this—the pain, the humiliation, the knowledge that I can do nothing to stop him.

“You see, Abbie?” he sneers between thrusts. “This is what happens when you defy me. You’re nothing but a worthless whore, and you’ll never be anything more. No one will ever want you after this.”

I want to scream, to tell him he’s wrong, but the words die in my throat.

Deep down, I know he’s right. The assault goes on for what feels like an eternity.

Every second stretches into an unbearable eternity, each moment searing itself into my mind like a brand.

By the time Kade finishes, I’m trembling, my body numb from the sheer weight of my terror.

He climbs off the bed, wiping himself off with a sheet before turning back to me. His eyes gleam with satisfaction as he walks toward me, his movements slow and deliberate.

“Open her mouth,” he orders the man holding me. My eyes widen in fear, and I try to pull away, but I’m too weak, too broken to even fight it.

Rough hands grab my chin, forcing my mouth open. Kade steps closer with a wicked grin. “Let me know how she tastes. Maybe next time I’ll let you taste Cassandra. Now she is a treat.”

I gag as he forces himself into my mouth, the bitter taste of Lacey still lingering on him. He grips my hair tightly, thrusting with no regard for my discomfort. Tears blur my vision, and I choke, the bile rising in my throat threatening to suffocate me.

When he finally pulls away, I collapse onto the floor, gasping for air, my entire body shaking uncontrollably.

The taste of him, of Blaire and now Lacey, lingers in my mouth, a constant reminder of what he just did.

I can still hear Lacey sobbing softly on the bed, but it feels distant, like I’m trapped in a fog of pain and shame when I start choking as he cums, coating my tongue and throat with the sticky substance.

“Abbie. Abbie, wake up.”

Gannon’s voice feels distant at first, muffled beneath the crushing weight of my memories. My heart pounds in my chest, and my breath comes in shallow, panicked gasps. I can still taste him, the bitter, disgusting taste lingering on my tongue like a vile stain I’ll never be able to wash away.

“Abbie, it’s just a dream. You’re safe.” Gannon’s voice grows firmer, more urgent, and I feel his hands on my shoulders, shaking me gently. “Wake up. I’m here.”

I gasp, my eyes snapping open as the nightmare releases its grip on me.

But the fear doesn’t fade—it clings to me, wrapping itself around my chest like a vice, making it impossible to breathe.

My vision blurs, and for a moment, I’m not in Gannon’s room—I’m back in Kade’s brothel, lying on the cold floor, bloodied, bruised, and broken.

“Abbie, breathe,” Gannon says softly, his hands steady on my shoulders. His touch is warm, real, but my mind is too clouded with panic to register it fully. My chest tightens, and I clutch at my throat, struggling to draw in air.

“I… I can’t… I can’t breathe,” I choke out, my voice trembling. The room feels like it’s spinning, the shadows closing in around me.

“Yes, you can. Look at me. Just look at me,” Gannon says, his voice low and calming. He cups my face gently, his thumbs brushing over my cheeks, wiping away the tears that stream down my face. “You’re safe. You’re not there anymore. It’s just me. No one can hurt you.”

His words barely break through the haze of panic, but I cling to them, forcing myself to meet his eyes. They’re steady and warm, flickering faintly with his Lycan, and that steadiness pulls me back to the present moment, pulling me out of the dark pit my mind was trapped in.

“Breathe with me,” Gannon murmurs, taking a slow, deep breath. He holds it for a moment, then exhales just as slowly. “Come on, Abbie. Just like this.”

I try to follow his lead, but my breaths are ragged, uneven, each one a struggle. My hands shake violently as I grip the blanket beneath me. I’m not there. I’m not with Kade. I’m here. I’m safe.

“That’s it,” Gannon whispers as I take another shaky breath, this one a little steadier than the last. “Keep going. You’re doing great.”

His forehead rests gently against mine, his presence so close, so solid, that it finally starts to pull me out of the nightmare’s grip. Slowly, the crushing weight on my chest begins to ease, and my breathing evens out, though my hands still tremble uncontrollably.

“I… I can still feel him,” I whisper hoarsely, my voice barely audible. “I was back there. He made me watch… and I couldn’t… I couldn’t do anything.”

Gannon’s jaw tightens, a flicker of rage flashing in his eyes, but it’s gone just as quickly, replaced by something softer—something filled with pain and helplessness. “He’s gone, Abbie. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

“But he did,” I rasp, tears choking my voice. “He did hurt me, and it doesn’t stop. It never stops. Even now, I still feel him. I still hear him. I can’t get him out of my head.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, my body trembling violently as the fear claws its way back. “I feel… ruined. Like I’ll never be okay again. Like I’ll never be clean.”

Gannon’s arms wrap around me, pulling me into his chest. He doesn’t say anything right away—he just holds me, his warmth seeping into my cold, trembling body. His scent surrounds me, familiar and comforting in a way that nothing else is.

“You’re not ruined, Abbie,” he says quietly, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “You survived something no one should ever have to go through. What he did to you… it doesn’t define you. You’re still you.”

I shake my head against his chest, the tears flowing freely now. “I don’t feel like it. I feel… empty. Broken. Like there’s nothing left of me worth loving.”

Gannon’s grip tightens slightly, as if he’s trying to hold me together by sheer will alone. “You’re not broken,” he says firmly. “You’re hurt, and you’ll heal.”

His words pierce through the darkness clinging to me, and for a moment, I feel something other than fear—something fragile, like hope, though I don’t dare hold onto it too tightly.

“I’m here, Abbie,” Gannon whispers, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of my head. “And I swear, I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.”

I don’t know if I believe him. I don’t know if I can believe anyone after everything I’ve been through.