Page 139 of Shadowman

“Fuck you!” I wailed until my voice nearly gave out. “Get off me! Get off get off fuck you fuck you don’t touch me… Let… me… go!”

Commotion cut into my gasps and forceful yanking at my restraints. The door to the small, white-walled room opened, and in stepped the attractive doctor who’d come to observe me previously. The head nurse and administrator stood just outside with sour looks on their faces.

The doctor took one look at me and barked, “Leave us.” Then he began unbuckling my restraints.

The nurse charged into the room to stop him. “But Doctor, he’s—”

He aimed a stern glare at her. “Close the door, with you on the other side of it. Right now.”

My screaming had stopped. My sniveling and thrashing… I’d gone completely still and silent. I was just watching him in awe as he freed my arms, legs, and neck. Even after he did, I continued to lie there.Staringup at the beautiful man.

“Do you remember me, Trevel?” he asked cooly, inquisitive enough that I instantly felt my heart rate evening out.

Just looking at him was like the pills they were always shoving down my throat to keep me calm, only so much better. Because with him, I was wide awake.

I nodded slowly, though my voice would no longer work.

“I’m Dr. Love,” he said evenly. “I’ve been assigned as your psychiatrist to evaluate your progress and determine when you’ll be fit to rejoin society.”

I gulped and sniffled. “So… what do you think?”

My voice came out childlike, but I couldn’t help it. I was barely nineteen, and despite all I’d been through up until that point, I still felt like a kid around authority figures.

Especially ones who looked and sounded like him.

Dr. Love glanced down at my wrists, all raw and blistering already. “I think I’m looking forward to learning more about you, Trevel. And don’t worry… I’ll make sure they never hold you down like that again.”

Closing my eyes, I saw it once more… Felt it and smelled it and heard it and tasted it…

Blood and dirt in my mouth, mixing with my tears and spit. A large hand on the back of my head, keeping my face in the ground so I could barely breathe. Fingers and body parts pinning me down while I burned all over in agonizing pain. Their laughter, their grunts, and their hushed taunts.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

By the time the last one finished, I was numb. When they finally got up and took off, I was empty. Nothing left but the cold corpse of someone who existed solely to be used.

I reopened my eyes—just like I had that night—gazing at the doctor and remembering the one thing that had resurrected me…

Revenge.

Harnessing the fury inside, I allow it to settle, like lightweight particles of metal in my bloodstream, strengthening me. My lips quirk, and I ease back in my seat, making myself comfortable.

“You know, itisgood to see you again, Dr. Love,” I hum. “I’m glad you’ve taken to your new position. And so effortlessly, it seems.”

Dr. Love simply stares, unaffected. No reaction.Yet…

“I’d assumed you leaving all of your work in Atlanta unfinished meant you were headed for bigger and better things,” I go on. “Imagine my surprise when I found out you were seeing butonepatient here… Talk about a letdown, am I right?”

I notice the slightest movement in his jaw. A subtle tic imperceptible to most. But not me.

I’m getting to him.

“Nevertheless, it appears to be working for you, and that’s all that matters,” I keep needling, poking and nudging, at theonespot where I know he holds his vulnerability. His Achilles heel… “You’d done all you could in Atlanta, and I understand that now. Coming here was like a…retirementof sorts. Somewhere to sail off into the sunset—alongside a pretty, young toy—and just give up…”