A knock comes at my door, and I sit up before the door opens. Jessie enters. “Your presence is wanted in the office.”
I’ve been confined to my room for the past week. We flew back to Pennsylvania, and I haven’t seen the guys once. It’s been driving me nuts, and I know Saint is aware of this. He’s punishing me for our fight the following morning. And honestly, I hate it. I will never tell him the truth because it won’t change anything. It’s over and done. He lied to me. Why should I divulge information to him?
Getting out of bed, I make my way to their office. I step inside and see Saint standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, his back to me. His cell to his ear. “That’s not what I fucking said!” he snaps, spinning around. His eyes meet mine, and I stiffen at the way they pin me in place. “Get it fucking right, or I’ll carve it into your fucking head.” He ends the call and pockets his cell. “What do you want, Ashtyn?”
I swallow nervously at how cold he said my name. “You…” I clear my throat. “Wanted to see me.”
“No. I didn’t.” He falls into his seat, dismissing me.
I nod to myself and turn to leave.
“I did.”
Stopping, I look over at Kashton, who stands from his desk. Walking over to me, he holds out a cell phone.
“What the fuck is this?” Saint snaps.
“It’s a phone.” He hands it to me. “It’s got four numbers in it. The three of ours…”
“And the fourth?” I ask softly.
“Jasmine’s.”
My eyes widen. “What—?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely not!” Saint shouts, coming over to us. He goes to take it from me, and I step back. “What the fuck are you doing, Kash?” he barks out.
“You heard her in New York. She contacted the police and filed a report. She needs to know that Ashtyn is okay. And if she does, maybe that will keep her from sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.” The way his voice softens with the last sentence, I feel like he’s trying to protect her. I’m just not sure from who. I would never hurt her. She’s the type of friend that I always wished I had.
Saint runs a hand through his hair. “Fine,” he grinds out and gives me his back, walking back over to his desk.
I don’t waste a second and already have her number pulled up before I can lie down on my bed.
It rings a few times as I nibble on my nails. Just when I think she’s not going to answer, it stops.
“Hello?” she asks softly.
I flinch, realizing she’s probably just gone to bed from a long night at Kink. I sit up. “Jasmine. I’m so sorry to call you so early. I wasn’t thinking…”
“Who is this?” she asks through a yawn.
“It’s Ashtyn…Brittany,” I correct myself.
“Oh my God, girl,” she gasps, now wide awake. “Are you okay? Where are you at? I’ll come get you,” she rushes out.
I smile and let out a soft laugh. “I’m fine.”
“But…that guy you were with? Do you know him? Where the fuck have you been? I’ve been calling and texting you nonstop.”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “It’s complicated.”
“Complicated how? Like I need to show up with the police? Or I need to set the place on fire to burn the rats?”
I laugh softly. “It’s fine. I’m fine. I promise.”
There’s an odd silence on her end, and I wonder what she’s thinking about me. What did Kashton do to her in the women’s restroom? I’m sure Bones barged in there after we left.
“Does this have to do with Whitney missing as well?” she asks, breaking the silence.
I slowly get to my feet. “What do you mean Whitney is missing?” I haven’t heard that name in so long. She was on the run too from Tyson Crawford. Poor thing, she’s lucky she got away. Whitney ran to Vegas and became a Queen. But I never spoke to her. We kept our distance. I was too afraid if she got caught, I’d be found.
“After seeing you and the stunt that Kash pulled, I called Titan to check on Whitney. I had been trying to get ahold of her since I saw the wreck your place was in, hoping she could help me find you. But she hasn’t been answering my texts or messages either.”
“What did Titan say?” I ask, having a tightening in my chest. “Is she okay?”
“He said not to worry about her. That she was where she belongs.”
My stomach drops at her words. “He said those exact words?” I question.
“Yeah. I didn’t get a good feeling about it, and when I questioned him further, he dismissed me.” She huffs. “Typical man.”
Where the fuck could she be? And where should she be?
“How are you doing? How are you feeling? Are you taking care of yourself?”
That sounds like such an odd question, considering I don’t have control over myself. But I tell her, “Yeah.” I don’t want to worry her. She can’t do anything for me.
“What about birth control? You’re still taking it, right? I don’t want them to knock you up and trap you.”
“Of course.” I snort. “God, could you imagine…?” I trail off, coming to a stop. “I have an IUD,” I say more to myself than her.
“That’s good.”
But a memory comes to mind of how I woke up when I got here. I was naked, tied to a table, and they put me to sleep. I felt like I was out for hours, but all they did was place a tracker in me. Right?
What if…they had someone remove my IUD? What if they tied my tubes? A hysterectomy? Would I know that? From what I remember, all women must be sterilized here at Carnage. I’m no longer his. I’m a prisoner here. Like all the rest. No…could Saint do that? He was mad that I fucked other men when I thought he was dead. So I can see him making it impossible that another man could knock me up.
That thought makes me weak in the knees. Saint hasn’t given me any contraceptives to take. He hasn’t used a condom that I know of. He also hasn’t fucked my cunt while I’ve been awake. Only my mouth. He’s also the only one out of the three who I’ve been with. I know why Haidyn hasn’t touched me. He hates me.
But Kashton? I nibble on my bottom lip before asking, “What’s up with you and Kash?” Maybe Jasmine is the reason he hasn’t touched me. Maybe he’s in love with her or something. I almost laugh at that thought. Lords never love a woman.
“I don’t want to talk about him.” She dodges my question. “Kashton isn’t important. You are, Brit—” She stops herself. “Ashtyn.”
I want to ask her more questions about her and Kashton, but I know she won’t answer. So I tell her, “I promise I’m fine.”
“Where are you? I’ll come and visit.”
“No. No. No. Don’t do that,” I rush out. I’m not sure what has been said between the Lords and Bones, but it was obviously getting heated at the show, and I don’t want to cause any problems for her. Fuck the Lords and Bones, but I won’t put her in harm’s way.
“Ashtyn, you don’t sound like a woman who is okay.” She huffs.
“I…I don’t know where I’m at.” I lie to her, and my throat tightens.
She’s quiet for a long second before she speaks. “I’m saving your new number, and if I don’t hear from you at least once a day, I’m coming to find you. Got it?”
A smile spreads across my face. “Got it.”
SAINT
I’m sitting at my desk when the door flings open, slamming into the interior wall. My head snaps up, Kashton grabs his gun, and Haidyn jumps to his feet.
“What the fuck, Ash?” Kash barks, dropping his gun to his side. “You want to die today?”
“Where is Whitney?” she demands, ignoring Kashton while glaring at me. “And what did you do to me when I arrived? Other than the tracking device?”
The room falls silent, and my teeth clench. I look over at Kashton, and he runs his hand through his hair, letting out a long breath. Giving her that damn phone was the worst thing he could have possibly done. I don’t know Jasmine, but she’s going to fuck shit up. Kashton just wants some sort of lifeline to her since Jasmine has apparently blocked his number. I’m not sure what he did to her in the bathroom back in New York, but it was enough to piss her the fuck off.
“Fuck Whitney,” Haidyn states.
“Haidyn!” I growl.
He steps out from behind his desk and walks over to Ashtyn. She glares up at him with her shoulders squared. “Bones isn’t the one who ratted you out. Whitney was.”
“No.” She shakes her head.
“She’s here. In a cell in the basement. Ask her yourself.” He goes on.
“Haidyn!” I shout. What the fuck? Her talking to Whitney is the last thing I fucking want to happen.
He turns to face me. “Let her see.” Haidyn shrugs carelessly. “Whitney gave her up to save herself.” He turns back to Ashtyn. “She’s a coward, just like you. No wonder you two were besties.” With that, he storms out of the office, slamming the door shut behind him.
The room fills with her heavy breathing, and when her eyes meet mine, I can see unshed tears in them.
“You didn’t answer my other question.” She lifts her chin, trying to act like she’s not about to cry.
I cross my arms over my chest and just stare at her. I’m not going to either. Let her think whatever she wants.
The first tear falls from her bottom lashes, and she turns around, giving me her back, and rushes out of the room.
“Fuck!” I hiss.
“Saint—”
My phone ringing interrupts whatever Kashton was about to tell me. I’m not in the mood to talk to him right now anyway. “Hello?” I snap into the phone.
“Hey, just wanted to let you know we’re about five minutes out,” the Lord states on the other end.
Goddammit, I forgot they were coming today. “Okay.”
