End Scene: A Dark Romantic MM Thriller, page 14
“Don’t fuck this up, Prey,” Bo said and knocked.
The classical music grew louder when Mr. White opened the door. He wore a dark button-down shirt that emphasized his narrow frame.
“Thank you, Bo. Come in, Jonah.”
I stepped inside, deeply relieved to not see a lab, though I still frowned at the sight of the small dining table. Food waited on two plates, and a candle burned at the center. I glanced at the wide bed at the side of the room, a pang of dread hitting my chest as I realized what was expected of me.
“Don’t let the bed fool you,” Mr. White said. “We will not be having sex.” He held my chin and tilted my head from side to side. “As lovely as you are, I don’t find the weakness of the flesh appealing.”
That made me relieved, but it also made this dinner stranger.
“I was told you’re vegetarian.” He moved to sit by the table. “I had the cook prepare something nice for you.”
“Thank you.” I sat on the other side of the table, the candle burning between us. My plate had vegetables, quinoa, and tofu. Mr. White was having what seemed like a veal cooked rare.
“I heard you have a taste for fine wine.” He picked up a bottle and poured me half a glass. “A few sips and you’ll feel less nervous. You are nervous, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Nervousness is a sign of a healthy mind.”
“I don’t know if my mind is healthy.”
“As a psychologist, I’m eager to find out for myself.”
“You’re a shrink?”
He raised his glass. “A psychologist, yes. Let us toast to your mind, Jonah Carter.”
Still jittery about this whole thing, I clinked my glass with his. The wine was stronger than what I usually drank with The Director, but it was still rich in flavor. I knew I was supposed to wait for Mr. White to ask questions, but I decided to take the lead. “I was told you’re in the High Council.”
“Yes, and have been for many years. It’s much less interesting than you might think.”
I cut a piece of tofu. “What are you supposed to do exactly?”
“A whole lot and nothing—if that makes sense.”
“It doesn’t.”
He sliced his veal elegantly, making me think of Eliot. “We govern, which is a fancy way of saying we make decisions that can affect our members. I’d be lying if I said we needed to make any major decisions recently, but that’s what you get with old societies—they either tick like a clock or fall apart. I’m assuming that we will begin to fall apart in… oh, a few years give or take, but we should be safe for the rest of the evening.” He winked.
“Why will you fall apart?” I asked, too curious to continue eating.
“Oh, many small reasons, all resulting in a dwindling number of members. We can’t just publish an ad in the newspaper, and with how fast technology is developing, it becomes a greater challenge to keep things hush-hush. Have you ever heard of cell phones? Very exciting technology, but once we start carrying our phones with us, what will stop nosy people from spying on us?”
“Eliot has a cell phone in his car. Do you know him?”
“Eliot? Of course. We first met when I became a member, a few years after he’d been adopted by dear Theodore. A wonderful man. Eliot, that is—Theodore was a pretentious ass, and that says something coming from me. I was the driving force behind Eliot gaining his freedom, though he has never been a prisoner, simply… limited.”
That meant that he had likely been the one to ask Eliot for a steady supply of captives. My wariness of him intensified, as did my disgust.
“I hate Eliot.” The words slipped out of my mouth.
Mr. White nodded. “He’s the reason you’re here.”
“He betrayed me.”
“Well, yes, I assume that’s accurate. Were you in love with him?”
“Yes.” I drew in a sharp breath, hardly believing my own openness.
“Love does tend to complicate things. Eliot loves his brother more than anything.”
“That’s why I’m here—as a twisted, fucking gift to him.”
“Well, I can think of less enjoyable gifts than you. And wasn’t Eliot right to choose you? The Director seems quite fond of you.”
“It doesn’t matter if he was right!”
Mr. White watched me calmly, unaffected by my outburst. “Tell me, how did you feel earlier about Nathan’s accusations toward you?”
Why did he have to bring that up? I crossed my arms, losing my remaining appetite. “I felt bad.”
“Because you were insulted, or because he was telling the truth?”
“He told the truth, but it’s not my problem he keeps on fighting. He only hurts himself.”
Mr. White nodded. “He does, but every man can break, some faster than others. Tell me, how do you and Bo get along?”
My blood warmed just from thinking of him. “He’s a monster. Can you make him back off?” If The Director couldn’t, maybe this man could.
“What makes him such a monster?”
“He… he hurts me. He makes me wear women’s clothes. He chokes me and spits on me. He…” I bit my lips, dumbstruck by my unfiltered flood of words.
“It’s in your food,” Mr. White said.
I looked down at my plate. “What?”
“A truth serum. No side effects for you to worry about.”
“Why… why did you give it to me?”
“As I said, I am a man of the mind. Is there a better way of learning one’s mind than to hear one’s uncensored truth?”
I rubbed my face, feeling violated. “You’re an asshole.”
“I’ve been called worse. Now, about Bo. This place puts two groups of men together: one to obey and one to rule. This dynamic always brings out the worst in people. Some try to fight it; others gladly embrace it. You, by rising above your station, have challenged the norm. To put it plainly, you’re making Bo feel small.”
“I’m not responsible for his fragile ego.”
“That’s beside the point. Either find a way to reinstate his sense of control or find a way to take him out.”
I leaned forward, the candle dancing at the bottom of my vision. “I like the second option better. Can you help me?”
He leaned forward as well, as if we were sharing a secret. “What would you like me to do?”
“Kill him.” The words slipped out of my mouth with ease.
“And how would you go about it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Jonah.”
“I’d choke him. Slowly. He should feel it happening.”
“Would you be able to do it?”
“Me? I… maybe. No. I can’t.” I tasted bile, the food gushing in my stomach.
“Do you feel weak, Jonah?”
“Yes. I’m weak. Shit.” I wiped my eyes.
“Don’t be harsh on yourself. Truth is never easy, but always liberating. As I said, if you can’t get rid of him, empower him. Nourish his ego.”
“I’ll try.”
“Good. May I give you a gift?”
I nodded suspiciously.
He walked to the side of the room and pressed a button next to the bed. “Look up.”
I raised my head to see the ceiling split open, revealing the night sky through a glass dome. I’d never seen so many stars in my life, blinking in the endless black. It had been months since I’d last seen the sky. It made me realize this place couldn’t possibly be close to a city, or the stars wouldn’t have shone so brightly.
“You’ll hurt your neck. Lie down.”
Still mesmerized, I made my way to the bed and lay facing the sky. The room around me disappeared as I floated in space. “It’s beautiful.”
Mr. White climbed onto the bed to lie next to me. “We should all look at the sky more often. It’s humbling.”
It felt cruel of him to say such a thing while I was locked in here.
“How does seeing this make you feel?” he asked.
“Sad.”
“Sad?”
“I’m beginning to believe I’ll never leave this place.”
“Never seems like an awfully long time. For now, take joy in the unusual path you’re paving.”
“Is that why you wanted to meet me?”
“I am a man guided by curiosity—to a fault, some might say.”
“Can you get me pills for anxiety?”
“What does your anxiety feel like?”
I wet my lips. It was easier to speak without looking at him. “Like I’m burning. Like there’s something inside me that wants to get out. It hurts in my bones. I can’t breathe, but I can’t pass out either.”
He remained silent for a few moments before saying, “I can help you, but not with pills.”
I tilted my head at him. “Then how?”
He reached for his shirt pocket and took out a small pin of the American flag. He moved to face me, resting on his elbow. “Controlled pain, Jonah, is a powerful cure and less risky than psychoactive drugs.”
“I have enough pain in my life.”
“I’m not talking about that kind of pain. Keep still now.”
I watched in shock as he brought the pin to my arm and stuck it into my flesh. “It hurts!”
“Focus on your breathing. Don’t look away.” He didn’t raise his voice, but he didn’t need to. As strong as the pain was, my fear of him was stronger. I bit my lips, moaning as he spun the tip inside my flesh. My sight filled with blinking lights, but I still saw the first drop of blood slide down my skin. An unexpected sense of relief washed over me.
“Better?”
I hesitantly nodded. “It still hurts.”
“I know.” He pulled out the pin, then stuck it lower in my arm.
I grimaced, heat swimming underneath my skin. Still aware of the pain, a part of me became detached, an observer rather than a participant. We didn’t speak as he kept poking, and soon, thin rivers of blood soaked into the bedsheet.
“Has anyone ever told you how strong you are, Jonah?”
Feeling lightheaded, I said, “Eliot did, but he’s a liar.”
“We all lie, some better than others.” He held the bloody pin above me. “Show me how strong you are.”
With shaky fingers, I took the pin.
“Show me,” he said again, and I did.
*
“I’m thinking.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to.”
The Director twisted his lips in amusement.
A minute later, I moved my queen on the board. By the time it took me to lean back in my seat, I realized I was screwed. “Shit, I—”
“Language, Jonah. And checkmate.”
I rubbed my face in frustration. That had been my best game yet. “You can let me win from time to time.”
“I don’t reward failure.”
Harsh. “I think I’ve earned another drink, at least.”
“Half a glass.”
I rose from my seat in front of the fireplace and poured myself half a glass of wine before sitting back down. I took a long sip, feeling comfortable and sleepy, enjoying the warmth from the dancing flames.
“Have you been taking your vitamins?” The Director asked. Since I had no exposure to sunlight,the other captives and I needed to take vitamins regularly.
“I’ve been taking them.” I sipped more wine, wondering why he hadn’t yet asked about my meeting with Mr. White two days prior. Maybe he didn’t know about it, or maybe he was waiting for me to bring it up. I touched my arm, where the puncture marks had all but healed. Yesterday, I returned to my room to find a small box with needles on my bed. I hadn’t used them yet, but it was only a matter of time.
“I’ve met with Mr. White.”
The Director gave a slight nod, the fireplace making his graying hair seem golden. “I’m aware.”
“I don’t think you like him.”
“I don’t need to like him to respect his role.” He held my gaze. “Did he hurt you?”
I hesitated. “Not… physically.”
He sighed like he knew what I meant. “No one’s better at messing with your head than him. He doesn’t come here often, at least.”
I wondered if Mr. White had made him take the truth serum as well.
Someone knocked on the door, and my stomach dropped at the sight of Eliot. I hated when he came unannounced, but The Director had likely known and chosen not to tell me.
“Am I interrupting?” Eliot asked as if he cared.
“Jonah was just showing me how much he still has to improve in chess. I thought you’d be arriving tomorrow.”
Eliot shut the door and sat on the couch. “Another night in your company sounded better than another night in my empty house.”
“You should arrive in the mornings. I don’t like it when you drive all this way in the dark.”
“I’ll try to do better, big brother. Hello, Jonah.”
I asked The Director if I might be excused.
“Not yet, and you know how I feel about a lack of manners.”
I drew a breath and turned to look at Eliot. “Hi.”
He smiled, as handsome as always. “I brought you something.”
I knew better than to refuse, so I silently took the box he handed me and opened it. Inside were three strawberry almond rusks from what I assumed was my favorite bakery in LA. I hated how well he knew what I liked. “Thank you.”
The Director leaned forward and took a rusk.
“Since when do you eat sweets?” Eliot asked.
“Mr. White was here.”
Eliot sighed. “Then sweets and alcohol are indeed in order.”
“Why?” I asked. “He gave you your freedom, didn’t he?”
Eliot crossed his arms. “Please keep in mind that my ‘freedom’ came with limitations and that Mr. White doesn’t do anything without a motive.”
Like befriending someone so you could gift him to your brother? It took all I had not to say that out loud.
“He had dinner with Jonah,” The Director said.
Eliot watched me with concern. “Oh dear. Are you okay?”
Hearing that shattered my self-control. “Am I okay? Are you really asking me that?”
“Jonah.”
I ignored the warning in The Director’s voice and threw the two remaining rusks into the fire. “I don’t want your dirty gifts!”
“Okay.” Eliot raised his hands. “I understand. Please calm down.”
He was giving me a way out of punishment, and I knew better than to refuse it. “I don’t feel well. Can I go?”
The Director shook his head. “You feel fine, now zip your lips and listen. Nathan is proving to be a more difficult case than I expected, and now I have Mr. White who’ll undoubtedly be checking up on his progress.”
“Then why did you bring him here in the first place?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking. “He has a family.”
“It wasn’t my decision. Nathan used to work for a company owned by one of our most successful members. He saw Nathan and decided he wanted him here, logic be damned.”
It rattled me how easily a man’s life could be destroyed by someone more powerful, but all around me were living proof of such behavior, and hadn’t what happened to me been the same?
Noticing my bleak expression, The Director said, “It’s too late to change what happened, Jonah, and I would like for you to speak with Nathan.”
“Me? But he hates me!”
“He hates everyone here, but you are the best example of what good behavior can achieve. Make him see sense—it’s for his own good.”
I wanted to argue because I knew it was pointless, but the decision had been made. “Fine, I’ll speak with him.”
“Thank you. Before you go…” He held the remaining strawberry almond rusk in front of my face, either to embarrass me for acting out or because he knew I wanted a taste. He shook his head when I tried to take it from his hand. I opened my mouth instead and ripped a piece with my teeth, dropping crumbs on the floor. It annoyed me how good it tasted.
“Thank Eliot.”
I finished chewing and mumbled, “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.”
I left them before Eliot’s presence could taint me more.
*
The following day, Bo took me to see Nathan.
“What do you think I should tell him?” I asked as we walked toward my old cell.
“Tell him to stop being a drama queen.”
“He has a family.”
“Had.” We took a left turn and continued walking. “I got a new wig for you to try out—redhead this time. Super hot.”
I remembered what Mr. White had advised about making Bo feel bigger. “Can’t wait to try it out.”
He glanced at me. “You’re making fun of me, Prey?”
My stomach tightened. “No. It… it could be fun.”
He glanced at me again. “Fun enough for you to make those noises I like?”
I swallowed and forced out, “Depends on how hard you’ll fuck me.”
He snickered and patted my ass. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you won’t hear me complain.”
We stopped in front of a metal door I remembered too well.
“Shout if he starts to bite.”
“Maybe you should go in with me.”
“Nope. The Director wants this to be a date.”
He unlocked the door, and I hesitantly entered, immediately hit by stuffy air and the foul odor of unwashed skin. Did I ever smell so bad?
Nathan lay on my old, thin mattress, naked and bruised. Some of the marks on his skin seemed fresh and angry, while others were fading. He lay with his back to me, his dark copper hair almost black from being unwashed. Freckles dotted his shoulders and upper back.
Bo shut the door behind me, but it didn’t sound as if he locked it. “Um, hello?”
Nathan slowly turned onto his back, watching me through one eye while the other remained shut tight. “What the fuck do you want?”
Maybe I should have brought water and food to calm him down.
“I came to talk.”
He pushed himself to sit with a grunt, running a hand through his messy hair. “Whatever you’re here to sell, I’m not buying. Get out.”
