Page 62 of Savage

Hunter lets out a soft snort. “Doubtful.”

Another strangled sound emerges from my throat, something pitiful and desperate, and I can’t even describe it. All I know is that I’m afraid, desperately afraid, that he’s going to send me back to Giulio.

Though there’s a tiny sliver of a part of me that might not mind it.

At least there are drugs there.

At least there’s oblivion.

But there are no quiet nights with a gentle hand stroking my hair, no video games.

No smiles.

“Please,” I beg. “Master, please.”

What do I even say? How can I convince him not to do this?

Hunter taps on his phone, and a few seconds later, I hear the familiar, terrible voice of Giulio Pavone.

My heart drops into my stomach.

“Yo, Doctor Savage! What’s up?” he asks.

Hunter levels his stare at me. “See, I knew you’d be awake. I was told you wouldn’t want to hear from me at this late hour.”

“You know me. I’m a night owl. But how can I help?” Giulio’s voice sounds like he’s on speaker, too—but from what I remember, Giulio almost always sets his calls to speaker, regardless of how private they should have been.

“I’ve been having problems with my recent acquisition,” Hunter says flatly. “First the detox—I had to tie her down for it—and then getting her to even eat right.”

I whimper again, and I close my eyes tight because I can’t stand to look Hunter in the face right now. I can’t stand to watch him as he so dispassionately discusses all the things that are wrong with me.

“Damn, that sucks. There’s no refunds though, you know,” Giulio says. “Unless you want to trade her in for a different model.”

I shake my head helplessly, still squeezing my eyes tight. No. No, I don’t want this. I don’t want to go back to Ntimacy. I don’t want to be traded in for a different model. I had started to be… not happy, exactly, but it’s better being here than with Giulio.

There could always be someone worse, too.

Like Slayer, Giulio’s friend who liked to make me cry and bleed. Like any of the other men Giulio consorts with.

“I might,” Hunter answers. He gives me the same bored look as when we’d met.

I start to sob again, shaking my head desperately. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to do. I can’t help but babble as I finally look up at him with pleading eyes. “No! Please, please don’t! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it!”

“Hey, Stef!” Giulio says loudly. “You enjoying yourself with Doctor Savage?”

“Yes,” I whimper, looking imploringly at Hunter. There’s so much I want to say that it’s dizzying, and I don’t even know where to begin or where I could stop, and all I can think to do is beg him more. “Don’t send me back, please, Master.”

Giulio bursts out laughing.

“Then next time, don’t make me regret my purchase,” Hunter says. “My patience is running thin.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I babble, wishing I could hide my face, wishing I wasn’t lying in a large wet spot on the bed of my own making, wishing everything was different and that I hadn’t fucked up so badly.

“Should I be asking for a video call?” Giulio asks with an amused chuckle. “I’m always up for more porn. Hey, speaking of, do you want to see the pics of—”

Hunter cuts the call and stares at me. “That was your only warning. If you ever embarrass me like that again, I will personally deliver you back to Giulio, and I will tell him the only thing you’re good for is the gutter, to be used up like the filth you’re trying so desperately to be.”

I can feel the color drain from my face, and I hiccup as I try not to visualize what that might consist of. No. No, I’m not even going to think about that. I’m going to do better. I’m going to be better.

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