Page 32 of Take Me

“Take her out,” Mikhail says, and a minute later, rough hands are working on the straps.

Mikhail is gone when I finally get the hood off. It’s just Dax and me.

My muscles are so weak I don’t think I can stand, and I sag against the wood when he loosens the strap around my neck, not even making an effort to get up when he releases the final one around my chest.

Dax hoists me over his shoulder and carries me to the washing room, where he makes quick work of soaping me up and hosing me down. Then he takes me back to my cell, where he dumps me on the mattress and puts manacles on my hands and legs before leaving me alone in the darkness.

CHAPTER

8

I feel terrible the next morning.

Not because of the strain in my body—well, that too—but mostly because of the gnawing guilt.

I shouldn’t feel guilty about anything down here. But no matter how much I try to rationalize the guilt away, the message won’t stick.

Somehow, Mikhail has bent me so much to his will that obedience is taking precedence and wiping out my natural instincts. I don’t know if it’s been coming for a long time or if something snapped in me when I was in the chair yesterday.

It doesn’t matter. The need to obey is there, blaring and loud.

He clearly senses it too. He lets me eat the kasha on my own in the morning, leaving the cell while I do, and when he returns, I’m on my knees, hands flat on my thighs and head bowed. “I’m sorry, Sir,” I say when his perforated shoes appear before me.

“Finally getting somewhere,” he says with a disgruntled edge, like he’s still mad at me for running.

I hate it, hearing the disappointment in his voice. Lifting my head, I face his hard expression. “I’m really sorry, Sir,” I say, my mouth twitching as emotions threaten to spill.

He peruses me for a moment, then lets out a grunt as if accepting my apology. “Are you going to behave today and let Dax clean you out without a fuss?”

Inhaling a staggered breath, I look down and nod.

“Don’t forget what you learned yesterday, or I’ll have to teach you again,” he scolds.

Leveling myself with another deep breath, I look up. “Yes, Sir.”

He accepts with a brusque nod and opens the door. “Then crawl to Dax. Hands and knees.”

I crawl down the empty hall, my head lowered in submission and my movements slow and measured. Mikhail follows two steps behind, clearly testing my obedience. I deliver in every way possible. I don’t even think about running, and not even when a guard passes with a struggling girl do I look up. All I see is her kicking legs in my peripheral vision as he carries her in front of him. It’s eerie because she doesn’t make a single sound. All I hear is the heavy thuds of the guard’s boots.

“Can I ask a question?” I say once they have passed.

“Go ahead,” Mikhail replies. “As long as you keep moving.”

“What happened to her?”

“Dax cut her vocal cords.”

I go stiff in all muscles, clenching my teeth as horror washes over me. Yet I keep crawling.

Grabbing my hair, Mikhail stops me and leans down to face me. “He’s not gonna do that to you.”

I stare at him with wide, horrified eyes.

“Okay?” he asks.

“Okay,” I parrot with a slight nod.

“He only does that upon order. Most men like to hear their women scream, but a few enjoy the silence.” He releases my hair and straightens. “Or the power of taking their voice.” With a soft kick to my ass, he spurs me on. “Now, keep going. Dax is waiting.”

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