Page 101 of Cherry Auction

Still nothing. Feeling desperate, I try, “Kitten?”

But she won’t look at me. Her eyes stay cast towards the wall. As if she’s some other place. Not here.

I spin angrily towards the doorway, Anna still in my arms. “What did youdoto her? What fucking meds did you put her on? I said no meds!”

It’s Professor Roberts who walks into the room, slipping around Dr. Ezra. “We didn’t give her anything—not yet, anyway. Dr. Ezra thinks it might be a good idea to start her on some low dose antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication.”

“No,” I say staunchly. “No meds that will have her all whacked out and non-responsive.”

“Domhnall,” Professor Roberts says gently. “Look at her now.”

And I do. Fuck me, but I do. I pull back so that we’re just sitting on the bed, side by side. She stares dully at the wall.

She’s nothing like the vibrant, feisty woman I first brought down to my dungeon all those weeks ago. She looks like a machine someone unplugged. She’s just barely still in motion but it’s like her battery’s almost drained.

“I don’t get it,” I say, clutching her hand in mine as I look to the head doctors at the door. “She looked fine when I last saw her.”

“Can you really say that?” Professor Roberts asks. “Can you really say she wasfine?”

She was covered in her father’s blood, all but hyperventilating, and begging me not to leave her alone.

But I did anyway.

“What can we do?” I look desperately first at Professor Roberts, who looks at Dr. Ezra.

“Wait,” he says gently, with a kindness in his eyes I naturally despise. “And continue with treatment. The kind of trauma she’s endured leaves its mark on the psyche. She’s going to need time.” He looks down to where I still have Anna’s hand gripped in mine. “And space.”

“From me?” I scoff. “I’m the only thing holding her together.”

“Are you sure about that?” Dr. Ezra tilts his head inquisitively at me. I immediately want to smash his face in.

“Yes,” I say through gritted teeth.

He barely waits for the word to escape my mouth before continuing on, like a teacher asking a trick question, “Because there have been periods where she’s fully coherent. And we’re able to make some progress talking to…her.”

“It doesn’t fucking look like it.”

Anna’s hand spasms in mine at my furious tone. Shit. If this bastard wasn’t here antagonizing me, I wouldn’t be so loud. I could be focusing on her. The only reason I was gone was because I was trying toprotecther. They all just need to go and leave us alone!

I ignore everyone else in the room and turn to Anna. I let go of her hands and gently cup her cheeks, searching her eyes for some sign of recognition. The squeeze let me know she’s in there.

“Love, it’s me. It’s Domhn. Donny. I’m home. I’m sofucking sorry I ever left, love. But I’m home now and I fucking swear, I’ll never leave your side again. I’m here.”

When her eyes still don’t lift or catch mine like usual, I try to move my face to get in her line of sight. But even then, it’s like she’s looking through me.

“Brooke,” I try, rubbing my thumb gently over her cheek. “Mads. Mads, it’s me.”

Still nothing. I carefully take her hand, shuddering. What the fuck has all this done to her? What haveIdone to her?

I look back at Dr. Ezra. “But you said she talked to you? Like more than just a word?”

He nods. “She was coherent. And there are sides of her you know nothing about, Domhnall.”

I shake my head. He doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about. No one knows Mads—Brooke—fuck,Anna, better than me.

“Did she know where she was? Who she was? What had happened?”

“I’m taking it slow. But she seems to be aware of herself and her surroundings.”

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