Page 68 of Covert
I'm wrestling with Maddox, or tattooing them all again.
In my mind, I relive every moment with my guys, and I know I'm going to see them again. That they're worth fighting for, and it gives me the strength I need to not break.
Eventually, one of Dad's goons opens the door and pulls me out. I wince at the sudden brightness, but make sure to act broken. I mumble to myself, stumble, and make my eyes blur, just as I'd seen other people who survived the dark.
I'm taken to my childhood room and tossed onto the bed unceremoniously.
"We'll send someone to take care of you," the goon says.
I just mumble to myself in response. Dad subjected us to psychological torture to train us early on. He should know better.
I lay on my bed, mumbling to myself. I don't know if they have cameras or mics installed in my bedroom, now, so I need to keep up the act.
About twenty minutes later, a woman appears.
"Alright, miss, let's get you into a shower."
I continue to mumble, but she's not wrong. I stink. I'm not used to not showering daily.
The woman hooks her hands under my arms and helps me to stand, lifting me and helping me to shuffle to the attached bathroom. But when we get to the bathroom, and I sneak a peek at her face in the mirror, I stumble to a stop.
Ice blue eyes. Ice blue eyes that I've lost myself in for hours. And a familiar nose and familiar mouth look back at me. The same color of brown hair as her brother.
I gasp in shock.
"Natalie?" I whisper, unsure of any listening devices. Her hands around my shoulders tighten as her body stiffens next to me."Natalie Garrison?"
I spin, slam the door closed behind us, and grip her shoulders. She's startled by my sudden movements, but she casts her eyes down. She's a servant here. Fuck! Someone in my father's organization must have kidnapped her and forced her into slave labor.
She exhales carefully through her nose, eyes cast down in neutral submission. "Yes, ma'am. My name is Natalie."
I shake her, trying to get her eyes back on me. "No. Natalie. I know your brother. I... I'm in love with your brother."
Cracked ice eyes finally snap to mine.
"Ma-Maddox? You... you know him?" Her tone is still hesitant, but hopeful. I sigh in relief and pull her against me, gathering her in my arms, amazed and grateful that fate set her in front of me.
And then I realize I'm holding Axel's first love. That's a sobering thought.
"He's still looking for you. Every day. Fuck, I need to figure out how to tell him I found you and that you're okay." She still assesses me carefully.
I kick on the water in the shower to hopefully drown out our conversation and catch her eye again. "Look, my brother and I aren't like them. You're under my protection now. No one will touch you or hurt you anymore. You're safe. I want you to sleep with me." Her eyes widen. "God, no, but like, sleep in my room with me so I know you're protected. Mad and Axe have been killing themselves looking for you."
Her lower lip wobbles, and she gives in to the first sign of hope I'm sure she's had in years.
A sick thought comes to mind that I pray doesn't happen. "Do they make you..."
She shakes her head quickly. "No. As far as I know, they have other girls for that."
Well, that's one relief.
They took my cell phone when they threw me in the dark. I need Angelo to get a message to the guys so they can stop worrying.
"You... you know Axel?"
I pull her to sit on the floor, and I explain the last six months of my life to her. I need her to trust me so I can keep her safe. And we need a game plan. I'll never be able to escape again under my father's regime.
And we need a plan to keep Natalie safe.
