Page 30 of Hysteria Rises
Slowly, ever so slowly, I lift my head and turn in the direction of his voice. “If he won’t stop, I don’t want it to go easier.” I pause to wet my lips, summoning courage that should be used up by now. “I want to remember every single second of this.” The rage I feel in this moment will fuel every decision I make and every action I take.
For several minutes, it’s absolutely quiet in the room, barring the incessant sound of the tattoo gun. It goes on and on and on. All I can do is focus on other things. I hate that the warmth of the hand intermittently squeezing my thigh is admittedly reassuring. The concentration etched into Hayze’s features is admirable, but I wouldn’t hesitate to punch him if my arms weren’t secured to the chair. I’ve been attempting to draw a mental map of where he’s inked my skin, but I still have no idea what he’s doing.
I don’t reallywantto know. Then, abruptly, the relentless buzzing stops, as does the abrading of my skin. There’s some low murmuring between the men that I block out, but then there’s a squeak from one of the roller wheels of the stool, and I know they’ve traded places. Even though my eyes remain shut, tears leak from them in a steady stream while Hayze tinkers with his equipment and Cross takes a seat on the stool opposite me.
I sit perfectly still while he cleans my arm, thenapplies a cool ointment before covering the area with a bandage. “Done.”
I blink my eyes open as they undo the restraints. “Can I leave now?”
“Leave?” Hayze’s brow furrows as he studies me. “No. We’re only half done.” He gestures to Cross. “Let’s move her over there.”
My heart thuds heavily in my chest. He’s looking directly behind me—to the massive bed that takes up a large portion of the room. I physically feel my own eyes go wide, becomewild.
Fuck. I’ve gotta get out of here. I have the awful feeling the tattoo was the least of my worries. My brain scrambles, and I throw back my head. A laugh rips from my throat. It might be the most maniacal, disturbing sound to ever leave my lips. Because who am I kidding? I’m at their mercy and have been in the worst sort of danger since even before I regained consciousness. All I’ve managed in the last couple days is to move from one shitty circumstance to the next with no end in sight. Not an ounce of hope resides within me.
Shaking my head as Cross stoops to grasp me by both biceps and bring me to my feet, I strike out, hitting, clawing, scratching at any part of him my hands come in contact with. I’ve never felt more out of control of my own emotions in my entire life.
“Calm the fuck down, fury,” he bites out, holding me at a distance from him.
One labored breath after another gusts from mylungs until finally I stop long enough to stare at him. The look of bewilderment on his face leads me to huff out, “You must be the worst kind of stupid.” Shaking all over, I continue my tirade. “You wantmeto calm down when your buddy’s just fuckingbrandedme?” With my mind twisting into knots over what’s under the goddamn bandage, an inhuman wail tears from my lips as I fling my entire body weight at him.
It doesn’t do a damn thing except make the hazel-eyed bastard chuckle as he forces me back. “Feel free to keep wearing yourself out. It’ll only help Hayze.”
I stiffen, and both men remain silent for a moment after that, clearly exchanging a look over my shoulder. It sends anxiety creeping down my spine.
“Let’s get to it,” Hayze grunts from behind me. “I want you to show me what you were talking about.”
My eyes crash shut.What the fuck did I miss? Nervous energy skates along my limbs, and the second they both put their hands on me, I thrash. I don’t know what the plan is, but they’re fucking insane if they think I won’t fight them every inch of the way. I try to wrench myself free of the viselike grip they have on me but only succeed in loosening the towel that had been tucked securely around my body. It drops to the floor.
A moment later, they’ve got me on the mattress, and my entire world careens right off a cliff. Maybe it would have been better if I’d died out there on the side of the mountain. But I hadn’t, and now I have to deal with the consequences of my own stupidity.
Blue eyes peer at me from between my feet, as Hayze crawls forward, capturing one of my ankles in each hand. Meanwhile Cross holds me in a semi-reclined position, my back to his front. I aim a lethal glare at this Hayze asshole who can’t keep his beautiful eyeballs from wandering my body before craning my neck until I can blast my hatred into Cross’s hazel-hued orbs as well.
“Easy,” Hayze murmurs, but the soothing tone of his voice does nothing for me, considering the pitifully vulnerable position I’m in… and there’s simply no one here who gives a shit.
I thrash against both of them, a despairing sob escaping my lips when it does nothing for me. “Don’t do this.” I turn again, pleading with my eyes. “Your father wouldn’t want this, would he?”
Cross huffs out a laugh. “Who do you think sent us to get you?”
I physically feel my face drain of blood at his admission. I should have guessed as much based on the tidbits of information I’ve gleaned about these men. There’s no denying their intentions. No other way I can imagine this going. Desperation coats my skin and fills my voice. “Let me go.” I try with all my might to pull free, but they are far too strong… and I’m far too weakened by lack of food and lack of sleep, not to mention all my physical efforts leading up to this.
“I’m gonna try it.” The grit and gravel in Hayze’s voice has my eyes flicking up to meet his, but he’s not even lookingat me.
He’s staring straight between my legs. I swallow hard, my breath hitching as he rakes his teeth over his lip. His chest heaves as he shifts, putting a knee outside my leg, and locking my ankle down with his own. My heart is fluttering madly in my chest like a panicked animal looking for a means to escape.
“Calm yourself,” Cross whispers near my ear as he brings one of my arms across my body, securely clamping a big hand around both wrists.
My heart hammers as Cross’s free hand hovers in my periphery, pointing. “There.” Confusion fogs my mind.
Hayze frowns, his brow furrowing, but a moment later his free hand skates up the inside of my thigh. “There?”
“I’ll show you.”
I’m at a loss for words, my face heating as I go into panic mode, shaking my head.
I don’t understand what the fuck is happening here. My breath catches as Cross skims his ink-covered hand down the swell of my stomach, then over my mound until his fingers press against my clit.
My hips buck upward, then I squeeze my eyes shut and turn my head away.
