Page 59 of The Lost Melody

“Don’t get too comfortable here,” he mutters, turning me to face him.

My sweatshirt is long enough to hit my knees, and is actually probably Turner’s, since I wanted to make sure it covered the knife.

“You really are too dumb to live,” Dr. Bennett continues to berate me as he runs his hands down my arms as if checking for weapons.

He fortunately stops at my wrists. “Idiot. How hard is it to tighten these all the way,” he complains, grabbing the tie and pulling.

I gasp at the sudden pressure at my wrists and he grins wickedly, turning me to face away from him. It’s as if my pain makes him happy… and arouses him based on the erection he’s grinding into my ass.

Gross. The tightened strap at my wrists won’t make a difference because I know how to break them.

“Did you enjoy your short bout of freedom?” Dr. Bennett chuckles in my ear as he holds me against him.

I can’t help my whimper in disgust as I pull away. It’s too soon to show my hand, and I need to know who else is in the building before I really fight back.

A door slams to the left of me, but as I turn my head, Dr. Bennett wraps my hair around his fist and I wince. Fuck it, next time I’m wearing it in a bun.

“Did you send the money to our kidnapper?” Dr. Bennett asks, and I realize he doesn’t know who Orion is.

“Yeah, I’m waiting for him to send me our new identification for Grant and I,” Mr. Xav says.

My heart starts to pound, even as I remind myself I’m safe. At least, relatively safe. I can’t bring myself to wonder what Dr. Bennett is planning to do now that Greg has released full details about his involvement in Hidden Hills.

Xav stands in front of me, his lip curled at my outfit.

“I wish you’d put some effort into your appearance,” he murmurs, pushing up my sweatshirt on the side opposite my holster.

I swallow down the bile at being touched by him, and smirk.

“You act like I want to be here at all. I was leaving this godforsaken state,” I tell him, only to be rewarded with a backhanded slap.

I gasp in a breath, licking my lip to find it’s split. Fuck.

“I’ll have to teach you manners again, won’t I?” Xav sighs. “I don’t need identification for you, because I’m going to break you completely and then sell you to the highest bidder. They’ll be able to fuck you with the drug I’ll provide them with, and control you with our special word. You’ve been a fun experiment, but I’m afraid you’re outliving your usefulness.”

I inhale hard, Turner’s smoky scent surrounding me from his sweatshirt. This reminds me of why I really wore this… to ground my ass.

“I dare you to use it. I could become a drone, or I could kill you both,” I threaten, my hands cramping with the need to get free. Instead, I keep my hands relaxed, the image of composure and shit talking. I’m hiding how hard my heart is pounding, and how scared his words make me.

“Or we could enjoy how tight your pussy is before we sell you again,” Dr. Bennett chuckles, his hand traveling up my leg as he licks up my throat. It appears he was hiding his lecherous personality all of this time, or I was just too drugged before to remember. I’m frozen in fear until I feel when he touches my knife holster. “What the—”

Deciding I have had enough, even though he is still holding my hair, I lift my arms high and bring them down while I pull my hands outwards. The ties break apart, and Bennett’s fist holding my hair opens in surprise. I step hard on his foot in my boots, my right hand pulling my knife from its sheath.

It’s as if my body is on autopilot, my muscles moving from memory as I turn, one foot stepping away from him. My hair slips from Bennett’s open hand, even as he tries to grab it back at the last moment.

“Keep your goddamn hands to yourself,” I growl, my arm arcing across his neck. Xav yells, but my only response is to blink as his now gaping throat sprays me across the face and neck.

Not allowing myself to think about what I’ve done, I turn towards Xav.

“Lennon,” he says calmly, swallowing hard as he steps away. “You’ve killed a man. You should come with me, I’ll protect you.”

I scowl as I continue to walk towards him. I don't want to be protected by the man who held me against my will for three months. I’m not weak or stupid.

“Over my dead body,” I tell him, ignoring the choking sounds emitting from the doctor behind me.

Xav pulls out a needle with an evil smile. “I can arrange that, dear Lennon,” he says. I can tell the moment he hears the doors crash open around us and he pales.

I jump back when he lurches forwards to grab me. Instead, Xav grabs the back of my hoodie, and when he pulls me forward, I drop my head, allowing him to pull it off me.

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