Page 5 of Mistress Mayhem

“I see you’ve showered. That’s good. You were beginning to get a little ripe.”

I don’t bother looking up at him, keeping my eyes locked on the bed.

“Ohhh, did we finally do the impossible?” Cary sounds positively gleeful as he moves closer, lifting my chin so I’m forced to look up at him. “Did we finally break my baby girl?”

I don’t say anything, only meeting his eyes for a moment before glancing away. They always say the eyes are the window to the soul, and I don’t need Cary realizing I’m faking my submission. He just laughs, letting go of my chin.

“I knew we’d break you eventually, and just in time. Mayhem’s tomorrow. I’m sure you’ve lost track of time and didn’t remember that, but we’re going to be getting a pretty penny for you tomorrow.” Cary sighs. “Though maybe I won’t sell you. Now that you’re broken, maybe I’ll keep you for myself tomorrow.”

A shiver wracks through me, and it just makes Cary laugh. “Does the cat have your tongue, baby girl? Don’t you have anything to say?”

“You know what is best.” I have to bite my tongue after that to prevent myself from spilling vitriol at him.

He doesn’t speak for a moment as he lifts my chin once more. “Look at me, baby girl.”

I lift my eyes, willing myself to look submissive as I meet his eyes. I’m not sure what he sees there, but his smile just grows. “What a good baby girl. Looks like I won’t have to drug you after all. Good.”

Good is right. This is what I need. I need him to not drug me. I still don’t have a plan, but I have the will. I’ll figure out a way to save myself and Charlotte if it’s the last thing I do.

“But let’s see if you’re just playing pretend or if you’re really a good girl.”

I don’t flinch as he reaches for his belt buckle, laying back on the bed as he smiles down at me.

My mind is already somewhere else—with the three men who mean the world to me. I flow from memory to memory, going from childhood until just last month. Every moment that I’ve enjoyed their company—it’s what keeps me going.

Chapter Three

Avery

It’sfinallyMayhem.

It’s not usually a day I look forward to, but right now, it’s the only thing I’ve had to look forward to.

“Attention. Your doors will unlock in thirty minutes. We expect each of you to shower and put on a new nightgown before then. Once your doors open, you will file down the hall in an orderly fashion. Guards will line the halls in case any of you have any delusions of escaping. At the end of the hall, you’ll find a doorway. You’ll wait there for us to open the door, and then you’ll be led to vehicles. If anyone tries to run, the guards have orders to shoot you. We’d rather that not happen as it will call attention to us since it’s not after sunset. You will be brought to the facility where you will be auctioned off, and then you’ll spend the night with the person or persons who purchase you. That is all.”

I jump into the shower, taking as fast of a shower as I can. I see the others around me doing the same. I dress just as quickly before sitting on my bed as demurely as possible. I need to make sure Cary doesn’t drug me. I only have one chance of getting me and Charlotte out of this hellhole, and I don’t plan on squandering it.

At the thought of my friend, I lift my eyes to her room. She’s sitting on her bed just as I am, but she’s shaking. They’ve refused to give any of the girls drugs since last night, and many of them are going through withdrawal. This definitely isn’t the way to keep them pliable, but I think this will work to my advantage.

Exactly thirty minutes after the announcement, my door clicks open, and I move toward it cautiously. I step into the hallway just as Charlotte does, and I reach over to grab her hand as the other girls push up beside us. As promised, there are guards lining the hallway, so I keep my head down as I squeeze Charlotte’s hand.

I almost run into the girl in front of me when she comes to a stop. When I lift my head, I find we’ve reached the set of double doors that the man must have been referring to.

Adrenaline courses through me as I fight to keep myself from bouncing on my toes and giving myself away. This is it. This is where I get me and Charlotte away from these assholes. When we get home, I will begin my reign of terror on these four men. I don’t know how, but I will make them pay for what they’ve done, not just to me but all twenty of us.

When the doors open, I pull Charlotte more firmly against my side as we begin to move forward once more. It probably looks funny that my short ass self, at only five-foot-two, is pulling this five-foot-ten woman to me as if to protect her—which is absolutely what I’m doing.

We step into a parking garage, four vans awaiting us. There are only a handful of other cars on this level, and I can’t tell how high up we are, but at least we’re close to the exit ramp. That’s something I can work with.

I have no idea what side of town we’re on or if we’re even still in Lockwood, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is getting us the hell away from here.

As the first girls begin climbing into the front van, I spin to Charlotte, making sure to keep my words quiet. “We’re going to make a run for it. Can you do that?”

Terror fills her eyes, but she gives me a sharp nod, telling me that my best friend is still in there.

“No matter what happens, just keep running.”

I glance around us, making sure no one is paying attention to us. Then I take off, dragging Charlotte behind me.

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