Queen (Mistress & Master of Restraint) (98 page)

I’m torn. My body wants to do two things at once so I do neither. I want to kill Katya for killing Ade. There is no way my sister lives. Nothing is recognizable on her body. There is too much blood. My mind wars between killing Katya and running to Ade. I’m frozen in conflict.

A siren’s scream cuts through the air as someone runs into my back. Not a siren- Diane. Our eyes meet and we are in agreement. We both want to kill Katya and tend to Ade. Diane blinks and I know she’s weighing the options- is it Cort’s child or Ezra’s. If
it’s was Ezra’s, she would gladly kill the mother of her grandchild with the growing grandchild in her belly.

The five second since I entered the room is a lifetime as Diane and I make our choice. We move as one and fall to our knees. Ade’s life blood soaks the carpet and splatters up our thighs. It feels hot and thick on my bare skin.

Diane looks for Ade’s hand as my hands hover in the air looking for a piece of flesh that is whole and blood-free. A symphony of mourning fills the air: Diane’s high-pitched cry, my deep sobs, and Whitt’s mournful moan. The tortured keening of a parent losing another child before their time floods from the hallway. The wail will forever haunt my nightmares.

I can’t feel her anymore. She’s gone and I refuse to let her leave me before we’ve gotten our happy endings. I go on auto-pilot.

I tear my dress from my body and wrap it tightly around her head. It instantly soaks with blood. No air passes her lips or nostrils. I turn her head to the side and red flows from her mouth in a torrent. I tilt her head back and breathe for her. Training from over a decade ago pushes me to try to resuscitate her.

“NO!” I yell at her as if she can hear me. “I won’t lose you too. Why… Why did you do this?” I shriek. “You just couldn’t wait so we could help you,” I screech.

I’m so involved with my struggles that I don’t hear or see the EMTs until they’re pulling me from her lifeless body.

“Is she dead?” Diane whimpers.

“No, but just barely,” the young man says in a state of shock. I can tell he’s never seen anything so gruesome in his life.

Chapter Thirty-Two

“How is she?” Marc’s voice is rough.

“We’ve lost her four times. I worry that we won’t get her back next time. They’re going to run out of blood. She leaks more than they can put back in as they try to patch up her injuries.”

“She’s strong,” he whispers.

I tuck my knees to my chest to comfort myself. Diane, Daniel, and I have sat here for three hours. I sit next to my two enemies awaiting Ade’s fate. 

“How’s Whitt?” Marc moves to touch me and I shake my head no.

“He’s… not good… He’s with the kids at my house. Whitney’s inconsolable,” I sob. “Niel refuses to speak.”

“I’m sorry, Regina,” Marc whispers and kneels before me so that I’ll look him in the eyes.

“How’s Kat?” I hiccup.

“She’ll be fine. A few broken bones and a small cut on her throat that will scar,” he smiles and it rankles me. 

“Scar,” I snort. “That’s good. I wouldn’t want to hurt her pretty face,” I say snidely. “Ade looks like a Rorschach test. We would’ve needed dental x-rays to identify
her body.”

“Regina,” he says sadly and I ca
n tell he thinks he’s lost me.

“I’m sorry, Marcus. I know it was her fault. I get it. I just signed commitment paper to imprison her at WinterCrest. But cut me some slack. My sister’s in an operating room fighting for her life. I could give a shit less about Katya’s scars. If Ade lives we may not even recognize her face. She may be brain-dead from blood loss and the amount of time she spent dead. Say something like, ‘Kat’s going to be fine’. Have some respect when you talk to her father, lover,
and sister for Christ’s sake!”

I close my eyes and tears stream down my face. I hurt. I just hurt. I hear Cort, Ezra, and Marc calling Ade a cunt…. cunt… cunt… I see her face as she told me she loved me. I see the look of betrayal as she fought her father for me. I remember finger-combing her hair while she bathed covered in cane marks- marks she earned protecting me. There is no right or wrong side- we’re all wrong and right. It’s a matter of perception.

I look up to him and unleash my emotions. My eyes mirror every thought and he reads them clearly. Marc tries to hold me and I don’t allow it.

“I’ll call you if she makes it. I’m sure Kat will want to know if she needs to press charges. I’m sure it would be easier on your family if
Ade died,” I murmur hollowly. 

“Don’t,” he cautions me.

Marc scowls and grabs my hand. His grip tightens when I fight him. I see him in the corner of the red room discussing a cover-up with his boys and Ray Hunter, all the while Ade bled to death on the floor. None of them tried to resuscitate her or stem the flow of blood from her skull. I don’t know if I can ever get over this.

“She was a human being,” I whimper. “I don’t care what she’s done. She deserved better than bleeding out in the house she thought she’d live in one day. After she was rendered unconscious Katya should have stopped. She kept beating her face in- beating her to death. I can’t for
give that, Marcus,” I whisper.

“I love you,” he says sadly.

“And I love you,” I choke out.

“This isn’t about us, Regina. Don’t let it affect us,” he begs.

“It’s not about us, but it does affect us; and as you’ve proven through your actions time and time again…. There is no me and you.” I look away from him when he gasps.

“I’ve tried to explain and you won’t let me,” he growls in frustrati
on and roughly yanks my hands.

“There’s nothing to explain. I’m not taking sides. I’m not allying myself with them,” I point to his wife and Daniel. “Right now this is about Ade. All I care about is her right now. She has always been tossed to the side and I won’t do that right now. She needs my positive thoughts and my love. You need to go back to your family and sit with Katya. She’s your life now. You already made that choice when you declared her yours in public. I wasn’t good enough for you- she is. As I choose Ade, I choose myself. I deserve better than being treated as a whore. Four years you’ve dangled me, and when I finally get a backbone you want me back. You keep saying you need to explain and I won’t let you,” I sneer. “Answer me this: did you make love to her in that room?”

“Yes,” he reluctantly drags from the depths of his chest.

“Leave,” I hiss and turn my face away from him and close my eyes. I tuck my arms around my knees and lean against the wall. I can still feel the heat of his body and it makes me sick.

He sighs dramatically and stands. “Diane, I thought you’d like to know that the baby is doing well. It’s twins- fraternal twins. There’s a good chance that both Cortez and Ezra are the fathers.”
“Thank you, Marcus,” Diane sighs and closes her eyes. I’m happy that the sociopath may get another person she can love. I don’t want to think about the fact that it’s the person that isn’t related to her.

“Regina,” Marc calls to gain to my attention and I refuse the call. “We’re not done.”

I wait a moment for him to leave before I allow my body falls lax. My legs slide away from my body and flop to the floor. My head rolls on my neck and rests against the wall.

“Ahh,” I gasp in shock when something touches my lips and I bolt upright. The movement slams me into his arms, and
Marc fists my hair and growls.

“Four years ago you made a decision and I will not let you out of it. You are mine,” he growls and yanks my hair to shake my head. “Repeat after
me,” he enunciates.

“
No,” I defy him.

“Master… I… Am… Yours…” He bites out.

“This is inappropriate,” I hiss. I stare at my in-law and Marc’s wife. I can’t believe his audacity.

“Master… I… Am… Yours…” He repeats.

“Master, I am yours,” I fire rapidly. “But you’re going to fucking earn it!” I shout and splay my palms on his chest and forcefully push him away- he doesn’t budge.

“Fair enough,” he purrs as he smoothes my hair back down. “I’ll be at your house taking care of the kids. Whitt and your ladies will be here as soon as I relieve them. I’ve said this over and over, but you forget. I wish Adelaide all the best. She’s a bright, beautiful woman who has a lot to offer. Accept my sincerest condolences. I said a prayer at Temple before I came to you.”

Marc kisses me softly and leaves our private waiting room. I ignore Daniel and Diane as they inquisitively stare at the side of my face.

“Stop,” I groan when they keep looking at me after a half hour.

“I think we’re speechless,” Daniel says in awe.

“Where is that doctor? How long do we have to wait?” I grumble.

The door opening has us all eagerly rising to our feet. Whitt walks into the room holding Kristal’s and Fate’s hands. I hate seeing all three of them with red-rimmed eyes and devastated expressions on their splotchy faces.

“How are the kids?” I ask as I hug each of them. I hug Whitt last because
I don’t want to let go of him.

“We dragged a mattress into the living room. Niel’s surrounded by a harem of girls. Ava’s with us too. When I left, Roman and Marcus were forcing them to watch slapstick comedies while they gobbled pints of ice cream.” 

“Are they getting along okay?” I drag Fate over to the seat I was sitting in. Her legs look like they’re about to give out. Kris sits next to Daniel and glares at him, and he growls back at her.

“Whitney and Ava had a hair-pulling tantrum,” Whitt says in exhaustion. “It’s your mom’s fault. No, it’s your aunt’s fault. Your mom’s a whore. Well, at least I’m not the whore.” Whitt mimics in a bitchy voice and then a tinkling voice.
“You get the idea,” he groans.

“Did they stop?”

“Eventually,” he laughs.

“How?”

“I said we dragged a mattress into the living room. I didn’t say it w
as to lounge on,” he snickers.

“What!” I shout.

“I could only take so much whining and bitching. I’m gay, and a girl’s grating voice makes me want to tear my balls off,” Gentleman Whitt actually grabs his crotch. We all stare at him in disbelief. 

“I tossed a queen-sized mattress on the floor and told them to knock themselves out. After two minutes of hair-pulling and the most unoriginal name-calling, they started laughing. Marc and Roman walked in when all the girls were trying to pin Niel down. It was cute until he got a glint in his eye,
” Whitt chuckles and blushes. 

“Excuse me?”
I choke out.

“I separated them. Marc’s sitting in the middle with Ella curled up on his lap. Niel won’t be touching Ava tonight. It was nice
for everyone to have a laugh.”

“He better not touch Ava for three more years,” I grumble.

“Yeah, tell Ava that. She was the one initiating it. She got her ass slapped by Grandpa. She hasn’t spoken to Marc since.”

“Oh good Lord,” I pray. “You guys have nothing to add to this?” I ask the other grandparents. They smile sweetly at me. No doubt Diane and Daniel see the kids hooking up as the ultimate alliance.

“Thank you and I’m so sorry,” I whisper to my husband. I hold him as tightly as possible and breathe in his scent. We tremble in each other’s arms as reality crashed into us. I’m glad they had their tantrum and playtime. I don’t even care that Niel was being naughty. It kept them from the harsh reality of life for a few minutes, and that’s just what they need to stay sane.

Whitt embraces me with his whole body and repeats, “I love you and thank you for saving her,” over and over.

I cry- snot flowing, hiccupping, body-wracking sobs- bawling until my soul is cleansed. Whitt supports me, comforts me, and keeps me safe while I’m at my most vulnerable. I don’t know how long we stand in the middle of the waiting room with Ade’s loved ones crying and embracing around us, but it was what we all needed. Tomorrow I will hate Diane and fear Daniel, but tonight is about Ade.

Chapter Thirty-Three

“You’re doing
it all wrong,” I taunt Roman.

“Why don’t you show me how to do it,” he says impatiently. “It’s not wrong,” he grumbles.

“Oh yeah… Hey, Aaron,” I call out and the blue-eyed bruiser smiles at me. “He can hear,” I point out Roman’s inadequacies. 

Roman tries to pull Aaron’s hair and comes up empty handed. Finally he settles on yanking Aaron’s ears which defeats the purpose of the entire exercise. I laug
h so hard I fall off my stool.