Page 48 of Wallflower

Shantel is perturbed when the door closes behind her, leaving an air of tension woven through the room. Suddenly, I don’t like that she has a key to my hotel room, and I wonder if I should go to the desk and request a new one.

I can’t bother with that now, though. The up and down of my dick has my balls fucking aching.

“Hold her up, Karson. She’s weighing down the straps and I can’t get them undone.”

“Boss said she’s not to be injured further. I don’t know where to fucking grab her to follow orders.”

“Anywhere, fuck. Just don’t make any new injuries.”

Loud voices pull me from the blackness. Someone’s arms wrap around my cold, naked body, tightening to support my weight, and the scream I release is ear-splitting.

Abruptly, I’m dropped, as the man holding me covers his ears. My one hand slips free of its binding, crashing down to hang limply at my side, as the other still-confined wrist takes the entirety of my dead weight. Something dislodges—poppinginternally as pain fires anew. “Fuck. Shit. Karson! I thought you had her!”

My outcry of agony dissolves into a whimper as my eyes open. Sea glass irises look down upon me. “I need to lift you, can you contain your screaming?”

I offer a shaky nod, curling my lips over my teeth and biting down. Hoping the pain in my mouth will distract from the throbbing aches everywhere else.

It doesn’t.

“I think she fucked up her wrist.” The beefy one with the crew cut and tear drop tattoo says. I recognize him immediately, he’s the reason I’m in here.

It’s in me to interject. Complain that my semiconscious ass didn’t drop myself, he did. But I’m too fucking overwhelmed to speak.

“What the fuck do you mean?” Karson snaps. Together, he and I look up. My wrist is bent—stretched somewhat unnaturally as it hangs. He lifts me higher, taking more weight off my injury.

“Hurry Rylan, get her down.” He can’t like me very much after our first meeting, so I suppose he’s enjoying this.

The ginormous man at my back works quickly. “Don’t let her arm drop,” Karson directs, but Rylan isn’t quick enough to comply. My limb slams down against my hip, forcing a muffled scream as I fight to keep my lips shut.

“Does she need a doctor?” Maximus’s voice coolly calls out. Not from the crackling speaker this time, but from the doorway, shocking the three of us.

Rylan lifts my arm carefully, face contorting with concern the longer he examines it. “Hard to say how bad it is without an x-ray.”

Maximus sweeps into the room, feet scuffing through the dried pool of blood. “Let me see.” Rylan scurries out of the way,and Maximus gently takes my hand in his, like a handshake. “Hold tight, Karson.”

My eyes shoot to his aqua green ones, as his hold on me becomes crushing. He’s not dressed in the usual uniform today, unlike Rylan who’s every bit the dutiful guard. He looks like any happy-go-lucky island dweller, ready to grab a board and hit the crashing surf.

“Get her a bit.” Maximus snaps, other hand wrapping firmly around my forearm. Behind me, the clanking of Rylan’s belt is loud. He whips it free of the loops, causing cool air to move across my skin.

“Open up,” he says, coming over my shoulder.

I hesitate, knowing but still terrified of what comes next.

“I’d listen, Rose.” Karson’s hold loosens slightly, becoming more of a comfort.

Reluctantly, my mouth drops open.

Rylan places his folded leather belt between my teeth, holding it with a hand on either side of my head.

Without warning, Maximus yanks on my hand as Karson crushes me to him once more. “Don’t scream, bite down.” He grunts, trying to control my agonized writhing.

Rylan pulls back on the belt, controlling me like a wild mare that refuses to be broken.

Though I burn with the desire to fight, withstand, overcome…it’s too much. I feel like I’m coming apart from the torture.

Maximus twists my hand back and forth, fingers of his free hand pushing and directing the inner carpels of my wrist.

Shadows curtain the corners of my vision, and my body begins to droop, head lolling to the side.