Page 73 of Psycho

As if he can read my mind, he reaches for my hand again, pain reflecting in his eyes as I pull back.

“Don’t.”

The doctor nods at Massimo.

“I think she’ll be fine. She’ll likely be sore for a few days, but I don’t see anything permanent, or life threatening. Rest and rehydration will help.”

“Thank you,” I say, and he leaves the room.

“You’re angry with me.”

Am I? I don’t know what I am. He tried to sell me, and yes, changed his mind, but does that make it okay? No, it doesn’t. How was that even a thought? Sure, he didn’t know who I was, or his connection to me at the time, but I’m a person. And his choices led me right into Jimmy’s hands.

“We’re going to talk about this, but I have to go deal with him. You can come with me, or stay here in this room. If you choose to come with me, you need to prepare yourself. You’re going to see things that might be hard to watch. If you don’t hate me already, you might, after seeing what I’m going to do to that asshole. I’m not a good man, Hadley. This is how I handle scum that hurts what’s mine. And you can be angry, baby, but you are still mine. Are you coming or staying?”

“Coming. I want to watch him suffer.”

“Good girl.” He winks at me, and I ignore the butterflies in my stomach, as he lifts me into his arms, holding me with one arm, as he pulls the IV on the pole behind us. Massimo carries me into the room, where there are far too many people.

One of the men exits the room, and comes back with a chair. Massimo says, “Thanks, Drake.”

He sets me in the chair, and my eyes go to a naked, trembling Jimmy, on what looks like a small kitchen table, his arms chained to the wall, and his legs connected to the opposite wall, with longer chains.

Four men approach him, and the one says, “We’re going to head out. You could’ve handled this alone, but you know if you need us, call.”

Massimo shakes his hand.

“Thank you, Domenic. And we couldn’t have done it alone. If it weren’t for you, I might never have found her in time. Thank you.”

A pretty blonde bounces over to me excitedly.

“Hi. I’m Mia.”

She points out the other people in the room.

“That’s Trevor, Hunter, Jade, Nash, and my big bro, Max.”

Mia watches me with obvious interest.

“You’re with Psycho?”

I shake my head no.

“Not exactly.”

A growl sounds out across the room, from Massimo, where he stands beside Jimmy.

“Yes. She belongs to me.”

“Possessive asshole,” I say under my breath, but apparently loud enough for her to hear, because she giggles.

“Possessive men are where it’s at. Does he even love you, if he won’t kill a man for looking at you?”

I shift in my seat uncomfortably, because the pain is a lot better, but my leg still doesn’t feel good.

“You’re bubbly,” I say, more to myself than her.

With a wink, she responds, “I’m a pitch black, ray of sunshine. Generally friendly and warm. Not unlike you, men tried to destroy the good in me, and I developed another side. Now, I fear no one, instead, I instill it.”

---