Page 259 of Shadowman
“Come with me,” I sigh, walking past him.
I’m not sure that he’s following me at first. But after a beat, I can feel him.
I bring him downstairs, all the while mulling over the events of the last week or so, since Manuel Blanco put me in charge of Dr. Love’s fate. Let’s not pretend he wouldn’t have had his doctors doing whatever they wanted to Lemuel, regardless of my involvement. I think we all know how The Ivory operates by now. But bestowing uponmethis gift of revenge…
It has felt every bit as loaded as I’m sure it was intended.
“Where are we going?” Byron asks nervously when I bring him to the stairs. The ones that godown.
I don’t answer him. I just keep moving, taking the stone steps down into the depths of darkness.
The mansion’s basement—at least this part of it—is reminiscent of Alabaster Penitentiary, in that it’s cold, and it smells like concrete and musty ocean.And it’s currently housing prisoners.
Dim light guides us into the dungeon—or as Manuel Blanco refers to it,the tombs—and I spot him right away. My chest constricts, and my teeth set.
“What the…” Byron gasps, shock and horror swallowing his gruff words.
“Yea.” I stop and just stare.
Lemuel Love is slumped on the floor, his hands cuffed behind his back and his ankle shackled to a post. He’s wearing the same clothes he’s been wearing since the night I plucked him out of his fancy bedroom upstairs, where he was existing in a bubble of blissful ignorance and overconfidence with his sweet little psycho boyfriend.
“Fiancé,”Leo’s voice echoes behind me, and I cringe.
Those fancy tailored fabrics are all worn and dirty now, stained with blood. His eyes are closed, as if maybe he’s asleep, or at least attempting it. But there’s visible strain around them, marks on his exposed skin that tell the tale of what’s been happening down here.
“The doctors have been doing things to him.” I bite the inside of my cheek. “Ihave…”
I feel Byron gaping at me, so I allow my eyes to meet his. The look he’s giving me only confirms all of my hidden doubts, and I don’t like it.
“Trevel, this is…” His voice trails, and he shakes his head, glancing at Dr. Love. “Why…?”
“Why?” I chuckle derisively. “Why??Are you serious?? Youknowwhy, Byron…”
“I know, but this… Trevel, this is sick.” He steps over to Dr. Love, whose eyes slowly creep open. There’s instant rage in his amber glare, masking visible exhaustion, and some fear.
“This is what you wanted,”the voice inside tells me.“Revenge. At any cost.”
“He deserves it,” I sniff, choking back every foolish morsel of remorse, becausefuck it, right?
I deserve this.
This ismine.
“Does he, though??” Byron snaps, and I squint at him. “I mean,come on, Trevel. Wake up! We all know The Ivory would’ve gotten you here with or without him, so what’s the fucking point??”
“It’s the dungeon.” I shrug. “And nowhe’sthe prisoner…”
“If you think you’re not prisoners, you’re in for a world of hurt…” Lemuel rasps, eyes closing again. He rests his head against the wall as if he’s too tired to hold it up.
Byron gestures with his hand, in a sort ofSee? Told youmotion of agreement with Dr. Love’s statement.
“You shut the fuck up,” I growl at Lemuel. “You brought this on yourself, you know you did.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” he breathes out.
“This is insane,” Byron grumbles. And nowhe’spacing. “I didn’t want any of this, you know that?? I only went along with that bullshit plan for you!”
“Right!” I bark at him. “Youdid! Because you agreed with me… You wanted revenge on Felix Darcey as much as I wanted it on this wanker.”
