I stand up and walk over to him.
“What do you have to say about that?” I speak calmly, eerily.
“She laid on the table willingly,” he says through a mumbled whisper.
I punch him in the stomach. Not my little Siren. She is loyal now.
“She wouldn’t fucking do that,” I say through gritted teeth.
“S-she did…”
I punch him again as he coughs.
“She did! She left with him willingly. She’s a whore!” Nicolette chimes in.
I walk over to her, delivering the same punch to the stomach I gave Victor. Fuck her.
I need to clear my fucking head. I storm out of the room because I am on the verge of snapping. She wouldn’t willingly go. Would she?
I get in my car and drive back to her. I need to bring her here. She has some explaining to do. Even if she won’t fucking talk to me. I’ll fucking make her. She is my fucking wife.
23
Lucien
“Astra!” I shout into the house.
Nothing. God fucking dammit.
I storm back into the bathroom and see her floating on her back in the water. She senses my movement and pulls herself up from the water.
“Get dressed. You’re coming with me.”
Her brows pinch together, but she nods, agreeing with me.
“Fucking talk to me!” I scream at her.
Tears roll down her perfect cheeks.
She pulls her lips apart, baring her teeth. Metal. Covered in metal. My heart pangs with a sliver of guilt.
This whole time, I thought she was fucking traumatized when she actually has her jaw wired shut.
Fuck.
I rush up to her.
“It’s okay, baby. Dr. Marlowe will help us. Okay?” I stroke her hair, tucking a piece behind her ear.
I whisk away her tears. I will always fucking save her. I am her only savior.
“Get dressed,” I say once more, holding her shoulders in my hands. She nods again and gets out of the tub.
Once she dresses, we head back to the compound. I don’t give a fuck if she can talk right now. A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ will suffice. It might make things easier.
Dr. Marlowe will be there to help her when it’s all said and done, but first, things need to be said. Then… they need to be done.
* * *