Death of a King

Chapter 41

At least when Dustin handcuffed me to a pipe, it was because he didn't want me getting away to ultimately turn him in and ruin his life. An understandable reason.

Rosen's decision to detain me came from the sole desire of putting me on display for his men to view, to make an example out of me. To show that Rosen can take even those with the strongest will and bend them, break them. Because he wanted to remind me that my acceptance to his gang meant I no longer have independence. I'm property now and property obeys.

Which is how I wound up with my hands tied together behind my back, leashing me to the fence that surrounded Reaper headquarters.

I never would have thought I'd miss the pipe in Dustin's room.

But I did. I missed everything about that room, even that uncomfortable couch. From the bare walls to the blood stained floorboards, the messy dressers to the dusty fan, each item and object just another reminder of a place I'll never see again. But most of all, I missed the man who called that room home because without him, I felt incomplete. Like I was here, but not all of me. Half of me was somewhere very far away, hurting and alone.

I suppose I'll have to get used to this feeling, considering I'm promised to someone else.

As Rosen permitted, a party was in full swing. The night crept on, filling the late hour with loud music and drunken babbling from those who couldn't hold their liquor. For my sake, as well as their own, Corinth and Eli remained near the car in refusal to leave until they had definitive evidence that Dustin had been released and that I wouldn't be harmed. Not once have their eyes moved away from my position except to glare at the Reapers who called out to me with vulgar suggestions and crude behavior.

But through it all, the fear on behalf of myself and my friends, I don't regret what I did. This isn't the life I wanted, nor was it the life I envisioned when arriving here only a few hours ago, but it is now the life I accept. Because even though I'm miserable and fearful of what half these men would do to me should they ever find me alone, I know that this sacrifice means Dustin gets to live. He gets to be free.

I told Corinth he was worth it and my mind hasn't been swayed, not even by the insight into what my future shall be as a member here. I'd rather be a prisoner with Dustin mourning my absence from the comfort of his own room, than still have my own freedom while Dustin was slowly beaten to death behind bars. In the end, Dustin was worth this and so much more.

"My father says Dustin's release is well underway." I heard someone announce from my left. With my limited mobility, I twisted my body awkwardly to see Chris making a slow approach with his hands clasped behind his back as if to show he were here under peaceful pretenses. He even offered a tiny smile, "Sometimes Rosen's cruelty is an advantage, you'd be surprised how quickly people seek to please my father's demands."

Knowing that Dustin has been set free eased some small portion of dread sitting like a stone in my gut, but the fact that I heard such news from my husband to be only transformed that dread into nausea. Chris, from what I've seen thus far, is a decent man who held morals to a higher standard than his poor excuse of a father. But in this line of work, trust is earned not given. And though he's been kind, Chris hasn't earned my trust.

It was his eyes, there was something about them that caused me to hesitate. Phantoms of a haunted past that reminded me all too much of Dustin. I suppose they are similar. They're both men of war, built up over decades of torture and persecution of the innocent. Such things were forced on them by their fathers and while they committed crimes unwillingly at first, it became a part of them. Woven so deeply into their lives that one couldn't separate their soul from the stain.