“Go to hell.”
He shook his head. “We’re not doing this, Mari. You have no choice. You belong to me, and I’m going to make certain if there’s a baby, it’s mine. Get into the shower and do as I say.”
She scowled at him. “Did you really think it would be that easy? That you’d walk in here and take away what little personal choices I have left and I’d just go along with it? Brett was a vicious brute and I despised him. You were always special to me. I couldn’t have respected you more. But this . . .” She spread her hands and shook her head. “This is a despicable act, and anything you get from me you’ll just have to take. And you can live with knowing you’re a sick f**king ra**st like Brett.”
“I gave up my life for you, Mari. You will do what I say. I sold my soul to Whitney for you.”
“You don’t have a soul.”
“Get in there and shower before I drag you in and scrub you myself.”
“You’re such an ass**le, Sean.”
Sean grabbed her by her hair and dragged her toward the bathroom, erupting into fury when she didn’t do as he ordered. He shoved her hard. “Get in there.”
She kicked the door closed in his face.
Mari. Baby. What’s happening? You’re scaring me, honey. Stop trying to cut yourself off from me.
She thought she had cut her mind off from Ken’s, not just tried. She must have reached out because she was so stressed and afraid. She didn’t want him to know, to witness her utter humiliation. She stood for a moment leaning against the bathroom door and then began to strip. Once Sean heard the shower, he might calm down and she could talk reasonably with him.
Mari stepped under the cascading water and closed her eyes, turning up her face. You can’t help me now, Ken. This place is locked down and I can’t escape without the others. I won’t go without them. I’d never forgive myself. Please go away.
What the hell are you saying to me?
She leaned up against the shower stall and let the tears leak out under the spray of hot water, pretending she wasn’t giving in to the feeling of despair, but she was drowning in it. Her chest felt tight. She could barely breathe, and her throat was raw and choking her. For the first time that she could remember, she felt panicked.
Honey. His voice moved in her mind. Soft. So tender it brought a fresh flood of tears. I’m here, Mari. Talk to me. Share it with me. Lean a little bit, for God’s sake.
I can’t. She wanted to reach out. She wanted to feel the comfort of his arms, and maybe that was what was wrong. Ken had made her weak, made her feel she needed him. She’d always been able to endure—to stand alone, but now she wanted the solid rock of his body, the strength of his arms. She wanted him to shelter her close and stop the insanity before she lost her own mind. Whitney was tearing her into little pieces, just as Ekabela had cut Ken’s body into tiny sections.
You can tell me anything.
You get so angry. She had had enough of angry men. She wrapped her arms around herself and huddled down, wishing she could disappear down the drain with the water.
Not at you. I have rage in me that I’ve never let out, and maybe it comes boiling to the surface, but never at you, Mari. I just want to make things better for you. Tell me.
She was going to tell him and she knew it was mistake, but she couldn’t stop herself. She desperately, desperately, needed someone. Whitney gave me to Sean. Sean killed Brett. The body is outside my door and Sean is waiting for me. He isn’t going to take no for an answer and he’s way stronger than I am. You can’t get to me in time. Not if you’re on the second level.
For a moment he was gone; his mind jerked abruptly out of hers, leaving her alone and bereft and feeling sick. A loud thump on the door made her jump. Sean was coming to get her and there was no way out.
Baby, listen to me. There was pain in his voice, in his mind, pain and guilt mixed with the coldest rage she’d ever touched. I can’t get to you. I’m drilling through a cap to try to find a way into the wall below me. Everything dead-ends here.
It’s okay. Really it is. It wasn’t and they both knew it.
Stay with me. Keep your mind in mine.
No. I don’t want you here with me when this happens. I feel unclean. I couldn’t bear for you to witness this.
She felt the sensation of lips brushing the corner of her mouth, and she touched her lips in wonder. How did you do that?
The door banged open and Sean ripped the shower curtain aside. Mari looked up at him with her tear-wet face, feeling total despair.
Try to connect with him mentally. Is he a telepath?
Yes. For a moment she didn’t comprehend, and then a tiny hope flickered and blossomed. She didn’t dare believe it could work, because it would be so terrible if he couldn’t do it. Can you use mind control on him?
I’m sure as hell going to try. You can’t make a mistake, Mari, and accidentally give away the fact that I’m here and we’re communicating.