Page 20 of Master B-0361

Thoughts and memories were sucked down in the constant spin as I went in and out of consciousness. I threw up at some point. I knew that but fuck if I could stop it. I couldn’t even move. I couldn’t wake up. I was back and forth, but where I was, I didn’t have a clue. Time passed. Lots of time. And more pounding came, but not the kind I wanted. It was deep in my head, pulsing behind my eyes as it grew louder by the second.

Cracking my lids, I winced, reaching for my face.My eyes. I didn’t make it there before I gagged at the taste in my mouth and the smell breaking through the fog of my mind. I was damn near on top of a body. A small body. And there were chunks ofsomething in her hair and along her throat. The bed was soaking wet with her piss. My pants and bottom of my shirt were wet where I’d had my leg over her waist. It was the tears and those heartbroken eyes that had me lifting. It was the hard knocking on my door that had me cursing.

“Fuck.Fuck.I’ll be back.” I didn’t even have to roar from the rage I felt at myself. The anger was alive in every inch of me as I lifted my hands towards her apologetically. “I’ll be back. One minute.”

As if she believed me. I sure as fuck wouldn’t. Not that I should even give a shit. I hadn’t with the others. I hadn’t cared about their comfort or my actions. They were here to be what I needed. Nothing else. Yet…one night and everything had changed. Wanting. Yearning. Passion. Her need for me, it fucking poisoned my heart. The acid it left behind was dripping Maggie’s essence free, taking her. Replacing her with...what exactly? Margaret? Change? Hadn’t I wanted to break free of this anyway?

I took large steps, swinging open the door to connect with blue eyes. Elec’s gaze lowered to stop at my wet pajamas.

“I don’t want to know. I really don’t want to fucking know. You have shit on your face too. Is that throw-up?”

“What do you want?”

My voice was raspy. Raw.

“Your brother’s been calling all morning trying to get through to you. When he couldn’t, he called me to see if I killed you. I’m afraid I can’t take credit for this one. You’re doing just fine killing yourself.”

“Fuck off. I can’t take this right now. Is that it?”

“Did you really tell him to go to Tuscany?”

My jaw clenched. “Bet your ass I did. I don’t trust the two of you close to each other. You’re like two fucking grenades waiting for an excuse to explode. Even Tuscany isn’t far enough.”

“Well, he’s not there, just so you know.”

“What do you mean he’s not there?”

I nodded for Elec to come in, but his hand waved as his head shook. “I’m not fucking going in there. I can smell you enough from here. Hale’s at home. He and I…we’re sorting out our differences.”

“Sorting them out? Like, how?”

“Like work acquaintances should. We’re making rules. Healthy boundaries, if you will. I let him know my offer still stood for acceptance into the Gardens.” At my glare, he lifted his hand. “So long as it was okay with you. He does belong here, Seb. It’s a damn lonely place out there to deal with this sort of heaviness on your own. You know that. Why deny him the help only we can offer?”

“He doesn’t need help.”

“You’re wrong.” Elec shoved his hands in his pocket. “Did you know he had a child?”

“What?”

Elec didn’t speak as he stared me down. “Had, Seb. Not anymore. Those wives…not all of them are good.”

“That’s against the rules. Hale would never cross the line with a wife.”

“Maybe she didn’t leave him a choice.”

“You can’t just tell me this shit and not go into full detail. What the hell happened with my brother? He never told me anything. Who got pregnant? Who is she?”

“That’s not my story to tell.”

“Bullshit. If someone hurt or took advantage of my brother, I have every right to know.”

“Will you let him become a Master if I tell you?”

“No.”

Elec shrugged. “Too bad. I guess you’ll never know. He’ll never tell you. He doesn’t even know I found out.”

“How did you find out?”