Madness: A Dark Revenge Romance

I wake to the sound of a knock on the door. Sliding my arm out from underneath my wife, I pull on a pair of boxer briefs that are on the floor and open my door. Kashton stands in front of me, both arms on the doorframe. His eyes slide to a sleeping Charlotte before they come back to mine.

“The Lords texted us.” His clipped voice informs me he’s still mad at me after what took place down in the basement.

My phone died hours ago, and I didn’t bother to charge it. “We don’t do assignments.” I go to shut the door, but he stops it with his foot.

“We’ve been scheduled for a pickup and delivery back here to Carnage.”

I sigh, running a hand down my face. Can’t we get one night without someone fucking it up? “I’ll meet you downstairs in ten.” I slam the door shut and walk back over to her.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

Running my fingertips over her cheek, I push her dark hair from her bruised face. I have never been paranoid before, but everything seems suspicious regarding her. Like this? Are the Lords summoning me to leave her alone so something can happen to her here while I’m away? Surely not. They know she’s my wife. She’s not technically untouchable, but it does make her important—more so than she already was. And no one wants to see what I will do if they decide to target her.

Her eyes flutter open, and she looks up at me. “Come back to bed.” She reaches out and wraps her hand around my wrist.

I kneel next to the bed. “I’ll be back, okay?”

“Where are you going?” She yawns.

“The Lords need me, but I’ll be right back.”

“Wake me up.” Her eyes flutter shut, and I smile.

“Of course.” I kiss her forehead and stand. Shutting the door behind me, I make my way to the first floor and out the door.

The hearse that we use for Carnage sits running in the circle drive. Knowing Kash is inside, I open the passenger side door and fall into it.

Thankfully, he remains silent. We haven’t spoken since we were down in the basement and Saint admitted they made a deal with the Lords, other than him just coming to get me. I have nothing else to say about it. And I meant it when I told him to tell the Lords to fuck off.

The radio plays “Anywhere But Here” by Five Finger Death Punch and Maria Brink. I close my eyes and lean my head against the headrest. I’m tired. My body has gotten accustomed to lying next to Charlotte every night with my cock inside her. She helps me sleep, and I hate how dependent I’ve become on her. I never knew my body could get that much rest.

The car coming to a stop has my eyes opening, and I sit up to see we’re at the cathedral. Getting out, we make our way into the double doors and walk down the long aisle, passing rows and rows of pews toward the Lords altar.

A man lies on his back, arms and legs tied to each corner—spread eagle. He’s naked and bleeding from cuts and gashes all over his body. Confessionals are always getting dirty.

They secure the Lord to the altar, and then one Lord gets to do whatever he wants to get the Lord to expose all his secrets. It’s up to the higher-ups if he is to be left dead or alive. We’ve been summoned to take him back to Carnage. Poor bastard would be better off dead.

A woman stands in front of the altar with her back to us. She’s dressed in fishnet tights, a pleated black miniskirt that sits high on her slim waist and a white crop top with black chunky boots that lace up the front. Her bleach-blond hair is up in a messy bun, and she hums a lullaby as she dunks a sponge into the bucket beside the altar next to her feet. Soaking the sponge, she lets the water drip from it before she washes the man off.

He screams into the gag secured in his mouth by the leather harness wrapped around his head. Kashton and I make our way to the front of the aisle and sit down in the front of each pew.

Her humming echoes throughout the open space, and I look at Kash to see him leaning forward in the pew, his elbows on his knees and chin in his hands. His eyes are zeroed in on her ass while she leans over, washing the Lord.

She knows someone was called to collect him and we’re here. She just doesn’t care. When she’s finished, she’ll let us know.

The woman’s voice grows louder, and instead of humming, she sings the words to “Hush, Little Baby.” I have to admit she has a pretty voice. The hauntingly beautiful sound fills the cathedral.

She takes her time, carefully cleaning him as if he’s made of glass and requires tenderness. When she drops the sponge into the bucket, water splashes over the edge, and she turns to look at Kash. “A little help, please?” She holds out her left hand.

He gets up and walks over to her. Taking her hand, he helps her get up onto the altar where she straddles the guys waist. “Hand me that basket.” She points at a wicker basket on the floor next to the stairs.

Kashton picks it up for her and places it next to the man’s head. He steps back, shoving his hands into the pocket of his hoodie and watches to see what she’s going to do.

The woman lifts the guy’s head and undoes the buckle on the gag. Ripping it from his mouth, she tosses it to the floor, and he begins to scream.

“You fucking crazy bitch!” He yanks on the ropes and tries to buck her off, but she holds steady, digging into the basket.

Pulling a roll of duct tape out, she rips the corner piece free and places it over his lips. Then she grips his hair and lifts his head off the altar as she wraps the duct tape around his head several times before leaning over and ripping it off with her teeth.

She pulls out a small blowtorch from the basket and turns it on. She places the flame against the tape while his muffled screams fill the room. “That should keep it in place.” She smiles and taps the side of his face as she speaks to him. “Those who spill secrets will be silenced.”

She goes to get up, and Kashton rushes over. Grabbing her waist, he helps her down off the altar. She thanks him before walking around to the opposite side of the altar. Her green eyes meet mine before she looks over at Kash. “He’s ready for you.” She gives us a chilling smile. Her bright white teeth are a noticeable contrast to her black eye shadow and red lips.

The man’s screams grow louder, and he fights the rope harder. She looks down at him with that smile still on her face. She touches his cheek, and he arches his back, trying to pull away.

I stand and walk over to the altar, and as I get closer, I notice she had sewn him up prior to cleaning him. It’s nothing professional. Just a needle and black thread. Scanning his body quickly, I count at least fifteen different places from head to toe. Some around five inches long, others shorter.

“Nice work,” I tell her.

“Practice makes perfect.” She grabs the pleats of her black skirt and curtsies. Her green eyes slide from mine to Kash, and she winks at him. Then they drop to the Lord on the altar. He still wears his brand. That’s our job to remove. Reaching up, she taps the side of his bloody, snot-covered face. “If you’re lucky, I’ll come visit you in hell.” With that, she spins around and walks out the side door.

Kashton watches the now closed door while he speaks. “Do you believe in coincidences?”

“No,” I answer.

“Me either.”

CHARLOTTE

I’m exiting the bathroom and stepping into Haidyn’s bedroom at Carnage when I hear the doorknob turn before it opens. He goes to step in when someone calls his name.

“Haidyn?”

He pauses while still in the hallway, but the door remains open while I stand in his bedroom.

“What’s up, Ash?” He sighs, running a hand down his face.

He left me in bed in the middle of the night when Kashton came to get him. He said the Lords needed him. I don’t know where he went or what he did, but judging by the blood on his shirt and jeans, I’d say someone is either dead or wishing they were.

“I wanted to talk to you,” she says softly.

I can’t see her from where she stands because she’s not in the way of the open door, but I can hear her as clear as day. Haidyn stays silent, facing her.

“I just wanted to tell you that I love you too,” she rushes out.

My stomach drops at her words, confused and instantly irritated.

When silence stretches between the two of them, she continues. “So much happened so fast. The wreck…you got shot…” She sniffs. “Those four days… thinking you were dead and then you were alive. After everything unfolded with Benny, you left.” She steps closer to him, coming into view, and I watch her start to wrap her arms around his neck, but he reaches up and grabs her wrists, stopping her.

Her shoulders slump, and he releases her before they drop to her sides. “I’m sorry, Haidyn, for everything. Just know that I do love you.” She stands up on her tiptoes and kisses his cheek before he can pull back, turns around, walking away. The sound of a door closing tells me she returned to her and Saint’s room.

Haidyn turns to enter his door and comes to a stop when he sees me standing by his bed, holding the towel wrapped around my body and hair dripping wet. I got tired of waiting for him to come back, so I took a shower.

He slams the door shut and then silently walks past me, entering the bathroom and shutting that door as well.

I stand staring at the now closed door to his room. I can hear the blood rushing in my ears and feel my heart pounding in my chest. My skin is hot. I decide that I hate her fucking guts. More so than I did when I watched him fuck her ass in that video.

I don’t care what kind of past they have or what kind of future we lack. She knows I’m here with him. She knows that I’m his wife! Why confess her love now? He did so much for her in the past. She had to have known how he felt about her, right? Was she stupid, or just didn’t care then? Four years she was gone and now that she’s back and Haidyn has a wife, she cares? I don’t buy that.

Spinning around, I shove the bathroom door open. The steam has already started to fill the large space from his shower. I yank that door open and cross my arms over my chest. “What was that about?”

He has his back to me. Turning around, he opens his eyes and looks down at me. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” I give a rough laugh. “She tells you that she loves you…too, might I add, and you call that nothing.” I understand we’re where we are at because of the Lords. But what I just saw makes me want to cut a bitch. My mother and Anne said he loved her, and that’s why he killed their fathers for her. But I never really thought about it until now. Seeing it and hearing it are two very different things. I’m becoming attached to my husband, and I will make sure anyone who tries to take him knows I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him.

“It’s not what you think.” He blows it off.

I snort. “So you’re saying you’ve never told her that you love her?” He remains silent. “Let me guess, you’re also going to tell me that you’ve never fucked her?” When he doesn’t respond, I growl. “That’s what I thought.” I know the truth; I just didn’t want to think of it.

Maybe that video meant more than I thought it did. I know Haidyn has been with other women. Hell, he probably couldn’t even give me a body count if I asked. I’m the dumb one who had to save herself for him.

I go to slam the glass door shut, but he grabs my hand and yanks me into the shower, instantly soaking me and my towel. “Haidyn,” I hiss, wiping the water from my face so I can open my eyes.

He pushes my back into the cold wall, and I shiver as he presses his body into mine. I glare up at him. “So she’s with Saint because she didn’t want you.” I can’t help but keep talking. Maybe I want to piss him off. Perhaps I want him to wrap his hand around my throat and choke me out. Maybe I want him to fuck me so hard that I scream his name so she can hear it from across the hall. Isn’t that what a man is supposed to do—make other women jealous of you?

“No,” he says calmly. “She’s with Saint because I didn’t want her.” His right hand comes up and pushes the wet strands of hair off my cheek. “You’re the one I chose to marry⁠—”

“Because you had to.” I interrupt him. We’re not going to pretend that we got married because we love one another. “Are you still fucking her?” I’m not even sure I want to know the answer to that. A part of me wants him to say yes so I can have a reason to hate him. As if I don’t have enough already. Another part of me pleads with him to lie and say no. Surely, Saint doesn’t allow that. I almost laugh at myself. Of course, Lords share their wives. Wearing a ring and hearing I love you means nothing to them.