Sang's POV
"It's uncomfortable for me to have any kind of real conversation with you while you're huddled down on the floor. I'm getting old, you know, and having to kneel just isn't working for me. Tom, do me a favor and grab some 'medicine' for our friend here, please," he says before standing up.
Desperate for something to relieve this headache, I don't say anything until I see Bennett coming back towards me carrying a syringe. "What is that?" I ask, shaking again.
"You should be excited, Blondie! This will take that headache away in no time. It'll also make you much more, what's the word...pleasant to deal with," Bennett says as he grabs my arm.
"No! No no no no no! Please don't do this. I'm fine, I can get up," I say while struggling against his hold but I have no leverage. I'm held down and the needle slips in just under my left elbow. They release me after pushing the plunger down, emptying the drug into my system. I curl back up into the fetal position, already feeling a weird tingling sensation from the shot.
"Wait for it..." Bennett says from where he's hovering above me.
All of a sudden a rush of heat floods my body causing my back to arch, and my nails try to grip against the cement floor, scrabbling for purchase. I feel flushed from head to toe. My headache rapidly recedes but it's replaced by a strange throbbing sound that captures all of my attention. It takes a few moments for me to realize it's the beat of my heart, amplified to where I can feel it everywhere and the sound reverberates in my ears. I've completely forgotten the two men nearby as my body rides this strange high. Suddenly, Bennett speaks directly by my ear. "What do you think?" he says, causing a shiver to rush down my spine from the air whispering across my skin. He brushes his fingers down my arm and the sensation explodes inside my body.
"Oh god, what did you give me?"
"You like that? It's just in from Italy. A perfectly lovely little combination of ecstasy, cocaine, and opium. Rather unstable really but you seem to be handling it quite well so far," the boss says from above, and I see they're both smirking at me.
Bennett grabs me by the waist to raise me to a standing position, but the feel of his hands causes me to throw my head back, hands gripped on his shirt. I'm aware enough to know that I'm repulsed that he's touching me but I have absolutely no control over my body's reaction. "Please...stop..." I whisper out.
"Blondie, we're just getting started," he says as he presses me against him, causing another shudder.
"Bennett, save it for the show. Did you send the messenger yet? We don't want our guest to be late. I want this place set up for his arrival and triple up security. Have Adams get her cleaned up and changed, she needs to look perfect."
I'm settled back down into a seated position. Before the door closes on me again, Bennett leans down to whisper into my ear. "Later," he says before straightening up with a smile as he adjusts himself.
I have to get out of here.
**************************
Owen's POV
"Eavesdropping, Mr. Morgan?" I raise my eyebrow at him.
"You're in my house. It is not my fault that you were speaking loudly enough to be heard as I walked by. I'll say it again: Tell us what?" His eyes have a stubborn glint in them that I don't usually see from Victor.
Sean drops down to sit on the bed and hangs his head. "My fault, I shouldn't have brought it up. I didn't think anyone would be out there." He looks up to meet Victor's eye. "I'm going to ask you not to push this right now. It will do no one any good. He's promised to talk to everyone altogether once we get Sang back."
"No, no secrets. I want to know what you're both talking about. Is this about Sang? Why would it affect North and me specifically?" Victor says, stepping forward with clenched fists.
Looking at his expression, I know he's not going to give this up. "Take a seat," I say, gesturing towards the bed. Not willing to sit next to Sean myself, I take the armchair in the corner of the room, sitting up stiffly. This conversation will go differently than it did the first time telling it. I'm speaking through a wall of dispassion, my feelings successfully blocked off since Sean walked away.
"I misled all of you the night that Miss Sorenson left," I start off monotonously. "When I told all of you that she didn't love us that way, you took it to mean that she didn't care about us at all and I did nothing to correct that misunderstanding. In fact, she loved all of us quite a bit, as brothers, but when she told me that she was only in love with one of you I made the decision to hide that from our family. She chose to leave rather than cause a rift between us and I aided her in that endeavor." I stop speaking to watch his reaction.
His eyes have blown wide and his jaw drops open. His fists tighten over and over and he's staring blankly at the wall. Sean puts his hand on Victor's shoulder in comfort and solidarity. Victor looks over at him. "You knew about this?"
"No, I found out yesterday. He told me after the meeting," Sean replies.
"Wait, you said 'especially Victor and North.' What did you mean by that?" Victor asks Sean. Sean looks over at me, redirecting the question my way.
I sigh before responding. "She refused to tell me who she was in love with, but my guess is that it was either Dr. Green, the younger Mr. Taylor, or you."
At that, Victor slides off the bed onto his knees, doubled over. I hear a sob coming from him and I see his shoulders shake from the force of it. I feel a sharp pang in my chest in response, but quickly bury that reaction and feeling away. I watch, emotionlessly, as Sean gets down next to him, wrapping his arms around Victor.
I feel as I did that day, after she told me. Sean was right yesterday when he said that any of them would have held Sang after hearing such a confession, yet all I had done was sit there. Blocking out my responses. My self-defense mechanism has turned me into the cold hearted bastard that Sean accused me of being. Logically, I know that if I was to climb down on the ground with them right now, taking them both in my arms, I might be able to begin to repair the damage I've done. In the process though, I'd shatter. The glue holding me together is too thin, weak. The last couple days have tested my composure. If I lost that, I'd be incapable of continuing on, and I need to hold myself together until we get Sang back.
And so, instead, I get up and walk around where they are still huddled together, supporting each other. I exit the house and get in my car. I don't remember most of the drive home, lost in a haze. I pull into my driveway, getting out and locking the car door behind me. On autopilot, I make my way to my front door. Just as I'm about to let myself inside, I'm startled out of my thoughts by a voice.
"Excuse me, sir. Are you Mr. Blackbourne?" I turn and see a boy, no older than 12, standing before me.
"Yes, I am. Who are you?" I reply.
He pulls out an envelope and hands it over. "I was told to deliver this to you," he says, rocking back and forth on his heels.
I hold the envelope in my hand, examining the expensive card stock that has my name written in neat calligraphy on the front. "Who sent you?" I say, reaching into my back pocket to get a tip that he's obviously waiting for.
"They didn't say, just asked me to deliver it." He grabs the money I'm holding out before turning around and dashing off. His speed didn't stop me from spotting the small snake tattoo on his wrist though.
I look down at the envelope in trepidation. I go into the house, making my way to my office. Picking up the letter opener, I slide it under the fold and then pull out the card. I open it up to read the inside.
"You're cordially invited...."