RAYNAR
Raynar ran out of the room. Why did he have to say Rogan needed someone like Bonnie and someone like him? Why couldn’t he have just kept his mouth shut? It was a mistake and he wished he could take it back but he couldn’t. He didn’t know who this Bonnie person was and yet he’d suggested all three of them start something.
What if he messed everything up?
Worry churned in his stomach as he walked to his car. It had sounded so right to say in the moment. No doubt he had messed things up with Rogan. Now, he needed to get far away and stay far away. Maybe he could quit his job.
But Raynar knew Rogan wouldn’t allow him to.
Tears of frustration pooled in his eyes. He took several deep breaths. He already felt like an idiot and now he was crying too. Raynar didn’t cry… much. If he did, it was when he was alone in the comfort of his own home. Not at the main house where anyone and everyone could see him.
Raynar got into his car and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the steering wheel. He needed to calm down before he drove. Driving while crying wasn’t something he wanted to do. He could get into a wreck.
Tap. Tap.
His teary eyes shot open and looked out the window. Lucius was standing on the other side, concern written all over his face. “Open up,” Lucius said, his tone brooking no argument.
Raynar panicked. There was no way he was going to roll down his window or open his car door. Not when he was crying. Locking the door, Raynar turned the car on.
“Roll down your window,” Lucius demanded. “Now.”
Before Lucius could do or say anything else, Raynar put his car into drive and pulled away. There was no way he was going to talk to him. It would be suicide. Lucius was a dominant person and Raynar was below him and Rogan in the family hierarchy. It was hard when they just oozed dominance.
Raynar carefully drove to his house and pulled into his driveway. All he wanted to do was roll into bed and cuddle his favorite dragon stuffie. He’d gotten it when he was a young boy and it never left his side, at least not when he was home. Spikey stayed in his bed while he was gone or away in the closet if other people were over. He didn’t want anyone to find out.
Sighing from the weight of the day, he walked into his house. His phone kept pinging, letting him know he had notifications, but he didn’t want to answer or even look at them. He already knew who they were from. Rogan and Lucius.
Walking up the stairs, he plopped down on his bed and grabbed Spikey. He pulled the worn dragon stuffie against his chest and cried his heart out into his pillow.
Why did he have to be so dumb?
ROGAN WAS TRYING to settle some things logistically before he went and moved Bonnie to a different room. He still hadn’t figured out which room it was going to be, but he knew it needed to have a bathroom in it. He hoped Angelo had gone back and let her go to the bathroom, which he probably did.
Angelo and Lucius seemed to have a soft spot for her. Rogan did as well, but he was trying to be cautious and not let feelings get in the way. He had so much to think about.
Bonnie was Ethan’s sister. There was no doubt in his mind Ethan was looking for her. He hadn’t heard anything on the street yet, but he knew it was going to start. If Ethan put this much effort into trying to keep her hidden, he would do everything in his power to find her.
Unless he’d decided she was just too much trouble, but Rogan didn’t think it was a possibility. Ethan didn’t seem like the type of person to just drop his sister. Though Rogan didn’t know him well, doing that to his sister just didn’t fit his vibe.
“Do you know what is wrong with Raynar?” Lucius asked, startling him.
Rogan sighed and closed his laptop. He was not going to get any more work done. “I’m going to take care of it.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing. I know what’s wrong and I’m going to make it right.”
Lucius tilted his head and furrowed his brow. Analyzing him. Rogan didn’t like it.
“What was it about?” Lucius asked.
“I said it was none of your concern,” Rogan replied, his tone more insistent this time. “I’m going to take care of it.”
“You need to filter it out at some point. Not good to keep everything in.”
Rogan sighed and leaned back in his chair. Why was his second-incommand so nosey?
“You’re annoying,” Rogan said to his best friend.
“You know I’m right. Sooner or later you’re going to blow up and it’s going to be at someone you don’t want it to be at. What if it’s your sister?
Or Bonnie? Maybe even Raynar?”
Rogan’s eyes narrowed in on Lucius. What did he know?
“Just tell me,” Lucius said, sounding exasperated.
“Raynar came in soon after you and Angelo left. He asked me if it was a bad time and I said yes and no. Anyways, he told me to tell him what was going on, so I did,” Rogan explained. “And then before I knew it, I commanded him to come to me and I kissed him.”
“Okay, and? Why did he go out running and crying?”
Rogan stilled. Raynar was crying when he left? He didn’t look like he was on the verge of tears when he was in his office.
“After I told him I may have feelings for Bonnie but she cried a lot, he told me maybe I needed someone like her and also someone who was less of a crier like him,” Rogan said. “Before I could even say anything, he dashed out of my office.”
“And you didn’t go after him?” Lucius asked.
“I fucking wanted to, but I didn’t want to create a scene. I don’t know if other people know.”
“That he’s a switch?” Lucius clarified, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
“How do you know?”
“I’ve just got that vibe from him. He also can’t lie to me. It’s pretty funny. He just gets all sub-like around me and you.”
Rogan sighed and nodded his head. “Don’t tell anyone.”
“I won’t,” Lucius promised. “But think about what he said.”
Before Rogan could respond, Lucius walked out of his office. What was with people and leaving his office after saying something, not giving him any time to reply?
Probably because they didn’t want him to reply. It made him mad.
Rogan pulled out his phone and tried calling Raynar, but it went straight to voicemail, so he sent a text instead.
ROGAN
Call me when you’ve calmed down so we can talk. If you don’t, I’m coming over to your house.
BONNIE
Bonnie could barely keep her eyes open and her head was just one sharp pain. Maybe this was her last little bit on earth. It was sad she was cuffed to a chair in a basement but she guessed there were
probably worse ways to die.
The door squeaked as it opened, but Bonnie didn’t look over. She felt too weak. All she wanted to do was sleep and never wake up again.
“Bonnie?” Rogan called.
She didn’t move or answer. Through her eyelids, she could tell he didn’t turn the light on any brighter. Was he finally going to be nice to her?
“Shit,” he whispered, as he tiptoed close and pressed two fingers to her neck, checking for a pulse.
“Please,” she mumbled, flinching slightly. Bonnie had no clue if Rogan could understand her or not. She hoped he did. “Help.”
Relief flowed through her as Rogan walked around the back of the chair and began unlocking the cuffs holding her in place. “Angelo, get to my room now!” Rogan yelled into his phone.
She whimpered as his yelling hurt her head even more.
“Please,” she mumbled incoherently. Could he just put her out of her misery?
“I’ve got you,” Rogan softly assured her. “We’re going to get you all better.”
All of a sudden, she felt herself being picked up as Rogan lifted her into his arms and cradled her to his chest. She moaned in pain and tried to move her head.
“Shhh. I’ve got you. Everything is going to be okay now. Just hang on tight and try not to move much.”
His grip tightened across her body as he made his way up the stairs. Where was he taking her? Why was he moving her? Was he going to hurt her more?
“Almost there, Bon. Just hang tight,” Rogan said. “We’re almost there.” He paused, and there was a creak as another door was pushed open.
“Shit. What happened?” Angelo was already there.
“I have no fucking clue. Just look her over,” Rogan barked.
“Okay, okay. Put her on the bed. I’m going to check her wounds and take her temperature.”
Bonnie felt herself being placed on something soft, almost like she was floating on a cloud. Rogan’s bed?
“Step back,” Angelo commanded.
“Daddy.” She’d mustered up all the strength she had to call out for him. She didn’t even know why she called him Daddy. He wasn’t hers.
“I’m here, Bon. I’m not going anywhere,” Rogan said, grabbing her hand.
Bonnie put all her strength into clutching his hand. She didn’t want him to leave her. She was scared.
“Her grip is super weak,” Rogan said.
“I know. Just give me a second,” Angelo answered. “I’m gonna put something in your mouth, Bonalicious. I need you to be a good girl and not spit it out.”
“I’ll hold it.”
She felt a thermometer being placed in her mouth, and was glad he’d warned her ahead of time. She would have been bad because she had no strength to keep it from toppling out of her mouth.
“Did anyone see you when you came up?” Angelo asked.
“Took her through the back way,” Rogan replied. “Didn’t want anyone to see her yet.”
“Her cuts don’t look infected, and her temperature isn’t elevated.” So what was wrong with her? Why was she feeling so bad?
“And?” Rogan asked, voicing what she was thinking. “What the fuck is wrong with her?”
“I believe it’s because of the concussion, dehydration, not eating enough, and sitting in the same position for too long,” Angelo replied. “None of which are helping her concussion. Especially when we turned the lights on several times.”
“Shit. So what can we do to help her?”
“I’m going to put an IV in to help her with the dehydration. And then I’ll go make some soup so you can feed it to her. It’s going to be tough getting the IV in, but it needs to be done. She needs silence and a dark room.”
“Got it. You put the IV in and I’ll sit with her and make sure everything is good.”
Bonnie started to whine. She hated needles.
“You’re okay,” Rogan whispered. “Daddy is right here with you.” She continued to whine as she felt a hand grab her arm and extend it. “Please,” she mumbled, barely opening her eyes.
“You’re okay. This is going to help you get better. We want that,” Daddy said. “We want you healthy and this is going to help. It’s going to be one of your rules and if you don’t follow the rule then you’ll be getting a spanking. Obviously, not until you’re better but you’ll still be getting one if you don’t cooperate.”
If she could have, she would have sat up like a shot, her eyes wide in her head. She definitely didn’t want a spanking but at the same time she didn’t want to get stuck by a needle either.
“Just calm down for Daddy. It’ll be over before you know it,” Daddy whispered.
Bonnie started to calm down as the seconds went by and nothing happened. Maybe they had changed their minds.
“Ready?” Angelo asked, dashing her hopes.
Bonnie was anything but ready. She didn’t think she ever would be ready. Why couldn’t they just help her drink? She felt a pinch and she cried out.
“You’re okay,” Daddy whispered.
She felt tears leak out of her eyes and down the side of her face. She was absolutely not okay.
“Such a good girl,” Daddy said as he wiped away the tears.
She didn’t have it in her to stop crying, even though she knew he didn’t like it.
“You’re such a good girl.”
“I’m going to go get her some food. She might fall asleep and if she does, let her rest. She needs it to heal,” Angelo said.