Being Zolt by D. L. Raver Read Free Book Online Page B

numbing himself. Calling him on it probably made him defensive.”
    “I just didn’t think he’d sleep with someone else.” I shuddered at the thought.
    “He didn’t, but that doesn’t excuse what he did. We’ve been talking some, and I think he’s ready to start therapy. I truly believe his usage will go down once he deals with his past. But his physical pain is real, and it’s here to stay. He’ll always need some type of pain relief.”
    “I know. He did mention that he’s had some revelations since I left.”
    Brody pulled up a chair and sat alongside the bed. “Irelyn, I hate to push, but I hoped you might want to talk with me. I can understand if you’re not ready to talk to Zolt, but T-bone needs all the information he can get.”
    I exhaled and bit the side of my lip. “It was bad, Brody. Really fucking bad.”
    “I’m sure.” He reached over and squeezed my hand. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable and tell me about it.”
    “So, lie on your proverbial couch?” I laughed.
    “Something like that.” He grinned back.
    I stretched out on the bed and clutched a pillow to my chest. Brody was right; I needed to tell them what happened, especially if it could help Kenna.
    “Marcus is the king of the mind-fuck,” I began, my hands squeezing and twisting the pillow as I recounted my story. I told him everything, from how he’d fed me all the foods I hated to not giving me any clothes to change into.
    Brody’s brow furrowed, creating a line between his brows. “Wow, what a cocksucker!”
    “Is that your professional opinion?” I laughed, liking that Brody could lighten the situation some.
    “Yes, it is. Cocksucker is a technical term.”
    “Ha.”
    “Marcus used classic torture techniques. He stripped you of your dignity by not giving you clean clothes and by limiting your basic hygiene, then he used light and visual stimuli to further push you off-balance. Quite frankly, I’m surprised you’re not in the fetal position drooling. You, Irelyn, have a strong fortitude of spirit and survival instinct.”
    Brody touched my hand again, stilling my abuse of the pillow. “What he did was terrible, but you survived. You’re here with us and safe. Zolt is here and he’s fine, too.”
    “Is he fine, because I’m not so sure. I think what happened with me just brought everything back to him.” My heart clenched at the thought I’d done something that had brought him pain.
    “Irelyn, Zolt is going to be okay. You both can get past this but not by denying it. My brother is a living example of what happens when you let your past reign over you. Either you deal with it or it deals with you.”
    “I did grief counseling after Chris’s death, and I’ll most likely need to do some more, given my earlier reaction. Keeping it together while I was there was essential. Now that I’m here, I’m finding it harder to do so.”
    “You can talk to me anytime, but try to talk to Zolt, as well. The two of you are in this together. You guys won’t survive as a couple if you don’t, Irelyn. You have to tell him what Marcus did so the both of you can come to terms with it.”
    Brody rose from his chair, leaned over and kissed my cheek. Then, he reached in his pocket and pulled out a prescription bottle. “Here’s your Ambien.”
    “Thanks, Brody.” I got off the bed and kissed his cheek. “Zolt’s lucky to have a brother like you. I’m lucky, too.”
    “My bill is in the mail,” he said as he walked out the door.
    “I’m sure it is,” I said, laughing a little.
    Deciding that Brody might have a point, I went into the bathroom, splashed water on my face and freshened up. Then, I went in search of Zolt.
    I found him in his office working on his laptop. He looked so serious behind his large, maple desk with his forehead crinkled in concentration. I almost hated to bug him, but I knocked on the open door anyway.
    Not waiting for his answer, I walked across the room and our gazes caught. Like