Page 132 of Ash and Poison

“It’s Datura stramonium. You might know it as jimsonweed?”

Jimmy wailed.

“The flower has scopolamine and atropine,” she said, unscrewing the bottle. “A few drops can cause frightening hallucinations. It’ll be so fucking vivid you’ll question your reality. Now, if you don’t give me the answers… I’ll make you drink this.”

My heart thundered.

Layne rolled her eyes, moving back. “I’m going to get some air.”

Diya didn’t even look up.

“Now, Jimmy, did you or did you not help a psychopathic rapist kidnap girls from the asylum? Talk.”

“Doctor Sharma… I don’t…”

“If I don’t get what I want, I’ll kill you.”

“I… yes. I don’t know him...”

“What does he have on you?”

“I-I killed two women in a drug-induced frenzy. I didn’t mean to. I ran, but someone knew, and he followed me all the way here—”

“You deserve to die just for that.” Her lips twisted, her eyes darkened.

The confidence, the darkness… it was arousing, yanking me inside the bottomless pit. If I jumped in, I knew I’d never surface, but…

The call was haunting. I didn’t want to resist it. I couldn’t. It wasn’t a choice. I was hers long before I knew I was hers. And honestly, I should’ve seen it coming.

I slid behind her, pressing my nose against her shoulder. She smiled, shaking her head. “Your cock is digging into my ass, Maddox.”

“I know,”

“We’re not here to, you know…”

“I know.”

Sighing, she turned back to Jimmy. “We both know you’re just a patsy. The name, Jimmy.”

“I-I don’t know,” Jimmy sobbed out, his body trembling with fear.

“Wrong,” she said, filling a syringe with whatever was in the vial before pushing it behind his ears.

“I-I’ll tell you. Don’t kill me. Please.”

Diya nodded. “What did you do to the girls?”

“I had to drug them and then…”

I punched him in his fucking mouth.

“You’re hurt,” Diya said, taking my hand in hers.

“I’m fine. This is nothing compared to what I want to do to him.”

She traced my chin. “You’re a good friend.”

Am I though?