Read The Flesh Cartel - Episode #4: Consequences for Free Online

closed, trying very, very hard to think of
    nothing. Not where he was, or how he’d gotten here, or what would happen next, or Dougie, or—
    Wow, was he ever shit at thinking of nothing. Heaven , he reminded himself, sitting up just long enough to run more hot water into the tub. Enjoy it. It’s the first thing that hasn’t hurt in God knows how long. Fucking exquisite.
    At some point, he wrangled up the energy to actually wash himself instead of lying there like a
    knocked-out fighter. The soap smelled a little bit like Old Spice and left his skin, which had pruned in the long soak, soft to the touch. He worked it into a lather over what had to be at least a week’s
    growth of beard—itchy, God, he hated it—worked up the energy to haul himself out of the tub, and shaved the dead animal off his face with a safety razor he found in the medicine cabinet. Toothbrush
    and toothpaste there, too, which he also availed himself of. Rinsed his mouth and took a long drink
    from the tap. Then he peered in the cabinet under the sink, where he found, hallelujah , a bath towel.
    He scrubbed dry and wrapped it around his waist. Maybe Nikolai would let him keep it.
    Or maybe not. Fucker.
    Well, maybe the fucker would feed him, at least. He patted his conspicuously flat stomach and
    padded out into the main room, hoping to find food.
    What he found was Nikolai, sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and a novel, one leg folded
    primly over the other. And a capped syringe beside his mug.
    Mat stopped up short, breath catching so hard he felt dizzy. No. No, not again.
    He’d already stumbled back into the bathroom before he realized he’d moved. Hand on the door,
    halfway to slamming it shut, as if he thought he could disappear, like Nikolai hadn’t seen him, like
    he’d never been there. Maybe Nikolai would give up waiting.
    “You look well rested,” Nikolai commented, eyes not leaving his book. Mat still couldn’t
    breathe, couldn’t take his own eyes off the syringe. “Put that towel away and come sit.”
    Fuck you, don’t tell me what to do. Fuck you, pervert. Fuck you, well rested my ass.
    But Mat said, “Yes sir,” and pulled the towel from his body. Wouldn’t give Nikolai an excuse to
    . . . to . . . He tore his eyes from the needle, back to Nikolai. The man wasn’t even looking at him
    strip. Did he not get off on it? Then what the fuck was this fucking place and why the fuck was he
    here? Mat dropped the towel to the floor.
    “Really?” Nikolai asked. “Are you really trying that? Don’t be a slob. Pick it up and put it where
    it belongs. Now. Consequences.”
    God, Nikolai’s conditioning and mind games must have been working, because just the first
    syllable of that word made him shudder. The needle. The needle on the table. Mat quickly stooped to snatch up the towel.
    “Don’t dawdle in there,” Nikolai called after him. “You can’t avoid this forever.”
    Avoid what ? What have I done this time?
    God, he was going crazy. Turning into a beaten dog. His mind went over the last twenty-four
    hours, trying desperately to come up with an explanation, a reason why he could be punished. He’d
    slept in the bed like he was told. Was he not supposed to shower without permission? Was he not
    supposed to sleep under the covers? Was he . . .
    He fell back into the main room, where Nikolai still waited. “Come sit,” Nikolai said, then
    snapped his fingers and pointed to the empty chair across from him.
    Mat forced himself into the seat.
    “Have you ever injected yourself before?” Nikolai asked casually. “With a needle like this?
    Steroids, perhaps? Blood doping? Heroin? Be honest.”
    God, what the fuck kind of question was that? Mat opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was
    so tight. He shook his head. He still couldn’t take his eyes off the fucking needle.
    Which meant he didn’t see Nikolai’s slap coming until it was too late. Not that he could’ve done
    anything about it, anyway. Maybe