Chapter 24: Uncovering the Past

Sunday morning felt surreal, like a fog had settled over everything. Kai sat on the couch, her fingers nervously tracing the rim of her tea mug as Sara moved around the room, preparing for the session ahead. This is what Kai had asked for. Her desire to uncover the truth had become a need that felt like the only path, and as much as she feared what she might find, there was a relentless pull inside her to understand.

The sound of the door closing softly behind Kai broke her thoughts. "Are you ready for this, Kai?" Sara asked gently, her professional tone laced with a rare undercurrent of concern.

Kai swallowed hard, nodding. "I have to be."

Sara settled beside her on the couch, her voice calm, yet firm. “Remember, Kai, this is about seeing. You will be in control the whole time, nothing can hurt you. Just focus on my voice as i guide you through and know and feel that you are safe in this room. Now close your eyes and either lean back to relax or lie down.”

Kai closed her eyes, trying to steady her racing heart, laying her back down on the couch with her head next to Sara’s knee. One hand holding Sara. She could feel the tightness in her chest, the fear bubbling just beneath the surface. She had already relived parts of that night in fleeting memories, but now it was time for the full picture. So she would no longer hold the terror inside.

“Good,” Sara murmured, sensing Kai’s nerves. “Just breathe. Slow and steady. Focus on your breath. Let your body relax with every exhale.”

Kai inhaled deeply, her breath shuddering, and then she let it go slowly, imagining the tension leaving her body with each breath. She could hear Sara’s voice, steady and grounding, leading her into the deep state of relaxation.

“You’re safe, feel the weight of your hand in mine,” Sara continued, her voice like a lifeline, pulling Kai deeper into the present. “This is you. You in control. I want you to picture yourself in a safe place now, somewhere peaceful, calm. With each breath, feel yourself ease into that safe space more and more.”

The warmth of Sara’s hand, the familiar smell of their home—it all helped ground Kai. But underneath, her mind kept drifting.

Sara kept speaking in low, rhythmic tones, coaxing Kai deeper into the trance. “Now, I want you to go back to that night, Kai. The night you left Beast. What do you remember?”

The words hit Kai like a slap in the face, and instantly her body stiffened. His name eliciting a visceral response in her body. Her breathing hitched, and her fists clenched as if preparing for something.

“I remember…” Kai’s voice was shaky. “I remember the pain... He was punishing me for something... then the whip... It felt so sharp, so brutal, I couldn’t breathe through it.”

Her body tensed, every muscle locked in place. Her breath became shallow as her mind flickered back to the stage, the spotlight, the audience. She could almost hear the snap of the whip again, the searing sting that lashed across her skin. There was a gag in her mouth keeping her screams in her throat, but the sound of the whip—it was deafening. Every lash felt like it was cutting through her very soul, and yet she couldn’t scream.

The air seemed to thicken, the room around her growing suffocating. Why couldn’t I scream? Her body trembled, the panic rising, but in the back of her mind, she saw it—the eyes in the front row. Those eyes, dark and grounding, watching her through the crowd. It was the only thing that kept her from dissociating. The only thing that kept her tethered to reality.

But then, the fear crept in again—the fear of Beast, of what he was doing in public because she had disobeyed him. Her thoughts spiraled, and she let out a quiet, strangled scream, her body shaking with the effort.

Sara’s voice was steady, cutting through the rising panic. “Kai, you’re safe. Focus on my voice. You’re in control. The pain is in the past.”

But Kai’s mind wouldn’t let go of the memory—the lashes, the blood, the humiliation. Her body continued to shake as the scream that had been trapped inside for so long finally burst from her mouth, raw and desperate. She grabbed at Sara’s hand like she was struggling to stay above the dark emotions swirling through her, threatening to drown her.

Sara grabbed Kai’s hand with both of hers, repeating the words like a mantra, trying to reach Kai in her memory. “Kai, you’re safe. Focus on my voice. You’re in control. The pain is in the past. You can move past it.”

And just then, she heard the door open, the sound of footsteps in the hall. She barely noticed at first, lost in the agony of her memory, but then the memory of the man in the doorway looking down at her.

Duke.

The man who had helped her escape. And for some reason she could feel the same familiar, comforting presence in the room with her and Sara. He had just entered, like he had done in that moment six years ago when he saved her from Beast.

Sara was up in an instant, moving toward him, her voice sharp. “No, James, stop. She’s under hypnosis. She’s reliving a memory. She’s fine. She’s not fully aware of—”

But it was too late. James gaze fell on Kai, screaming and flailing on the couch, and his face morphed with concern as he knelt by the edge of the couch, his hands reaching for her face. His touch was gentle, but firm, grounding.

Kai’s mind screamed at her to pull away, to escape the touch. She couldn’t see who was touching her face in her house, but in her memory it was Duke. And as James’s hands cupped her face, something clicked. This touch, it was the same touch from that night—the same safe, grounding presence. His fingers, though unknown because her eyes were still close in the moment, felt like home, like safety. She felt the pull to him, the way he had held her all those years ago. Safe... Safe. Her panic faded, replaced by a calmness she couldn’t explain. She didn’t need to see him, didn’t need to know who he was. His touch was enough to ground her.

Her scream began to quiet, her body relaxing in his hold, despite the chaos in her mind. Sara, seeing the shift, hesitated before James looked up and gave her a subtle head nod; then she continued to guide Kai through the memory.

“Focus on my voice, Kai,” Sara’s voice cut through, bringing her back fully from the pain and panic. “You’re safe, this is just a memory. Focus on what happens next.”

As the memory began to shift, Kai saw it—the man, the Dom. The one who whisked her away from Lux. The one who held her close in the car, keeping her grounded, calming her until they reached Sara’s house. She remembered the feel of his strong arms around her, the way he kept her close, kept her safe. The hypnotherapy session slowly coming to a close, and Kai felt Sara’s voice gently coaxing her back to the present.

When Kai’s eyes fluttered open, the first thing she saw was James’s face, close, his expression filled with deep concern. The connection hit her like a wave, and she understood in that instant—it was him. The same touch, the same safety, the same presence that had protected her all those years ago.

“Duke,” she whispered hoarsely, her voice trembling. “It… it was you.”

James nodded slowly, his thumb brushing over her cheek, his voice low but comforting. “It’s me, Angel. I’m here.”

Sara, watching quietly, crossed her arms, her gaze shifting between the two of them. She wasn’t sure what this meant—what was happening between them—but she knew one thing for certain: Kai had the truth she sought.