Free Bent (The Gifted Series) by Elbie Sinclair

got off on torture treatments—his favorites being water torture and electric shock.  Nice combo.                 
      He gave her a wicked smile and drawled, “Joss.” 
                  Bile rose.
                  He continued as Samuel opened the cell door, “It’s been a while since I’ve worked you over.  I do so miss your screams.  Straight from the gut and so full of pain.” A sinister chuckle as his eyes perused. “I must say, I miss other things as well.”
                  Joss kept her poker face intact but inwardly shuddered at the memories of him working her over.  Although she couldn’t hear it, Carter must have muttered something offensive because Stephen reacted with a backhand, sending Carter straight into Samuel.
                  “Enough!” Samuel barked toward Stephen, cutting the zip ties at Carter’s back and thrusting him into the cell.  With disinterest, Samuel shut the door and wheeled away, stalking off toward the stairs.  Stephen’s gaze lingered for only a moment.  The minute he turned and headed for the stairs, Carter collapsed to his knees, drawing in steady, deliberate breaths.  He was beaten and looked bone-tired.
                  “Sick fucks,” he grumbled.  Reaching up, he ran a hand through his disheveled blonde hair.  His one good eye focused on her—the other was almost swollen shut, and she noted the bandaging around his left hand.
                  Joss stepped forward. “Let’s get you to the bed.  No arguments.”
                  Carter allowed her to help him up.  “Wasn’t about to.”
                  He eased down on the bed, wincing slightly as he scooted back so he could lean against the wall.
                  “You should lie down,” Joss stated.
                  “Don’t want to,” he muttered flatly in return.
                  Joss didn’t argue but instead walked toward the sink and grabbed a plate off the edge.  She felt his eyes on her the entire time.  “Here.  PBJ’s again but they added fresh fruit—a banana.”
                  “Not hungry,” he grumbled, understandably angry.  There had been so many nights she’d felt rage drive her to the brink of insanity.
                  “You should eat,” she tried again, pacifying. “You need to keep up your strength. It’ll help the healing process.” 
                  Silence.  She sighed a “Carter.”
                  “Not fucking hungry!”  The words bellowed through the small space, causing Joss to flinch.  “You eat it!” he continued. “Look at you. You need it a helluva lot more than I do.”
                  She flinched again and quickly turned.  Another direct hit at her waif like appearance.  She’d never been this thin before, but it wasn’t like she had a hand it. 
                 Don’t let his comment affect you so.  If she could only stomp out of the room and separate herself, but she was stuck and wanted to do the unthinkable—cry.   And she knew exactly why.  Being with Carter over the last week had slowly began to turn her human again.  He made her feel; they’d talked, laughed, joked, and it ignited feelings in her that she’d bottled up and shoved aside.  So yes, she wanted to cry ... for him ... for herself … for both of them.
                  She stood with her back turned, fighting back tears, and unsure how to proceed.  Finally, she cleared her throat and grabbed a wash cloth.  After soaking it in cold water, she wrung it out and turned, steeling her emotions.  She then grabbed the plate.  “You’re eating the food while I clean you up.”
                  His expression hardened as she approached, but she didn’t care.  She thrust the plate toward him, and with one quick swipe, he knocked it