by Britney King
A smile played at Sondra’s lips. Addie realized she wasn’t worth it. Clearly, she enjoyed the sick games she played.
“I didn’t need to warn you, Addison. You weren’t the one I was worried about, because you’re stronger than you think. And you were seeing my star client. You were helping him. That’s why I chose you for Seven. You have the ability to connect with people on a level I’ve never seen. You draw them in and hold them captive. You helped William on both a personal level and as his Mistress. Look, I know I fucked up by not telling you beforehand, but I needed you to understand. I needed you to see for yourself.”
Addie cocked her head to the side, her face twisted in disgust. “What is there to understand?”
Sondra sighed, wondering whether she should tell Addie the truth. In the end, figuring it was now or never. “Fifteen years ago, William Hartman became my first client. It didn’t start out that way. We were . . . together . . . sexually. He was different then, Addison. A different man than the William you know. He was strictly dominant. He wouldn’t even allow me to touch him . . . during the act. He couldn’t make eye contact or speak so long as he was undressed. He was rough, abusive even. And I had been dominant my whole life, so, as you can imagine, the two didn’t go over too well. Things were . . . pretty intense. At the time, I had just started to get into BSDM. Anyway, to make a long story short, you could say that I made it my personal mission to ‘turn’ him. The surprising thing was that my forcing him to submit opened him up. He enjoyed it and eventually it helped him talk about what had happened to him as a child. We decided that since I’d helped him, maybe I could help others. And that’s how Seven was born. William is the financial backer and part owner. But if he knew—had any inkling at all that you were involved—well it would be the end of it. Probably the end of me, too. He loves you, Addison. He told me as much. And he’s lost without you. It wasn’t fair to either of you, really. You needed to know. You needed to see the truth. The truth is that it is possible for people like William to love, but it’s because of Seven. It’s because of the work that we do there.”
Addie felt sick. “What is it that you’re asking me, Sondra? Because I’m not going to keep lying to him.”
“I understand. But what I’m saying is that if you’re going to cut William out of your personal life, then fine. But don’t cut him out as your submissive. He’s too weak right now. He has come so far and he’s still fragile. William is a dear friend. And I care about him.”
Addie was furious. The worst part was that she wasn’t sure whether it had to do with what Sondra was asking her or whether it was picturing the two of them together that infuriated her the most.
She stood, walked to the door, and opened it. “I have nothing left to say. Please leave.”
Sondra didn’t budge. “Addison, I understand that you’re upset. And this is probably a lot for you to take in. But please do consider what I’ve said. Just take some time and let it sink in, ok?”
Addie didn’t need time. She already knew what she had to do. She motioned Sondra towards the door with a wry smile. “Tell Mr. Hartman his Mistress will see him this evening.”
Sondra looked stunned. “So we agree? Are you sure, Addison? I need you to be sure because you cannot mess this up. It’ll only set him back in his treatment.”
Addie looked her straight in the eye. “I’ve never been more certain in my life.”
Knowing she had a lot to do between now and the time she saw William later that evening, Addie hurried from one interview to next. She was anxious but excited, too. Having finally made a decision about the direction her life was taking, she felt good about moving forward.
With a few minutes to spare before her last interview of the day, Addie dialed Patrick’s cellphone. When he didn’t pick up, she left a message explaining that she was taking the boys to the beach for a few days, specifically that they were leaving this evening, and that she would call him when they got back. The last thing she wanted was for him to fly home once he’d received the paperwork: the paperwork that would legally separate the two of them. Addie hadn’t yet decided whether or not she’d file for divorce, but filing for legal separation wouldn’t hurt, given the fact that he was already halfway across the world. If Patrick didn’t want to be a husband or a father, it was high time he admitted it. Addie knew exactly what she was doing. She was giving him an out.
Thankfully, understanding why Addie needed to get away, Jessica had been than more than happy to loan Addie her family’s beach house located on South Padre Island. God, she was so grateful for Jessica, especially, these past few weeks. Jessica had always been an amazingly loyal friend. Addie could tell her anything and Jessica would listen, usually offering advice that made Addie laugh. She was always there for her no matter what. And while Jessica threatened to write it all down, swearing that it made great material for her first bestseller, Addie knew her secrets were safe. Because if nothing else, Jessica would at least give Addie the courtesy of changing her name.
Addie made a few stops for supplies before heading to her final interview of the day. It was located on a rural route, and even though she’d checked her map and the directions several times, she couldn’t find the location of the estate. Not knowing the area, she quickly found herself lost. She pulled up Google Maps on her phone, but being out in the middle of nowhere, her Internet wasn’t loading. Frustrated that she was going to be late, she called her assistant. When her assistant failed to pick up, Addie left her a message explaining that she was lost, gave her the address she needed to find, and asked her to call her back ASAP. Finally, out of options and running late, Addie called her potential client and explained that she was lost. Here’s to hoping they’d appreciate her honesty and forgive her tardiness and bad sense of direction. And although Addie was embarrassed, she was incredibly grateful when the man insisted on to coming to get her, allowing her to follow him back to the estate.
Addie checked her appearance in the review mirror and suddenly regretted having dressed so casually. She ran her fingers through her hair and was reapplying her lipstick as the black truck pulled up beside her. She smiled at the driver and he smiled back. The man in the driver seat looked familiar. Addie was certain she’d met him before. As she rolled down her window, she racked her brain trying to a put a name to his face. The man extended his hand. It was as Addie reached out to shake it that she noticed the look in his eye and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She attempted to recoil her hand, but her attempt was a just few seconds too late. She felt the jab as something cold and sharp pierced her skin. Unfortunately, that would be the last conscious thought Addie would have over the next forty-eight hours.
Scott Hammons was pleased with the work he’d done and knew God was pleased, too. He eyed Addison Greyer, naked and unconscious in the room he’d set up for the occasion. He’d given her enough Ketamine to keep her out for at least the next twelve hours or so. He walked over, checked her pulse, and injected a little Rohypnol for good measure. When she finally awoke, she would be dazed and confused, with little memory of how she’d gotten here. Everything was going to be perfect.
It had to be perfect. He had put a lot of energy into seeing that everything went according to plan. First, he’d rented this hellhole of a place: a small old farmhouse, remotely located, just off a rural road. Out in the middle of nowhere, it was the type of place where no one would hear screams or bother him while he carried out God’s work. He’d visited various hardware stores to buy the supplies he would need, mindful not to shop in just one place, always careful not to raise suspicion. He concocted the plan to secure an interview with Mrs. Greyer, even making up a fictitious name and address because he was a smart man. And that’s what smart men did. That is why God spoke to him. That is why God chose him in the first place. The idiots didn’t even bother to check him out.
Over the next forty-eight hours, he would get his revenge for all of the ways William Hartman had wronged him: for taking away his business a
nd dismantling his life. First, he would beat and torture the love of Hartman’s life. Because the Bible said: “‘There is no peace,’ says the Lord, ‘for the wicked.’” And Hartman shall have no peace.
Next, he would call that bastard, William Hartman, from a disposable cell phone, of course. He was a smart man after all, no matter what anyone said, especially evildoers like Hartman. He’d give that son of a bitch the fictitious name and tell him that he was holding Mrs. Greyer captive. Hartman would believe him because, by now, someone would’ve noticed that the stupid bitch was missing. He would even use the disposable phone to text him a picture of his whore, chained and beaten.
Then he would order Hartman to meet him, alone, of course. Because he was a smart and capable man, he would watch and wait, stalking the asshole until he was certain that he’d arrived alone. Because he was a genius, he would then send him to a second location, following closely to make sure he was really alone. At the third location, Scott would finally show himself, reveling in the delight of Hartman’s bewilderment—his astonishment at the brilliant man who’d just deceived him. Since he was doing God’s work, by removing the evildoers from this world, he would instruct Hartman to handcuff himself, and then he’d drug him just as he had his whore. The Bible said: “He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.” And Hartman had committed adultery. Because Scott knew he was an angel of the Lord and because he was a genius, he understood that he had to carry out God’s work. He also knew that Hartman would be forced to comply if he wanted to save the woman he loved. After all, the Bible said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Scott knew the truth because God had told him as much. And the truth was that William had to die.
Seventeen
“What do you mean she didn’t show?” Sondra asked exasperated.
“Just what I said. I waited an hour. And she didn’t show.” William replied matter of factly.
Sondra sighed. “All right. Let me figure out what’s going on. I’ll call you back.”
Goddammit, Addison. She was going to kill that girl. She should’ve known. Sondra dialed Addie’s number. It went straight to voice mail. Big surprise. Sondra dialed Addie’s home number. A girl, probably the nanny, picked up. “She’s not home. May I ask who is calling?”
“This is her boss. I need to speak with her immediately. When she gets in, make sure that she calls me right away. Do you understand?”
“Yes, well, actually, I was going to call the office. She’s supposed to be here to take the kids. I had class two hours ago, and I missed it because she didn’t show. It’s not like her, and I’m kind of worried.”
Sondra rubbed her temples. Great, this is exactly what she needed. “Well, why are you telling me?”
“Because you’re her boss. I thought you might know where she was.”
“If I knew where she was, I wouldn’t be calling, WOULD I?” Sondra slammed the phone down.
God, she should’ve known Addison couldn’t handle this. Why’d she have to go and tell her the truth?
Sondra thought for a moment, finally dialing Addie’s assistant who explained that she hadn’t seen Addie but that she’d received a message from her that she was lost en route to an interview and that when she tried to call Addie back her phone just went to voice mail. Sondra wrote down the client’s name and phone number. Damn it. If she messed this up too . . .
She dialed the phone number. The number was disconnected. Hmm.
Annoyed, Sondra figured Addie would come around sooner or later and decided to let it go, until, a few hours later when her phone rang. It was the nanny calling. “I’m worried about Mrs. Greyer. She was supposed to take the boys to the beach this weekend. She asked me to have them packed, saying that they were going to leave at seven when she got home. They’ve been waiting impatiently for hours. It’s not like her to tell them something and then not follow through. It’s especially not like her not to come home when she says. I’m thinking about calling the police. What do you think?”
Sondra set up in bed. “No. Don’t do that. Let me make a few calls; I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding. I’ll find her. Are you ok there with the children or shall I send someone else?
“They’re pretty upset, so I’ll stay with them.”
“All right, call me if she turns up at home.”
Sondra hung up the phone and dialed Addie’s assistant, who answered on the first ring. “The client that Mrs. Greyer went to interview, get me that address. In fact, send me all of the information you have. Immediately.”
“Certainly, Ms. Sheehan. I’ll send it right over. Is everything ok?”
“I sure hope so.”
Sondra hung up and called Liselle next, who confirmed what she already knew—that Addie hadn’t ever shown up at Seven.
Her inbox chimed. Sondra opened the email containing the client’s information. Simon Peter: 555-452-9111. The same number she’d called before. Sondra dialed the number again. Still disconnected. She tried Addie’s cell. It went straight to voice mail, again. Sondra typed the name and address into Google, which turned up nothing. Weird.
Sondra called Addie’s assistant back. “Did you run background checks on Mr. Simon Peter?”
“No. I thought Mrs. Greyer had.”
Sondra slammed her fist down. “Goddammit. I need you to check the system. See if anything has been run. NOW!”
The girl did as she was told and came back on the line a few moments later. “There is no one in the system by that name. A check wasn’t run on Simon Peter. Would you like me to check another name?”
“Fuck.” Sondra repeated as she swallowed hard and hung up the phone.
Sondra was hesitant to call William Hartman, but what else could she do? It was him or the police, and, until she knew for sure that something bad happened, she preferred to leave the cops out of this.
Sondra needed help and William was one of her few friends. Since he had unlimited resources at his disposal, in addition to the fact that he was in love with the girl in question, she knew she had no choice but to involve him in the matter, even if it meant extreme repercussions for herself. She threw a few things in a bag and texted William that she needed to see him right away and was on her way over.
William was waiting for her at the door, wearing plaid pajama bottoms that were slung low on his hips and nothing else. Even after all this time, seeing him this way still caused her breath to catch. She’d never seen a man more beautiful than he was in that very moment.
William grinned wickedly. “So I take you’re here to do my session? Why so late? And why here? What happened to Laelia, anyway?” William suddenly paused looking out the window, a smile playing across his lips. “Damn, I really, really liked that girl.”
Sondra froze. Seeing the look on his face, she lost every ounce of courage she might’ve had and decided right then and there that explaining everything was a bad idea. “She’s, uh, tied up.”
William laughed. “Nice pun. I’d like to tie her up.”
Sondra took a seat at the bar. “I need water. Do you have a Perrier?
William walked over, opened the fridge, took out the bottle, opened it, and slid it across the bar to Sondra.
“So what’s up?” William asked, nodding wearily.
Sondra gulped the water. Here goes nothing. “I’m here about Addison Greyer. She’s missing.”
“What do you mean she’s missing? What the fuc—?”
Sondra cut him off. “Sit down, William.”
William stayed put.
“Listen, she went to interview a potential client this afternoon, and no one has heard from her since. The nanny said she didn’t show up to get the kids. And when I typed the client’s name into our database, nothing came up. I Googled his name and address. It doesn’t exist.”
William’s expression changed from wary to stone cold. He picked up his phone from the bar and began dialing numbers. “What time? How long has she been missing?” he
asked as he quickly analyzed the risk, knowing the statistics.
“Six hours. Who are you calling?”
“Addison. I’m calling Addison!” William paced back and forth. Come on. Pick up. Nothing. It went straight to voicemail. Next, he dialed Carl. “Assemble the team. I need everyone in here ASAP.”
William kept firing questions. “How did this happen? Has anyone notified the police? Her husband? Checked with the rest of her family?”
“No.” Sondra said, trying to remain calm for William’s sake.
“She wouldn’t just not come home to her children or ignore Kelsey’s calls. Something bad has happened to her, Sondra. Why in the hell didn’t you call me sooner? Or call the fucking police?”
“I wasn’t sure she was really missing. I mean . . . This isn’t the first time my calls have gone unanswered.”
Thankfully, William’s security team came through the door at that moment, taking the pressure off. William explained everything to them, and then Carl interrogated Sondra, asking her the same questions multiple times, until he seemed satisfied. She then wrote down all of the information she had on the client and handed it over.
But there was something about the way Carl looked at her when he she gave him the client’s name. There was something behind that look that terrified her. All at once, the room was in motion; there were calls being made and computers being set up. Not knowing what to do with herself, Sondra went to Carl and tapped him on the shoulder, interrupting his conversation. “Do you know someone by the name of Simon Peter?
Carl looked at Sondra, though his expression giving nothing away. “Why do you ask?”