He barely stifled a laugh as he guided me back, away from the road.
That did sound bad, didn’t it?
“Well, you’re already wet, so…” He motioned for me to stay put and jogged back to his SUV. After a few seconds of digging around in the backseat, he waved something over the top. “You better use this.” He bumped the door shut and popped open a black umbrella. “We can’t have the damsel in distress getting sick, now can we?”
I’d never considered myself a damsel in distress before. Hell, I’d never even considered myself a damsel, but whatever. “Thanks,” I muttered as he handed it over, and rain started pattering against the top. “But what about you?”
“Don’t worry about me.” He flashed another one of those cocky grins and headed toward my car, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.
Of course.
Cole radiated that cool, bad boy sort of confidence—the kind that left most women flustered and ready. I’d never been one for blatant ogling, but the rain had left his shirt transparent. When he reached inside to pop the trunk, I saw every one of the muscles shift in his back. How was I supposed to look away?
He walked around to get the jack from my trunk, and I sucked in a deep breath. Man, Gabby would’ve loved this.
I should’ve loved it. At least, more than I did.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t ignore the ill-founded guilt that’d begun to ache in my chest. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. If anything, I was going out of my way to help a friend. Yet, whenever I looked at Cole, it came in waves.
I stared at the battered strip of grass alongside the highway. It was too late to second guess my decision now. I’d just have to figure out whatever had come between the brothers and go from there. This was for Wallace—for his second chance.
And while I was out playing therapist, he and Rachel were probably having dinner together.
My stomach gave a weird little flip. What if they were dating and I’d ignored the signs? Not only would that be an embarrassment like no other, but I’d be obligated to leave him alone. I mean, that was the code, wasn’t it? Single girls and taken guys weren’t allowed to be friends. The leash always got in the way.
Was that talk yesterday her way of telling me to back off?
“Okay, you can just follow me,” Cole said.
I jumped. “What?”
He was right beside me, wiping his hands. “We’ll get off a little ways up here.” He pointed down the road. “Then take the ramp for I-270 West, okay?”
“You’re fast,” I mused, hoping to distract him from the fact that I’d completely spaced out. “Thank you.”
“No problem. You ready?”
I took a deep breath. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
He nodded. “I’m going to swing past a friend’s garage on the way. He’ll either repair that tire or hook you up with a new one. You’re not driving that donut all the way back to Wilcox. You can just ride with me for a while.”
These Blake boys were going to be the death of my inner-cynic.
The ride there was uneventful, and after we left the garage, I felt pretty good about the situation. Cole’s friend had given me a healthy discount on a new tire and said he’d get to it after his next work order. The rain had even let up, leaving nothing but the vacant chill of a winter evening.
Cole and I walked back to his Jeep in companionable silence, leaving the garage’s noises and glow behind. The scent of motor oil still hung in the air after we rounded the corner, but I didn’t mind. It was like inhaling testosterone in its richest form.
He’d parked in a small gravel lot just beyond the streetlight’s reach. If it were any darker, we would’ve had to feel our way there, but he seemed to know where he was going. He trotted ahead to open the passenger door, and I struggled to catch up.
What was with the Blake boys and their chivalry, anyway? Their parents must’ve raised them pretty old school. “Thanks,” I muttered on a yawn, slipping past him.
“No problem.” He hesitated for a moment. “Oh, and Rena?”
I paused before climbing inside, glancing over my shoulder. “Yeah?”
What the…?
I bristled, caught off guard by his sudden proximity. He stood right behind me, smelling of mint, spice, and the faintest hint of smoke. His chest barely grazed my back, touching me just enough to make my nerves stand on end. I hadn’t even heard him move.
He bent down close as I stared ahead, his warm breath less a whisper away. “I need you to cooperate.”
The smooth velvet of his voice sent a chill through my body. “What?” I found myself matching his hushed tone, trying to discern his intentions. Is he…coming on to me?
With slow, methodic movements, he slipped his hand past my collar, reaching up to caress my jaw.
I stilled, afraid to breathe. “Cole, I don’t—”
His lips brushed against my ear. “Be a good girl and sleep for me.”
“Huh?” What was that supposed to mea—
Then I felt a needle prick.
My neck burned where the vein had puckered, surging from the injection. I felt my eyes widen, and a rasped scream caught in my throat. I tried to rear back, but his hold kept me flush against him. “Y-You…you…”
I swayed uneasily, clutching onto the edge of the seat. The severity of the situation was crashing down around me, and there wasn’t enough time. I craned my neck back. He was going to…
Oh God.
The last thing I saw was his placid expression, unbothered and innocent. “Good night.”
Chapter Nineteen
Something rustled.
The darkness somehow rippled at the intrusion, tugging on my suspended state. A chill swept past and prickled my skin. At least, I think it did. The sensation faded too quickly for it to completely register.
My mouth was dry and tasted like a nine-volt. I scrunched my face, struggling to make sense of…well, anything. What was going on, again?
Pressure descended over my features in a slow wave, as if awakening each part individually. My eyelids were heavy. Too heavy. They fluttered, but I couldn’t seem to hold them open on my own.
“Reeeeeena…” a baritone called out in a taunting, singsong voice.
It was like a dense fog had settled in around me, and I couldn’t escape its cover. Fragments of blurred memories danced through my mind, but never stopped long enough for me to catch hold. Was I…dead?
“Come on,” the man prodded, and I felt something warm against my jaw. “Wake up for me, sweetheart.”
I licked my lips and felt my nose twitch. Something in the back of my mind was slowly coming to the surface. It was heavy, weighted with alarm. There was something I was missing. Something important.
“The sooner you come to, the sooner we can get this over with. I don’t like this any more than you do.”
Come to? Wait. I forced my lids open, blinking to regain control over my eyesight. The image was blurry, winking in and out like an old time filmstrip. “I…”
“There you go.”
I squinted into the darkness, focusing on the faint light that spilled through a couple of broken windows. “Wh-What?” I cleared my throat a few times. Where was I? How long had I been out?
My neck felt sore as I turned to the side. Cole sat there, watching me with an unreadable expression. The light played across his sharp, angular features, and shrouded the rest of his face in shadow.
Recognition crept back in as I held his eerie, glowing gaze. “You.” The word resonated in my mind, triggering the faded edge of a memory.
My body felt heavier as I sank into the mattress. One by one, I began to notice the old springs jabbing into my back. It was as if someone had flipped a switch inside me, and everything turned on at once.
“Cole,” I rasped. “W-Where are we?”
“How are you feeling?”
The question seemed off somehow, but I wasn’t sure why. Hadn’t we just…? My eyes widened by the slightest fraction as a barrage of flashbacks assaulted m
y mind.
“I’ll…I’ll kill you!” I roared, stripping my throat raw in one breath. Red seeped into my vision, and I used every last reserve of my energy to lunge for him. My arms nearly jerked out of their sockets as something cold caught my wrists and dug into the flesh.
His brows knit in hideous concern. “You shouldn’t struggle so much. You’ll hurt yourself.”
“Fuck you,” I spat, as my eyes ignited with tears. Did he get off on mind games or something?
His lips curled back into a cruel smile as he held up a glowing cell phone and shook his head. “You’re perfect.”
“What?” The false bravado was wearing off faster than I liked. My hands were bound over my head by what felt like metal handcuffs, leaving the rest of my body vulnerable. “What are you doing?”
“We’re leaving a voicemail,” he answered with a shrug, nonchalant about the whole thing. “You think Wallace will just show up on his own?”
A jolt of panic shot through my body, and I rammed my chain against the post. “Wait!”
He blew out a tired sigh, punching a button to terminate the call. “Don’t worry. You’re fine.”
His reassuring words cut through me as if they’d been spoken by Wallace himself.
“Seriously.” His voice softened as he crouched down, meeting me at eye level. “You have nothing to worry about.”
My breath hitched like a break in time. I wanted to believe him with every fiber of my being, but I knew that could be a fatal mistake. “Cole,” I whispered, praying he’d feel me on some level. “Why are you doing this?”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I wanted to cry. The whole thing had turned into a nightmare. It didn’t make any sense. Nobody knew where I was or who I was with, with the exception of the one man I didn’t dare to pin my hopes on. The way he regarded his brother, he’d never bother to listen to that voicemail. There was no point.
I choked on a sob, forcing it down against my ribcage.
Would I ever see my family again? If something happened to me, it would devastate them. Over the years, we’d been guilty of letting our schedules dictate our lives, and we hadn’t gotten together as much as we should have, but if I didn’t come home…
Bile rose up in my throat. I’d never felt so alone. Was this how Ari felt that night?
“Hey…” He looked upset, reaching out to smooth a strand of hair back from my face. “Relax. I don’t want you to be scared.”
I cringed at his touch, doing my best to hold still. Inside, my nerves were frayed and on end. With every breath I took, I willed strength into my body. “Then tell me what’s going on,” I said through gritted teeth.
Another icy breeze swept past, bringing with it a metallic scent I refused to recognize as blood. “Cole,” I repeated urgently, lacing my voice with more authority than I possessed. “I’m serious.”
He stood up, suddenly towering over my supine form. “Are you sure you want to know?” His heavy gaze spoke volumes as he studied me, lips pulled back into a tight line. “You might regret it.”
Shit. He was talking about the grandmother thing, wasn’t he? Neither of the guys seemed to notice I overheard that part. Maybe Cole thought he could trade me for her. To whom, though? And why?
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Something inside me was burning, threatening to overcome my consciousness. It was as if I’d tapped into a well of foreign, suppressed emotion. Fear, obsession, and anger—they paced the depths of my mind like a caged animal.
My life was on the verge of change. I could feel it. It was a rush in my veins—a chill in my bones. Something that told me I needed to keep Cole distracted, if I wanted to see how things played out. “Tell me.”
“Knowledge is a heavy burden to bear, Rena.” He walked toward the windows, letting his words echo around the room. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
As he spoke, I caught a scent of something oily in the air and craned my neck. A small, glowing square burned off to the side. A kerosene heater. Was there no electricity?
His silhouetted form paced back and forth.
I squinted, trying to get a quick feel for my surroundings. Decayed boards and exposed brick lined the walls, though I expected there was plaster up somewhere. It lay in dusty piles, strewn across the cement floors.
Wherever we were, it had all the charm of an abandoned depot or a condemned warehouse. The light didn’t even dare to reach past the bed, exposing whatever gruesome sights lay in the abyss. I looked away, praying I hadn’t heard something scamper in the darkness.
“Where are we?” I asked, hoping to distract myself this time.
“Maybe you don’t understand.” He paused, and I felt his gaze upon me. “The more you know, the less likely you are to leave.”
That shut me up. “Sorry.”
Before I could ponder my next move, he appeared at my left, kneeling beside the mattress. “So, what are you to my brother?”
I jumped. The darkness was doing weird things to my eyes. I hadn’t even seen him cross the room. Just act cool. Don’t let him know you’re afraid. “W-What do you mean?” I rolled my head to the side, refusing to flinch at his intense gaze. “We’re friends.”
“Nothing more?”
“Just friends,” I emphasized, hoping that was what he wanted to hear.
He nodded in slow understanding. “Interesting.”
“Is it?” I squirmed, crossing my legs.
Wait. My legs?
He hadn’t bothered to restrain them. The realization hadn’t even occurred to me. With him this close, I could probably angle myself to get a good kick in.
“Wallace has never been one to get attached,” Cole mused aloud, leaning on one arm beside me. “I’m surprised he told you about me.”
My heart raced with possibility. I’d only have one shot. If ramming my booted heel into his face didn’t incapacitate him, I’d be in for a world of trouble. “Why?” I heard myself ask. “Are you the evil twin?”
He chuckled under his breath, flashing a sexy grin. “Cute.”
“I try to be,” I replied, careful to keep the edge out of my voice. If I could just keep him going…
“So, what do you know about me? You didn’t seem surprised to see us fighting yesterday.”
“About you?” I raised one eyebrow. “Not much. Wallace said you guys don’t see eye to eye anymore, so I wanted to help. That’s all.” A second ticked by, and I added as an afterthought, “You can see how well that worked out.”
“Fearless little thing, aren’t you?” He laughed, shaking his head. “I can see why he keeps you around.”
“You bet.” I smiled and jerked down on my cuffs for leverage. With a quick contortion, I channeled all the bestial fury I could muster and shot my heel at his nose.
My braced muscles protested the sharp movement as my leg extended awkwardly into the air. I nearly lost my balance, and the cuffs cut deeper into my wrists as I pulled back. He’d disappeared. He’d freakin’ disappeared!
Sinking back against the mattress, I felt my heart slam against my chest. I’d failed. My only chance was gone, and now he was sure to be pissed. How the hell had he even moved like that?
“That wasn’t very nice, Rena.”
I nearly gave myself whiplash, frantically searching the room. “S-Sorry, I didn’t—”
Weight slammed down on top of me and knocked the breath from my lungs. I gasped over Cole’s shoulder as he pinned me to bed, eyes livid. “Didn’t I tell you to relax?”
“Yes.” I blinked away hopeless tears, struggling to find a way to recover. “I’m sorry.” The words came out as a defeated whisper. I hated it.
“Look at me,” he demanded, his face hovering inches from my own.
I tilted my head back, reluctant to meet his eyes. Whatever he said, I’d have to go with it.
“Don’t try that again, okay?” His gaze darkened like obsidian flame.
I could only nod in response.
Something about his featu
res softened as he stared into my eyes, searching. “Look, it wasn’t you, okay? You wouldn’t have had a chance, anyway.”
“Why?” I whispered, unable to mask my curiosity. “I want to know.”
“You want to know…” he repeated as he extracted himself, careful not to jar me as he rolled off the bed. Considerate, for a captor.
He turned away and blew out a sigh. The ensuing silence seemed to stretch on forever.
I strained to hear muffled traffic noises outside. We had to be near a street somewhere, maybe in an industrial distr—
“Did Wallace tell you our parents were killed?”
My blood froze. “What?”
“A drunk driver,” he explained, his voice void of emotion. “We were eight years old.”
I opened and shut my mouth. “That’s…horrible.” The shock didn’t want to register in my brain. I struggled to create images of the two, maybe in second or third grade, trying to cope with such a jarring loss. No wonder Cole was callous. Someone had stolen his innocence.
And Wallace…
My heart constricted. Why didn’t he tell me? I could’ve…well, I could’ve been there. Even if he didn’t want my comfort, I could’ve tried. How many years had he been bottling that pain up inside?
A tear spilled down my cheek, grief-stricken and ashamed. Damn it. I wanted to see him. I needed to see him. And as selfish as it was, I could only think of the safety and refuge I’d felt within his arms.
Over the past few weeks, I’d come to take his presence for granted. Despite my adamant protests to the contrary, I enjoyed our time together. Being with him had been easy. I hadn’t had to explain myself or justify my actions. He’d simply accepted me as I was, even when I was…drunk.
Oh no…
“The name of the driver was Roman West.” Cole retreated to the far end of the room, slipping into the shadows. “He got six to ten.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. Was I supposed to say something?
“Seven years into the sentence, he was released on parole. Do you believe that? That’s our justice system.” His voice echoed off the walls, laced with latent frustration. “Take two lives—steal a lifetime’s worth of memories—and you’re held in the pen for less than a decade. Sent back into society to do it all over again.”
Strength (Mark of Nexus #1) Page 13