by D W Marshall
Sam goes to the fridge and grabs a couple of beers. She tosses me one. “You’re pretty worried about her.”
I sit on the edge of the sofa and nod. I take a draw of my beer and stare at the floor. “He is obsessed with her. She broke up with him and he has seen us together, but he is such a narcissist that he won’t accept that she is no longer his. That makes me nervous. We gotta get him behind bars as soon as possible.
“Agreed. I’ll call him right now.”
I sit back and watch my partner go to work, using her sweetest voice as a lure.
“Got him,” she says when she ends the call.
Chapter 28
Whitney
“Good Lord, sweets, I’m starving,” Chalice says.
We take a seat at the food court. Our usual spot. I’m not superstitious. The likelihood of me being taken twice is as likely as me winning the lottery.
Chalice pouts. “I miss Amaris already, and now you’re gonna be in London. You guys are leaving me and I’m never gonna see you.”
I lean back in my seat. Then a thought comes to my mind. “Actually, that’s not true. We’ve just increased your free lodging all over the world,” I say trying to provide consolation.
“Hell’s yes. I never thought of that. I’m gonna be booking tickets left and right.”
I smile at my best friend. “I hope so.”
She and I chit and chat about everything. She asks me about Niko and I gush. She tells me that she is cooling toward her most recent fellow, which I could have predicted. My friend needs way more attention than a long distance relationship can provide.
“Shut the front door,” Chalice exhales. I look up to see she is staring at something behind me and has dropped her fork. I turn to follow the direction of her eyes and see what has her so shook. It’s Thomas, and Sam. They are arm in arm, walking toward us.
“If he comes over here I am going to beat the holy hell out of him, Whit. I promise. Dumb ass wanna-be-fly-boy-bitch-ass-pimp.” She is fuming.
I lean forward in my seat. “Just drop it, pretend I didn’t tell you shit. He is nuts and I need to see what his angle is. With him, he always up to something.”
“I don't know if I can, sweets.” She pinches the bridge of her nose and I know she is on the verge of snatching her earrings out of her ears—full brawler mode. Tiny, but fierce.
“Play nice. That’s what you have to do with fly-boy-bitch-ass-pimps.” Her fly boy expression makes me smile. It’s funny, yet right on the nose.
She isn't wrong though, I’d love to pick up a chair and smash him in the head with it. But I won’t play my hand just yet.
“You forgot dumb-ass-wanna-be.” She smiles, then mouths, “we can take him.”
“I know.” I mouth back and meet her smile. Inside I am not so cool. My heart ticks up in pace.
“Whitney, I thought that was you. I told Thomas here that I recognized you. Thomas, you remember Whitney,” Sam beams her introduction.
“Yes, we’ve met,” I say. “Small island and all. This is my friend Chalice. This is Sam.” I almost say Niko’s cousin, but hold my tongue because I have no idea what Thomas is up to.
“Do you mind if we join you?” Sam says as she sits. Thomas is eating this up with a stupid grin on his face.
Chalice, Sam and I chat while Thomas watches us. Watches me.
“You want something to drink or eat, babe?” Thomas says to Sam, but stares at me.
Babe?
Sam smiles, twinkly starry-eyed stares. “Sure, babe a blueberry smoothie.”
They are in a relationship? She obviously hasn’t mentioned this to Niko.
The second Thomas leaves I have to ask. “You and Thomas are a couple? You’ve only been in town a hot minute. Does Niko know?”
Her face is blushing pink. “Isn’t he handsome. He is so ambitious and smart. He’s starting a new business and he asked me to team up with him, so I may be staying around for a while.” She nudges me in delight.
This can’t be happening. Thomas can’t have me, so he manipulates Sam, someone who is not even from this country? I have to tell Niko about this immediately. But first I have to warn Sam.
“Sam, did Thomas tell you he and I were involved?”
She turns her attention to me and then stares off after Thomas. “He may have mentioned you guys dated, nothing serious,” she says.
Chalice pounces before I can. “Nothing serious? Thomas is a lying goat. They were engaged, and he is a monster.”
Sam’s eyebrows raise in confusion. I lean forward to whisper, but not before I double check that Thomas isn’t coming back. “Get out while you can. Thomas is not what he seems. Chalice is telling the truth; he and I were engaged. It’s also true he is sick. Your cousin had to help me get away from him, and his business will land you in a prison for prostitution. Run far and fast now.”
Sam shakes her head. “I can handle myself. I’m sure it’s not as bad as you say,” she says just as Thomas returns handing her a smoothie.
“What’s not as bad?” he asks.
“The food,” I lie.
“We’ve got to be going, right Chalice?” I say moving my head in an exaggerated motion.
“Yes.” She snaps to attention. “Before I open up a can of whoop ass,” she says under her breath.
“Stay. Please. I was about to share with Sam, the role you’ll be playing in the new business,” Thomas says. The sneer on his face drips with hate.
He laces his fingers with Sam’s, his dark brown, hers fair, but bronzed by her time under the island sun. I hate to leave her with him, but I have to believe this show is mostly for me.
“No thanks,” I say, and Chalice gestures to her throat like a knife going across it, sneering at Thomas. I have to pull her along.
“Get away from him, he’s a monster. You hear me? A monster!” Chalice calls out to Sam.
The second we are out of sight, I text Niko.
Me: Were you aware that your cousin is with Thomas? Like holding hands and stuff?
I don’t have to wait for a response.
Niko: No. I was not, but she won’t be for long. Are you okay?
Me: Fine. Rattled, but fine.
Niko: Wanna get together later?
Me: I’d love to, but I promised I would spend the day with Chalice. I’ll see you tomorrow at the gym.
Niko: Until tomorrow, then.
Chapter 29
Whitney
I missed spending time with Niko. He crossed my mind throughout the evening. But I get to see him today. If I had my choice it wouldn’t be for a workout. I want to get a different type of exercise. Then again, knowing Thomas has no plans of quitting, I better get tough and soon.
I hop out of the car at Milo’s. I’m running late and Niko is probably already inside. I reach into my car, over my driver’s seat and grab my phone and wrist wallet. When I back out of my door, I feel numbing pain in my head and all goes dark.
When I awaken, I don’t open my eyes. Like before, I listen. I am patient as I attempt to heighten my awareness for any sounds that may give me a clue. The only sound I hear is my pounding heart echoing through my ears—lub, dub, lub, dub—set on repeat. I check my other senses. I don’t think I’m outside. I feel air on my skin, but from an air conditioner, not the outdoors. The odor wafting through is familiar to me. I can’t place it, but faint spice is the best way to describe it.
My arms are tied behind my back. I wiggle them to see how much room I have. Not much. My shoulders ache and my bindings bite at my wrist. What if Mason took me again? He promised retribution if we broke our promise of silence. But that can’t be, I’ve been so focused on my own personal monster, I haven’t had time to think about him much—save a nightmare or during my meditation.
There’s no other option, I open my eyes. I survey what I know. With my hands tied behind my back, my ankles tied down, and a gag in my mouth, I may as well face my capture sooner rather than later. They have the power not me. My head is pounding wit
h pain. The face I see when I open my eyes—Thomas.
“Look who finally decided to wake up. Bet you have a headache, eh? That’s what happens to little teases like you.” He walks around me, circling me like I’m prey.
“For a woman with your kind of smarts, I’m surprised you thought this was over. You thought you weren’t going to be mine?” He laughs at the absurdity.
Deviant minds are the most mysterious minds on the planet. He has somehow twisted things around in his, and I’m the bad guy.
“Since you and that asshat, Niko, like story time so much, it’s my turn to share a tale. Let me tell you a story about a stupid little stuck up, smart bitch.”
He plops down on the sofa.
We are in his apartment. I look down for the first time and I am barely dressed, matching black bra and panties, barefoot. I close my eyes. There is no point in listening to his stupid story. He aims to kill me. It’s the only way he gets what he wants. He’ll probably dump my body and lead the fucking search.
Searing pain grips my cheek and spreads like wildfire up my face and down it at the same time. White light flashes and I push my eyes open. My blood curdling scream leaches through the gag. I am anger, I am desperation, I am sadness. The gun he struck me with in his hand. He wants to do worse, I can see it in his eyes. He hates me. He believes I ruined his life. My hot tears mixed with my blood leak down my face and drip onto my bare legs.
“I’m so sorry, baby, did I hurt you?” He snickers. “Eyes open and on me, I’m talking.”
He sets the gun down and wraps his arms around me. “We still have time to fix this, Whit. You know what you have to do.”
He pulls the gag from my mouth. “Scream again and I shoot you, understand?”
I nod my head.
“Can we start over?” he asks me.
I don’t respond. Thomas gets close to my face and presses his lips to mine. The kiss is rough and unloving. My body shivers and my chest is aching from my heart beating so hard for so long.
This is it? After The Chamber, I thought, foolishly that I wouldn’t have to suffer at the hand of another again, I mean not this way. The Chamber should have been worth a lifetime of pain. My story can’t end here, with Thomas shooting me in the head. I can’t help but wonder what my life would have been had I ran away with Connell.
I sob while Thomas sits back and watches.
“Whelp, I promised you a story,” he announces.
I raise my head to look up at him. He is sitting in a chair right in front of me now. “Go to hell, Thomas,” I say in a low voice.
Thomas doesn’t react verbally. He picks up a hunting knife instead. “This beauty was a gift from dear old dad.” He moves it around menacingly. “Story time, eh?”
Does he want me to answer him?
“I said eh?”
He picks up the gun and mashes it against the side of my head. Causing me to squeeze my eyes shut. I open them when his previous threat pushes into my mind. A whimper that I can’t hold escapes me and I nod. Once.
“So, over a year ago I get a call from my girlfriend’s father saying she’s missing. I should have known something was wrong because the Alexander brood wasn’t at the spring island party of the year. The engagement ring that sat in my pocket burned there. I was so lost in that moment.”
He leans back in his chair giving me a chance to feel the pain he felt. I don’t, my head and face are throbbing; I can barely focus of his words.
“The father and I pull our finances together to hire investigators to find her. I made risky business deals to get more money to find her. I lost everything searching for her. Then one day, like a miracle she’s home. I didn’t ask for much, just help getting back what she cost me.
I should have known she wouldn’t go for it. She never loved me as much as I loved her. With talk of London she planned to leave, knowing this island runs through my veins. But the more time I gave her, the more I watched as she moved on without so much as a care about my well-being.” He scoffs and lets out a laugh. “Your silly dates with the white boy, therapy appointments, meditation on the beach. I watched it all. I nearly shot you and Niko that night on the beach. You and your hand-holding, but you deserve a longer, more punishing death.
“I’ll take him out first. Yeah, he won’t be suspecting it. I still have access to him through his cousin. I’m heading to see him now. I asked her to have him meet us at Milo’s. You know, so I can fake an apology for my behavior and ask his blessing to date her, like it’s 19 fucking 29. Then boom! I’m going blow his fucking brains out.” He shakes his head and laughs.
Suddenly, Thomas pops up so fast that I startle and fear causes my body to shake uncontrollably. He walks around the back of the chair and tilts it back and starts dragging me across the room. The chair leg gets caught on something and he loses his grip causing the chair to fall. I stifle a scream as my bound arms and hands meet the floor with force. He picks the chair and me up and drags me again into his bedroom.
“I can’t look at you right now. If I shoot you before I kill your boyfriend it’ll ruin the plan.” He pushes the gag back into my mouth. “And don’t think you can beg me to take you back once he’s dead. I don’t want you anymore. Besides, Sam will be a much better fuck than you. My business will soar with her, and she is down.”
He rushes toward me, this time with his knife in hand. He pushes it into my throat. The sharp edge bites into my skin. I hold my breath, fearing that breathing will push the blade into my skin. The pain alerts me to my impending death. “I should slit your fucking throat right now. Let you bleed out all over my floor.”
He releases the pressure, walks away abruptly and turns in the door way.
This man that I thought I knew so well is a monster in the truest form. There is no way that money changed him. This was inside of him all along. He stares at me, pure hate and loathing in his eyes.
Barely dressed. Bloody. Sobbing and shaking.
“Beautiful.” He scratches his head and continues to stare at me. His eyes more crazy than sane. “Well, I better go, I have a blue-eyed devil to kill. You won’t miss your boyfriend will you? Oh wait…” He rushes to my side. “Last part of the story.” His voice is low and menacing. “You and me both know if he hadn’t come in and saved the day, you’d be on your back right now fucking for me. You went upstairs, Whitney. Think about that during the little life you have left.”
I buck against the ropes and growl. I hate him and there isn’t anything I can do but wait here until he decides when it’s my time to go.
Tears blind my vision, but I watch his wavy image get further away, and then the door slams. A million things race through my mind. Niko and I had a gym appointment; surely he will be worried enough to look for me.
There’s no way he’d agree to meet Thomas for Sam; he hates Thomas. Unless it’s to tell him to back off; that is something he would do. Why would Sam agree to be his whore?
I have got to get out of here. I try my ropes again. To my surprise, the wood makes a cracking, whining sound. When I fell? It strained the wood, there is so much more give. I go to work on the ropes.
Chapter 30
Niko
I hope Whitney isn’t too put out by my running late. She didn’t answer my text when I messaged her. Sam and I meeting about Thomas ran long. That fucker really thinks Sam is gonna start seeing clients for him. She is scheduled to meet with her first client next weekend. Personally, sooner would be better. Thomas presents a danger to my girl and needs to be off the streets immediately.
“Hey, Milo.”
“Niko.” Milo smiles and me.
“Whitney already back there?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Nope. You beat her this time. It’s pretty empty back there.”
Strange. I’m like thirty minutes late. I jog to the back of the gym, and when I don’t see her, I check the women’s locker room. I’m sure it’s nothing, but panic runs through me. I run past Milo shouting, “If you see her call me!”
“Will do,” he calls after me. “Everything okay?”
I don’t answer. I keep calling her phone as I scan the parking lot for her car. I didn’t see it when I first arrived, but I wasn’t really looking for it because I assumed she was already inside. I pace the storefront. I call her number again and I hear a ringing sound close by. I hang up and dial her number again. I follow the ringing to the source. Her smashed phone is sitting behind a parking bump.
Fuck me.
I dial two numbers—Sam and the local police. Time to blow my cover and find my girl. Something is wrong.
Sam and the police arrive within minutes.
I give them the info I have. Sam and I share our true credentials with the police. It’s the only way. I need help finding her. There could be another explanation for her phone, maybe she lost it—but Thomas’ face is all I see.
“Milo, I think something happened to Whitney. Can I review your cameras?”
He eyes the law enforcement credentials now hanging from my neck. Hurt flashes across his face but he recovers quickly. He nods and I follow.
“I instruct the young wide-eyed officer with the deep brown skin and his partner. “Get a hold of her parents and have them come down here now. Also, we need to track her car.”
The young cop speaks. “She isn’t missing yet. She could have lost her phone.”
I walk up to him and get close. “She has a stalker. Something is wrong. I feel it in my bones.”
Everyone moves. Sam and I follow Milo to the room with the camera.
We look through the tapes and all gasp at the same time. Thomas took her. He knocked her out, threw her into the back seat of her own car. We watch him look down and pick up her belongings, except her phone, he kicks it—in broad daylight.
My heart is pounding. I am scared to death.
Sam puts her hand on my shoulder. “We’re gonna find her, Niko. This is what we do.”