Page 63 of Exposed

CHAPTER 21

“Dude, you needto get down here. Now.” The sharp, serious tone of Dylan’s voice sent alarm bells shrilling through Nate’s head.

He swung off the bed, grabbed his T-shirt from the floor, and shoved his arms through. “What’s wrong?” He yanked the shirt over his head and snagged his room key from the nightstand. If Carlos had cornered Maddie again, he’d rather break down their door than waste time going down to Dylan’s suite.

“I–I can’t explain. You just need to hear this with your own ears.”

The phone went dead. Icicles collected in his veins. He raced to the front door, shoved his feet in his sandals, and closed the door behind him. His feet skidded to a halt in front of Carlos’s door. The muscles in his shoulders bunched with the need to know what was going on behind the walls.

He shook his head and tore his feet from the carpet. He jogged to the stairwell. It’d be quicker than waiting for the elevator. His flip-flops slapped against the concrete stairs as he barreled down the two sets. His breath came out in heavy puffs as he pulled open the door and strode to Dylan’s suite.

He’d never been out of breath from a few stairs, but when it came to Maddie, his health was always at stake. He reached for the door handle, but it swung open before he touched it. Dylan ushered him into the suite. “I heard you charging down the hallway like a herd of elephants. Headphones are beside the monitor. Have a listen.”

Nate dropped into the chair and slid the headphones over his ears. Dead silence filled them and he frowned. He leaned forward, willing an image to fill the computer screen in front of him.

“Ah, fuck baby, you’re so sexy.”

His muscles tensed. He pressed his fingers to the outside of the headphones and leaned closer.

A low grunt sounded. “Get rid of this.” Carlos’s deep, throaty voice reached his ears.

Fire spread through Nate’s veins and he turned to Dylan. “What the fuck is this?” he ground out.

The blood drained from Dylan’s face and he swallowed. “I think they’re… doing it.”

Nate’s lips clenched together and he shook his head. No way. No fucking way. Maddie was bound and determined, but she wouldn’t do something like that.

Glasses clinked together and he snapped his teeth shut. Maddie’s deep, throaty laugh crackled through the speaker as if she were in his ear, touching him. But she wasn’t. She was on another man.

He pressed his fingertips into his eye sockets. In the beginning, she’d been open with him about her lack of conscience when it came to sleeping with Carlos. But that had been before.

Before he’d made her his.

It was possible she’d given him the roofie and was waiting for him to pass out. He couldn’t deny that likelihood. Carlos let out a low moan and pain tore through him. Whether it was an act or not, he couldn’t bear listening as if it were real. He tore the headphones from his head and threw them on the table. He drove his fingers through his hair and got to his feet.

He wanted to storm up there, tear Carlos away from her, and shove his automatic so far up Carlos’s ass—

Dylan cleared his throat. “I’m sorry dude. If it’s any consolation, you know she hates the bastard.”

Nate dropped his hand and shook his head. “No, it’s no consolation.” His throat tightened. “I gave her some roofies to slip him if he came on heavy. I’m sure that’s what she’s doing.”

Dylan winced, and his tanned cheeks crinkled with sympathy.

Nate sighed and waved him off. “I’m going up now. Let me know if anything else happens.” He strode to the door, but Dylan scrambled to his feet.

“You’re not going to listen?”

The muscles in his face ached as he deepened his scowl. “Why the hell would I want to listen to that?”

He shrugged. “If you’re right then he’ll pass out soon.”

“I don’t need to hear it.” He moved past Dylan and into the hall.

His hands knotted into fists until the skin at his knuckles threatened to split. His jaw locked and he stormed into the stairwell, not giving a damn if he disturbed anyone. Fuck, he hoped Carlos would come out of his room.

He wouldn’t even think twice about breaking every bone in his face.

He moved his tongue across the top of his teeth. He wasn’t stupid enough to be jealous. That wasn’t what this was about. He hoped to hell she hadn’t let that slimy sonofabitch touch her. She had to know he’d be listening in. The room was bugged for God’s sake.

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