Page 13 of A Midnight Romance
“I can sense it,” she admits, her words coming out breathy. “But if you’re not one of those monsters, then why are you here?”
Why the fuck does she keep talking to me?
Climbing up the creaky wooden stairs, I ignore her question once again.
“Please get me out of here.” She sniffs. “I can’t be here when the police come.”
I’m about to tell her no when her last comment stops me in my tracks. Against my better judgment, I ask, “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why can’t you be here when the police arrive?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
Irritation whips at me—both from her continued communication and now her lack of transparency whenshewantsmeto help her. But also by my inability to leave her behind. I straighten my posture and head back to the bed. The sound of my feet on the floor makes her flinch.
“You better start talking,” I warn, fixing her stare with mine.
Wait. She’s the woman from the club! The one Andrew was bothering when I interrupted them.
She hesitates for a moment before licking her lips. “My father works for the police department.”
My fucking luck. The only woman alive is the one who’s connected to law enforcement.
“Well”—I raise my eyebrows—“now there’s no way I can let you go now that I know you’re connected to the police.”
“Please!” The woman flops aggressively. “You have to help me. Keep me blindfolded, throw me into your trunk, and drop me off at my house,” she says, “I don’t fucking care, but I can’t stay here!”
“No.”
“Please!” she screams. “Please!”
“Are you all right down there?” Sebastian’s voice bellows from the top of the stairwell.
I lean in closer, bringing my face within inches of hers. “Don’t you dare move.”
“Help me!” she screams. “Let me out of here!”
Frustrated with her lack of compliance, I sprint over to Sebastian anyway.
“One is alive,” I tell him.
His boots descend the steps. “Oh, wow. Okay.”
“We’re taking her with us,” I say with apprehension lacing my voice.
“What?” he whispers. “Are you serious?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I dismiss him. A wave of relief washes over me as time passes and we go deeper into the nighttime hours. “Get the tarp and line the trunk with it. We’ll drop her off at her house.”
Sebastian’s eyes are wide with confusion, but like the most loyal cousin and friend he is, he agrees. “I found these on our buddy Pete,” he says, tossing me a ring full of keys.
I catch them in my palm. “Perfect.”
Frustrated with myself for getting involved, I angrily make my way back and march to the side of the bed. As soon as I get rid of her I can return to my goal—bringing those sick bastards down.
“We’re taking you home, but I swear to fucking god, if you try anything I will not hesitate to end you,” I threaten, sliding the keys from my pocket. I only have to attempt two before I get the correct one that unlocks her chains. “I’m going to handcuff you again.”
