Page 80 of Beneath the Scars
“She could’ve found another partner.” He says this with hesitance, knowing it’s the last thing any Dom wants to hear.
I shake my head with conviction. “Not Adalaide. We’ve been in love with each other since we were kids.”
A grating voice cuts into our conversation. “Who are you talking about?”
I turn to face Ronnie. “Adalaide. Have you seen her?”
“She left you all alone?” She scoffs. “What an idiot.”
“No, she didn’t leave me. Something happened. I know it as well as I know my name.” My desperation leaks through every word. I keep scanning the lounge, hoping to see her gorgeous head of curly hair. I can imagine her smirking at me for being over-the-top.
“Are you sure about that?” Ronnie presses. “She doesn’t seem like the most experienced girl in the world. Maybe she got scared and decided to leave?”
I want to growl at this woman to shut up. “You don’t know her like I do. Addie is my soulmate. She wouldn’t just leave for no reason, especially not without saying anything to me.”
“You barely know this girl. How could you possibly think she’s your soulmate?”
Ronnie’s words have me taking a second look at her. “I know her better than I know myself. Do you know where she went?”
Ronnie’s eyes widen at the waves of menace pouring off me. “N-no. I have no idea what happened to her.”
“I’m a cop, Veronica. Do you know what that means?”
She swallows hard while shaking her head.
“I’m pretty good at knowing when someone is lying to me. It’s a helpful skill, you know. If the person you’re interviewing knows more than they’re saying, you can push them harder.” I step into Ronnie’s space and grip her throat.
“Hey, wait a second,” the bartender tries to protest.
I ignore him, focusing on the way Ronnie’s pupils dilate. A mixture of fear and lust stares back at me.
“Tell me what you know. Right. Fucking. Now.”
Chapter 43
Addie
Darkness and the pounding in my head are the first things I notice as I wake up. My eyes are open, but I can’t see anything. It finally registers that something is covering my face. Words form on my tongue, but only come out as muffled sounds through the gag filling my mouth.
As my awareness catches up, terror swiftly follows. My arms are bound over my head while my legs are tied to the posts of the bed I’m lying on. I pull as hard as I can, but it only further proves I’m completely vulnerable.
My heart pounds in my ears, muffling any sounds that may give me a hint at what’s going on.
“Good, you’re awake,” Ronnie says from my left. “You know, I bent over backward to show Michael I was worthy of his time. I’m the only woman he’s partnered with multiple times, and I swear to fucking god, I’ll be the last.” Her heels click across the floor. “Oh, and by the way, if you scream, no one will come.”
The door clicks closed on her cackling.
Adrenaline races through my body as I try in vain to freemy hands. The more I move, the higher my dress gets rucked up my legs, so I force myself to lie still.
I inhale for a count of four and then exhale, blowing all the air from my lungs. Then I do it again and again until my racing pulse has slowed enough for me to think.
Michael will come for me. He won’t wait all night for me to return, and depending on how long it’s been already, I can only hope he’s already started the search. He’ll be in a bigger panic than I am, so I need to keep my head to make it through this. No matter what happens, he’ll be there for me on the other side.
The passage of time has lost all context in my sensory deprivation. It could’ve been ten minutes or an hour since Ronnie left.
And when the door opens, I hold my breath, pleading for it to be Michael.
“When you said your friend helped you get ready, this is not what I had in mind.” The man’s unfamiliar voice sends a chill down my spine.
