Her eyes widen, and she lets out a whimper behind the tape, letting me know that she still thought it was Monroe. She’s not as quick as the Reapers in putting the dots together. Even if they did take longer. My doll here was the distraction Law needed to keep him busy. Rellik doubted the situation from day one. And Monroe just wanted to let it go and move on with his life. But me? I saw an opportunity to play with my doll. To pass her around like the toy she is. To fuck with her mind and emotions.
“But rape?” I shake my head. “You can’t rape the willing, doll.” My fingers slowly run down her neck, feeling her rapid pulse. “You didn’t listen, and now … now you must be punished.”
She yanks her head away from my hand, and I smile. “Still going to deny me?” Gripping her face, I force her to look at me, my fingers digging into her cheeks. “I trained you to want me once. I’ll do it again.” I let go of her face, and my hand slides down the nightshirt she still wears, and she stiffens. “That’s not how you should react to me, doll.” I make a tsking sound. “You should crawl to me. Beg me.”
She shakes her head quickly, mumbling behind the tape over her lips.
I walk over to the metal table again and pour the liquid into the glass and smile. “Let’s play.” I hear the door open behind me, knowing Steve has returned. “Perfect timing.”
GRAYSON LAW
“You sure there’s nowhere else he would keep her?” James asks as we stand in my mom’s study, looking over the blueprints of Death Valley sprawled across her desk. He’s already had a team search his house inside and out just in case Scout decided to keep her there, thinking we wouldn’t look there. One of those “right under your nose” situations. Of course, we found nothing. Except for Vanessa. My little doll was right. About everything.
“I mean … it’s always a possibility,” I say, my chest tightening at that thought. If not there, where else? “No.” I slam my hand down on it. “She’s here. With him.” She has to be.
“I think there’s something we haven’t thought of,” Dax says, sitting on the black leather couch.
“What?” Rellik sighs. He’s been on edge. He hasn’t said it, but I know he’s mad at himself. At us. He said that we weren’t asking questions. That we swept what was happening under the rug and thought it was weird that Dax never spoke of it. Maybe if we had tried, one of us would have caught on.
“Her state of mind. The condition we might find her in.” Dax leans forward, running his hand through his hair. “It’s been two days.”
“Well, take her to a hospital.” James barks. “Call me on the way …”
“We can’t.” I interrupt him. “The Founders thinks she’s dead. If word gets out that she’s there.” Shaking my head, that’s not a risk I’m willing to take. “Hospitals leave paper trails. They report certain injuries to the police.”
“I … I have a friend. I can get things ready here just as a precaution.” He nods to himself.
There’s a soft knock on the door, then it opens. “It’s eight thirty,” my mother announces to the room.
Fucking finally!
Scout messaged me this morning that we were fighting tonight at nine thirty. Time has never gone slower in my life.
I look over to Derek, who has sat quietly for the last three hours while we go over Death Valley. “You’ll ride with me. And you’ll stand with me at Graveyard.”
His eyes widen. “I’m going? To Death Valley?”
“Yes,” I snap. “What’s the problem?”
He shakes his head. “I just haven’t been back … since.”
I dig into my pocket and pull out my car keys to the G-Wagon, tossing them to Dax, who catches them midair. “You and Rellik take it. Derek and I will go in mine.” My Aston Martin doesn’t have a back seat, and neither does theirs. The G-Wagon will give them enough room to get her home.
He nods.
“When you find her, get the fuck out of there,” I add.
“And leave you behind?” Rellik wonders.
I nod. “Absolutely.”
Derek shrinks down into himself, knowing he’s riding with me, meaning he won’t leave until I do. “Get going,” I tell Monroe and Rellik. “We’ll be right behind you.”
“Can you give Law and me a moment?” James clears his throat.
My mother kisses my cheek and exits with Derek. I turn to face him, crossing my arms over my chest. He runs a hand over his hair. Then he places his fists on my mother’s desk. Leaning over, he takes in a deep breath.
“I don’t need a pep talk,” I tell him, knowing exactly what he’s thinking.
He looks up at me. Henley has his soft blue eyes. His look tired and sad right now. No one in this house has slept. We’re all on edge and terrified, and failing her is not an option.