The corner of my mouth lifts, hearing Barb took him in. She’s got a heart the size of Texas, and if I’m not mistaken, she feels more than friendship for Carl. Maybe this will lead to them getting together?
“B’s an amazing woman,” I give my two cents.
Carl shakes his head. “Don’t go there.”
“Why?”
Carl comes back into the office, shutting the door behind him. “The divorce papers aren’t even cold yet. I need to get back on my feet before I consider a relationship.”
It’s none of my business, but still, I ask, “With B?”
Carl lets out a chuckle. “You know, Ethan, for a guy who looks like he can kill a man with his bare hands, you’re a real romantic.”
“I care about you and B. I want to see you both happy.”
Carl stares at me for a moment. “Thank you.”
A light frown forms on my forehead. “For what?”
“For caring.” Carl scrubs a hand over the back of his neck. “It’s nice to know I have real friends after all the shit that’s gone down.”
My heart goes out to the raw hand Carl’s been dealt. The divorce was one hell of a knock to his self-esteem. “You’re a good man, Carl. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”
He gives me a grateful smile, then walks to the door. “Don’t stay too late. I’ll lock up.”
“Okay.” I watch as he leaves, praying to God I never end up in a marriage like the one Carl just got out of. Celia, his ex-wife, almost broke my friend.
Then I remember what Carl said about me. I’m a romantic?
I let out a chuckle as I turn my gaze back to the laptop’s screen.
Yeah, I guess I am. Only because I was raised in a loving home and had the perfect example of what a marriage should be like. My parents worship each other.
Going through the list, I notice we lost three members, but the four that joined make up for the loss.
I’ll have to come up with new classes and services so the business will grow instead of becoming stagnant.
A weird feeling settles in my gut, pulling my attention away from my work. The frown from earlier returns to my forehead, and this time I try to figure out what the cause is.
Picking up my phone, I call Dad’s number.
“Everything okay?” Dad answers immediately.
“Yeah. I just wanted to check on you and Mom,” I explain my reason for the late call.
“We’re fine. About to call it a night.”
“Okay. I’ll swing by tomorrow night,” I tell Dad.
“G’night, son.”
Ending the call, I text Eli to check in on him while getting up from the chair. I close the laptop, walk out of the office, and head toward the reception counter.
Barb sees me coming, and a smile spreads across her face. “Going home?”
“Yeah.”
Eli responds that everything’s fine on his side, and it lessens the uneasy feeling I have.
“What’s wrong?” Barb asks.
I shake my head, meeting her eyes while I tuck my phone into my pocket. “Just a weird feeling.”
“About?”
I lean my forearms on the counter. “I don’t know. Feels like something’s off.”
“I get those kinds of feelings too,” Barb says, rolling her eyes. “Whenever Chelsea’s been here.”
Letting out a chuckle, I ask, “What happened that you hate her so much?”
Barb leans back in her chair. “Chelsea was the head cheerleader back in the day… and she never missed a chance to bully me.”
My frown darkens. “I’m sorry, B.”
Barb shrugs. “It’s in the past.” She leans forward, her eyes growing serious. “You need to tell her to stop touching you. It’s sexual harassment.”
I won’t lie, I hate that woman’s hands on me.
“Yeah, you’re right,” I mutter.
“I’m always right.”
Carl walks toward us, asking, “I thought you already left.”
“B wouldn’t let me leave,” I say, a teasing tone to my voice. “She was just about to admit how much she loves me.”
Barb makes a snorting sound through her nose. “Don’t make me come around this counter and smack you upside the head.”
Lifting my eyebrows, I let out a low whistle. “Never took you for the kinky kind, B.”
Her cheeks flush bright red. I jog backward as she darts from her chair while Carl lets out a bark of laughter.
“See you tomorrow,” I say before I’m out the door.
During the drive back to my place, the weird feeling returns. Knowing my loved ones are safe, I shake my head, writing it off as nothing.
Chapter 3
FINLAY
A broken cry tears from me as he starts to cut through the middle of my tank top. His touch is soft and bloodcurdling as he moves the fabric to the sides, exposing my breasts to him.
“Mmm…” he hums in the back of his throat. “So beautiful.” The back of his knuckles brush over my left breast. Shame and repulsion coat my skin as my nipple hardens.
Feeling horribly exposed, the whimpers keep escaping from me while I try to wiggle myself free from this hell. My ankles strain against the cuffs, and suddenly the metal bar lengthens before it clicks into place again, leaving my legs spread wider apart.