I stride to it. “Where is she?”
A mousy woman with big glasses points to the elevator. “She left a while ago. Took the elevators to the ground floor.”
“What the fuck?” I whirl and hurry back to my office.
Grabbing her phone, I open it and look around in her email. Nothing. Then I check her texts. That’s when I see Charles’s messages. That’s when my blood goes cold. And that’s when I realize I never should’ve let my Vivian out of my sight.
“Linn!” I yell.
She’s already through my double doors. “What is it?”
“Get me the address where Charles is staying as well as the current address for Carmine Santivasci.” I hurry past her and jam my thumb on the elevator button. I have to go down and look for Vivian, even though I know she won’t be there.
Even though I know in my heart that Charles has made a big fucking mistake. If he’s taken her as I suspect, then I don’t give a fuck if he’s her brother. He’s going to suffer, and Carmine Santivasci will suffer right along with him.
24
VIVIAN
My entire body feels heavy. I even have to fight to open my eyes. I swear it feels like they're being weighed down. “Griff?” I mumble, wondering if I feel this way because he’s lying on top of me or something. It’s hard to even lift my hand, but I manage it, rubbing my eyes to see if that helps.
“Griff?” I call again as I open my eyes to find only blackness. I reach my arm out to find him. He has to be here. He wouldn’t leave me in bed alone in the dark. He would have left the bathroom or closet light on for me.
My search for him comes up empty, and reality starts to settle in. This isn’t my bedroom. Everything comes rushing back to me at once. Charles, the van, someone shoving a needle into my arm. I wince when I rub the spot. It’s tender. But that’s the least of my worries right now. I try to calm myself. I know if I allow the fear to take over, it will cripple me. I need to be strong.
I want to scream out, but it’s probably not the best idea. Why would Charles abduct me? That doesn't even make any sense. I take a long, deep breath, reassuring myself I’m not in the quiet room. In fact, something about where I am feels and smells somewhat familiar.
Slowly, I slip from the bed, whacking my knee on something as I do. “Crap,” I mumble. My hand searches around until I find what feels like a table with a lamp on it. I recognize it the second my fingers brush along the base of it. I find the switch on the back and flip it on. My old bedroom fills with light.
I allow my eyes to adjust for a minute before I do anything else. I may not have spent much time here growing up, but a sense of relief fills me that I’m at least in a familiar place. I stumble into the bathroom, my head still feeling foggy, and my stomach starts to turn.
I lunge for the toilet, barely making it in time before I’m throwing up.
“Fuck, you okay?” I turn my head to see a disheveled Charles standing in the bathroom doorway.
I turn back and vomit again.
“Think it was the meds?” Charles hands me a hand towel.
I use it to wipe my mouth before I peel myself off the floor and make my way over to the sink to wash my face and brush my teeth.
“The meds you had jammed into me?” I snap when I’m done brushing my teeth. Charles gives me a bit of a sheepish look. There is no missing his bloodshot eyes. I’m not sure what the heck is going on with him, but clearly, it’s not good.
“I had to get you away from him. I didn’t know about the injection, though. But it doesn’t matter. Griffin has brainwashed you, Vi.”
“What are you talking about?” I turn to face him, folding my arms over my chest.
My stomach feels better, but honestly, I’m not sure that it’s from what they gave me. My stomach had been a bit off all morning. Plus, I threw up yesterday too. I have another theory. One I’ll be keeping to myself. I am, however, worried about what was given to me and how that could affect a possible baby inside of me.
“He’s been using you.”
“Griff?” He can’t be serious.
“Yes, without you he’d be fucked.” I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from saying something I shouldn’t. Such as with me he’s fucked. Thoroughly, actually. Wow, my mind has gotten dirty. I blame that fully on Griff.
“I don’t know what you mean. Mom and Dad clearly wanted me with him.”
“They barely even knew us. How the hell could they know what’s best for us?” He shakes his head, but he does have a point.