“Hey, Naomi,” Neveah called out, cutting me off before I could get to my sister.
She appeared out of nowhere. Kinda creepy.
“Uh, hi.”
I didn’t like this girl. She was jittery and seemed ready to jump out of her own skin.
“Can we talk?”
Right now? “Can this wait? I really need to speak with Nylah.”
“Nope. Sorry, honey,” she blurted before I felt a sharp prick in the back of my neck.
Stunned, I knew what she injected me with right away. The same drug Alexi used to use to make me docile. All inhibitions left and you followed what anyone wanted blindly without the ability to object or fight back.
That fast . . . I lost my ability to choose again.
Devastated, I stared into the sad smile that Neveah sported as she led me down the hall and outside, sneaking around the building to her car. The trunk was popped and she gestured for me to get inside, helping me in as I resisted the urge to cry.
I’d come so far, made such wonderful progress, and it wasn’t enough. I was on my way back into the world that would make me suffer before my life was ended in pain and humiliation.
I, Naomi Lyla Peters, was a victim. Again.
The car rumbled as Neveah started the engine and we glided up to the front gate. I wanted to shout, to kick and scream, to fight and let someone know that I was locked inside the trunk.
None of that was possible.
As the gates shut behind us and we merged onto the highway, I knew that my final minutes on this earth were approaching and I hoped with all my heart that Patriot wouldn’t do something stupid when he learned of my death.
“Wait until you meet my sunshine,” I bragged, slapping Angel on the shoulder, “She’s the sweetest thing you ever saw.”
“I bet,” he laughed. “She’d have to be sweet to put up with your miserable ass.”
That wasn’t wrong. Shaking my head, I walked out of the chapel and headed toward the bar. “What you want to drink, Angel? Becca here will hook you up while I go find my ol’ lady.”
Becca was already filling beers as Harley helped her. Struck me as kinda odd that Neveah wasn’t back there since that’s one of the reasons she was brought on.
“Take your time,” Angel answered, ticking his head toward Becca. “Give me your best whiskey, honey.”
Whistling, I was happy as fuck to finally call an end to church and go find my girl. I missed her and hated the separation even if it was only for a few hours. I’d only admit that to her because Rael would never let me hear the end of it but Mimi was an addiction and obsession that I was thrilled to pursue.
I’d given up some of my other bad habits months ago. There was a time when I was hardly sober but I saw the error of my ways, especially after I realized they only helped increase my sour mood and nightmares. I smoked weed on occasion but kept the alcohol to a minimum. Wasn’t easy in the environment I lived in but I found a way with Grim and Wraith’s help.
Finding balance was getting less difficult every minute that Mimi remained in my life. My Reaper was satisfied with sharing her and our need to feed on souls and their fear. A bargain we mutually found acceptable.
Mimi wasn’t in our room when I went there first and that wasn’t surprising. She was spending a lot of time with Desi. Nylah was often with them and it made me smile to see how much Mimi had grown. She was making friends all over the club. Snooki was determined to become one of her closest ones. Wasn’t my idea to make all those cinnamon rolls. She did that on her own. Smart chick.
Back in the hall, I shut the door and locked it, heading further down to the guest room. No one answered when I knocked. That was strange but maybe Desi was sleeping and Mimi was already back in the common room.
My Reaper was feeling a bit edgy and concerned but I didn’t feed into it. There wasn’t a reason to worry. The Crossroads was locked up tight.
Angel must have noticed my agitation when I returned because he tossed back the remainder in his glass and slid from the stool. “What is it?”
“I can’t find Mimi.”
He arched a brow, studying me before he spoke. “I think you better find out.”
Well, no shit. I was working on that but I appreciated that he was trying to help.