Chapter One
Purgatory
Disbelief courses through my body as I sit in my favorite café. Mid motion of dipping my biscotti into my coffee cup, my hand hangs suspended as I glare at my long-term boyfriend, Rex. He looks pained yet resolute. As if he’s not the one that just told me, in public—obviously to minimize the meltdown— that he loves me, but he has issues he needs to work out. That it’s not fair to make me deal with them and if I’m still willing once he works them out, he’ll tell me about them and hopefully, we can get back together. Well, he said it in a lot more detail than that, but that’s pretty much what I got from it. The old 'it's not you, it's me' routine. I'd met him here tonight, tentatively expecting a proposal, and instead got dumped.
I know that something has been both, and him lately and that it started when his childhood friend came to visit and then abruptly took off without a word or his belongings a couple months ago. Obviously, now I know more than just his absent friend has been on his mind. Unsure how I could have missed something as big as him wanting to end things, I stare at his handsome face. The shock begins to turn to anger, bringing on the urge to punch those perfect white teeth. Years, I'vewasted on the d-bag.
Objectively, I realize that even while wanting to deck him, he's still attractive to me. His blond hair is buzzed short on the sides, a little longer on the top. He's fresh-shaven, making his dark blue eyes more prominent than usual. I want to blacken them both. I’m frozen, speechless, trying to process everything he's just said.
He leans in to kiss me after gathering his things up and telling me he’ll see me around. Right, like that’s going to happen. Leaning back, I refuse to acknowledge his hurt look; I’m sitting here with a mouthful of biscuit that I can’t swallow because the lump in my throat is threatening to choke me if I attempt it. I see Emmett, Rex’s investigative reporter partner and best friend, waiting on the sidewalk through the window. He looks anxious and a little sketchy. And hot. Unfortunately, the hotness is outdone by the sketchiness. Guy is weird.
He’s got an angel's face that draws looks from men and women alike, crystalline blue eyes framed by lashes darker than the light blond hair on his head that’s currently shaved in textured lines on the back and sides with a shock of long sun-bleached locks in a wedge overhanging his face. He reminds me of an anime character or one of the main characters from a fantasy video game. Like I said, seriously fucking hot.
Something is going on with them, but as my heart has just been ripped through my ribcage, in public no less, I’m not apt to try to figure it out right now. It’s all I can do to not scream obscenities at Rex. I can't believe he brought his partner with him for this, even if we were all friends. Well, as part of the break up rules, I’d imagine he’s no longer going to be a friend of mine.
Trying to gather my composure, I watch them through the window as they meet up outside, exchanging words before they walk out of my line of sight. I get my phone out to text my best friend and roommate, Braeden. I instantly get a text back telling me what a douche my now ex-boyfriend is, and that he’ll be here in ten minutes. Profusely thanking my past self right now for not moving in with Rex and Emmett months ago when Rex had asked, I gather my things and walk outside, going around the building to the mouth of the alley, not wanting anyone to see me if I lose my composure before I get home with Braeden. They have a mammoth-sized modern cabin in the woods. I’d been tempted but liked living with Braeden. Rex always accused him of being secretly in love with me, even though he most definitely would have preferred Rex if he were to choose between the two of us. Not exactly sporting the preferred equipment. Even so, Rex never believed me, and that had caused a bit of a strain where my best friend was concerned.
Braeden is six two, two hundred thirtyish pounds of muscle. He religiously works out as a personal trainer and self-defense instructor. We go running several times a week and work out just as often together. He's Italian/Greek with midnight hair, swarthy complexion, and refined features. If that isn't enough, the brightness of his sea-green eyes pops in all that gorgeousness, hinting at more than the primary ethnicities he claims. I can see why Rex would be worried, but he's my best friend and has been since he was an exchange student our senior year. My parents adopted him when his grandparents passed while he was here in the States. So technically, he's my adopted brother, but neither of us acknowledge that other than legally. We moved in together during college and have been inseparable since.
I see Braeden getting out of his car down the block where he parked and send him a quick text telling him where I am. As soon as I send it I hear a muffled scuffle and grunts. Going a little further down the alley, I peer around a dumpster. Dark silhouettes appear in the low light filtering from a streetlamp at the opposite end. After a moment my eyes adjust, bringing into focus men fighting. I briefly debate running back to the cafe for help before Braeden comes around the corner, headed toward me. At my frantic motioning, he notices the scuffle going on. Shaking his head, he’s reaching for my arm, presumably to pull me away, when I hear the voice that just left me yelling at the other men.
“Rex!” I know it’s him. Even after what happened a few minutes ago, I can't not try to help him. “Braeden, call the cops!” I take off for the struggling figures with Braeden right behind, whisper yelling at me to stop. A moment before I reach the group, I notice Emmett is unconscious on the ground, and his hands and feet are bound together. Looking further back to Rex, his expression turns to one of horror as he makes eye contact with me, and the hesitation is enough for one of the attackers to sink a needle into his neck. An abrupt “NO!” is all he gets out before he crumples to the ground. I turn to run when the men who are in masks and gloves turn toward me. Braeden catches up to me at the same time, trying to pull us both back to safety. I feel the prick of a needle in my neck from behind and a burn of the fluid as it's being injected. The world starts to go fuzzy as I see Braeden receive the same treatment; everything goes black.