“It came in the mail. And I suspect it’s not your mom lying next to him. It’s probably a mistress, and I would guess they’re in a hotel. I’ll send this to Nico later and see if he can place which one.” I hit the volume button and turned it up. Even then, the words weren’t loud. Allen’s were recorded, but hers—whoever the hidden person was—were not. Instead, subtitles were used.
Unknown:Won’t you have to involve the police?
“No. The threat of doing so will cause harm. It makes sense that I don’t.”
Unknown:But you want to involve Trey La Rosa? Isn’t that dangerous?
Allen grinned. It was pure evil. “Of course it is. She’s a thorn in my side, and I want her taken care of.”
Unknown:What do you mean, “taken care of”? I thought you wanted her returned unharmed. That’s why you didn’t contact the police.
A dark chuckled erupted from the laptop’s speakers. “I want her killed.”
The video abruptly cut off, and shocked silence filled the void. Anger rumbled deep inside me, and at that moment, I clasped Hailey’s trembling hand and decided we were going to take the ransom thing to a whole new level.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
HAILEY
Allen wants me dead. I’d always known he didn’t like me. The feeling was mutual, but I just couldn’t process him wanting me murdered.
Dark spots converged on the edge of my vision, and another tremor swept through my body. I held on to Trey’s hand like a lifeline as I battled warring emotions—first, shock and disbelief, then acceptance, and finally, white-hot fury with a deep-seated need for vengeance.
I would make him pay.
Trey squeezed my hand, effectively yanking me from my thoughts and jolting me back to my surroundings.
My rapid breathing slowed, and I picked through my thoughts. I was in shock. I knew that if Trey wanted to kill me, I would have been dead a long time ago. And he would not have pursued a relationship with me. That wasn’t even a concern, but Allen’s intentions were, along with anyone else he may have involved. I locked on to Trey, needing the assurance that he would keep me safe. “Allen had to have hired someone.”
“It’s possible.” He stood then closed the distance between us and grasped my shoulders. “Even if he did, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
He was so close, and I needed to connect to someone. Other than Justin, I had no one and was starved for physical touch from the revelation of how little I meant to the people—and I was including my mom in this fucked-up scenario—who were supposed to care about me. I gave in, knocked his hands off my shoulders, and took a step to eliminate the space between us. I wound my arms around his neck and lay my cheek on his chest, shivering at the way my body responded to his. I didn’t have to wait for him to wrap his arms around my waist and pull me close.
He held me for several minutes. I listened to the beat of his heart and felt the even rise and fall of his chest, working to match mine to them. The panic attack dissipated, and my body relaxed into his. When I pulled back, embarrassed by what I’d done, I caught sight of his dilated pupils. My heart rate kicked up another level as he bent his head slowly, giving me time to pull away. I didn’t want to.
The first brush of his lips was like a drug, and I parted for him. He drank me in, deepening the kiss and setting my body on fire. The world spun, then time stopped, and there was only him and the intoxicating way he made me feel.
His hand was buried in the back of my hair, cupping my head as he devoured me. He was my oxygen until the frantic rhythm of the kiss slowed and became more sensual, and I moaned at its decadence. When he broke our connection, I gasped. Dazed, I clung to him like a lifeline.
Trey
Ihadn’t wanted to break the kiss with Hailey. There was nothing better than the feeling of her full lips on mine or the softness of her skin, but I would not take advantage of her. When I made love to her, I wanted all of her invested, not part of her mind reeling in shock.
With the pad of my thumb, I traced her lower lip. She had no idea how stunning she was with her sensual almond-shaped eyes, high cheekbones, and full lips. I loved everything about her, from her wavy dark hair to her slender body that fit perfectly against mine. And I especially loved her nerdy side.
As I gazed at her upturned face, raw vulnerability and unfiltered desire flashed over her features. We would need to talk, but there was no resisting her when she looked at me that way. My need for her raged. The vanilla and strawberry scent from her shampoo teased my senses. All of my self-control snapped. I slanted my mouth over hers, unable to resist the temptation.
When her lips parted, I deepened the kiss, tasting heaven. I gripped her hips and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around my waist while clinging to my shoulders. Desperate for more, I trailed kisses down her jawline. With a small pinch of my teeth on her sensitive neck, she dropped her head back, giving me greater access. Long strides took us to the couch. I teased, sucked, and bit the curve of her neck. She moaned her pleasure. With her legs repositioned to either side of mine, I guided her hips forward, and we both moaned at the friction.
I needed more.
I wanted all of her.
Hailey didn’t know it yet, but I was never letting her go.
When her hands tugged at my shirt, her fingers struggled to undo the buttons. I gripped the shirt and pulled. Buttons flew in all directions, bouncing off the floor and rolling to God knew where. The offensive shirt was off in seconds, and her hands roamed across my shoulders and chest then dove into my hair as her mouth crashed into mine in a soul-searing kiss.
With one hand, I cupped her ass, urging her to move faster, and I ground against her core. I trailed my palm over her back to the hem of her shirt, slipping my fingers beneath the material. Her skin was as soft as silk, and I groaned from the sensation of touching her. I skimmed her flat stomach then brushed against the underside of her breast.