She skates outside, leaving me behind, as I head up the stairs. I hear Eve’s slight moans behind one of Drex’s sickening noises that I shouldn’t know is one of his many I’m-working-hard-to-get-off sounds.
This place needs thicker walls.
Fortunately, you can only hear them when you’re directly in front of the door, so I’m spared any other nauseating sounds as I hurry to the end of the hall to clothe my doll and drive her out to where I plan to investigate my newest lead—
My inner thoughts come to an abrupt halt, because the bed is empty, and the satin ribbons have been cut. There’s a switchblade stabbed into the floor like someone was sending a message.
Slowly, I turn my head and stare at the door Maya just disappeared out of. Then I lift my phone and study the video footage. I knew better than to turn my fucking back.
Unfortunately, the one person who is untouchable is the one person who cut her loose. The switchblade isn’t a message—it’s just fucking random.
Very calmly, I put my phone in my pocket, and I walk back down the catwalk.
You can run, Kara. But no longer can you hide.
Chapter 18
KARA
The door cracks open, and my body flushes with painful embarrassment as my brother’s freaking semi-sheltered girlfriend pokes her head in. Her eyes widen on me, and I clear my throat.
“Sorry. I wasn’t expecting company, or I would have had my master clothe me. I’m being punished,” I go on.
She darts inside and shuts the door, eyes still wide and horrified.
“Is this by choice?” she asks like she’s genuinely concerned.
“No. Drex decided Rush could be my keeper, and my ex has apparently gotten more damaged since I ran off to escape this hell hole town. Any suggestions on how I can escape? Or are you just here to check my temperature or something?” I ask, pretending not to be too eager for help.
She quickly scrambles to the table and pops open a switchblade. And…then she drops it. It narrowly misses the instep of her right foot, and we both stare at it for a long second.
“You really are defenseless, aren’t you?” I ask on a tired breath.
Drex is a fool. Why couldn’t he have fallen in love with the capable assassin?
She seems nice enough, and she drives a clown car when she’s not stabbing men in the penis. I’m sure my brother is able to handle a woman of that sort of…crazy.
Eve recovers and…struggles to get the knife out of the floor.
She finally gives up when she’s unable to even do that much, and she jerks open two or three drawers until she uncovers another knife.
This time, she makes it all the way to me, and—
“Whoa! Cut away from my body. Not toward it. Jeez, woman, you’re going to give me an ulcer just trying to help me out,” I gripe.
She clears her throat as her cheeks flush with color. “Right. Right. Sorry,” she says in that gentle way of hers.
I simply don’t get it. How in the hell does a docile creature like this end up with Drex?
The second she has my hand free, I take the knife from her, and I quickly swipe the blade across the second restraint.
I’m off the bed in the next instant and pulling on my clothes, while also grabbing one of my bags.
“Can I ask where you’re going?” she asks from behind me.
“Nope. I don’t trust my brother not to send my ex after me again. I wanted to help out, but I have my limits. Rush is off his damn rocker, and I don’t think he particularly likes me.”
“Really? I sort of thought he was obsessed with you,” she says like she’s confused.
I glance back over my shoulder as I get my second shoe tugged on, after a series of indignant hops.
“Yeah, well, he’s the kind of guy who gets hung up on control. He’s not so much obsessed with me as he is obsessed with controlling me. It’s best that I make a clean break. Is it safe to sneak out?”
I peer through the small crack I make in the door, finding the clubhouse mostly empty, with only a few drunks staggering in during the lunch hour.
“They’re in a meeting, so you better hurry. I’ll keep Drex distracted.”
I turn around, taking a deep breath. “Will Drex hurt you for this?”
She looks at me like I’m insane. Okay…then.
“No. Besides, he’ll never know it was me. He doesn’t think I’m brazen enough for a stunt like this. You should go. They won’t stay in there long because Snake has to take his shift at the hospital in less than thirty minutes.”
I nod like that’s all the motivation I need, and I walk the catwalk without acting suspicious, while also moving quickly.
A flashback hits me as I hurry down the stairs, trying not to draw attention.