Filled

“Vivian didn’t say it was you.” I wring my fingers together, trying to buy time.

“Vivian doesn’t give a shit who it is as long as they pay.” He licks his lips. “Besides, I’m the hero that saved you from the fucker last night.” He rubs his knuckles, still red from where he punched Angus. My stomach turns with the urge to throw up.

“I really don’t think this is a good idea. We have to work together.” I take a step back.

“You really do play up the innocent act, don’t you?” He reaches down and adjusts himself. “It fucking works. Makes me think you got a tight cunt.”

I gasp and take another step back. Did he really say that to me? “I don’t want to do this.” I put my hands up to try and keep space between us.

“You don’t want your money? All of a sudden you’re a fucking prude? I watched you on that fucker last night. You gave him way more than he paid for.” Robert clenches his fist at his side.

“I’m going to call Vivian.” I turn to walk into my bedroom to grab my phone. Robert’s hand wraps around my wrist, and he yanks me back. I fall against his chest, and it knocks the air out of me for a second.

“I paid for the whole package. You’ll get your four grand.” The smell of musty cologne fills my nose. I try to push away from him, but his hold on me tightens. “We can play rough.”

He grabs me around the waist and lifts me off my feet. I try and knee him, but he’s quicker and tosses me onto the sofa. Before I can try and run, he’s on me again. I scream as his hands wrap around my neck to make me stop. I scratch at his hands, trying to get them off, but it’s no use.

“Stop fighting me,” he seethes, but I don’t stop.

I try harder until black spots dance in my eyes and there’s no air left in my lungs.

Chapter Four

Angus

I don’t know what Rogue had to do to get this address, but I don’t think I’ve ever gotten my shit together so fucking fast. He got me out of jail after I finally got a hold of him. Thank god he’s a lawyer with some pull at the hotel. I know how much he hates giving favors, and he probably gave more than he wanted in order to get me out.

As soon as I got back to the hotel room, I showered and got my car from the valet. I’d driven down to the bachelor party, enjoying the ride and taking my time. Now I’m eight hours from home and don’t really have a plan for what’s next.

The one thing I know for sure is I’m going to see Bambi again. I have to see her and explain what I felt. Maybe I could convince her to go to dinner with me or get a coffee? Five minutes is all it would take for me to convince her that there’s something between us. Just like Dad always told us would happen, lightning struck, and I’m not about to ignore it.

I check the address three times as I look up and down the street. Someone who makes a couple of grand a dance should not be living in a place like this. There’s trash everywhere, gang markings all over the building, and a homeless camp in the alley with at least half a dozen people sleeping in it. The building itself has a huge crack on one side and some of the windows are busted out. Could someone have given Rogue the wrong information?

I put my SUV in park and get out. I lock it twice and scan the street as I walk up to the building and see if there’s a buzzer or anything. The door to get inside is a joke, because not only is there no lock, there’s no handle. It looks like it was broken off a long time ago, and a brick props it open.

I walk up the rickety stairs to the third floor. Sirens sound nearby, and that’s not the first time I’ve heard them in the past fifteen minutes. I shake my head and hope I’m wrong as I enter a dingy hallway that smells like mildew.

There are a ton of doors and half of them don’t have numbers listed as I scan for the one I’m after. As I walk, I hear televisions and people talking, but then I hear something that sounds like a woman screaming. All the hair on the back of my neck stands up as I walk back from where I came to one of the numberless doors.

I stand there for half a second, making sure this is where I heard the noise, and press my ear to the door. Something breaks within and I hear a strangled cry. Even if this isn’t Bambi, I know something is wrong.