Hideaway (Devil's Night 2)

“Ask me where I buried the body when I cleaned up your shit six years ago.”

I closed my eyes, my heart dropping into my stomach.

He hadn’t forgotten. He would never forget. Did I really think he would?

Going to prison for three years, because I assaulted a police officer wasn’t the worst thing I’d ever done. I hadn’t even begun to pay for my crimes.

“Don’t tell me,” I choked out, completely deflated as I stared ahead, but I tried to be stronger. “Because if you do, I’ll bury you with her. And I know you’d hate that.”

I hung up, standing in front of the alley and still facing the hotel as that nightmare of a night played back in my head.

How we were having fun and everything got away from me. How I was confused and angry and couldn’t seem to stop myself, and how the rage consumed me. How I wanted to hurt her, even though I didn’t really know her, but I hated her.

How I loved Damon once, and how I knew Gabriel Torrance was wrong. I would do anything for his son. I have done anything for his son.

I killed for him, and last year he turned around and nearly killed me.

I looked up, back at the hotel, wondering if he was right. Had I wasted my time? Maybe I should’ve been following his precious little girlfriend instead?

Two things were certain, though.

He was here, in the city, and he still wanted Rika. Anticipating him hadn’t been a mistake.

I’d call Gabriel tomorrow and relinquish my claim on the hotel. I hadn’t signed a contract, so there was no deal.

I moved to turn around, the light sprinkles turning heavier as they fell on my head, but then I stopped. Looking into the alleyway across the street, I spotted Banks climbing out of an SUV alone. She looked around her, not seeing me, and raced to the same back door we’d entered just days ago.

What was she doing?

The thunder cracked overhead, splitting across the sky, and I dived across the street, racing as a car’s headlights shone through the mist.

Reaching the back of the building, I dug out my keys and looked down, realizing I’d given Banks the hotel set. But I still had the code memorized. Punching in the seven digits on the keypad, I stuffed my keys back in my pocket and opened the door, quickly slipping inside.

I didn’t tell her to do anything at the hotel today. She wasn’t here for me, I knew that much.

Taking out my phone, I turned on the flashlight and made my way out of the kitchen and through the dining room and the lobby. Stepping into the open space, I turned my head right and left, searching for her. Where did she go?

But then I heard a dull hum, a noise buried as if in the walls or under the floor. Following the sound, I turned my gaze left and spotted the numbers above one of the elevators lighting up.

As it ascended higher and higher.

They were working?

Reaching out to press the up arrow, I paused and then pulled back. What floor was she stopping on?

I watched the numbers light up?

??eight, then nine and ten…And then they kept going—eleven, twelve…

And it stopped. The light didn’t go any higher.

Twelfth floor.

I quickly punched the top button, jamming it several times as my blood started to boil.

You got to be fucking kidding me. The elevator did go to the twelfth floor.

I waited for it to descend again, keeping my cell phone handy in case I needed light.