On my next trip to see my uncle, I would be alone.

 

“So who lives here anyway?”

I pulled up into a parking space near Melanie’s building. All I had told Bryce so far was that I needed to check on a friend.

A friend.

God, she was so much more than my friend, and I had been ready to turn her away. But no more. I’d changed my mind. I was going to be there for her, or at least I would try. My own head was such a mess I wasn’t sure I was much good to her, but surely just being there would help.

I didn’t want to lie to Bryce. I was already keeping so much from him. “My friend is…a psychotherapist. Dr. Melanie Carmichael.”

“Isn’t that…”

I nodded. “Talon’s therapist. Yeah.”

“So she’s a friend of yours?”

“Yes. Sort of. I mean—”

“Christ. You’re screwing her.”

I shook my head with a chuckle. How in the hell had Bryce and I been separated for so long yet he still knew what I was thinking? “That’s none of your concern.”

Bryce gave me a broad grin. “Joe, I have known you your whole damned life. You can’t hide that shit from me. I can read you like a book.”

Apparently, he could, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing. I didn’t want him guessing what I suspected about his father, not until I had better proof. Once I did, I had to tell Bryce before I could tell Talon. I owed Bryce that much. This was his father, after all. I wasn’t looking forward to it.

“Okay,” I said. “You got me. We’ve fooled around a few times, but we’re really just friends.”

“Yeah? Then why are we coming here to check on her? Why not give her a call?”

“Because she’s not answering my calls.”

After Melanie had sneaked out of my house a few days before when Talon and Jade found us swimming naked in my pool, I’d been angry. When she called me a few hours later, I hadn’t answered. When I’d finally tried to call her, she gave me the same treatment. She didn’t take the call. I deserved it, but now I was starting to get worried. Melanie wasn’t the type to hold a grudge. She was a good person—a person who preached against grudges, a person who helped others.

“Have you considered the possibility that she doesn’t want to talk to you?”

“Yeah, I’ve considered it. Maybe she doesn’t. It’s been a few days.”

“Did you leave everything fine?”

I let out a sigh. “Unfortunately, no. I was mad at her for a while. But I’m over it.”

“What did she do?”

“It’s a long, dull story. The gist is that Talon and Jade walked in on us while we were naked by my pool. She was embarrassed, and instead of staying, like I wanted her to, she got dressed and sneaked out without telling me.” I opened my door.

Bryce left the passenger seat and followed me. “Nice building.”

“She has a great little loft here. Fourth floor.”

“You want me to stay down here?”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. There’s a tavern across the street. After talking to Larry again, I need a beer.”

“Sounds good. I just want to check on her, and then I’ll meet you at the bar.”

Bryce waved good-bye and walked toward the tavern. So much for him reading me like a book. I knew damned well that if Melanie was home, I wouldn’t be meeting my friend at the bar in a few minutes.

I’d be fucking the sexy woman’s brains out.

Chapter Two

Melanie

My body went numb. No. This could not be happening. Use your head, Melanie. There has to be a way out of this. You can kick open a car window. No problem.

So far he hadn’t bound my ankles. If I distracted him, maybe he would forget.

Keep him talking. Keep him talking.

“Is this actually the car that Gina used to kill herself?” I didn’t really want to know the answer, but I had to prolong this for as long as I could. Every second made a difference at this point. I had to throw him off balance.

“Do you really care?”

Did I? Whether or not this car had killed Gina, it could very well kill me. “Of course I care. She was my patient. I care about all my patients.”

“Do you, Doctor? Then why did you let her die?”

He might as well have sliced my guts open with a sharp knife. “I didn’t let her die. She killed herself.”

“Because you didn’t help her.”

My wrists burned as he applied another layer of duct tape tightly around them. My legs were still free. What if—

I turned quickly to face him, the black glint of his gun apparent in his waistband. He could easily grab it and kill me before I could do anything. But I had to try. I had vowed I would get out of this mess, go back to Jonah, and confess my love to him. I drew a deep breath and quickly kneed him between his legs.

“Oof!” He doubled over.

I raised my leg again, ready to axe kick the small of his back, but he turned over quickly, grabbing my ankle.

I screamed as pain shot through me when he twisted the fragile joint.

“You dumb bitch. I know enough to wear a cup when I’m working. Why the hell did you try that?”

He kicked my sore ankle, and another shard of pain lanced through me. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to will away the tears. But I was weak, both in mind and body. I had no idea how long I’d been here, and although he had fed me, it hadn’t been much. How much more would I be forced to endure? Would I have been smarter to have waited until he started the car?

No. I had to take every chance I had. Unfortunately, this one hadn’t panned out, and now I had the added debilitation of a sore ankle. I could move it, so at least it wasn’t broken. I might have quite a sprain, though.

“Dumb cunt. I ought to kill you and be done with it. But that’s not the plan.”

“What is the plan?” I asked. “Who sent you to do this to me?”

“Not at liberty to say.”

“Rodney Cates? Gina’s father?” It couldn’t have been Gina’s mother. She was still hospitalized.

“Still not at liberty to say.”

“Why keep me around for so long? Why didn’t you just kill me when you took me from my home?”