There were so many things telling me no. But I turned around, took off my shirt, leaving my bra on, and clutched the edge of the cage.
“Let’s get this over with,” I murmured.
“What was that?”
“I said, let’s get this party started,” I lied, unable to hide the irritation in my tone.
Whack!
The pain ricocheted through me. I arched my back, biting my tongue, trying to stop my hips from rocking. I didn’t want him to know thatthatwas perfect. That it hurt so good that I held my breath. That I wanted him to do it again.
I didn’t want to like this. I didn’t want to like anything Grant did. Not him.
Smack!
Everything was white. The burning sensation was electrifying, controlling my senses. I looked over my shoulder and when I saw the look in Grant’s eyes, my mind went to Dean.I know what I’m doing, Dean had said, hanging the cuffs from his hand,Trust me.
I grabbed my chest, covering myself over the bra. Grant straightened.
“What is it?” he asked. But the closer he got, the more suffocating the room was, closing in on me with questions about the past. Had I known that Dean would die? Had I let him have the cocaine on purpose? Did Eric know that someone would take it from me? Or did Eric wantmedead?
Would Grant hurt me like that too?
He reached for my arm, and I put up a hand. “Don’t,” I said. I didn’t have time for the pity talk. I needed to get out of there before I went insane. I tossed on my shirt and looked around the dungeon. Everything continued as if nothing was wrong, as if the murderer of their friend wasn’t there, infiltrating their space, masquerading as one of them. Like I wasn’t even there.
But there was no sign of the man in the top hat. At least there was that.
If I remembered correctly, there was a lounge. And to the side of the lounge, a small room with an actual lock.
I darted through the equipment, keeping my head bowed. If I got to that room and had a moment to think and breathe, I’d be able to gather myself and figure out what to do next. Go to a bar, maybe. Try the whole one-night-stand thing again. I went past the torture rack. A spanking bench. A standing cage. A violet wand lighting a set of teeth. Zipping past it all, because I wanted to be anonymous. I didn’t know these people. They didn’t know me.
I let out a breath when I saw the lounge. A short line was formed at the bar. I was close.
But the door to the side room was closed. I could knock. See if anyone was there. Maybe it wasn’t locked.
A man, tall and lanky, in an old-fashioned suit and top hat, stood in front of me. He knocked his cane into my shoe. On a closer look, it seemed like he was trying to be aristocratic, and failing. Hard.
“Ah. If it isn’t the murdering slut,” he said. I shook my head, trying to go around him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied.
“You think I don’t remember you, Hazel?” He sneered down at me. “You killed my best friend.”
A hush silenced the lounge area, and every eye turned towards us. Now they knew I was here.
“Fuck off,” I said, trying to go around him. “He took those drugs himself.”
He kept moving in front of me. “Because Eric told you to plant them,” he said. “Eric knew Dean had a problem, and he capitalized on that.” He grabbed my shoulder, digging his nails into my flesh. “Youcapitalized on that.” I shrank, suddenly wishing that I hadn’t followed Grant here. Why here, Grant? Why torment me like this? The top-hat man’s eyes blazed red as he said the next words: “Youwill fuck off.”
“That’s enough, Oliver,” a woman said. She jerked his arm away from me. “She’s only trying to get a drink. Weren’t you?” She turned to me and waited. “Weren’t you?” she repeated, her tone sharp.
“Yes,” I said. Who was she? And why was she helping me?
“Good.”
“Is there a problem?” a deep voice said. Grant came around the side, approaching the three of us.
“I took care of it, babe,” the woman said. She patted his arm and winked at him. “Nice try, though. We’ll be going now.” She tilted her head at the man in the top hat. “Bye, Oliver.” Then she turned to Grant. “Bye, gorgeous.”
