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“Based on the information we received, and the blood on the floor here, It’s clear Cordelya is in danger. I’ll head back to the station and get officers en route after you. Get on the road, and I’ll call you to give you directions.”

“I’ll drive,” Eric states.

“We’ll follow,” Jackson says firmly.

When I turn to argue, I can see all my friends are going regardless of any argument I’m prepared to give. I give a curt nod.

“Thank you,” I say. The words feel painfully inadequate, but I don’t have the time to dwell on sentiment. “Now let’s go get my mate back.”

Chapter 19

I Do Not Belong To You

CORDELYA

My brain feels like it’s been beaten with a baseball bat and put in a blender that’s been left running. Armies could march to the beat of the throbbing in my skull. As consciousness returns, I start to feel aches in my body as well.

My right shoulder feels like it was slammed against a wall, my wrists ache, and my legs feel like lead. My eyes feel heavy, weighed down with the need to slip back into darkness. It’s an immense effort, but I finally force them open. Everything is blurry, and it’s hard to focus.

The room spins. I feel like I’m on a carnival ride that spins you so hard your feet leave the ground as strobe lights wreak havoc on your vision while a mixture of screams and music blare all around you.

A wave of nausea hits me, acidic bile rises in my throat, and I have to swallow hard to force it back down. Only when I’m sure I’m not going to throw up do I take in my surroundings.

It seems that I’m in some very cheap, crappy motel. The room is dimly lit; a single yellow lightbulb flickers overhead. The wallpaper is faded and peeling in places. There’s a musty smell in the air that has me choking back vomit again.

When I try to move my hand to rub my aching head, I’m met with resistance. I look down to discover my hands and feet zip-tied to a chair.

My mind races to catch up to what I’m seeing.

Before I can process, the stench of Chad’s cologne hits me like a tsunami.

I immediately lean to the side and throw up.

Everything comes rushing back. Minna on the floor, breathing but unmoving. Chad's cologne. Being hit in the head. Twice.

And apparently kidnapped.

Wonderful. Just fucking wonderful.

“You’re awake, Cordy! I was starting to worry that you hurt yourself when you hit your head.”

When he stands before me, his sickening scent overwhelms my senses. I squeeze my eyes shut, gagging on the horrendous smell, just barely keeping myself from throwing up again.

“My poor girl, not feeling well?”

I roll my head back to glare at my asshole captor. “Not feeling well? I probably have a fucking concussion from being hit over the head. Twice. By you.”

I watch Chad turn and walk to the back of the room where I can see a sink. He grabs a washcloth and wets it under running water before returning to me.

When he reaches for me, I flinch.

Chad frowns and roughly grabs my face, holding me firmly in place so he can wipe my mouth.

“Someone needs to check their attitude. You remember what happens when you have a bad attitude, don’t you?”

I repress a shiver. I remember.

When he finishes wiping my face, he steps back and smiles. It makes my skin crawl.