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Our eyes met in the mirror and held me a little tighter. “Come on.” He steered me over to the shower and pulled open the door.
I stepped into the glass cubicle with him right behind me, standing beneath the second showerhead so we each had more than enough room. I closed my eyes, relishing the feel of the hot water on stiff joints and tender flesh.
After a few minutes, the shower door opened and closed behind me, and Constantine’s presence disappeared. I reached for his body wash, and quietly exhaled, relieved to have a few minutes alone—to think.
He had the uncanny ability to read me like a picture book. I’d been learning to keep some of my inner thoughts and feelings carefully hidden.
Like the apprehension that trickled into my gut when he said I was coming with him. There was a heavy degree of secrecy around the trips he took periodically. He and his brother. I knew they did certain things expected of their surname, but these trips always seemed more personal.
I finished showering and got out to dress. If you could call wearing another one your boyfriend’s t-shirt as a dress—dressed. Constantine returned just as I finished brushing my teeth.
“Are you ready?”
“No. I don’t have my shoes, cell phone, or wallet.”
“You won’t need them.”
“I don’t need shoes?” I made a point of looking at his jeans and boots. “Are you going to carry me then?”
He looked down at my painted toes. “Your shoes are by the front door.”
“And my phone?”
“Already packed in the bag with a charger and you have me, so you don’t need money.”
. “I’m not sure I go with you. can’t be without a phone. You know Grandpa--.”
“He’ll be fine,” he cut me off.
I wasn’t liking this. I had faith in my intuition and the apprehension I’d felt just a bit ago had it urging me to be cautious. “Where could we possibly be going with me dressed like this?” I indicated myself.
“It’s a surprise.” He strode towards me and grabbed my hand. “And you’re wearing my shirt, you couldn’t look any better unless you had nothing underneath it.”
He led me through his room and out into the hall. “You know I don’t like surprises.”
“This one’s for both of us.”
I should have known things were about to get a whole lot more fucked up. What I didn’t see coming, was me never coming home again.
CHAPTER TWELVE
ROSELYNN
HIM
By the time I finished locking up the salon, it was well past eight-thirty in the evening. I hadn’t heard from Max and with everything going on I would have bailed on eating dinner with him, anyways, so I let Lauren leave an hour early. I regretted that act of kindness as I now walked through the back parking lot checking every dark corner. My car was one of the only ones left. The rest were clear down on the other end.
I unlocked the doors and slipped inside, placing my bag on the passenger seat. With a loud yawn, I checked my mirrors, doing a double take at what was reflected in the rearview. I gripped the steering wheel, feeling my palms begin to sweat. I’m not sure how long I stayed like that before slowly twisting around.
Right there on the backseat was a music box identical to the one Constantine had given me as a random gift. It should have burned right alongside everything else in our home. Yet, there was no denying it was mine. The left corner was singed, and the small silver clasp had our initials engraved into it. Resting on top of the box were two more roses, each a different color.
That feeling I had of being watched came back so strong I physically felt it. I hit the lock button on the doors and put my car in reverse. I couldn’t draw unnecessary attention to myself. I began making my drive home as I usually would.
Driving with one hand, I reached for my purse and dug out my cell phone. Once I had it, I hit send on the last call I’d made and then thought better of it. I canceled before it connected. Molly would be home in two days.
If I told her not to come back at all, she would find a way to do just that. I wouldn’t risk her being hurt. It was better if she was none the wiser, which gave me a little less than two days to figure out who was doing this.
When I arrived home, I stared at my house for a good few minutes before going inside. Both the other houses on the street were completely dark. The light usually on Maxwell’s was turned off for once. I carried the music box inside and sat it on my air mattress in the dining room. Repeating what I’d done earlier with a butcher knife, I searched my whole house from top to bottom. There wasn’t anything out of place. No more windows had been opened either. I went from room to room and made sure all the windows were shut and locked. I double-checked the side door and even ventured into the damp, musty basement.
