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“As long as you’re all right. It’s just a car. Have fun.”
I nodded and put the key in the front pocket of my purse, my mind wandering to what was waiting for me once we arrived at 4 Play.
I practically skipped to his car, giggling like a little kid on her birthday. If someone had told me five months ago that I would be living with the wealthiest man in the Pacific Northwest and driving his i8, I’d have laughed until I peed myself.
The drive to the 4 Play was like floating on a cloud. The car handled like a dream. One I’d never had before. Holden was calmer than I was, but once I got a feel for it, I relaxed. I pulled into the garage at the club before I was ready to. Then I remembered the delivery truck was there. Zayne and Vaughn eased into a parking space next to us.
We all hurried to the unloading dock, and I ran up the steps in front of Holden.
“We’re here,” Holden announced to the guys sitting on the ramp waiting for us.
Over the next few hours, we inspected and signed off on the furniture, then it was moved upstairs. I’d been so wrapped up in how amazing everything looked I forgot that I was supposed to pee for Brynn.
“Hey, I need to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
Since Holden didn’t tell me to take Vaughn or Zayne, I figured he assumed I would use the restroom on this floor, but I needed some privacy.
I kissed him on the cheek and hurried to the elevator. I jabbed the button with my finger, then slipped in. The doors started to close, but an arm shot between them and the side, blocking them from shutting.
“Where are we going?” Zayne asked.
“No. No. Out.” I pointed at the hallway, but he pretended as though he hadn’t heard me. I glared at him. “Fine.” I wasn’t a foot-stomper or a girl to throw a tantrum, but for some reason, my temper went from zero to sixty in seconds.
The moment the doors opened, I flew down the hall to my office. Since no one else was on the floor and I wasn’t inviting Zayne in, he took his time.
I stood still for the scanner, then hurried inside. My anger simmered below the surface as I slung my purse on the bathroom counter. I removed the pregnancy test, read the directions, then sat down to pee on the stupid stick. Once I was finished, I placed it on top of a few paper towels near the sink, then I set my phone timer for five minutes. While I waited, I typed a text to Brynn that the results were negative, but I didn’t hit send yet.
I paced Holden’s office, waiting for the silliness to be over with. I should be in the penthouse right now, directing the men where to place the new furniture.
My timer went off and I practically ran to the sink. I picked it up, ready to snap a picture for Brynn to prove she was wrong. Instead, I gawked at the result, then dropped it on the floor.
“Fuck!” I screamed to no one. “No!” I knelt and scooped up the positive pregnancy test. Tears streamed down my face. This couldn’t be happening. I erased Brynn’s message and took a picture to send to her later. I couldn’t tell her that I was pregnant until after I talked to Holden. And I knew myself. If I didn’t tell him now, then I would take matters into my own hands and not tell him at all. I couldn’t do that. I’m sure he’d be on board with terminating the pregnancy. I didn’t want kids yet, and maybe never would.
I choked on my tears. How in the hell would I be able to take care of a baby when I hadn’t even been able to keep my brother alive? My anguished cry tore through me. There was no way I was keeping this kid. I wanted to finally live my life and be happy, but what if Holden didn’t feel the same?
Clutching the edge of the sink, I pulled myself off the floor, then splashed my face with cold water. I shoved the test into a Ziplock baggie I kept for my toothbrush and secured it in my purse. I placed the phone next to it in the zippered compartment of the bag. My heart pounded in my ears as I rushed to the door.
I nearly knocked Zayne over as I darted into the hallway, then ran to the elevator. I had to lose him. I wanted to have just one goddamn minute to myself.
The doors opened, and I hopped inside and pushed the button. This time Zayne didn’t make it. I barked out a laugh, imagining how pissed he was right about now. But I needed to find Holden and have a private conversation.
Once it stopped, I hit every button, delaying the return of the elevator to Zayne. I made a mad dash to the loading dock, determined I was going to tell Holden before I chickened out. I refused to have a relationship with secrets.
I stopped short when I arrived at the empty delivery truck. No one was there. Dammit, they must all be in the penthouse. I gazed into the massive space, trying to calm my racing heart. Footsteps approached me from behind, and I sighed. Zayne had caught up to me. I placed my fists on my hips, ready to explain why I’d ditched him.
I turned slowly when I felt a sharp sting in my neck before a bag was slipped over my head. Then a meaty hand covered my mouth as my attacker flung my body forward. I landed on a hard floor, my knees taking the brunt of the impact. Then I heard a door slide down. Bile swam up to my throat as I tore the bag off, gasping for air. My vision blurred in and out as the large vehicle lurched forward.
“Holden,” I cried out. “Holden!” I crawled across the floor and banged on the wall. With a turn of the vehicle, I rolled and slammed against the side. Fat tears fell down my cheeks as I faded into oblivion.
My eyes shot open as I woke with a start to bone-chilling water all around me. Panic seized me as I recalled the needle in my neck and being tossed into the back of the truck like a rag doll before I’d passed out.
Forcing myself not to take a breath, I struggled against the hands that pinned my shoulders underwater. Fear ripped through me as I stared into savage eyes lurking above the surface. Savage eyes that I recognized well.
Holden’s beautiful smile flashed across my mind and fueled a flicker of optimism that I could survive. I had to. I had to reach him. Holden needed to know the truth. I had to protect him.
With an extra boost of adrenaline, I wedged my thumb between the two ligaments of my attacker’s wrist, then pushed into the soft flesh as hard as I could. This had to work. My energy was dwindling, and fast.
Suddenly, my head popped up, and I gulped in much-needed air as I gazed into the twisted and depraved face of a monster.
