Page 114 of The Love Penalty

You know you still haven’t said anything, right?

Talk or leave!

My urgent brain snaps me back to focus, and I suddenly blurt, “I was at a party here. Back in February and…” I pause and rally my courage. “Something… unpleasant… happened to me.” I swallow and force the last of the words out. “I’m not sure if you can help me or not, but I’m trying to ID the guy. I mean, I think I know who it is, but I’m trying to find some kind of proof. A witness statement or…” My voice trails off as I finally take in their expressions.

Their flirty smiles have disappeared, both of them staring at me with a serious intensity that’s unnerving.

The big guy looks like my news is causing him some kind of pain while this Zan the Man guy looks ready to throttle something.

“We don’t tolerate that kind of fucked-up shit at our parties.” His voice has dropped to deep and dangerous. “Was it a Cougar?”

I shake my head. “He doesn’t go to Nolan U. If it’s the person I suspect, he’s a student at Lennox.”

They both let out derisive snorts and shake their heads. “We hate those guys.”

“All of them?” I raise my eyebrows.

“Yes,” they growl in unison.

I bite my lips together, then try for a smile. “So, it’s a long shot, but would you mind if I asked you a few questions? I just need to figure out a way to prove he was here that night. To prove I’m not losing my mind. That the person who… did that to me… is the one I think it is.”

The shorter man takes in a long, slow breath, then nods. “I can do you one better.” Stepping back, he beckons me in with a tip of his head. “Come on in.”

CHAPTER 50

ASHER

My alarm beeps incessantly, forcing me out of a heavy sleep.

Man, I had no idea how desperately I needed it. I must have full-on blacked out, my body desperate for some recuperation after so many nights of stress and worry.

Not that the stress wasn’t still lingering last night, but having Lani in my bed made all the difference. Doing it all slow and intimate like that before going to sleep probably helped too. I was as relaxed as I could have been, and my body took advantage of that and threw me into a nighttime coma.

Hitting the snooze button, I roll over with a sleepy yawn, about to pull Lani into my arms… except she’s not there. When I find the empty mattress beside me, my eyes ping open and I sit up with a start.

“Lani?” I call toward the bathroom, but there’s no response.

Scratching my bedhead, I shake off the last of my sleepiness and fling the covers off me. I’m still naked, so I throw on a pair of boxers before walking out to the man cave in search of her.

She’s not there.

And she’s not in the kitchen or the dining room.

She’s not playing pool or darts. She’s not watching TV or curled up on the patio with a book.

I even go upstairs to check the bathroom in case she didn’t want to wake me with a shower, but when I get there, Liam is walking out the door, giving me his fresh-faced morning smile.

“Hey, man.”

I grunt at him, running back downstairs to check my room for a note. But I don’t see anything. The man cave is empty, with zero evidence of her even being here last night.

“Great,” I mutter, trying not to let my annoyance get the better of me.

But what the fuck?

Why’d she just take off without saying goodbye?

Unplugging my phone, I press her name on my screen and figure a text can be ignored. But not a fucking phone call.

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