Page 71 of Bad Enough

TB continued to watch her.

Waters explained, “The fifth one, Tilly Moll, disappeared on March twenty-ninth from the parking lot of The Library. The other four, the last place any of them were seen, was at that same club. We can’t say for one hundred percent certainty that they disappeared from there, but we’re pretty sure.”

“But still?—”

“The first one disappeared seven months ago,” TB interrupted. “Just after you and I made contact. Just after the audio discussion with your readers about your intent to write a BDSM romance with the help of a consultant.” TB grabbed one of her hands and gave it a squeeze of reassurance. “The night that you met me at The Library, your stalker saw us. He was there.”

Waters handed the private photo to TB, who slid it in front of her with his free hand. “But then I was gone for work. We were out looking for Ka-Bar outside the country. So he must have thought I was out of the picture. He waited. Then something upset him, and he made contact at the house. And then I moved into the house, and he took another step forward and called you.”

Her eyes filled up with tears, and she looked back at the photos on the screen. “They’re missing because of me.”

“Not because of you, Flame,” Waters redirected. “He hasn’t been able to get to you because you stay inside. There’s been no suitable opportunity. So, he’s been taking these other girls from the club because they remind him of you. But now his plans are being upset because TB is back in the picture.”

One hand went over her mouth, one arm around her stomach. “I feel sick,” she murmured.

TB swept her up in his arms and took her out of the conference room and to the ladies’ room down the hall. No sooner had he set her down on her feet, she ducked into the stall and vomited everything she had eaten and drank that morning.

He grabbed several paper towels from the dispenser and wet them down with cold water. One he folded into a small, neat rectangle. He stepped around the wall and into the stall, bent over, and swept Flame’s hair off to the side to place the rectangle towel on the back of her neck. Making sure to keep her hair out of the toilet and vomit, he began to dab the other paper towel along her sweating brow.

“It’s all right, sweetheart. Get it all out.”

He handed her a third wet towel to wipe her mouth, then rubbed her back in small circles to comfort her.

After a short while, he heard her make a noise that sounded like a laugh but not a happy one. Then she spoke.

“You’re going to ruin your reputation with them.”

His hand still rubbing her back, he asked, “Why’s that?”

“Total bastards don’t comfort women who are vomiting.”

“I just don’t want Cherry kicking my ass for not doing it,” he lied.

She sighed, sitting up on her heels, and looked up at him. “Not exactly how I thought I’d end up on my knees in front of you.”

He blinked at her. He thought his mouth might be making fish faces because he could feel it moving, but nothing was coming out.

Did she seriously crack a sex joke? Now?

“Ex-cu-cuse me?” he finally stuttered.

“Well, I mean, you’ve gotta admit, it’s sort of funny.” She grinned weakly, a hand moving, gesturing between them. “You’re a Dom. I'm a sub. Women’s bathroom, I'm on my knees in front of you.”

He swallowed. “Nothing funny about it.”

She shrugged and started to get up off the floor. Without thinking, he reached underneath her arms and lifted her up to stand. As soon as she was on her feet, he let go and took a step back from her. Then another.

“I’ll, umm…” He darted a look around the bathroom. “I’ll let you freshen up.”

And then he tucked tail, and if he could have run, he would have. As it was, he nearly steamrolled Cherry over as she came through the door with a toothbrush and toothpaste brought from her apartment upstairs.

24

JUNE 16TH

Sylvan

Sylvan once again sat in the lounge at Tribe while TB finished meeting with the team. She’d started in his office. An hour later and nothing had been accomplished. Perhaps a change of scenery? The office was so sterile, and on top of that, she felt like she was invading his space, which was stupid since he’d already told her he hardly ever went in there. But the uncomfortableness remained, so that’s when she’d moved to the break room.

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