Page 90 of Hide Me Darling

"We'll be back, we have a few things to take care of, little shadow. Get some sleep," Jonah whispers softly, his kiss on my cheek leaving a lingering warmth as he quietly slips out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Alone in the quiet aftermath of Jonah's departure, I succumb to exhaustion. My eyelids grow heavy as sleep envelops me, pulling me into its depths despite the questions that linger in the recesses of my mind.

As darkness claims me, I find solace in the knowledge that despite the uncertainties ahead, I’m not alone anymore. Jonah and Link have chosen me, flaws, darkness and all, to be a part of their lives—a realization that brings a sense of belonging that I had only ever hoped to find. Link. My Link. I can hardly believe it.

The doorbell of the house startles me awake the next morning. Blinking sleep from my eyes, I manage to quickly throw on a pair of leggings and a shirt as I make my way downstairs.

To my shock, standing on the doorstep when I open the door is Sheriff Brooks and Deputy Eli.

"Good morning, Taylor," Sheriff Brooks greets me, his tone measured. "We were hoping to chat with you about the report you filed the other day?”

My heart skips a beat as it takes a moment to remember about the report I filed for Beth. I nod, inviting them inside. “Would you like some coffee? I’m just about to put a pot on, I only just woke up.”

Sheriff Brooks and Deputy Eli exchange a glance before Sheriff Brooks nods. "Coffee sounds good, thank you, Taylor."

I lead them into the kitchen, starting the brew before turning back to face them. "Please, have a seat," I say, gesturing to the table. As they settle in, I retrieve mugs from the cupboard before pouring them each a cup.

Once we're all situated, Sheriff Brooks clears his throat. "We wanted to follow up on the report you filed regarding Beth.”

"Of course," I reply, my mind still groggy from just waking up. "I haven't heard anything further since filing it. Is there any update?"

Sheriff Brooks leans forward, his expression serious. "Actually, Taylor, it's been brought to our attention that a local has gone missing this morning. Did you happen to hear or see anything unusual overnight?"

My heart is suddenly racing in my chest. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary last night," I respond, my whole body filling with unease. "Who is it that's missing?"

Deputy Eli hesitates for a moment, as if considering how much information to disclose. "It's Chester," he finally reveals, his voice low. "According to what we know he was supposed to meet with some friends early this morning, but he never showed up."

I freeze, the name ringing in my ears. Oh yeah, him. Last time I saw him was when he was trying to kill me and one of the men I love was snapping his neck. My breath hitches and my heart skips a beat, but it has nothing to do with Chester, and everything to do with me realizing I’m in love with my men. And they are my men.

"Do you have any leads?" I manage to ask, trying to focus despite the whirlwind of emotions.

Sheriff Brooks’ gaze remains steady, his expression unreadable. "We're gathering information and interviewing witnesses," he replies cautiously. "Any details you can provide, no matter how small, could be crucial."

I nod, my thoughts racing. "He mentioned something about an art project he was excited about," I offer, trying to think quickly. “Let me see if I made note of it on my phone. He did tell me about a few different art shows in the city if that helps.”

I stand, making my way from the room as Deputy Eli scribbles down notes. I’m not sure where I left my phone but I’m making my way toward the office, turning the corner in the hallway when I hear the Sheriff and Deputy behind me starting to have a heated discussion. I can’t make out what they’re saying, so I pause, turning back toward the corner in an attempt to listen in.

Suddenly, I hear a shout and the sound of smashing glass from the kitchen. When a loud noise echoes through the house, I peek around the corner to see a body laying in the open doorway to the kitchen, heavy footsteps starting to move toward the hallway. I have to suppress my gasp as I jerk back away from the corner, my heart racing. I can’t tell from this distance if he’s dead, but it didn’t look good.

I keep my back to the wall and start sliding quickly and quietly along it toward the office. My knife is upstairs but my gun is hidden in the desk. The footsteps are getting closer when the wall vanishes from behind me, and before I can react, a strong hand clamps over my mouth and jerks me backwards.

Chapter 45

Hydessa

Panic rises within me as I struggle against the grip, until a familiar scent in the air washes over me. I relax back against his hold as the opening in the wall he just pulled me through silently seals shut.

Slowly releasing the hold he has on my mouth, he captures my hand and starts pulling me along the narrow hall we are in. My mouth drops open as I try to understand what I’m seeing. When the hall opens up into another room, my eyes widen and I stumble to a stop, forcing Link to stop with me.

“What the fuck is this? Where are we?” I demand in a low hiss, still trying to process what I’m seeing. But I don’t know why I bother, he just grins at me, letting go of my hand and turning toward Jonah.

They have a secret fucking room in the house I’m renting?!

I’m both speechless and furious all at once. There are an array of screens showing different areas of the house, while another smaller screen shows a GPS map with a little red dot on it over this address. It’s a stalkers paradise.

Maybe it wasn’t love after all, maybe it was indigestion. I’m sure there’s medication for that shit right?

I’m just about to give them both a piece of my mind when a voice starts talking, and it’s not any of us in the room.

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