Page 122 of Tease Me

Where are you?

I automatically begin to type My apartment for now, but my phone buzzes again.

Unknown:

Don’t tell him or I’ll kill your little friend.

Fuck. I type a little more on Blake’s message. I’m saving Hope, but I don’t send it. Then I flip to the other conversation.

Me:

What next?

Unknown:

Leave your phone on the bed and go to the kitchen.

On the counter are instructions

Me:

Okay

On the message to Blake I type, Leaving phone and following instructions in kitchen. I don’t know where I’m going, but I will make it back to you.

Leaving it unsent, I swallow and set my phone on the bed beside the box, flipping it over so if they text, the stalker won’t see that I wrote something. Blake, Noah, Coop, and Seth. I hope they all know how much I love them.

All I want is to get back to them, but not at the cost of Hope’s life.

I leave my room hesitantly. Fearful he might be here, ready to pounce like all the others before him. When nothing happens, I walk to the kitchen. On the counter is a small box I didn’t notice before. I open it and inside is a folded note and a cell phone.

Somewhere in this room is a camera watching me. Maybe multiple. I unfold the note and read it.

Downstairs a car waits for you, get in the back seat.

They’ll bring you to me

Fuck, this is where I could call the police and let them know what’s happening. Or run back to my guys and be safe.

Let Coop hold me while we all discuss how to get out of this. Seth would tell me to be smart. Think things through. Blake would tell me to be strong. Even when fear takes the lead, I can hold my own. Coop would say something to break the tension and then hold me and tell me I’m fierce and beautiful.

And Noah... A tear slips from my eye to trail down my cheek. Noah would be my rock. He would stand beside me and support me in whatever I chose to do.

They all love me and I ache to return to their arms. But I also know they’ll understand why I’m doing this.

I leave the note behind.

The TV turns on. An image of Hope tied to a twin bed fills the screen. She wears the same outfit as Sunday with a blindfold over her eyes.

“Just let me go,” she whispers. Her voice hoarse like she’s either screamed too much or hasn’t had anything to drink. Maybe both. My stomach twists into knots. My pulse quickens with the need to help her.

“When my little one arrives, I’ll free you.” The modulated voice sounds from off to the side. “If she doesn’t...”

A gloved hand with a knife appears near Hope. I cover my mouth as it slides across her upper arm. She screams as blood runs down her skin from the opening wound.

“So much skin to cut, so much blood to lose. Too bad you’re so small. Get here quick, little one, or I’ll have to grab one of your other friends when this one doesn’t make it.”

Blood streaks down Hope’s arm as she makes little gasping noises. Tears track down my face. I can’t let him hurt her more. I pick up the phone from the counter.

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