Page 94 of Master of My Heart

“I think it has something to do with Sabrina.”

That got his attention. Ethan dropped his controller and stood. “What’s wrong?” he asked as he followed Chase out of the room.

“I don’t know, but Jayson sounded really anxious.”

Ethan nodded and headed to his room, probably to get a shirt on. Chase sprinted to his own room to retrieve his shoes and met Ethan in the entryway two minutes later.

A short time later, Ethan dropped Chase off in front of Jayson’s building, then went to find a parking spot. Chase sprinted up the stairs into the building, then tapped his foot while waiting for the elevator. What could have made Jayson sound so nervous on the phone? Had something happened to him? To Liz? To Sabrina? It had to be Sabrina. That was the only thing that made sense.

He was about to give up and take the stairs when the elevator finally opened. He got in and punched the number for the fifth floor, glaring at the doors as they slowly closed. The car moved in what felt like slow motion until the bell finally dinged. As soon as the opening was big enough to squeeze through, Chase rushed through the doors and hurried down the hallway. He banged on the door. Jayson opened it a moment later, his face pale.

“What happened?” Chase demanded, following Jayson into the apartment.

His friend stopped by the kitchen table. “Sabrina’s been acting weird all week. I know she’s been tired, but she was a mess today.” Jayson paused. “Martin was upset, and... Well, he didn’t fire her, but she took it that way. Anyway, she came home. I got here a while later and asked what was going on. She wouldn’t tell me, but something slipped out, I think.”

“What slipped out?”

“She said, ‘I can’t let them get hurt.’ But she wouldn’t say anything else.” Jayson frowned. “Aren’t you trained in interrogation techniques?”

Chase glanced at Sabrina’s closed door. He was, but that wasn’t how he wanted to start his relationship with her.

A beep sounded from the kitchen. Jayson sighed. “Her phone. Aiden’s trying to get ahold of her.” He walked over to the counter and picked up the phone. “That fucker,” he growled and stomped back over to Chase, holding out the phone. Chase recognized it as one of Jayson’s old ones.

A text message had popped up on the screen.

You get your fucking ass over here to suck my cock, or I’ll fuck up your ass more than I did last night.

Chase’s hands clenched into fists. “What the fuck does that mean?” he growled, scowling at Jayson. “What’s been going on?”

Jayson’s eyes went wide and he took a step back, holding up his hands. “I swear, I don’t know. She won’t tell me. She hasn’t told Martin, either. No one has any idea.”

Chase took several deep breaths, trying to calm his raging heart. It wouldn’t do any good to storm into Sabrina’s room and demand to know what was going on. She needed to know it was safe to talk to him. Yelling would likely make her shut down more than Jayson said she already was.

The apartment door opened and Ethan walked in as Chase’s heartbeat returned to normal. “What happened?” he asked. His friend had the uncanny ability to read every expression on his face.

“I don’t know yet,” Chase said in a low voice.

Jayson held up Sabrina’s phone. Ethan leaned close, his face turning furious as his eyes moved across the screen. “What the fuck does that mean?”

“I’m trying to calm down so I can find out,” Chase said evenly. “But, if it means what I think it means, we may have a job to do tonight.”

Ethan nodded, his jaw clenched. “I’ll help out with pleasure.”

Chase sucked in several deep breaths, then set his jaw. “I’ll go see what I can find out.”

“You want me to come with?” Jayson asked, but Chase shook his head.

“I don’t want to intimidate her with too many people in there. I’ll come get you if I need you.”

Jayson nodded and glanced back at her door. “I hope you can get through to her better than I can.”

“Me, too.” He walked across the room and knocked gently. There was no answer, as he expected, so he pushed it open.

Sabrina lay on her side, facing away from him. She was curled up in a ball, her whole body trembling.

*****

Sabrina drifted between waking and sleeping. Every time she got close to falling asleep, she’d jerk and pain would shoot through her body.

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