Page 11 of Bound By You

He unlocks his phone, goes onto his emails, and finds the one from my girl, and he clicks on it. When voices ring out a rage like no other consumes me.

"It's about time you got your sexy ass here, Selene,"Mindy states, coming into view on the camera in black lingerie.

"Sorry, Daddy took me shopping because he send my sister to her own apartment. Still, she stole my fiancé; the least she could have done was fuck off."Selene gloats like the spoiled bitch she is. My body starts to vibrate with rage when Mindy speaks again.

"He's finally knocked me up, so we can all be a happy family once we get rid of your sister. We just have to let the marriage paperwork go through so he can get the inheritance you mentioned, and then you contact your guy for the Romanians to pick her up. Alexandr has agreed."They start making out after that, as my blood boils with rage.

My brother watches me cautiously, knowing what they are saying is absolute bullshit; she isn't fucking pregnant, and like fuck did I okay this crap!

ThenIcome into view, smirking.

"You both started without me?"

"Turn it off, Damian." I get up and go outside, stopping next to my Mercedes. My body won't stop trembling, and my ADHD is not helping my rage. I ball my hand into a fist and ram it into the car window, smashing the glass which slices through my hand. Blood drips onto the ground, but I don't give a fuck. I start to beat the shit out of my car, punch after punch, kick after kick, until my brother comes up behind me and restrains me.

"I get it, brother, trust me, I fucking get it, but think of the positive right now, yeah." I'm about to bite his head off because none of this has a positive fucking outcome. Clearly, she left me after seeing that fucking feed, and rightly so, but for the past five fucking months, I've been fucking the same two women, I've been fucking strippers, I've been plotting her death, and I've been fucking punishing her. I mean, fuck, I've got a fucking mistress!

I take a deep breath as Damian continues.

"We now know one or both of them are the ones who tried selling Phoebe to the Romanians, and I'm betting it was Selene's idea. She wants you, but she wants her grandmother's money more. We both know she wanted this alliance because she likes living a life of luxury, and Mindy, well, Mindy just wants a top man, and she's trying everything to get you, now that Sofia is back."

I nod and attempt to calm down as my brother lets go of me. I take a deep breath. "I need to contact Basil; Selene needs to have surveillance on her at all times, as well as Mindy."

Damian nods, squeezing my shoulder. "Make your call and get your hands cleaned and checked; we have your girl to find. Come to my office when you're done, yeah?

I have a feeling she stayed in America, knowing we would look in Europe."

I nod and whip my phone out, pulling up Basil's number. It rings three times before he answers.

"Alexandr, I still haven't found her," he states without saying hello. I know his not finding her yet is wearing him down, especially with the Romanians after her.

I take a deep breath, knowing he's going to be pissed. "I know why she ran; it's all my fault and Selene's."

He's quiet for a couple of minutes before he clears his throat.

"Tell me everything."

And I do.

five

Phoebe

We're sittingin the back of an Uber on the way to Kevin's bar in town, all dolled up. We've been going there at least once a week, and the food is to die for, especially their quarter-pounder beef burger with fries.

I'm sitting in the middle, between Abby and Oliver, and as Abby stated, she's wearing her skimpy black dress and red high heels, her hair is down, curled around her face with little makeup, while I’m wearing my purple lacy dress that shows the tattoo on my collarbone nicely. The tattoo of little black sparrows flying to freedom runs diagonally over my shoulder. It's sentimental for me and has absolutely nothing to do with Alex's nickname for me; Little Bird. If I say it repeatedly, I might even believe it.

I've got my black heels and elbow-length, fingerless gloves to hide the hideous scar on my arm. I stitched it up myself with the animal suturing, self-learn kit I had in my bag—not my greatest idea, but myyia-yiataught me to use whatever I had in hand when I need to. I have a little makeup on, and my bangs, which Ihad cut two months ago, along with the pink dye highlights, curl around my face, leaving the rest of my hair cascading down my back.

Oliver is gently drawing little circles on the inside of my thigh, and I try not to sigh aloud. There is no tingly feeling whatsoever. Fuck.

Abby nudges me and gives me a sympathetic smile, and I smile back.

We arrive at the bar fifteen minutes later, and climb out and head inside. Abby goes ahead of me while Ollie places his arm around my waist. I look up at him and smile while he winks and guides me through the door toward the bar.

Abby sighs next to me. "Look at how hot he is." She looks at me and asks, "Do you think there's such a thing as arm porn?" I giggle while Ollie shakes his head at us just as James comes over. "’Sup man, ladies, what can I get you?" Ollie orders for us while Abby literally drools all over the bar top, and my shoulders shake with silent laughter.

"Two cosmopolitans and a bud." James nods, his eyes lingering on Abby, and I smirk.

---