Page 91 of The Club

Panic has me yanking upright and answering the call. “Hello?”

“Mmmm. Hello, sweetheart.”

I freeze.

“I’ve missed you, Rafael.”

A strange sound breaks from me. Denial. Revulsion. A sadness I can’t describe.

“Are you still at Dominic’s apartment?”

My voice comes back. “What the fuck—”

“Language, sweetheart.”

“Dominic!” I shout as I launch out of the bed. Ice in my veins, I fling open the bedroom door and race out into the hallway. There’s a light on in the kitchen. I run toward it, not hearing any of the words coming through the phone.

I slam into someone huge as they step into the hallway. I’m naked and barefoot, and I bounce off them and fall on my ass. The phone goes flying from my hand.

I scramble up, ready to fight, but the intruder is backing away with their hands up. Jesus, it’s Rocco. What the fuck?

“Where’s Dominic?” I shout.

“He left,” Rocco says.

“He’s here,” comes dully from the phone.

I scramble for it, fumbling it to my ear. I shout, “What the fuck are you—”

“Calm down, sweetheart. Welisten, remember? Weobey. It’s better that way. It’s safer. It means no pain.”

I shudder so hard I almost drop the phone again.

“I don’t believe you,” I gasp. “You don’t have him—you’re lying!”

“Dominic, say something.” Silence. Then a pained cry.

“Don’t hurt him!”

“Don’t call me a liar, sweetheart, or I’ll have to punish him in your place.”

“Don’t, please don’t, I’m sorry.” The words spill out so automatically that it feels like I spoke them just yesterday instead of almost twenty years ago. My stomach twists.

“That’s better, Rafael. Now come and get him. Alone. We’re at his family estate.”

The call disconnects.

I drop the phone. I bend over, planting my hands on my knees as bile slides up my throat.

Rocco steps toward me. “Rafael—”

A switch flips inside me. I yank upright and shove him, sending him staggering back into the living room.

I lunge for him and shove him again. “Why isn’t Dominic here? Why areyouhere? What’s—”

“Hey! Back the fuck off before I—”

I’m aware of being out of control, but I can’t get the control back. I go after Rocco again because he’s there to go after.

---