Page 43 of The Devil's Secret

“Don’t worry, baby.” His expression turns hard. “We all hurt each other in the end.” My bottom lip trembles as he continues. “We’ll both have to learn how to tolerate each other until I send you somewhere safe.”

I gasp, my inhale trapped in my lungs. “Send me away? What?”

“That’s the plan. They’ll kill you if you stay. But don’t worry, I’m keeping you for a while. You won’t be going anywhere until we destroy the Bianchi brothers. May as well get comfortable.”

My chest rattles as I choke on my own breath.

Oh God, I can’t go anywhere without Robby.

“What will it take for you to just let me go? Would you like me to beg? Is that it? Is that what gets your cock hard?” I clamp my teeth. “A woman begging.”

“Mmm…” His gaze narrows. “Oh, you’ll beg…” He strides to where I stand, towering over me, his thigh slicing in between my legs as he pushes me up against the wall. His thumb brushes past my parted lips. “But when you beg, it’ll be for something else entirely.”

I’m caught in his gaze. Unable to move. To respond. The chemistry. That attraction between us, wrenching the words right out of my mouth.

My core tightens, thirsty for this man. A stranger. My once friend. My would-be lover. Except now, he’s nothing but my kidnapper and I’m his living prey.

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

JOELLE

I didn’t meanto fall asleep, but my body, it was wearing down, breaking from the events of last night. Rubbing my face, I let out a yawn, finding it dark outside as I push away the container and bag of food I left on the bed. I was so exhausted, I forgot to put it on the nightstand.

I spent a while thinking about my son, in between trying the damn windows, hoping I could jump down into the bushes and then run wherever my legs would take me.

But there are men everywhere. Armed, I’m sure. They’d never let me go, even if I were to get past the damn window.

“Ahh!” I scream, tugging at my hair.

My entire body aches, my throat throbbing. The tears, the pain I’ve spent my life trying to hide is nearing the finish line. It’s hard to keep it all locked away, feeling alone every day. It’s too much. Robby is by himself and I’m here. Helpless.

I grab the pillow, soaking my tears into it. It hurts. I want to be free. I want to live a life with my son, the way I never got to.

My shoulders rock as I cry silently, knowing no one will hear me. No one will see me. No one ever does. I’m alone. As always.

* * *

My friends and I have been on the road for the second day now, living our best life. I’m using some of the money I saved up from working at a music store close to home. I’ve been there since I was sixteen, so I have some cushion money.

Both Elsie and Kayla come from a lot more dough than we ever had, so their parents have funded their adventure. Elsie’s mom is a plastic surgeon and Kayla’s father owns a few wineries. Their parents were more than willing to help me out, but I refused, wanting to pay my own way.

I left some extra cash for Mom, so that way she can use it if she needs it. She hates taking money from me but sometimes she has to. Supporting a family by herself hasn’t been easy, and it was part of the reason I began working.

Elsie switches on the radio as soon as we get back into the car from having just eaten at a nearby diner.

I look over my shoulder, back at the restaurant where a man, probably ten years older than me, wouldn’t stop talking to us. He was giving me major creep vibes. He’s still there, watching our car from the window.

I shiver, every hair on my arms standing on alert. Finally driving away, I ignore the remnants of the eerie feelings left behind by that man.

“I love this song!” Elsie bops her head to the tempo, her fingers drumming on her jeans-clad thigh, her long black hair flipping around the tops of her shoulders.

“Me too,” Kayla chimes in from behind us, curling her arms around the back of my seat.

With the deserted stretch of the two-way road in front of us, I take us to our next stop, a popular karaoke place across state lines. We should get to the city in a few hours.

But suddenly, my Jeep stutters, and slowly the car rolls to a stop.

“What the hell?” I holler, jerking my head toward Elsie, her eyes marred with the same confusion.

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