Page 37 of Mysterious

He laughs and walks behind me, sending chills down my spine when he wraps his hands around my throat. Leaning down, he whispers in my ear, “That mother of yours sure does have a way of being vindictive, doesn’t she? She knew full well that I only got you that hotel room because you asked me to, and still she fired my ass. Andrea absolutely understands what it takes to be in the music business. She’s got ice water in her veins. Odd that you didn’t have any of that rub off on you.”

I turn to look at him, hating how close his face is to mine. How could I have ever entertained the idea of Michael as anything to me even for a fleeting moment? His face is nothing but ugly to me now. The mouth I used to love to see smile appears merely like a nasty slit, and the dark eyes that I thought showed how much he cared whenever he looked at me are just empty as they stare at me in hatred.

For a moment, I want to cry at how wrong I was about him, but I harden myself to keep from falling apart. He needs to see the steely determination in my eyes. I’m not some wilting flower he has total control over. He may have my hands and feet bound to this damn chair, but he doesn’t possess the power to stop me from thinking.

Michael seems to want to hear me talk, so he’s going to get an earful.

“You think I don’t have ice water in my veins. You have no idea who I am. I’ve fired people for practically nothing. I’ve risen to the heights I’ve reached in this business not only because I have talent but because I don’t let anyone put me down. So whatever fantasy you have about Mia being a tender soul who wouldn’t hurt a fly can just go fuck itself because that’s never been who I am.”

Michael throws his head back in laughter and comes around the chair to crouch down in front of me. I so wish I could wipe that arrogant ass smile right off his ugly face. Or better yet, I’d love to kick it off. If only I could get my hands and feet free of these ropes.

When he sets his palms on my knees, I stiffen, repulsed by the mere touch of his hands on my body. He enjoys how uncomfortable he’s making me and lets out a low chuckle.

“So riddle me this, oh queen of ice water in her veins, how is it if you’re such a cold-hearted bitch, why haven’t you ever fired your mother from being your manager?” he asks in a mocking tone, all the while staring up at me with a knowing look I don’t understand.

“Why would I fire my mother? She’s a great manager,” I say, wishing I didn’t sound so half-hearted in my defense of my mother.

Our relationship is complicated, and I don’t give a damn what this asshole thinks he knows about my mother and me. We’ve been through hard times that would have crushed other people. She was there for every rejection I got and every door that closed in our faces when I was first starting out. Yes, she drives me crazy, but she’s my mother and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.

No matter how much I say I want to be in this business without her, I can’t imagine singing another song or appearing on another stage without my mother as my manager. So whatever this jackass thinks he knows about Andrea and Mia Shanoff, he doesn’t know squat.

“You complained to me every day I worked for you that she was anything but a good manager, nevermind great. It was nonstop. ‘My mother makes my life a living hell. My mother won’t let up.’ Every day you bashed her, yet she’s always employee number one in the Mia Enterprises world. Ask yourself why you practically despise her, but you won’t fire her.”

I shake my head, hating how he makes what I feel about my mother sound. “I don’t hate her. You don’t understand the relationship between mother and daughter. If you were a daughter, you’d know that no matter how much I complain, she’s still my mother. She was the one person who stuck around when things weren’t great, always believing that someday they would get better. Loyalty like that isn’t the kind of thing someone forgets easily. We fight. I admit that. But she’s my mother, and I love her.”

Michael slowly slides his hands up my thighs as he asks, “Do you think she loves you?”

I twist my body in a desperate attempt to make him stop touching me. “Fuck you! I don’t have to think about how to answer that. Of course, she loves me. She’s my mother. She gave up everything so I could be where I am today. She shows her love every day, unlike other people who claimed to care but obviously didn’t give a damn about me. And get your hands off me!”

He doesn’t stop, though, and when he reaches the spot where my legs meet my body, I shake my head, not believing he’ll do what I’m terrified he’s about to do. Michael is a lot of things, but a rapist? I can’t believe that.

“I cared, Mia. I cared and waited day after day for you to see I was the one who actually loved you more than anyone else, including Andrea. You never did, though, so at some point, I came to the realization that I needed to face the facts. You were fine with hanging out in my room and talking every night as you forced me to watch those stupid old TV shows you like. You loved having me at your beck and call, but you were never going to let me in like I wanted to. So I found a way to get some benefit from having to be around you after all.”

I lower my head as tears fill my eyes. “I never led you on, Michael. Don’t do this. You don’t want to do this.”

He digs his thumbs into the very tops of my legs and laughs, frightening me. “Do what? Fuck you? Right here? Don’t be ridiculous! You aren’t that good looking, and as you well know, I already have someone I can get it from whenever the hell I want. Jesus, Mia! You really are full of yourself.”

“Stop it! You’re hurting me,” I sob, but it only makes him push into my flesh harder.

“Maybe you should have been nicer to me, Mia. Maybe you should have been the kind of woman who knew a good thing when she had it in front of her. But no, you’re not that smart. Dumb bitch!”

Finally, Michael releases his hold on my legs, and I feel blood rush to the spots where his thumbs pressed down on my skin. I don’t understand any of this he’s doing. I didn’t believe he was someone who would take a woman against her will, but then he acted like that’s what was about to happen.

Now he’s talking about how I wasn’t nice to him and how stupid I am.

What is this about?

CHAPTEREIGHTEEN

Liam

Drew,Jack, and I stay in my hotel room, the two of them sitting on the bed while I pace back and forth waiting to get someone from the Miami police to talk to me. I’ve gotten transferred to three different divisions on this one call, and I’m about to lose my fucking cool.

“What’s so goddamned hard about telling me where they are?” I snap as I pass the bed heading toward the window.

“Maybe they don’t know?” Jack suggests.

I want to blow up and ask how the fuck they couldn’t know that two men have been fucking attacked, with at least one of them shot in their city, but that’s stupid. Miami’s a big place, so maybe they don’t know.

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