Page 85 of Kortlek

My eyes close, and I pinch the bridge of my nose. The anger I’ve been trying to hold down slowly starts fighting to resurface, and as soon as I lay my eyes on the bastard, I’ll let the anger consume me. It’s not healthy, but what is it these days?

“That’s his issue? Cove?”

Rose nods. “And it’s like… really creepy, too.’’

“Elaborate, please.’’

“He chose me because he thinks I know the most about you. He asked a lot of questions about your sex life with Cove.’’

Bile rises in my throat, and I try to swallow it down, though it doesn’t quite disappear. My brows lift nearly to my hairline as Rose continues explaining. There’s a look of uncertainty on her face, but she doesn’t stop.

“He… he wanted to know about your current kinks. He said he needed to know what you like these days so he could, uh… satisfy you.’’

“As if I’d ever let the motherfucker touch me again. It’s bad enough that he was my first.’’

Rose looks away. “I know… But, Aria, I don’t think he cares about your consent here. He’s delusional; he thinks he can whisk you away and you’ll be his again.’’

“Is that what all of this is about? He wants me back?”

“I don’t think he wants you back because he loves you,’’ her eyes snap back to mine. “He just hates that someone else has you. That’s all. And I think that obsessive thought makes him far more dangerous than we thought. So, please, don’t tell me you came here alone.’’

I avert my eyes, focusing back on undoing her ropes. I tug on them, trying to untie them and bite the inside of my cheek. From the corner of my eye, I see Rose rolling her eyes in resignation, then shaking her head, disapproving.

“That was very stupid of you.’’

“Don’t worry,’’ I tug on the knot, and it comes undone. “I’m chipped.’’

“What?”

I nod. “I have a tracker in my necklace, my thigh, and my neck. Don’t worry, we’ll be found soon.’’

“And you did that voluntarily?”

“The trackers in my body? Yeah, it helped me feel a lot safer after Wyatt left New York. And the necklace was a gift from Mom for Christmas last year.’’

“Jesus Christ,’’ she whistles.

“Remind me to have you chipped too.’’

“No, thanks.’’

“I wasn’t asking.’’

She raises a brow as the final knot is untied. She shrugs the ropes off her body and stands up, stumbling a little. I catch her before she can fall, and she leans on me. It takes her a moment to regain control of her feet, then she takes a few steps and stretches. Her back snaps, and so does her neck, while she moves.

“Do you plan on having me kidnapped again or something?”

A wave of guilt threatens to slip from my eyes. “I’m so sorry, Rose. It never occurred to me that he’d come for you. I’m really sorry for putting you through this.’’

Rose’s arms wrap around me, and she pulls me into a tight hug, softly stroking my back. I take a deep breath, returning the embrace. My chest swells with happiness, the realization finally sinking in. She’s alive, and she’s okay. And she doesn’t hate me.

“It’s not your fault,’’ she mumbles, stepping back and smiling. “You couldn’t have predicted this. But I would not tell James about this. He’ll go ballistic.’’

A snort of disbelief fills the room, and she laughs at my expression. I’ve met a lot of possessive men in my life. Dad, Arlo, even Cove. But James? He’s on a whole other level. It’s kind of terrifying, if I’m being honest. I would not want to get on his bad side, ever.

He’s scary as hell.

My body goes rigid as I hear footsteps. My eyes narrow, ears perk, and Rose stops moving, carefully observing my face. I put a finger on my lips, and she gets the message. Someone’s coming down the stairs.

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