Page 24 of Xtasy

Hawk picked up a paddle and flung it across the room. “We’re wasting valuable time. I’ve got to find Atlas before this crazy person hurts him!” He whirled around to face Megan. “What did he look like? Give me something.Anything.”

“About your size but not quite as muscular. Lots of tattoos. Gap between his front teeth. Short black hair.”

Ambrose gasped. “It’s Blaze. That son of a bitch! I upped the security on us and never once thought Atlas could have been in danger from the freak.” Ambrose turned to Hawk. “This is my fucking fault, Hawk. You warned me that his affections were abnormal and beginning to reach a dangerous level, but I was too arrogant to listen!”

Megan frowned, a confused look on her face. “It isn’t you he wants, Ambrose. It’s Hawk. That’s one point he stressed—he wants and intends to have Hawk.”

“What. The. Fuck.” Hawk hissed. “The freak knows I hate him.”

“I don’t think he cares,” Megan answered. “Why would he take Atlas? As bait? Please tell me he won’t hurt him,” she begged. “He’s going to use Atlas to lure you to him. If you don’t go, he kills Atlas. If you do go…he kills Atlas anyway, doesn’t he?”

Ambrose stepped forward. “We aren’t going to let him hurt Atlas. He would kill Atlas without blinking an eye, like he tried to do with you, but Blaze isn’t as smart as he thinks. We’ll get to Atlas before any harm can be done to him?”

“Not to be negative since this is the man I’m in love with, but how are we going to manage that, Ambrose? We don’t have a clue where Blaze is or what he has planned.” Hawk grabbed his phone out of his pocket. “I’m calling Wallace. We need all the help we can get.”

While Hawk filled Wallace in on the details, Ambrose wandered to the bed and carefully picked up theCartiercollar and leash. Just as he’d expected, he knew who these belonged to. They certainly weren’t gifts Blaze had purchased himself. As soon as Hawk hung up from Wallace, Ambrose said, “I know who these belong to, Hawk. Blaze didn’t buy them, he stole them. Maxwell Bodine hiredCartierto make this for his sub, Michael, years ago. He designed it himself and the agreement was that they could never produce another like it. This has to belong to them…the Rolex, as well.” Ambrose pulled out his cell, scrolled through his contacts, and called Maxwell.

Hawk moved closer so he could hear every word. His heart felt like it was about to pound straight out of his chest. It was a mixture of adrenaline, pain, and fear. If anything happened to Atlas…Hawk couldn’t even begin to imagine life without Atlas in it.

Ambrose frowned and Hawk leaned in closer, trying to hear but failing. When Ambrose cancelled the call, Hawk quickly asked, “What? Why didn’t you leave a message? Is there a chance they could be helping Blaze?”

“No,” Ambrose answered. “Maxwell and Michael are good people—an older couple and they’ve never “played” socially in this area, so they aren’t well known in our groups. Maxwell’s voice message just said that they were taking an extensive vacation and wouldn’t be back for the remainder of the year.”

“Okay…so what does this mean for us?” Hawk asked. He was trying not to become irritated with Ambrose. Everything inside him was demanding that hemove, hunt for the man he loved…rescue him and bring him home.

“What it means to me is that I know Maxwell and Michael don’t enjoy traveling. They rarely leave their home. They entertain there quite often but aren’t comfortable with travel.” Ambrose stroked his chin. “This is what I think it means for us. I believe Blaze may be staying at their home, which terrifies me about what he’s done to Maxwell and Michael. I know this collar and leash is theirs.”

“Do you know where they live? We need to get there now!” Hawk urged. “Blaze can’t be that far ahead of us. We got to the apartment before Megan suffocated.”

“Agreed. Let’s go.” Ambrose looked at Megan. “You need to see a doctor—just to make both Hawk and I feel better. Atlas will kick our asses if we didn’t take care of you properly.”

“But I want to help find Atlas!” She frowned. “I know I’d get in the way, though. Bring him back to me. Please.”

“We’ll bring him back to all of us,” Hawk promised as he and Ambrose ran toward the door.

****

Atlas felt someone slapping his face, but he was so groggy, it was a struggle to make his eyes open. When he did, a wave of nausea washed through him. Everything was a blur. His stomach rolled and there was the most horrible stench in the air. He closed his eyes quickly, before he puked. Another smack, this one harder, forced his eyes back open again. Memories flashed through his mind. Fuck, he was with Blaze—the Blaze that intended to use him to get to Hawk.

“Open your eyes, birdie.” Blaze whispered in his ear. “I’m having a party, and thanks to you, Hawk will be the guest of honor. Come on, let me see those pretty blue eyes you used to bewitch my man.”

“He’s. Not. Yours.” Atlas growled in fury. “Hehatesyou.”

Blaze made a tsking sound. “I almost felt bad for going back to kill your pretty little roommate but after that ugly comment, I realize it was the right thing to do.”

“Noooo! You son of a bitch! You’d better be lying to me. If you hurt Megan, I’ll kill you myself!” Atlas vowed.

“Baby, birdie, you aren’t going to do anything…except die, of course.” Blaze moved around until he was sitting across from Atlas.

His head still throbbed, and nausea caused his stomach to roll, but Atlas vowed to not show any weakness in front of Blaze. He worked to focus his eyes so he could glare at Blaze. Instead of sending hate waves in Blaze’s direction, though, he noticed where he was…what was truly happening and how horrific the situation was. Atlas had hoped Blaze’s comment about Megan had been a bluff. Now, he knew better.

Atlas was tied to a chair at a huge dining room table. He and Blaze were seated across from each other in the middle. At each end of the table, two men were seated. They were tied like he was, but there was no need—they’d both been dead for quite some time, their throats slashed open from ear to ear. The stench had been the smell of death. Before he could stop himself, Atlas felt all the sweets he and Megan had eaten the night before come gushing out of his mouth. His mind went blank. Never in his life had he even thought to encounter someone capable of such acts of violence and horror, much less be in their clutches.

He was going to die, there was no doubt about it. He would never see Hawk again. Atlas had finally found love, learned how wonderful the feeling was, and Blaze was about to take it away from him. Hawk wouldn’t be in danger, though. Atlas’ phone was password protected and Atlas wouldneversend the text to lure Hawk into this hell.

“Here’s the only question we have to answer, birdie,” Blaze said. “How are things going to end for you? Quickly or are you going to force me to make the pain linger? I don’t enjoy torture, but I’m not above it.” He pointed to one of the men at the end of the table. “See this fellow? His name is…well,wasMaxwell Bodine. I needed access to his house, his jewelry, and all his money. He didn’t want to share, which is simply unacceptable because we are taught from childhood that sharing is caring. When he refused to give me what I needed, I wasforcedto torture his beloved husband, Michael. Did I enjoy it? No, of course not, but I did it anyway.” He laughed that delirious laugh Atlas had grown to hate. “Oh, who am I fooling? Of course, I enjoyed it! Poor Michael screamed like a girl while Maxwell roared with fury. That roaring, little birdie, turned to sobbing and begging. He pleaded for the life of his lover, promised me anything. It was too late, though—much too late for that. I was in the middle of a bloodlust. I already had the information I needed, so I was in it for the fun.” Blaze leaned back in his chair and spread his arms wide. “And now…here we are. Our own little dinner party.”

Atlas jerked at his zip ties. “You’re sick, Blaze. You need help.”

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