Page 119 of Cinder
But it’s too late, and I close the door behind me and slip into the night.
The cab picksme up at the end of the driveway, and during the ride back to my motel, I brace myself for what waits for me. I’m more than an hour late.
I look at my phone. There are no messages, which is a good thing, right? After all, if Luca was aware of me missingcurfew, he would enjoy sending me a warning. A promise of what is to come. But there are no text messages.
Have Thug 1 and 2 fallen asleep?
It’s okay. You’re okay.
I lean back into the head rest and let out a deep breath, closing my eyes.
Just breathe.
My phone vibrates in my hand. It’s Lars.
Pick it up and tell him everything.
My heart aches. I can’t.
Not until I get Lucretia away from Luca.
Because if I tell Lars and he brings in the rest of the club to help, Luca will retaliate by hurting her.
No, before I do anything, I have to find out which boarding school she is in and get her to safety.
I let the call go to voicemail.
But it rings again.
Then again.
I put it on silent and focus on my breathing, trying desperately to calm my racing pulse.
But when we pull into the motel parking lot, my heart clamors against my ribcage when I see the giant Rolls Royce parked out the front.
I have a visitor.
All the lights are on inside my room, and the door is open.
Leaving the safety of the cab, I lift my chin and walk toward my fate.
My brother is going to hurt me.
But it’s not Luca waiting for me.
It’s so much worse.
“Hello, Ella,” Viktor says when I walk in. He has his back to me. “Didn’t I warn you not to break curfew?”
CHAPTER 52
Lars
She’s gone.
It’s the first thing I’m aware of when I wake up alone, and it’s followed by a surge of adrenaline, although I don’t know why.
I just feel that something is wrong, and my instincts have never let me down before.
