Page 80 of Texting the CEO's Obsession
Thelastperson I want to see right now.
All of the hurt and uncertainty I’ve been struggling with for the last four days comes bubbling right up to the surface as I gape at him. I don’t bother to hide the angry wince that crosses my face, and I sigh heavily, propping myself up with a hand against my doorjamb.
“Bruno,” I say, sounding as thrilled as I feel—not at all. “Can we make this quick? I’m well aware you don’t like me. If you’re here to tell me to stay away from Nick, I’m capable of making my own decisions.”
Being snippy with him probably isn’t the best idea, but I’m more than a little drunk andextremelydone with any and all forms of bullshit right now.
Instead of the fury I expect him to answer me with, Bruno’s grin widens.
“Riley, let’s be civil now,” he drawls, sounding like he’s enjoying this far too much. “I’m not here about my brother. This is just business.”
I’d like to blame my slow reaction on the fact that I downed most of a bottle of wine on an empty stomach, but the reality is that I’ve never been in a fight in my life. As I watch Bruno’s massive fist swing toward my jaw, I know with utter certainty that it wouldn’t be any help even if I had.
His hand slams into my face with the force of a fucking sledgehammer, and the world goes black before I even register the pain.
It’s the smell that hits me first.
Before the confusion, before the pain, it’s the smell. Metal. Cold.Rot.
Confusion fills my head like cotton as I slowly blink my eyes open only to find myself in unfamiliar surroundings. My head throbs when I glance at the single bare bulb that lights the room, and I slam my lashes shut again.
The terror doesn’t strike until I try to lift my hands to rub at my face.
They barely move an inch, and the movement is accompanied by the loud clanging of chains and cold metal pressing tight around my wrists. I force my eyes open again as a panicked wheeze shoves free from my lungs, memories of Bruno at my door slamming back into me. My breath catches in my lungs when I finally focus enough for me to pick up on details.
A long table takes up most of one cracked concrete wall, littered with all sorts of terrifying, wickedly sharp instruments.
Leaning against the edge of it, closest to the door, is Bruno.
He sucks in a drag of his cigarette before dropping it to the floor, crushing it under the glossy toe of his shoe.
“Awake?” he asks, sounding far more chipper than I’ve ever heard from him.
I don’t say anything, my eyes flitting back and forth between him and every inch of the room I can see, praying for a way out or any semblance of safety. I don’t find any. Deep down, I know I’m not going to.
“I’d like to extend my apologies,” he says, but the gleeful shine of his eyes negates his words. “This really is just business. I’m sure you’re… fine.” He waves his hand carelessly in the air as I struggle for air past my terror, dragging his cold eyes over me like he’s looking for anything to compliment and coming up short. “It doesn’t matter if you are, honestly. I need my brother’s head back in the game, and Miss VanHorn paid a lot of money to get rid of you. She’s behind bars, but I’m not the type to take payment without completing a job. I can’t exactly give her a refund.”
He closes the distance between us, crouching down to stand face-to-face with me, smiling wide as he watches the first panicked tear slip free from my lashes.
“Two birds, one stone. You understand, don’t you, Riley?” he taunts. “Technically, she only paid for you to be disposed of, but I’ve got some frustration to work out. Be a good sport and don’t die too fast, would you?”
I flinch back at his words, my breathing picking up as the realization that I’m not going to make it out of here sets in.
Fuck.
I’m going to die without even having told Nick I love him.
CHAPTER 25
NICK
It’s not like me to doubt my own decisions, but even as I walk up the stairs toward Riley’s apartment, I’m questioning if it’s a smart thing to do.
She’s made it clear, after all, that she needs time.
I’ve been doing my best to respect that, but I’m not a patient man. Not when it comes to decisions like this, and certainly not when my relationship with Riley as a whole hangs in the balance. I have little doubt that she’s really going to call things off between us, but that doesn’t mean I’m content to sit around and wait.
It only makes it worse now that I’ve gotten a taste of life with her. Before, it was easy to say that relationships just weren’t for me, but now I know the truth.
