Page 19 of Tinley's Daddy
“So, you were taken about two years ago. Where were you?” Josh rested his arm on the back of the couch.
“We’d gone to a BDSM club in Amsterdam. My… ” I couldn’t say his name or his moniker out loud. “My boyfriend and I were invited and sponsored by a friend of his.”
“Do you know the friend? Had you met him before?” he asked.
“No, my boyfriend took a summer abroad course in London when we were in college, and he said that’s where they met.” I picked at a loose thread on the robe. “We’d gone to Europe on vacation for three weeks. We saved up for a year to take the trip.”
“Where are you from in the States?”
I blinked and looked up at him. He waited for my answer. I don’t know why I hesitated. Apparently, I had no more ties to my hometown. No one came looking for me.
“Pittsburgh.”
“Do you have family there?” He looked toward his computer. I knew all the answers to his questions were probably in a file on his computer. I appreciated him asking me first.
“My mother and her baby sister, who was like ten years younger than my mom, and I was ten years younger than her. We kind of all raised each other.” I smiled. I missed my mom so much. She must be heartbroken thinking I was dead.
“No siblings?”
“No.
“What about your boyfriend?” Josh leaned forward.
I leaned back and turned around and adjusted to face forward.
“I don’t want to talk about him anymore,” I whispered. My voice sounded like the little in my head. I missed her.
“Okay.” Josh’s phone rang. He looked at it and frowned.
“What’s wrong?” The lump made its way back up to my throat.
“An FBI team working in Paris would like to speak to you.”
I gasped and stood up. I didn’t know where I was heading. Josh stepped in front of me but didn’t touch me.
“Hey.” He held up his hands. “You remember the promise I made to you.”
“Yeah, well, promises get broken all the time.” I sucked in a deep breath, but it didn’t quite reach my lungs. I steppedback and reached for something to brace if I collapsed. My eyes blinked rapidly.
“Fuck.” Josh grabbed one of my arms and placed it against his chest. “Breathe, Tinley.” He inhaled and then exhaled. “You feel my heartbeat.”
I inhaled and shook my head.
“Listen to it, breathe in for me again.”
I did.
“And out.”
I exhaled and gripped his chest with my fingertips. I didn’t know if I wanted to pull away or claw his heart out and keep it forever.
Dark Tinley.
A wicked giggle escaped my lips.
“Well, that giggle was sinister.” He chuckled. “One more time, inhale.”
I followed his lead and exhaled. He dropped his hand, but mine remained in the middle of his chest. His chest muscles rose and fell under my hand. I watched the rise and fall in time with the beat playing across my palm. I tilted my head up to see his face. I wanted to deny what I saw in those eyes. I barely knew him, but I felt safe around him.
