Page 8 of Noctis

“I’m…I’m going to Reno on Sunday,” she said. “I’m on vacation for two weeks, and so…I’ll be out of town-”

“If you’d like to meet up when you get back, I’m open to that,” I lied.

“Well…” She started biting her lower lip again. “I mean….if…”

I lifted my chin as understanding dawned on me. “You don’t want me thinking that you’re ghosting me if you go home with me tonight, is that it?”

Mora looked embarrassed. “I’m not opposed to getting to know each other better,” she said sheepishly.

“Here or-”

“I wouldn’t mind getting to know each other better at your place,” she clarified, and it was hard not to appreciate a woman that wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted once she made up her mind.

I grinned, feeling my dimples make an appearance. “Do you want to go find Zaire yourself, or would you like me to go with you?”

“Well, I can-”

“Personally, I’d like to speak to him before we leave,” I told her, still trying to gain her trust. “If he has any questions about me, I’d like to answer them.”

Mora’s smile lit up her entire face, and I knew that I’d just hit the jackpot with her. She was feeling safer and safer with each manipulation that flew out of my mouth, and I knew that getting her back to my place was going to be a breeze.

Once I got her there, one drink was going to have her passed out. After that, I was going to take her keys, let myself into her apartment, then make sure that everything looked exactly as it would with her taking a two-week vacation.

Mora stood up from her seat. “Okay, let’s go find him,” she said, her trusting eyes looking up at me with thrilling excitement of what was to come, little did she know.

After speaking with Zaire and assuring him that she was safe with me, Mora and I left Spherical, then headed back to my place. I always drove myself around, even though I had a car service on speed dial whenever I needed one.

Two hours later, I was on the road to Reno with a drugged Mora sprawled out in the back seat of my Lexus SUV. I didn’t need any street cameras picking up any feed of her with me, so while she should be wearing a seatbelt for safety reasons, it just wasn’t possible. I also had both of her packed suitcases and carryon bag in the trunk, and I had stored her car in my garage.

With Zaire knowing that she went home with me, I knew that he wouldn’t be expecting an early morning text from her, so I had nixed the idea of drugging him, too. He was going to get a text that we were spending some time together before she left on her vacation, and there was no reason for him not to buy it. I could see him happy for her, even.

Finally approaching the cabin, it looked just like the pictures that she had posted on her social media, and it was just as perfect as I’d hope it would be.

All that was left now was for Mora to wake up.

Chapter 6

Mora~

My head felt like it was going to explode as I worked to open my eyes. Moving as slowly as possible, I couldn’t believe that I had a hangover this bad. No way did I drink that much last night.

As I sat up in bed, my eyes taking some time to focus, I immediately knew something was wrong. I wasn’t in my bed, though this wouldn’t be the first time that I’d woken up in a bed that wasn’t my own after a night of partying.

Once my eyes could focus, that’s when dread began settling in my chest. Glancing around the room, I had no idea where I was. Even though the memories were a bit fuzzy, wherever I was, it wasn’t my apartment or Kalon’s penthouse. I was in a rustic cabin of some sort, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think that I was at the cabin that I had scheduled for my vacation, but I couldn’t be.

How would I have gotten here?

Bringing my hands up to my temples, I began to rub them, hoping to ease the throbbing pain lacing my brain. However, panic really began to set in when I noticed the ropes wrapped around my wrists.

Holy shit.

Despite the spiking pain, I started whipping my head all over the place, and I could feel my heart racing as I realized that I’d been tied to the bed. Yeah, the rope had enough slack for me to move around, but I was still tied to a damn bed. Luckily, I still had my dress on from last night, so I was taking that as a good sign. Plus, apart from my head, I didn’t feel any soreness or pain anywhere else on my body.

Closing my eyes, I tried to remember what happened last night after I’d left Spherical’s with Kalon. He’d driven up to a gorgeous high-rise, and I could remember him using a key in the elevator to take us up to the top floor. Though my mind couldn’t conjure up the small details, I could vaguely remember that the place had been large and spacious…I think. I could also remember another drink in my hand, but no conversations between us.

Then it hit me.

I’d been drugged.

---