Page 98 of His Property

There’s no response right away, but something out of the corner of my eye catches my attention, and I turn my head toward it. I walk to the baseball cap on the floor and pick it up, my jaw clenching as I study it.

I recognize it. TJ was wearing it the night I went to retrieve the money he owed.

Cora.

That fucking bitch.

My phone pings again, and I throw the cap to the floor and hold my phone up. Red hot anger takes the place of fear as my breathing slows. A calm sort of viciousness washes over me.

I’m going to kill her. I’m going to carve my fucking name into that bitch’s face, and I’m going to slice her open from her cunt to her mouth. I don’t care who she is anymore. The hold she’s had on me all this time has released, and she can’t imagine how badly she’s fucked up.

The girl’s a rat.

Another message comes in a few moments later.

But if you want her…

An address shows on my screen, and I glance at it before striding out the door.

I climb into my car, start the engine and squeal the tires as I whip out of Mae’s driveway.

27

MAE

Afoul odor curls into my nostrils, pulling me awake. My nose crinkles, and I clench my eyelids.

For a few moments, I don’t remember passing out. I don’t remember anything. It’s TJ’s voice that sends the memory flooding back and snaps me alert. It takes more energy than I would think necessary to open my eyes, and I weakly tug on a cord binding my wrists behind my back.

My head swims, and my vision is hazy, but I make out TJ and Cora arguing in front of me in what appears to be a rundown building. The walls and floor are both made of concrete and there’s trash scattered around the room.

I try to make out more details, but the room is moving in waves, and it’s all I can do not to close my eyes.

What did he give me?

“Finally,” Cora says in a sing-song voice that reminds me too much of Victor’s the night he showed up at my house.

She comes toward me, but I look past her at TJ. He turns his head to avoid me and shoves his hands into his pockets.

“You’ve kept us waiting,” Cora says, crouching in front of me. My eyes move to her, and her lips pull into a smile. My stomach turns as I stare into the same hazel eyes as the man I love.

“With as much drugs as TJ pumped into you, I thought you were comatose.”

“That’s not true.” TJ finally looks my way. Guilt droops his face, and a silent plea shines in his irises. “I made sure I measured appropriately.”

I look back at Cora just as her teeth grit and her lip curls. She’s facing away from TJ, so he can’t see her disdain.

“Of course you did, my love,” she says in a voice that doesn’t match her face.

“What did you give me?” I slur, my words unusually slow.

“It doesn’t matter.” TJ walks to me and crouches down next to Cora, looking me over. “It’ll wear off soon, I promise. Victor is on his way here, and as soon as he gives Cora her things, I’ll take you home with me. We’ll hang out there for a few days so the police can’t find you to follow up.”

I slowly blink and try to shift into a sitting position, but don’t manage it. TJ helps me sit up and leans me against the wall. Cora stands and crosses her arms over her chest before taking a few steps back.

“Victor doesn’t have anything of Cora’s,” I say, letting my head rest against the wall.

“Yes, he does,” TJ corrects. “If he said he didn’t, he lied to you. He’s a compulsive liar and has been his entire life. Just ask his mom.” TJ looks over his shoulder at Cora as if he’s expecting her to back him up. As if she could possibly convince me that Victor is the liar here.

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