Page 58 of Elicit (Decadence After Dark)

I bump into someone as I take a step back. “Excuse me.” I try to turn around, but strong hands trap my waist.

“I had to see for myself if the rumors were true,” a chilling voice rasps in my ear. “That a beautiful redhead was making waves in the upscale sex industry.” His grasp gets tighter, his fingernails digging painfully into my hipbones. “You were missed, Raggedy Ann.” I shudder from the use of my revolting pet name, and how it fits me perfectly. “He’ll be so happy I finally found you.” The walking nightmare tries to push me, but I freeze in place.

“Let’s go. Quietly,” he threatens.

“I’m not going anywhere with you, Silas,” I hiss. “I’ll die before I go back to him.”

“Trust me. Once you’re back home, you’re going to wish for death.”

I tremble in his grasp as horrid images of the past flood my memories.

I scan the room frantically looking for Jett or Kayne. Neither are anywhere to be found. My heart beats harder, and my fear balloons as I’m faced with being forced to return to the place I fled from.Escapedfrom. My eyes land on Alistair—who’s watching Silas and me closely. I want to scream for help, but I know that could lead to a fatal outcome. I can feel the gun holstered in his pants digging into my back.

“Don’t make a scene, London.” My name on Silas’s lips burns like battery acid, searing every old wound.

I can’t go back. Iwon’tgo back.

My fight or flight instincts instantly kick in, and without even thinking, I stab my high heel into Silas’s foot. He barks in pain and momentarily loosens his grip. That’s when I bolt, purposely knocking into a waiter, sending his stacked tray of champagne flutes crashing to the floor. Hopefully, that will cause enough of a distraction for me to flee. I kick off my shoes and run. Past the other girls, Alistair, a host of Mansion’s clients, and Kayne and Jett who are just making their way into the room.

“HE KIDNAPPED HER!” JUICE CHEWSme out over the earpiece. “Are the two of you smoking crack?”

“She was in danger. He made an executive decision.” I attempt to defend Kayne as I blast a bad guy. Sometimes I wish it was this easy to eradicate the enemy. Just pick up an M16 and blow the motherfuckers away.

“An executive decision? She’s a liability now. Jett, you know that!” Juice clearly doesn’t share our view on Ellie’s predicament.

“She’s an innocent. And it’s our job to protect her.”

“You could have sent her to a safe house.Wecould have protected her without jeopardizing the whole mission!”

“Kayne says that would have looked too suspicious. He wanted to keep her close.”

Juice sighs, crazed. “Well you better hope he keeps her in his goddamn pocket. When the police come sniffing around, what’s going to happen then? Kayne was the last person she was seen with.”

“That’s what we have you for. Make it go away.”

“What am I, a fucking magician now?Alakazam,” he snaps, perturbed.

“I believe we know people in high places. Make a call. Keep the cops away. We’ll handle the rest.”

“You better do fucking more than handle it. You better run shit, Jett. This operation can’t go south.”

“It won’t. Do your job, and I’ll do mine. And everything will be fine.” I hope.Pray.

“No more bullshit, understand? I don’t want to clean up anymore messes until I absolutely have to.”

Translation: Don’t bother me until you have El Rey in your grasp.

“Roger that.”

No more messes. Got it.

Good little boys and girls from now on. Scouts honor.

“Over and out.” Juice signs off.

I toss the controller and rock restlessly in the gaming chair up to my eyeballs in stress.No more messes.

I glance at my watch, realizing I’ve been gone way longer than I intended.

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