Page 17 of Mistress Mayhem

Could Charlotte be right? Could they all be interested in me?

Shaking my head, I know I need to stop thinking about something that’s never going to happen, and focus on girl time with my bestie.

I squeeze my eyes shut to ward off the pain of thinking of Charlotte, but I find myself smiling at the same time.

I guess telling them isn’t the worst idea.

Chapter Ten

Sage

“Fine,”Ifinallysay.“We obviously need to talk. But I need to get him downstairs before the drugs wear off. I didn’t give him much because I expected to have him in the basement and locked in a room by now.”

Austin storms off to William, leaning down to pick up the man and throw him over his shoulder. “Where are we headed?”

I blink at him for a moment. He lifted him as if he weighed nothing. That’s both disturbing and hot as hell. “Behind the bookcase is a door that leads to the basement.”

I hurry over to open it for him, flipping on the light switch to reveal the stairs leading down. Austin steps inside and starts down the stairs, my eyes immediately going to his back and ass as his muscles flex and relax with each step.

Hot damn.

“Are you going to stand there ogling Austin all night or are we going downstairs?”

I pin Cooper with a glare. “I never invited the two of you.”

“You didn’t have to.” Cooper smirks. “We’re coming down with you. Either you can lead the way, or I can pick you up and carry you down them myself.”

I bite my tongue to keep from retorting back because I know he’s dead serious. “Fine. Fucking assholes. Getting in my way. This was supposed to be easy, but noooo. The three of you have to show up and mess up all my carefully laid plans.”

I keep cursing their names as I climb down the stairs. Reaching the bottom, I find Austin standing there. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to take so long.”

“But Cooper was being an asshole as usual.” Austin smiles. “I know. I heard. So, what is this place?”

He looks up and down the short hallway with six doors. Instead of answering him, I open one of the doors and gesture inside. “You can throw him in here.”

“You’re not going to tie him up or anything?” Cooper asks as he reaches the bottom of the stairs.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but no. The rooms are all soundproof and reinforced with steel. Same for the doors. He’s not getting out of there until I’m ready to let him out.” I step into the dark room so Austin has room to come in as well. He tosses William onto the floor, none too gently, before we step out of the room.

I pull down the steel arm that locks it as I hear Fox call out, “What in the seven hells is this, and how can I get one of my own?”

Spinning around, I see he’s opened one of the doors. “Shut the fucking door, Fox. That’s none of your business.”

“What is it?” Cooper is already stepping up behind Fox, peering over his shoulder before he turns back to me with his eyebrows raised. “Princess... Why do you have a maze in your basement?”

“Fucking nosey ass pricks!” I exclaim, already climbing up the stairs. If they want answers, then they better follow me. I’m afraid that if I stay in the basement with them for even a minute longer I might end up killing Cooper, and I think that’s a decision I’d grow to regret. I let out a sigh of relief when I hear them following me upstairs.

Back in the library, I wait for them to step out of the stairwell before shutting the door and pushing the bookshelf back in place.

“I need a drink. Anyone else need a drink?” I ask, already moving toward the bar.

“Looks like there’s already one there for me,” Fox says, reaching for William’s discarded drink. I knock it from his hand, the alcohol arching in the air before splattering across the carpet.

“Idiot. That one was drugged. If you want a drink, make it yourself.” I grab my abandoned drink and toss it back before making myself another one. Ignoring all three of them, I move to one of the seating areas and crash down into one of the armchairs.

A few moments later, the three of them join me, each with a drink in their hands. Austin and Fox settle onto the couch while Cooper sits in the other armchair. We stare at one another in silence before Fox laughs.

“Well, angel, it seems like you have something to share with the class. But you have to speak for us to know it. No telepathy here, unfortunately.”

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