“No, wait! Claudia came to me, man. Take her ass back. She’s in room 7,” Mick begs.
“I could fucking kill you, Mick. You stepped over a line! You took one of mine, so I’m taking one of yours!” roars beside me, like a song stuck on repeat. The familiar voice is threatening, and an odd knot forms in the pit of my stomach from its presence.
“Fine,” Mick mumbles. I turn my head to look at Mick and the familiar voice, but my vision is blurry with tears from throwing up.
“She’ll do,” the voice clips angrily. Before I can make out who the voice belongs to, the blurry image rushes toward me. Searing pain races through my scalp suddenly, making me scream as I’m pulled to my feet. My nails dig into the hand that’s laced into my hair from behind.
“Charlie!” Jayden screams, rushing out of a motel room.
“Jayden!” I cry, tripping over my heels as I’m yanked backwards. Jayden races toward me but Mick catches her, halting her movement. Jayden pulls from Mick, trying to get to me.
“Don’t!” Mick yells at her, picking Jayden up off the ground.
“You said you would protect us!” she screams, pounding against Mick’s chest.
“I can’t this time. It’s out of my hands, Jayden!” Mick roars, grabbing Jayden’s wrists to calm her.
Before I can react to what’s happening, see who has a hold of me, I’m thrown into a car. I sit up and look around, finding myself in a… limo? There are black leather seats all around, and little twinkle lights illuminating the space around me.
“Drive to the estate,” the familiar voice demands. I take my gaze from the driver in the front to the man who had ahold of my hair just moments ago.
My eyes widen, and my heart stammers against my chest.
“Landon?” I whisper in disbelief, butterflies swarming in my chest.
Landon’s green eyes shine, and his full lips part as he inhales. I can tell he’s just as surprised to see me as I am him. But as quickly as his startled expression came, it disappears. He straightens, fixes his tie and his eyes harden.
“Charlie,” he greets formally, his tone holding an edge to it. He squares his shoulders, his body taking up most of the seat.
“Landon, what is—” I stop myself, confused. I shift in my seat to get closer to Landon, and his head whips from looking out the window toward me. I notice his jaw clench, and his hands fist angrily.
“Jesus, I barely recognize you, Charlie,” he sneers, running a hand through his hair. I wince from his harsh tone.
“Landon,” I respond meekly, my chin trembling. All I want is to crawl in his lap and have him hold me, comfort me after the Hell I’ve been through lately. But the way he’s staring at me, I can tell that’s not going to happen.
“Don’t.” Landon shakes his head and starts muttering under his breath. “Whatever happened between us, Charlie, it never happened.” He looks up, his eyes piercing mine.
“You are an employee of the Blackwell Estate now,” he scoffs.
I close my eyes and shake my head in confusion.
“What?”
A smirk curls Landon’s lips as he fiddles with the cuffs of his sleeve. “Actually, an employee has the option to leave after their contract has expired.” He smirks and tilts his head to the side. “You are owned by the Blackwell Estate now.”
My nostrils flare to allow the harsh breathing to escape, and my heart races in my chest. Owned? He can’t be serious.
“You can’t keep me, I’ll—”
“What – run away? Call the cops?” Landon shifts in his seat and taps his fingers on his knee. “You don’t want to say that to me, Charlie. I can, and will, lock you in a room, never to escape again, and we both know nobody will come looking for you.” His tone is malicious. “And the cops will just bring you back to me, considering most of them are in my pocket anyway.” He shrugs.
I close my gaping mouth. I can’t go to the cops even if I wanted to with Jayden and I fleeing foster care the way we did. I scowl at him and turn my head toward the window. I believe him, for some reason. I believe he would lock me away in some room, never to see the light of day. The way he reeks of money and the look in his eyes hold that dark promise. It’s the darkness I knew he was capable of when I met him. It dwells in his voice and burrows in his gorgeous eyes. He’s capable of being a monster, just as he is a gentle lover.
“What is the Blackwell Estate?” I ask gravely, watching bright lights go by my window.
“You mean what is your position at the Blackwell Estate?” Landon counters.
“Sure.”
“You will be an escort,” Landon replies with a breath.
I close my eyes and let the tears fall from my eyes.
I’ll be a whore. Go figure.
TWELVE
CHARLIE