My face is stretched into a sappy, goofy grin, and I thinking of nothing but him as I enter our building. I stop by the mailboxes, finding mine is overflowing. As I sift through the pile, pulling out the junk mail, I am surprised more than alarmed when arms come around my body and a hand clamps over my mouth. My first thought is Rose or even Jake, though it is hardly his style to manhandle me. Lucian even runs through my mind. Maybe he’s found out I walked home and is here to give me hell over it.
When the arms tighten and I am bodily-dragged across the floor toward the now-open door that leads to the tenants’ storage lockers, I start to panic. This isn’t right. Lucian, nor any of my friends, would do this. Whoever is holding me is far stronger than Rose and taller than Jake. I am struggling now in earnest, knowing instinctively that something bad is going to happen if I am pulled through that door. My foot stomps down, connecting with the person’s foot that is holding me. I hear a grunt and then curses. “You’ll pay for that, cunt.”
The strength suddenly leaves my body. I sag weakly against my attacker as he pulls me through the door and shuts it behind us. Oh, dear God, I know that voice. Please, oh please, let me be wrong. As I am shoved roughly against a wall, a rag smelling of gas is shoved into my mouth, almost immediately followed by a wide, silver piece of tape over my lips. In my panic, I can’t breathe. I move my hands to claw at the tape, but they are wrenched above my head, restrained tightly together with the same silver tape. Stars dance behind my eyes as I start to hyperventilate. My face is roughly pulled up, forcing me to look directly into the eyes of my captor. Jim Dawson, my stepfather, stares back at me, looking triumphant. “No,” I mumble around the rag in my mouth. The spinning, black void rises to claim me, and I slump limply to the floor, barely registering the pain in my head as it connects with the metal corner of a shelf. Oblivion is what I need now, and I go into it willingly.
Chapter Nineteen
Lucian
“Sam, how long until you pick up Lia?” As soon as Max leaves my office, I pick up the phone to call Sam. He needs to be updated on Lia’s stepfather.
“I’m picking her up at three. I’m here now waiting for her.” I take a quick look at my watch, frowning when I see it’s now ten minutes past that time.
“That was ten minutes ago. Is she in the car or isn’t she?”
“No…she’s not here yet, Luc. I’m out front now, walking around the courtyard. Maybe she got held up in her last class.”
“Fuck,” I hiss; can’t anything go smoothly today? “Listen, Sam, Lia’s stepfather was released from jail earlier. I don’t have any reason to think he’d come for her, but we need to be on our guard. Head to the office and talk to Mrs. Phillips. Tell her I need to know Lia’s schedule today and then track down her last class. I know Mrs. Phillips’ husband, so she’ll give you the information. Call me as soon as you have something.” Without waiting for a reply, I end the call. Running a hand through my hair, I kick the side of my desk in frustration. Today has been nothing but one big clusterfuck; nothing has gone as planned from the moment I walked through the doors this morning.
Cindy sticks her head inside my office, probably alarmed by the sound of me blowing off some steam. She knows me well. She gives me a silent look that asks if I need anything from her, I shake my head briefly, and she pulls the door closed behind her. I pick up my cellphone and dial Lia’s number. It goes straight to voicemail without ringing, as if it’s turned off. I try to assure myself it’s just because she’s been in class all day. Of course, she’d have her phone off; she wouldn’t want to get any calls during her exams.
I fire off a text:
Lucian: Baby, where are you? Sam is looking for you.
A long few minutes pass with no reply. I quickly tap out another message.
Lucian: Lia, answer me or I’m coming to find you.
Again, there is no reply. By this time, I’m pacing the floor. When my phone rings, I answer without looking at the caller ID.
“Lia?” Even I can’t miss the quaver in my voice.
“No, Luc, it’s me.” Sam says. “I just left Lia’s last class. Luc, she’s been gone from there for over an hour. The teacher said the test was short, and Lia was one of the first people finished. She turned it in, and the teacher dismissed her.”
“Goddammit!” I roar. “Where the hell is she then? Go back out to the car and see if she’s there now. Maybe she was just sitting somewhere near until it was time for you.”
“Luc…I am outside. It’s pretty much cleared out here now. There are only a few people standing around and none of them are her. How about that friend of hers she lives with? Do you think she’s with her?”
I relax slightly, thinking that’s probably exactly where she is. I don’t have her number though, shit. “Sam, go back inside and have Mrs. Phillips pull Rose’s file and give you her number.”
“And her last name is?”