The message cut off and my heart skipped a beat.
There was something about the way the message had ended that chilled my blood. It only took me a few seconds to decide that something was horribly wrong.
Fuck! I should’ve never left her alone.
I had no time to lose.
Buoyed by fear, I ran down the cement walkway toward my motorbike like I was running from a rabid dog.
Chapter 19
Carly
“Tell me where Razor is!” screamed the woman inches away from my face.
My captors had tied me to a chair, and I was positioned in the middle of the living room. For the past fifteen minutes, the vengeful villainess had grilled me with a score of questions, striking me when I didn’t answer to her liking, which was every single time.
“I don’t know!” I shouted back, refusing to show the hateful woman any fear. I wasn’t sure who these strangers were, but I assumed they were part of Anonymous and the people Mason said were after him.
Her face twisting with rage, she backhanded me, whipping my head to the side. “Stupid lying bitch!” she yelled.
Anger flared in my stomach. Oh how I wished I could get my hands on her long braid and jerk her around. Or better yet, if I could get my hands on the gun. The tramp wouldn’t be so bold and brave then.
“I don’t think you’re going to get her to answer by doing that, Maddy,” said the blonde man. “She really might not know where he is. She doesn’t sound like she’s lying.”
“Shut up, Andre!” Maddy snapped.
I expected the guy to say something back and put the woman in her place, because after all he was like four times her size, but he just stood there mutely.
But I might be able to use Maddy’s volatile anger to my advantage, I thought. Appeal to his ego and cause friction between the two.
Though I had only been in her presence for less than a half-hour, I already had her figured out. It was obvious to me that this Maddy had a temper problem, and most of the time either took her anger out on me, or the guy with her.
“Are you just going to let her talk to you like that?” I asked Andre in a disbelieving tone. “She’s like a quarter of your size.”
Andre looked like he was about to say something, but glancing at the glaring Maddy, he held his tongue.
I was rewarded with another backhand, but this time, I almost smiled. I was getting used to her attacks and they didn’t altogether hurt anymore past the first few.
Satisfied that she’d shut me up, she turned her gaze on her partner in crime. “Of course the bitch knows where he is. She just won’t say.”
I shook my head and boldly said, “Actually, Andre is right. I have no clue where he is. And all this abuse is not going to get you any closer to finding him.” I looked at Andre as I said his name, making my tone respectful of him, something I knew he never got from Maddy.
She cut her eyes at me. “Did I say you could speak, bitch?”
“No. I was just agreeing with Andre.” I flashed Andre a charming smile.
“Then shut the fuck up!” Another backhand. I kept my head from jerking to the side and held my smile, but it only served to enrage her further. Grunting, she put the full force of her body behind the next one, this time causing black spots to form in front of my eyes.
I had to admit, that one stung a bit.
Maddy’s chest heaved with anger as she studied me with hatred. I stared back at her with my smile of defiance, letting her know she could abuse me all she wanted but she’d never have the pleasure of me showing fear in the face of her wrath.
“You love him, don’t you?” she accused.
I played stupid. “Huh?”
“Razor! You love him, even though you’re his stepsister.”
“Well, he is my stepbrother, so yes, of course I do.”
“Don’t play stupid with me! You know what I meant. You two are lovers — I saw you both on the campus video. He was holding your hand and looking at you like you were the most important person in the world.” Her bitterness was palpable. I could almost gag on it.
I sneered. “Jealous much?”
Maddy’s face grew so red with rage that I feared she might go on an unending rampage on my face, but then she sharply turned to Andre. “Come over here and give the bitch a black eye. Apparently she likes being hit.”
For the first time, real fear coursed through me, though I kept my smile plastered on my face. Maddy’s hits stung, but looking at Andre’s big hands, I knew one punch from him would take my fucking head off.
He glanced at me and hesitated, his expression conflicted. “Maddy I don’t know if I want to do that. I’ve never hit a woman before, and honestly, I don’t think she’s lying—”
“Just shut up and do it!” Maddy yelled.
Jesus, she needs to be on meds, I thought, amazed at how psychotic she was and how Andre seemed to just take it up the ass without lube.
Andre took two involuntary steps toward me and then stopped. “No,” he refused, shaking his head. “I’m not going to do it.”