A conflicted expression covers Rafe’s face, and he closes his eyes tight for a moment. When he reopens them, he looks determined. He leans down and presses a quick kiss to my lips before standing and carrying me up to my room. He sets me on my feet and looks around.
“There’s so much you don’t know. So much I need to tell you. And I promise I will as soon as we get home tonight. But right now, I need you to get your shit and get out of here.”
“Rafe—” I begin, but he holds a finger to my lips.
“Brie, I don’t want to tell you what to do, but please. Do you trust me?”
I’m confused and torn. Part of me wants to demand that he tells me what’s going on now, but his expression is full of unease and concern. Slowly, I nod, and relief fills his eyes.
“I trust you,” I tell him.
He holds his apartment key out for me, and I take it. “Please go to my place and lock the door. Do not leave for any reason.”
I nod, and his strong hands brace my shoulder.
“Promise me, Brie. Say it out loud.”
“I promise. I won’t leave.”
He lets out a deep breath and starts to leave the room.
Then I speak up. “But, Rafe, as soon as you get there, you are telling me everything.”
When he looks back at me, I see the resignation in his eyes.
It scares the hell out of me.
But the reason for those files scares me more, and I heed his advice. I just hope it’s not another thing I’ll live to regret later.
AFTER DROPPING MY STUFF off at Rafe’s, I curse when I realize I’ve left the files on the kitchen counter. He’s still at the site, trying to appear as if everything’s normal. A quick call to his cell goes straight to voicemail, and I worry I won’t get ahold of him before he leaves. I don’t want to leave them in Adrian’s hands, because like Rafe said, perhaps it contains clues to what happened to my parents. Or why Adrian chose me. Either way, I have to get my hands back on them, and since Rafe isn’t answering, I decide just to go for it. If Rafe gets pissed, I’ll deal with that later. All I know is I need those files.
As I drive back to the estate for one last time, I can’t help the feeling of dread that creeps up my spine. The closer I get, the more I feel like the pretty, stupid girl in the beginning of every cliché horror movie, going towards her doom instead of away from it. I try to push it away, knowing I have nothing to worry about. It’s not like Adrian’s a twisted serial killer. Twisted and controlling maybe, but like I once told Rafe, he’s never physically hurt me, and I don’t see why he’d start now. And speaking of Rafe, he’s there on site right now, so I have nothing to worry about. I’ll park the car in the drive, grab the file, and go to the trailer until he’s done for the day. Then I’ll leave and never, ever look back.
As I rush through the front door and into the kitchen, I hang the keys on their designated hook one last time. I walk towards the counter and notice that the files are gone. My heart starts to race as I mentally panic and start opening drawers, wondering where the hell they could be.
“Looking for these?” His voice is low and raspy, as if he’s been shouting.
I freeze then turn slowly to see Adrian sitting at the dining table.
“Come in here, Gabriella. We have much to discuss.”
I look towards the back door, wondering if it’s worth getting the file. Or maybe I should dart down to the trailer, to the safety of Rafe’s arms.
“Your boyfriend isn’t there. Something called him away.”
My eyes narrow, knowing that something probably was him. I take a deep breath and steel my nerves. I knew I’d have to deal with this once and for all. Just as he did, I made my bed, I’ll lie it, and I’ll live happily ever after.
Or so I hope.
As I enter the room, he gestures towards the chair directly across from him, but instead of taking it, I stand behind it, gripping the edges.
“If that’s how you want to be.”
“It’s how things are now. I told you weeks ago I was leaving. I finally am.”
“You’ve been busy while I was gone. I didn’t think you had it in you, but I was wrong. So very wrong. And now we’re both going to suffer the consequences. If only I’d watched you more carefully, we wouldn’t be in this predicament, yet here we are.” He sighs in defeated disappointment.
His demeanor changes just as the fear starts to set in. I have no idea what he has planned for me, and emotions rise to the surface. Anger for what he’s done to me. Fear of what he may do. Curiosity because his words make no sense. Regardless, I’ve had enough. I no longer seek answers from him. All I want is distance.
Just as I’m about to turn and leave, I gasp when the prick of a needle pierces the skin on the side of my neck. Who the hell is behind me? How could I not have heard him? My eyes widen, and then slowly, so slowly, everything fades to back.
When I come to, my eyelids are heavy and my throat is scratchy. My head rolls to one side, and I can tell I’m sitting.
“Ah. I was hoping you’d wake soon. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, sweet Gabriella, but I had to make sure you’d cooperate. And since you were so insistent on leaving, I had to secure you,” he informs me, just as I try move my wrists. I find that they’re bound and I can’t get them free.
His voice sounds so far away. When I blink my eyes open, they take a moment to come to focus. Adrian’s kneeling before me. I can smell whiskey on his breath, and his eyes are wide and manic.
Terror washes over me as he stands and hauls me up against him.
“You weren’t supposed to live, but you did. I thought I could fix things, and now . . . Fuck!” he exclaims, pushing me back into the chair and throwing a glass against the wall.