by Jordan Ford
I scratch the back of my head and finally mutter, “She showers in the hockey locker room for privacy. I accidentally bumped into her one time.”
“And how many times have you bumped into her after that?”
My eyes pop wide. “Never. I… It’s not like that. We haven’t… I mean, I want to, but…” I clear my throat and shift in my seat. “She’s different, sir. She’s…” My jaw works to the side and I can’t finish my sentence, fear strangling my voice.
The dean presses his lips together and dips his head. “I understand.”
“I’ve never felt this way about anyone before and the thought of never seeing her again…the thought of her suffering is ripping me in half. I can’t lose her, sir.”
“Let’s just pray you don’t.”
The dean’s cell phone starts ringing and he snatches it up. “Yes… Okay, thank you. Send them through.”
Five minutes later Chris’s parents burst through the door. I’m pretty sure they’re not her parents, which is why I asked the dean to call them first. Now that I study them, I realize Chris doesn’t look anything like either of them.
The tall man glares down at me and starts barking. “Who is this? What is he doing here? Is this boy responsible in some way?”
His voice is loud and brash, obviously pissed off. The woman behind him is a different story. Her mouth is set in a hard line, her narrow eyes giving nothing away.
The dean stands in that slow, regal way of his and stares the big guy down. “If you’ll please calm down, Mr. Lorden. This boy here is the one who alerted me to Chris’s disappearance. If you could please enlighten us further, we’d very much appreciate it.”
“What do you know already?” The female agent (I have to assume that’s what these two people are—government agents) steps right up to my chair and drills me with a look that demands the truth.
I sputter out what I know, growing with confidence as my anger gets the better of me. They’re trying to be all secretive, even after I’ve obviously let on that I know Chris is a girl!
“Tell me the truth,” I finally growl. “How the hell did Ivan find out who she really is?”
“We don’t know that he does.” The male agent lifts his hand like it’s no big deal. “Maybe he’s just taken her away to beat her up. You said he’s been bullying her.”
“And that makes it better?” I shoot out of my chair, fisting his collar and not giving a shit who he is. “She’s risked everything to testify against some asshole and you’re acting like it doesn’t matter that she gets beat along the way.” I lunge back, slamming him into the wall behind me. Rage is making me strong, terror for what Chris might be going through adding fuel to my inferno. “You’re supposed to protect her until the trial!”
“Hey!” He muscles me off him, shoving me back with enough force to create a decent space between us. “We researched this place. We made a smart move. We’ve been monitoring who comes and goes and there’s been nothing suspicious! As far as we’re concerned there are absolutely no ties that could link her with the accused or the family of the victim.” His eyes dip to the floor. A muscle in his jaw flashes me an I’m guilty sign.
The woman steps in front of him, crossing her arms and trying to intimidate me with an icy, cold glare. “If anything, her biggest concern was you. You’re the only one who knows what she really is.”
“Are you accusing me of something?” I seethe, baring my teeth like a rabid dog.
“No. I’m just suggesting that taking your anger out on us isn’t going to help anyone find her.”
“Now back off and let us do our jobs.” The tall guy pulls his jacket straight and dismisses me with a wave of his hand.
My death glare is ignored and Dean Hancock puts a swift stop to anything else I’m tempted to say.
“Head back to your room now, Trey. I’ll bring you an update as soon as anything new pops up.”
I stand my ground, my hands fisted at my sides.
“Mr. Calloway.” He deepens his voice to that low warning I know I can’t mess with. “Off you go.”
My upper lips curls and I fire two more glares at the agents before spinning out of the office. I don’t trust them. I don’t trust anyone…except Kade and Riley.
A breath snorts out my nose and I pick up my pace, running through the halls to my room.
I should have gone to them in the first place.
Out of all the people in this school, we care about Chris the most. Not because she’s a witness or some pawn to be used in a game, but because she’s an awesome chick who, okay…maybe I’m in love with.
The thought tempers my raging anxiety for a quick beat, settling in my stomach—a notch of truth to drive me forward and keep me focused.
“I’m coming for you, baby,” I whisper as I haul ass up the stairs. “I’m gonna find you.”
#33:
The Taloned Mistress
Christiana
The car slows and turns a corner. Because I’m lying in Ivan’s lap and he keeps forcing me back there, I have no idea what’s out the window. It’s night—that part’s obvious—but I don’t know the time.
I’m cold and stiff. Aching. Terrified.
Lurching to a stop, the driver turns and, in a low voice that makes me think of Wolverine, he mumbles, “We’re here.”
Ivan nods and pushes the door open. A cold blast of air shoots down my neck. There’s a faint smell of oil and industry on the breeze, but I can’t figure out where I am. The wind continues to thread beneath my clothing. I shiver but then can’t stop the shakes. My head thumps to the seat as Ivan gets out. I start wondering if I can somehow escape at this point, but with every part of me bound or gagged, I don’t even know where to begin.
Wriggling my wrists, I ignore my burning skin and keep fighting the holds. Ivan reaches back into the car, hauling me out and forcing me to my feet. I start to scream but my cries for help are cut short by a slap to the face.
“Shut up!” An icy female voice sends goose bumps rippling over my skin.
Jerking my head back, I hope my glare is black enough to show the platinum-blonde bitch what I really think of her.
She’s unfazed, grabbing my face and squeezing my cheeks. Her long nails dig into my skin. I taste blood in my mouth; the wound Ivan inflicted earlier has opened up by her rough inspection. She scrutinizes me with her pale eyes, and the shadows cast by the overhead lights give her a ghoulish quality.
“Are you sure it’s her?”
“Yeah.” Ivan nods. “Why else would a girl be stuck in a boys boarding school, right? She started at Eton just after the murder. The timing is too coincidental.”
“And you’re sure she’s a girl?”
Ivan smirks. “I did verify it, but you’re welcome to see for yourself.”
My death glare falters, fear beating through me in sickening waves. I wrestle against my bonds, trying to punch whoever I can reach.
Pincer hands grab me from behind, holding me steady while I’m felt up by another stranger, her tiny hands rough and intrusive. I want to cry and scream, but I’m held still by pain. I breathe through the humiliation, grateful they aren’t stripping me naked on this cold dock.
I scan the area, focusing on the small container ship parked beside an old, dilapidated warehouse. Windows in the top floor have been smashed. They’re crying rusty tears down the corrugated iron. The entire dock looks cold and crappy, yet there are still stacks of containers on the outskirts and the faint smell of diesel tells me this place still runs.
So why the hell have they brought me here?
The taloned mistress lets me go, satisfied that I’m female. My cheeks burn with shame, despite telling myself they shouldn’t. I haven’t done anything wrong here. All I ever wanted to do was tell the truth, give Robbie the justice he deserves.
“Who are you?” My question is muffled by the gag.
She ignores me, flicking her head at the giant beside her. He snatches me from Ivan’s grasp. I start screaming
as soon as he throws me over his shoulder, pounding his broad back and feebly fighting against the beast. He doesn’t even flinch.
I look up and find Ivan’s eyes on me. He’s not smirking anymore. If anything, he looks guilty. His eyes track me as the bitch who groped me hands the driver a briefcase.
“Count it if you want to, but it’s all there. One million, like we agreed.”
Ivan nods, still watching me.
“She didn’t do it.” He clears his throat. “At least that’s what she said.”
“Oh, don’t worry.” The woman smirks. “I’ll get the truth out of her.”
His cheeks pale and he looks to the ground, turning away from me when I up my screaming. My throat is hoarse and aching, but I don’t let up.
Ivan gets back in his car and I lose sight of him as I’m taken around the corner and walked up a set of metal stairs. The beast’s boots ring on the stairs followed by the ping of high heels following after us.
I glare down at the blonde witch, wondering what her deal is. There’s something almost familiar about her face but I can’t pinpoint what it is. Not until I’m thrown onto a chair and she yanks the gag off my mouth. Her blue-grey orbs glint when she snarls, “Tell me what happened to my brother.”
#34:
Her Real Name
Trey
I shove my door open and flick on the light, not even caring what time it is.
Riley groans and buries his face in the pillow while Kade snorts and growls, squinting his eyes open with a steady stream of abuse. “I’m going to pound your ass to the ground if you don’t turn that light off.”
“Get up,” I bark, slamming the door and stalking into the room.
Slapping Riley’s foot, I yank the covers off him and spin to Kade’s bed. He fists his duvet, fighting against me as I growl and pull him off the mattress. He catches himself before thumping onto the floor, then lunges for me. Tackling me around the waist, we tumble back and crash into the end of my bed. I whack him on the back, desperation surging through me when I shout, “She’s gone!”
Kade lets me go and steps back, shoving my shoulder with a scowl. “What?”
“She’s gone,” I croak, fear getting the better of me as I flop onto my bed and rake my fingers through my hair. “The shower. There’s blood. Something bad’s happened to her. I told Dean Hancock, and the agents are here but I don’t trust them. Ivan’s taken her somewhere and I’m gonna fucking kill him if he hurts her!”
“Wait. Slow down.” Riley takes a seat beside me, his expression alert. “What blood?”
I close my eyes and suck in a breath, but it doesn’t stop my voice from quaking. “In the hockey locker room where she usually showers. There’s blood on the towel and her sweater’s there but there’s no sign of her. Nothing. She’s gone.”
“She’s not in her room?”
“That’s where I started. It was empty. Her flashlight was gone so I went straight for the showers.”
Kade doesn’t make a smartass joke about seeing her naked. My raw desperation is obviously shining through.
“How do you know the blood is hers?” Riley speaks slowly, squeezing my shoulder at the same time.
“Because who else would be bleeding in the shower in the middle of the night?” I snap.
“It could have been left over from a practice. It could’ve—”
“Her sweater was there.”
“She wears guys clothes. Are you sure it was her sweater?”
“Yes, because this fell out of it!” I yank the photo from my pocket and hold it up to him, realizing I should have probably shown it to the agents. Is that how Ivan knew? Did he find the photo?
I squeeze my eyes shut. My fears that this isn’t just a bully beat-up gone too far are so real right now it’s hard to breathe. He knows. He fucking knows.
Riley leans away and gently takes the picture from me, studying the image.
“It’s her,” I mumble. “When she was a girl.”
Riley keeps staring at the photo, not saying anything.
“Let me see.” Kade snatches it from him, his eyebrows popping up. “Damn, she’s hot.”
I growl in my throat.
“Who’s the guy?” Kade passes it back.
Riley takes it and walks away from the bed. “I know him.”
“What!” Kade and I snap in unison. I get up and move to Riley’s side, leaning over his shoulder as he pulls up an Internet browser on his phone.
He gazes at the photo, then taps it against his chin. “There’s something familiar about him…her. I just… I know those faces.”
Grabbing the photo from him, I take a closer look, trying to figure out where he might have seen them. His thumbs tap on the phone until all I can hear is his beat and my breathing.
Then a quick breath whips out of him and his thumbs start flying over the screen.
“Remember that news article a while back about the teenage guy who was shot dead in a parking lot? Some high-flying businessman was charged with the crime and is awaiting trial.”
“No offense, Ry, but you know we never listen to you when you spout off about the news.” Kade crosses his arms and stares at him.
Riley scowls. “We had a conversation about it.”
Kade shrugs. “Was a hockey game on at the time?”
Riley rolls his eyes and looks back at his phone. An online Florida newspaper pops up. We all lean in to read the headline.
Family Claims Police Have The Wrong Killer
I frown and glare at the words. Riley scrolls down the screen and a photo of Chris pops up.
My lips part as I gape at the image and read the words around it.
“What shit is this? They think she did it?”
Riley softens my rage with a quiet murmur. “Doesn’t mean she did, man. The family is just speculating because she was with him the night he died.” He points to the little photo in my hand. “I’m guessing it was a date or something.”
I scowl and shove the image back into my pocket. I don’t need to look at it right now.
Riley keeps talking. “Apparently she just disappeared. The family says she ran away, but the Candellas think that’s proof she’s guilty.”
“She must have seen it happen,” I whisper, my heart twisting into a knot. I can totally imagine what she must have felt. Seeing the gun go off. Watching her friend fall to the ground. I grip my forehead, my chest heaving as I’m taunted by an image of my mother’s skin turning to charcoal.
“No way.” Kade points at some text. “It says here her uncle is charged with the crime.”
My head pops up, the news shocking me for a second.
Riley nods. “Means she must be willing to testify against him.”
Kade’s expression wrinkles with confusion. “Her own uncle?”
“Is that really so hard to believe?” I ask. “When was the last time you even spoke to your parents?”
His jaw works to the side and he glares at the screen.
“That’s why they had to hide her so well,” Riley mutters. “She told me the killer has connections. He’ll be hunting her down and trying to shut her up any way he can.”
Kade scoffs. “You’re making him sound like The Godfather.”
“Well, maybe he is.” Riley starts tapping his screen again. I share a dubious frown with Kade while Riley keeps talking. “This article says the Feds have been trying to catch him for years but they’ve never had anything solid enough to pin on him.”
“Al frickin’ Capone,” I seethe.
“According to this, he’s been arrested twice before, but he gets off every time.” Riley’s voice is dark and bitter for a second. “An eyewitness account of first-degree murder or even manslaughter would be like gold in this case. Chris has the power to bury the guy.”
“Chris,” I mutter and pull the photo back out of my pocket. “You mean Christiana Sorrentino.”
“I’m sorry, man.” He looks up at me with a sad smile. “But you’ve fallen for the wron
g girl.”
A hot puff of air snorts out my nose as I glare down at Riley’s phone. “I don’t give a shit who her family is. She’s one of us now, and I’m not standing here and letting something bad happen to her.” I flick Riley’s arm. “Let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“To find her.” I pull on a pair of jeans. Grabbing my wallet, I slide it into my back pocket then take my thick jacket out of the closet.
“Where do we even start looking?” Riley’s skeptical tone is dampened by the fact that he’s already getting changed.
“I don’t know, but we’ll think in the car.”
“What car?”
I pause at the door, then turn back to Kade’s question. I wait until his head has popped through his sweater before answering. “You still know how to hot-wire anything, right?”
Kade’s lips twitch. “Yeah.”
“And if I remember correctly, Headmaster Williams still parks his car in the back lot by East Gate.”
Riley groans. “If the dean already knows what’s happening, the gate guard will be on full alert. There’s no way we can get out of here with a car.”
“Good point.” I sigh and look to the ceiling for inspiration.
Kade dishes it out with his classic calm. “We’ll just have to sneak out through Henry’s dugout. There’s a gas station about half a mile down the road. We can grab a car there and return it later.”
“Yeah, right.” Riley curses and starts muttering about auto theft. Snatching his bag, he shoves in his phone and wallet.
Kade slaps his shoulder. “Chillax, bro. It’s for a good cause.” He gives me a grim look and pulls on his black beanie. His fingers are trembling a little.
“Okay, fine,” Riley grumbles. “It’s not like I’m gonna complain about breaking out of Eton Prison, right?” He tries for a smile but it falls flat.
With a short huff, he heads to Kade’s desk.
“What are you doing?” I snap.
“I’m getting our cash-stash out of Chris’s room.” His eyes are grim with warning. “Face it, man. We don’t know what the hell we’re heading into. We might need it.”
