Valentine (Cupid #2)

by Jade Eby

  When did it happen?

  Had she shifted in the bathroom? Was it the song, that intense melody of possession and terror? Did those lyrics sink deep into her head like it did for him? That must’ve been when the claws pushed out of her bird feet. Feathers had sunk into flesh, molding into curiosity and sprouting black fur.

  She’d come out of the bathroom as his cat, and he’d been too blind to notice.

  Where are you Diana? Don’t make me do this. Don’t make me kill you. Please, I don’t think I can survive. I barely did, after…

  “Still haven’t found her?” Maxwell held both of his hands together as if he’d just come out of praying. It made him look off. Something so spiritual as hands pressed together in prayer shouldn’t exist on a vile man as him. It was an abomination, like walking into a church, stopping at a statue of the crucifixion, sticking a red lace bra around Jesus’s neck, and writing on the lord’s nailed-in palms, numbers of women that give the best blow jobs in town.

  If Diana ran, I’ll find her. It doesn’t matter how much of a jump-start she has. Now, I’ll kill Maxwell. It’ll make me feel better.

  “No, I haven’t found her, yet.” Asher took his hands out of his pockets. “Do you have any ideas?”

  “N-no. Me?” Maxwell touched his chest. “Why would I have any ideas? I’ve told you everything I know.”

  Asher raised his eyebrows. The anger of Diana missing had pulled away the alcoholic haze he’d been walking in. Things started to make sense. Before they seemed to point in a more confusing direction.

  Asher studied Maxwell some more. The man kept those hands in the prayer sign. Every few seconds, he checked the exit and then looked back at Asher.

  Does he know something? Or do I just want to kill him so much that I’m hoping he has something to do with Diana’s disappearance? Instead of wringing her beautiful neck, I can twist his the fuck off, and blame him for everything? Maybe, I’ll do it regardless.

  “Have you seen Diana?” Asher asked again, his tone deepening by the time he said her name.

  “I’ve been with you most of the time.”

  “Very true.” Asher nodded and then closed the distance between them.

  Maxwell edged back and then bumped into the wall behind him. No one noticed what occurred between them. It was well past midnight. Only the drunks remained, dancing off beat to the music and stumbling around the dance floor like crazed fools. Everyone else had left.

  “What are you doing?” Maxwell looked up at Asher, but didn’t push him away, like any normal man would.

  He’s used to being dominated by men. Interesting.

  “You’re hiding something.” Asher poked at Maxwell’s chest the same way Diana had did earlier that night. “You don’t want to fuck with me. Are you listening? You don’t want to be my focus this evening.”

  “I-I have s-security all around me.”

  “You’ll have blood all around you soon too.” Asher put his mouth near the man’s ear and whispered, “I could kill you right now.”

  “W-what?”

  “I could slice your neck. It’s dark. The music is loud. Even if your security came. You’d be dead. They’d catch me, sure, but you’d be dead. Blood everywhere. The police could come, but you’d be nothing but a lifeless corpse surrounded by a pool of your own filth. People would scream and alert someone to save you, but it would be too late. Do you know why?”

  Maxwell’s body quaked against him. “B-because I would be d-dead.”

  “Do you know anything about where Diana is at?”

  Maxwell opened his mouth and then closed it.

  “Walk with me.” Asher snatched him up by the collar and pulled him toward the back.

  “You’re insane! What are you doing?”

  Two men rushed to them. “Mr. Grayson, is everything okay?”

  Asher dug his nails into the man’s flesh on the back of his neck and whispered, “You tell them to leave. If not, I’ll leave, but I’ll come back, and you’ll have no idea when, or how mad I will be.”

  “This is all insane.” Maxwell struggled to get out of his hold. “There’s no reason for this.”

  “Mr. Grayson?” one of the guards said.

  Asher dug his nails in even harder and was sure he’d broken the skin.

  “We’re fine.” Maxwell raised his hands in the air. “I think Mr. Bishop might have had too much to drink. I’m going to walk him to his car. Isn’t that right, Mr. Bishop?”

  “That’s right.” Asher nodded. “Let’s just go out the back entrance. I don’t want too many people seeing me this way.”

  Wrinkles spread across Maxwell’s forehead. “Yes, we’ll go out the back.”

  Eight

  Diana

  Rope bound Diana to the leather chair behind Maxwell’s office desk.

  What the fuck?

  She battled with the rope, but there were no weak spots. Her captor had skills.

  Her hands were held securely to her sides. All she could do was press her fingers against her hips. She hadn’t brought her phone with her, when Asher and she arrived at the Monster’s Ball. She’d kept it in the limo. That very fact enraged her.

  Always keep the phone near me. How many freaking times do I have to remind myself?

  The door opened and stopped all of Diana’s thoughts.

  A petite silhouette stepped into the room. So small, it had to be a woman. The figure wore a dress and a... bow on her head.

  Theresa.

  It should’ve shocked her that Maxwell’s assistant had something to do with this, but nothing did anymore, not after finding out that Asher was Cupid.

  A click sounded. The light turned on and bathed the little woman in a glow. “You said you were going to follow and scare them, not search around for information.”

  Diana glared at Theresa. “Did you do this?”

  “What were you doing in Maxwell’s office?” Theresa touched her bow as if it had fell from her head.

  “Did you hit and tie me up?” Diana asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “No, Mrs. Carson, it’s time to answer my questions.” Theresa shut the door behind her. “What were you doing inside of Maxwell’s office?”

  “I was barely in here, before you rushed in and knocked me out.”

  “What were you going to do?”

  “I had no idea it was even his office. I was just going to—

  “Lies!” She yanked at the edge of her bow over and over. “His name is on the door.”

  Diana stared at Theresa’s fingers. “I love that bow on your head. It reminds me of Minnie Mouse.”

  Theresa snapped her hands away from her head. “What were you hoping to find here?”

  Think fast. Figure out what she wants, and get her to release me.

  Diana considered their last conversation and cleared her throat. “I’m... hunting for clues.”

  “About Cupid?”

  “Yes.” Diana bobbed her head. “Of course. What else would I be searching for?”

  The woman didn’t move or respond.

  “I believe Cupid is not a... what was that name you called people who worked on the island?”

  Get her to talk with me. Get her to think that we are friends.

  “They’re called Servs,” she said.

  “Yes. The police think that Cupid is a Serv, some guy that works around the island and is fed up with all of these rich men. Do you think Cupid is a Serv?”

  “I doubt it.”

  “Me too. I think it’s a rich man.”

  “And that the rich man is Maxwell.” She slipped her fingers against her bow again. “You think he is Cupid?”

  “I... I think that Cupid could be Maxwell or any rich man on this island. I’m simply going around and investigating each one.”

  Theresa nodded. “And Mr. Bishop has been helping you.”

  It didn’t sound like a question, so Diana chose not to answer. Instead, she decided to play along. “So... is Maxwe
ll, Cupid? Is that why I’m tied up? Am I going to be his next victim?”

  Theresa squinted her eyes at Diana. “What’s fascinating is not that you’re asking me something that is so ridiculous, it’s that you don’t even look scared. You’re bound in a man’s office, a person who you may think is Cupid, but you don’t look nervous or afraid.”

  “I’ve been walking with fear all weak. It gets draining after a while.”

  Theresa pulled out her phone and typed.

  Diana’s heartbeat picked up. “Who are you talking to? Maxwell?”

  “You and I might have made a grave mistake.” The woman twisted her lips to the side and whistled. “I’m not really sure how we can get out of this without somebody getting hurt.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Theresa tossed her a sad expression and placed the phone to her ear. “I just hope you’re as smart as they say you are. Maybe, we can convince him that everything is okay. He doesn’t like being lied to. He… he has a temper. And when he gets mad, it’s bad. Very, very bad.”

  “Wait. Hang up the phone.” Diana scooted forward in her chair, barely an inch, which made her bump her knee into the solid desk in front of her. “Who are you calling?”

  “Maxwell.”

  “Hang up. Let’s talk this through before we get the guys involved. Trust me. You don’t want Asher involved. And we don’t want to make Maxwell angry do we?”

  Theresa hung up and stared at her. “Why not? The check he gave to the foundation has already been signed. I will apologize and Maxwell will forgive me as he always does. Now, you…”

  “I’m not talking about a damn check. I’m talking about our lives.” Even though she talked, she wriggled her fingers, still searching for a weak spot in the binding. “And forget Maxwell, Asher is very protective of me.”

  “I’ve guessed as much. He’s been storming around the ball room for hours.”

  “Hours? How long have I been knocked out?”

  “Long enough. We figured he would’ve just thought you left, and went away, himself.”

  No. If he thinks I escaped, then he’ll leave the island. It makes the most sense. He’d go to Miami, and have people check the airports or bus stops, maybe even cruise line ports. Car rental businesses would be next. He could hire hundreds of investigators to do the light work.

  “Don’t worry.” She held out her hand as if to say stop. “I’m probably going to be the one punished, not you. I... just need you to lie a little.”

  “Yes. I can lie. I can do whatever you need me to.” Diana gestured to the ropes. “I just need you to take these off.”

  “No, not yet. I have to get ahold of things first.” She dialed the number again, and held the phone to her ear. “This isn’t good. He’s not answering.”

  “Maybe, Asher is with him. Does Maxwell know you have me in his office?”

  “Yes.” She frowned. “As soon as I followed you in here and realized you weren’t going to do what you said, I got into the office quick and hit you with my purse.”

  “It’s a very heavy purse.”

  She nodded. “I keep a gun in it.”

  “Oh.” Diana tensed in terror. “Why did you hit me again?”

  “I didn’t know what you were doing.” She returned her attention to the phone, tapping out something and sighing. “Maxwell relies on me to keep him safe. I have to keep my promise to him. It’s my responsibility.”

  “Do you always just hit someone, when you want to know what they’re doing?”

  “Stop talking. I’m trying to focus.” She slid her fingers on the phone’s screen with one hand, with the other, she toyed with the end of her bow.

  Get into her head, Diana. She’s broken somehow. I mean for god sake, she’s a grown woman dressed like Minnie Mouse. Something is wrong with her.

  “I used to wear a bow like that, when I was a little girl.” Diana gazed at the thing on her head as if it was a diamond ring. “Do you wear them a lot?”

  “I try. Maxwell doesn’t let me wear them much.”

  “Why not?”

  She continued to mess with her phone. “He says it doesn’t look professional.”

  Get her attention somehow.

  “Do the kids like your bow?” Diana asked.

  That snared Theresa’s attention. “No. They don’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Sometimes, kids are just funny that way.” She returned to her phone.

  “Right.”

  “Do you have kids?” she asked Diana.

  “Yes, but not in the way you’re talking about. My kids are my articles. I’m too selfish and irresponsible to be a mother.” Diana gestured to the ropes. “I mean look at me. I always get in trouble. What exactly do you do for Maxwell again?”

  Theresa eyed Diana with a haunting glare. “Why do you ask?”

  “Why not? I’m just making conversation. Currently, my schedule has seemed to clear this evening. I’m all tied up with you.” Diana wagged her eyebrows. “I’m all yours. I figured we could chat.”

  “Well, our chatting needs to focus on getting us both out of this situation without anyone being hurt—”

  “Or dying?”

  “I don’t like to talk like that.”

  “Of course not.” Diana smiled. “Me either, especially when the death could concern me. That’s a real downer.”

  Theresa took her hand away from her head, put her phone back in her pocket, and sat down on the loveseat in front of her. “We’ll have to wait until he calls back. I’ve done enough tonight. I should’ve just let you go into the office. All you wanted to know was that Maxwell wasn’t Cupid. I just kept thinking you were going to hurt him in some way and so I... ”

  She offered Diana a sad look. “I’m so sorry. Let’s try to figure out a good solution to this problem.”

  “A nice apology goes a long way. Personally, I feel like your apology was enough. All is well again. Untie me, and I’ll go my way, and you can go your way. This was all just a big misunderstanding.”

  Theresa grinned. “Really?”

  The word escaped her lips in pure desperation. “Yes.”

  The woman almost rose, lifting a little, and then she slumped back down. “I should wait until Maxwell lets me know it’s all okay. He’s already mad that I hit and tied you up.”

  “Well... don’t you think that was a bit much?”

  “I thought you might’ve been working with Cupid. Maybe, finding the victims for him. There’s been talk around the island.”

  “Oh really? And what are the lovely people of Ovid Island saying these days?”

  “Everyone knows Mr. Carson was horrible to you. People said that he dragged you all over this island—”

  “That’s metaphorically, of course, being that I would have whipped his behind, if he’d tried to put his hands on me.”

  Theresa giggled. “I believe you.”

  “Anyway, what is the island saying about Diana Carson?”

  “That you might’ve figured out who Cupid was, contacted him, had the crazy person kill your husband, and then—”

  “That’s stupid.”

  “Yes, but scared people think up the dumbest things.” She pulled out her phone and checked it.

  “Anything?”

  “Nothing. It’s not like him to not answer for this long. When I text or call, he responds immediately.”

  Asher, did you kill him already?

  And then, Diana decided to just blurt it out, “Maybe, Maxwell is having fun with the kids.”

  Quiet filled the space as if sound had raced away, scared to deal with the consequences of Diana’s words.

  “What do you mean by that?” Theresa asked.

  “The island talks about other people too. They say Maxwell is very friendly with his kids. That he loves them more than an adult man should.”

  Theresa gasped.

  “But then, like we’ve both already agreed, scared people say the dumbest things.”

  Saliva fl
ew out of her mouth as she spat out the words. “Maxwell would never do anything bad to those kids.”

  “Good. I just wanted to make sure. Cupid is searching for his next victim. I have a big list of possible ones. Maxwell was on the list. I just had to make sure.”

  “Maxwell would never ever do anything bad to those kids. You have no idea, how many times he’s saved me. Make sure you write about that.” She jabbed her finger in Diana’s direction. “Make sure you say in your next article about how much of a saint Maxwell is.”

  “I can’t write while tied up, Theresa.”

  “You’ll be released soon.” She glanced at her phone and frowned. “As soon as he calls, I’ll let you go. And then you write that article.”

  “I will.”

  Theresa stroked her hair and then as if unconscious of her fingers’ movements, tugged at the ends of her bow and played with it some more. Each time the woman’s hand grasped at the bright red fabric, a thick tension sliced at Diana’s gut.

  Don’t even think about it, Diana. She’s going to free you. I’m sure Maxwell will say to just let me go, if they are really on the up and up. Don’t look at that damn bow again.

  She shut her eyes, and thought about all of the kids in the foster home. The very one that she sat in, bound to a chair. How fast had Theresa found the rope? Was it in the office or did she run off to get it? It couldn’t have taken her that long.

  Wouldn’t it have taken a normal person a while to find something to tie a person up with? It’s not like people just had a long piece of rope sitting around. Rope long enough to bind an average sized woman in her chair.

  Unless…

  Was this poor woman Maxwell’s first victim? Had he stolen her innocence and youth in one fell swoop and made her crazy? Did he force her to watch as he did the same to the children of Ovid Island Foster Home?

  Theresa hadn’t even gagged Diana. Why not?

  Diana let her gaze fall over the room. The walls looked thick. They probably held in the sound. They could’ve been specially made to make sure no one heard the things that went on, in an office that just happened to have a long piece of rope, hanging by.