High Stakes: A Dark Romance

by Roxy Sinclaire

  “Is there anything else we need to plan?” Abi asked. “I’ll do my best to get the money tomorrow, and if all goes well, I’ll be back here in the afternoon.”

  “I’ll talk to my guy in LA to get us fake passports,” I offered.

  “That will cover our escape,” Reese said, “but do we have a plan for covering our tracks?”

  “Give me another piece of paper,” Amanda requested. “I’ll write a note to the police and hide it somewhere in here, telling the story we want the police to believe. I’ll name Ben and say that he worked alone.”

  We all nodded in agreement.

  “I guess the only thing we can do now is lay low and hope that Ben and his crooked cop don’t get to us before the money does,” I said.

  “It looks like we have everything settled then,” Reese said. “Abi will send us a message the moment she has the money. Stay safe, everyone.”

  Reese put his arm around Abi’s shoulder and guided her out of the room. As the wind blew inside, a shiver went down my spine. We were so close to getting out of there, out of this mess of a life that I had created for myself.

  Chapter 18―Amanda

  After Reese and Abi left, Josh and I stayed up late talking about everything from our escape plan to our childhoods. We talked about our past romantic partners, or in my case, the lack of romantic partners. I thought about asking him how many sexual partners he’s had, but I decided that was something I was better off not knowing. He was my first and only, and that was all that mattered to me.

  Throughout the night, Josh and I got closer and closer together on the couch until we were side by side. Eventually, he reached out and grabbed my hand and we just sat together, with my hand in his. It felt like being a kid with your first crush again, and I absolutely loved it.

  As much as I felt the urge to jump on top of him while we cuddled, I was glad that we were taking things slow for once. I felt like we had the chance to have a real relationship once we got out of the country. I didn’t want to get too hot to the point where we just fizzled out after a month or so. If I wanted to start a life with him, we would have to take our time.

  I remember feeling sleepy while we talked on the couch, and my head drifted toward his shoulder. The next thing I knew, I was waking up on the mattress, the door closed halfway.

  I lay there for a while, not having any concept of how early or late it was in the morning. I wondered if Abi was on the plane yet or if she was even speaking to my mom at that very moment. I hoped she would react like I said she would.

  My mom loved me in the way most mothers loved their children, but I wouldn’t say that her kids were her life. Even before her marriage to my dad, she had a burgeoning social calendar. Wild parties turned into charity galas, but the intent was still the same—to mingle with the rich and famous while showing off your own wealth.

  I had a feeling that my mom would be a little concerned if I just left without any explanation, but if I told her why I had to leave, she would understand. If I went a few years without coming home, I knew that it wouldn’t affect her life in any major way. Besides, I had other siblings for her to take interest in. They all had very impressive lives, so I knew that my boring existence would not make much of a difference if I suddenly went on an extended vacation of sorts.

  In my letter, I assured her that I was fine and not in any danger once the money was delivered. I apologized for putting the family under stress and any subsequent media attention that may follow. But, she needed to understand what I was about to do next.

  I wrote that once the money cleared, I didn’t want anyone to go looking for me. I was going to use this opportunity to start a new life. I told her that I was unhappy with my current situation and that I needed some time alone to make something of myself. Eventually, I might come back, but I wouldn’t be sure until I had finally made it.

  Finally, I thanked her for everything she and my father had given me in my life, but I said that I would no longer need their financial support. I told her to cancel all of my credit cards and to donate all of my belongings to charity.

  I didn’t expect anyone to understand my choice, but I hoped that it would at least give them some peace of mind to know that I was okay. I wondered if she would get my hidden message with the return of my necklace. It summed up my decision—I found a boy they would never approve of, and he meant more to me than my family’s money and prestige.

  I heard a noise from the other room, so I climbed out of bed to see if Josh was awake. He was curled up on the couch with the blanket wrapped tightly around him. He looked so cute and peaceful as he blinked his eyes open with a soft smile on his face. I wanted to crawl under the blanket with him and never leave.

  “Good morning,” he croaked, stretching his limbs. “How did you sleep?”

  “Fine,” I answered. “When did I go to bed?” I asked. “I don’t even remember leaving the couch.”

  “You fell asleep on the couch, but it didn’t look comfortable so I moved you to the bed. I hope that’s okay.”

  I grinned. For someone who had successfully kidnapped me, Josh kept surprising me by doing the sweetest things. At this rate, his kindness to me nearly cancelled out all the shit he’d put me through.

  “Yeah, that’s fine. I hope I wasn’t too heavy for you.”

  “Not at all.”

  Seeing as we were both awake, I went into the kitchen to make something for us to eat for breakfast. I put the pan on the rusty burner and cracked a few eggs into it.

  “You don’t have to do that,” he said, getting up from the couch. “Let me make it.”

  I rolled my eyes at him. “It’s really no big deal. Do we have any coffee here?”

  “We only have instant. It’s not very good.”

  “That’s fine. Pretty soon, we’ll be in Italy, and we can drink all of the fancy coffee drinks.”

  He grinned. I tried to imagine how we would look at a little café, drinking our espresso in tiny cups. He would be sure to turn heads wherever he went. Maybe I’d have to start designing men’s clothes, just so he could model them for me.

  I stirred the eggs around the pan while he boiled the water for our coffees. I dropped two slices of bread into the toaster, longing for a proper breakfast. Just a few days ago, I was eating eggs Benedict and fresh fruit in our hotel room. Now, I was eating eggs, toast, and instant coffee in a bunker.

  After I buttered the toast, I realized that I had overcooked the eggs. They were hard and rubbery, not light and fluffy like when Josh made them the previous morning.

  “I’m not a very good cook,” I apologized as I put the food on the plate.

  “These are good,” he said, taking a bite. I’m pretty sure he was just trying to make me feel better.

  “Do you think Abi’s talked to my mom yet?” I asked.

  “I haven’t heard anything yet. Her plane has probably landed by now. Hopefully, we’ll hear back in an hour or so.”

  I ate my breakfast, even though I wasn’t hungry. I had a knot in my stomach.

  “I’m nervous,” I admitted.

  “Me too.”

  “This is going to be the longest morning of my life. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to sit here without losing my mind.”

  “It’s going to be fine,” he said reassuringly, grabbing my hand. I know that he probably didn’t believe that, but it still made me feel a little better.

  “I need to take a shower,” I said, running a hand through my messy hair. “I don’t know how you can stand to be around me like this.”

  “I’d say the same about myself. If you want, you can shower first. I’m not sure how much hot water this place gets.”

  Josh got up and dug through his overnight bag. He pulled out a single shabby towel.

  “Looks like we’ll have to share,” he said, tossing it to me. He pulled out a few bottles of hotel soap and handed them over.

  “You stay there often?” I asked, looking at the labels.

  His face fell.
He had clearly picked them up during one of his scams.

  “I’m kidding! Jeez, out of all the shady things you’ve done in the past few years, you’re feeling guilty over stealing hotel soap?”

  “Very funny,” he said, smiling again. “Go shower.”

  I winked and walked into the bathroom. I undressed, examining myself in the mirror. I felt dirty from being underground for a few days, but otherwise, no worse for wear. I turned the water on as hot as I could stand it and stood underneath the showerhead for a moment.

  After washing my hair, I heard a knock on the door and watched it open a crack.

  “Are you using all of the hot water?” Josh asked.

  I didn’t want to tell him the truth, so I feigned ignorance. “What do you mean?”

  “I can see the steam coming out from underneath the door. How hot is it?”

  “Sorry,” I said, turning it from nearly scalding to just a little above lukewarm. The door opened a little more, and I saw the outline of his body through the shower curtain.

  “If you’re going to use all the warm water, do you mind if I just join you?” he asked.

  My heart skipped a beat. “Sure,” I said, trying not to sound too eager.

  “If it’s a problem, I can wait.”

  “No,” I said a little more aggressively this time. “I don’t want you to have to shower in the cold water. Come in.”

  I saw his shadow slowly strip down. I was tingling with anticipation. Finally, he opened the curtain, revealing his perfectly sculpted body. He looked so nonchalant, like he was walking around a locker room. On the other hand, my mind was going a million miles an hour.

  Instantly, our bodies collided, and I kissed him hard, nearly sending him off balance. My hands found his face and his grabbed my hips, pulling me closer. I wanted his body so badly, I could hardly stand it.

  The shower was tiny, so there wasn’t much room to maneuver our bodies around. He pushed me up against the wall and I gripped his broad shoulders.

  “Is it okay if I—” he started before I interrupted him.

  “Do whatever you want to me,” I said forcefully. I was past the point of being apprehensive about sex. I wanted him to show me what he could do to me.

  He laughed. “I was going to ask if I could turn the water down a little.”

  “Oh,” I said, feeling a little embarrassed. “Go ahead.”

  As he turned the faucet, I wanted to crawl into a hole. He was so effortlessly cool, and I had no chill whatsoever.

  “You’re making me so hard,” he said, turning back to me. He kissed down the side of my neck. “I like a girl who knows exactly what she wants.”

  “And I like a guy who can give it to me.”

  With that, he flipped me around so I could hold onto the wall of the shower while he entered me.

  “I love how wet you get for me,” he groaned. Then, after thinking about it for a moment, he said, “You know what I mean.”

  It must have been the result of the sexual tension between us or the fact that in the next few hours, the fate of the rest of our lives would be decided, but Josh really gave it to me. Though he started off gently, he gladly took my requests of faster and harder.

  We finished, the water dripping down our faces as we took a second to enjoy the moment. I turned toward him, and he gently took me into his arms and kissed me on the forehead. With his eyes still closed, he said, “You have no idea how happy you make me.”

  Tears formed in my eyes, but I didn’t want him to see me become emotional, so I quickly blinked them away.

  “You make me incredibly happy, too.”

  With a final rinse, we got out of the shower and took turns drying off. Since I had nothing else to wear, he zipped me back into my dress, and he pulled on his clothes.

  I couldn’t know for sure, but I had a strong feeling that he genuinely had feelings for me, just as I had for him. There was no role for him to play anymore. We were our authentic selves together, and I didn’t want it any other way.

  Chapter 19―Joshua

  When Amanda went into the bathroom and shut the door, I wanted nothing more than to be in the shower with her. It had only been a few days since I’d last felt her body against mine, but it seemed like an entire lifetime ago.

  It wasn’t just a primal urge for sex, either. I just wanted my body to be as close to hers as possible. I felt it was the only way I could communicate my deep affection for her.

  It was hard for me to put these kinds of feelings into words. I had spoken them to many girls but never really meant it. I wasn’t sure if I could tell her how I felt about her, but I could show her.

  I could take her far away from here and help her achieve her dreams. I could tell her she was beautiful and that I only had eyes for her. I could make love to her on a daily basis and give her everything she could ever want in life.

  And perhaps one day, when we had established a life together, we’d look back on these days and marvel at the fact that something good came out of such a horrific situation.

  Stepping into the bathroom, I still wasn’t completely sure if she would want me again. We had held hands and cuddled on the couch, but this was a big step toward regaining her trust.

  When she wrapped her arms around me and told me how much she wanted me, it turned me on so much. I wanted to please her, to make her feel good. Her desire for me was an aphrodisiac.

  Getting out of the shower, I knew that I had her for good, and she had me. Without saying a word, we had communicated to each other that we were going to make our relationship work.

  “I suppose we’ve found a way to make the time pass a little quicker around here,” I said, hanging my towel on the rack.

  “In that case,” she said, “a few more hours of waiting won’t hurt.”

  “Don’t tempt me,” I said warningly. “You’ll convince me to stay forever.”

  I walked out of the steamy bathroom to see Ben standing at the bottom of the stairs. For a second, I felt like I was going to faint, I was so startled by his sudden presence.

  “What are you doing here?” I gasped.

  “You should check your phone more often,” he said. “I sent you a message twenty minutes ago telling you to clean up because I was on my way.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “I’m taking you back to the house. I don’t feel like it’s safe enough here.”

  “Why not?”

  “I just have a feeling. The girl’s parents haven’t sent the money yet, and I’m worried that they’ll track her down here somehow. We need to be together at the house in case something goes down and we have to make a run for it.”

  I looked back at Amanda. She looked terrified. I was pretty worried, too, but trying not to show it. I didn’t want Ben to think that anything was wrong.

  “Sounds good,” I said casually. “Let me just pick up my things, and then we can load up your car.”

  “You really should have worn your mask,” Ben said. “If we let her go, she’s going to give your identity to the police.”

  “She won’t talk, I promise.”

  “I’m not sure if I believe that. She has no reason not to turn you in. If the police do find you,” he said, pointing straight at my chest, “you say nothing. Understand?”

  “I understand,” I said, stuffing blankets into the bag.

  Ben looked over my shoulder at Amanda. “Why isn’t she wearing her blindfold and handcuffs?”

  “I let her take a shower.”

  “Why?”

  “She’s not an animal, Ben. The least I could do was let her wash up. We’ve been in here for a few days.”

  “Why were you in the bathroom with her, then?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  I thought quickly. “I stood inside the room to make sure she wouldn’t try to escape or anything like that.”

  He squinted his eyes. “Then why is your hair wet too?”

  “I showered before her,” I stuttered. “I don’t know what you’re get
ting at.”

  “No? I haven’t been here this whole time, but it doesn’t take much of an imagination to guess what you’ve been up to. I suppose you’ve been enjoying yourself, playing house in your private home.”

  “It hasn’t been great,” I said, crossing my arms in front of me. “She’s been locked in the room, and I’ve been sitting on the couch, constantly checking my phone for updates.”

  “Calm down,” he drawled. “You’ll get your reward soon enough. We just have to wait for the parents to deposit their million dollars into our account, and then we’ll be in good shape.”

  “A million?” I groaned.

  “Think of it as an interest payment. The longer they make us hold her, the more they have to pay. If they let this go on for too long, we’ll have to repossess her.”

  My hands balled up into fists. I hid them behind my back so Ben wouldn’t see. I also wrenched my face into a grin, so he would think I was enjoying his disgusting jokes.

  “I think you need more sleep, Josh,” he said. “You have crazy eyes.”

  “You’re probably right. I haven’t slept much in the past week or so.”

  “We need to figure out what to do with her to make sure she doesn’t give anything away. You’ve messed things up, Josh. She shouldn’t have been able to see anything, let alone know who you are. Have you let any information slip?”

  “Nothing. We haven’t said more than ten words to each other,” I lied.

  “Good. At least you have a little bit of sense. I know a guy who reckons that he can get me pills that will make people forget. If we give her enough, maybe we can erase some time.”

  “Please don’t,” Amanda said from behind me. “I promise I won’t talk. Please believe me.”

  Ben walked closer to her, examining her. She shivered in her sleeveless dress and wet hair.

  “Fine,” he sneered under his mask. “But I’m only trusting you if you’re sure you don’t know anything more than Josh’s identity. When the police question you, if you tell them about him, just know that I’ll come after you and your family if you breathe a word about me. Your friend, the hot blonde chick? I think her name is Tanya? If you aren’t on your best behavior, I can ensure that she never sees her wedding day.”