MasterMind: (An Anna Monroe and Never Far crossover) (The Anna Monroe Chronicles Book 2)

by A. A. Dark

  Anna

  All I needed to do was tell him? Tell Braden what? As if he would understand everything I was going through. As if I did. I had no idea what the hell I was doing. My mind said one thing while my heart longed for another. For hours, I let our conversation outside the elevator loop in my mind. I could still see him standing there, staring at me with those deep green eyes. When he took the key, I quickly turned and jogged back to Boston’s room. I couldn’t even face Braden. Was he inside right now, waiting for me? Had he decided to just sleep in his car?

  “You can go if you want. It’s really late.”

  Boston’s stare was just as wide as mine. I continually sipped my coffee from the room’s small coffee maker, far from tired. My mind was racing. Although Braden plagued my thoughts, my fear for Lucy kept me rooted

  “Soon. First, check that one.”

  I pointed to the picture of Lucy and Boston standing with the beach behind them. At the angle of the camera, the person appeared to have been higher by at least a few feet.

  “Oh, that’s by our cottage. This was taken a few days after we moved in. Do you see how happy we are? How happy she looks? God, if you knew the shit she’s been through…that smile means everything to me. All I ever wanted was to make her happy—happier than anyone in the world.” His voice got choked up and he placed his small Styrofoam cup down before clicking to enlarge the picture.

  “What has Lucy been through?”

  Hazel eyes darted to me before they went back to gazing at the picture.

  “Her mother killed herself. Her brother…well, I killed him.”

  “You killed him?”

  “He was crazy,” Boston breathed out. “Like, really crazy. After he got me in the head with the axe, I think the guilt ate away at him. He killed me that day, but the doctors brought me back. I was in a coma for over two months. I woke up with amnesia. When I did wake, the only person I could remember was Lucy. I loved her. I knew it before I had the strength to open my eyes. She’s all I ever wanted. Well, it turned out, she loved me too. But, Jeff…I guess he couldn’t accept that after everything else. He started spouting out stories about how we murdered a girl, and her body was in my hunting cabin. No one believed him. To calm him during one of his episodes, he convinced Lucy to go with him so he could show her proof.”

  Boston’s face hardened. “He flipped out when he discovered there was nothing there. Nothing he’d seen in his mind. Like beds and furniture. He tried to blame me for taking it out, but I was in a fucking coma. I’m not sure how he expected me to do that. Anyway, Lucy got upset and decided she was done listening to him. When she tried to distance herself, he attacked her. Time went on, and he came back. That’s when I stepped in. I went after Jeff to convince him it was time to get help. The cops were already looking for him, but he tried to kill me.”

  Boston pointed to the scar on his cheek. “Got me right across the face with a branch the size of a baseball bat. Damn near knocked me out, but I managed to grab a rock to fend him off. I guess with all the adrenaline, I hit him a little too hard. Lucy was devastated. First her mother, then weeks later, Jeff. I’m all she has. And then I let this happen? Hasn’t she been through enough?”

  My hand came out, touching his shoulder. “This is not your fault. You cannot blame yourself.”

  “But what if she was taken because of me? What if someone wants money, or what if they…what if it’s someone from my past I don’t remember? I still haven’t regained all my memories. Fuck. This doesn’t seem real.” He stood from the chair, breathing heavily as he once again began to pace. He did that a lot. Like an animal stalking the inside of a cage, ready to break free. The look in his eyes. Was it really love, or too much love? The emotion was definitely there, but I didn’t fear it, or him. Maybe because I didn’t really fear anything at all anymore.

  “If this has to do with your past, we’ll uncover it. Let’s start with this photo. Who took it? They look like they’re standing up pretty high.”

  Boston slowed. “My mom. She was on the dunes that align the beach.”

  “Was she by herself?”

  He came to a complete stop, turning and narrowing his eyes at the computer. “When that picture was taken, yes. My dad, I don’t see him often. He works a lot.”

  “I don’t want to upset you, but I need to ask for peace of mind. Do either of your parents not like Lucy? Or maybe anyone close to you? Cousins, friends?”

  “Oh, no. Everyone loves her. My mom was a little apprehensive of her at first because of her age, but over time, they’ve gotten close. To know Lucy…I wish you could meet her. You’d love her too. She’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met. She’s sweet and kind. Humble. God, I don’t even know where to begin. There’s not enough to define who she is.”

  His hand rose as he seemed to recall something. “Take the conversation we had before we got on the plane. Lucy knows I come from money. She’s always known. I’ve offered to pay for her nursing degree. I pay for the cottage. I try to pay for everything, but she refuses not to work. She took out loans for school. She pays the utilities. It leaves her barely anything when all is said and done, but she doesn’t care. That’s the type of person she is.” His enthusiasm faded. “I made her quit before we came here. I shouldn’t have made her quit waitressing. I thought she needed to focus on school. It’s not easy for her. She had such trouble juggling classes and work last semester, it killed me watching her tired all the time, but I convinced her quitting was for the best. I keep doing that, and I neglect to see that’s who she is.”

  I stood, unable to stop myself from feeling his sadness. “But you see now. And when we get her back, she’ll flourish under your new support.”

  “Yes. Yes, she will.”

  Although he said it, I didn’t think he agreed. If I knew this Boston, and I was damn good at reading people, he may never let her out of his sight again. It had my thoughts going back to Braden. He was waiting—waiting to make sure I made it home.

  “I should go. It’s getting late.”

  “Of course. Thank you so much again for all the help. Will you be back?”

  Panic. His eyes were getting that wildness to them again.

  “Yes. I’ll stop by sometime tomorrow. I’ll text before I do. I know your mom will be here.”

  “Thank you. Really. Thank you.”

  At my nod, I picked up my purse, heading for the door. Boston was right on my trail, grabbing his keycard.

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like to walk you to your car. I don’t like this place. You look…kind of like Lucy. It’s not safe.”

  “That’s very nice of you. Thank you.”

  Telling him I could take care of myself was pointless. Instead, we headed for the elevator, riding it down until we were crossing through the parking lot. When I pulled open the door, I threw him a wave.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow.”

  He repeated the word, strangled, as if it were hard for him to let me leave. It had me assessing his tone as I reversed and headed for the highway. To say I didn’t see signs that something was off was a lie. Boston wasn’t your average doting boyfriend. Not any I had met. But he did love her. A lot. And he’d killed, even if in self-defense. It wasn’t something that worried me, but it wasn’t something I dismissed either. Taking a life wasn’t easy on a person, yet he killed his own girlfriend’s brother.

  I exited, going down and turning on my road. Braden’s car wasn’t in front of the house. I glanced toward the garage door, wondering if he had parked inside. For the life of me, I couldn’t see him slipping into old habits. I didn’t think he’d want to push me so fast. It was late. Maybe he decided to go home since I took too long. I wasn’t sure, but I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking as I pulled into the driveway and parked. Garage. Maybe he did park in there. Could he be inside? Did I want him to be? Too many questions…too many hopes.

  Opening the door, I grabbed my purse and headed toward the entrance.
The knob didn’t move at my turn, and I let out a deep breath, pulling back the mat. The key. A sigh was immediate. I unlocked the deadbolt, heading inside and locking up behind me. A note on the counter had me walking over with my pulse in my throat.

  Anna,

  We have a body. Lock your doors and keep your gun close by. It’s not good.

  -Braden

  Chapter 7

  M

  The mind was capable of amazing things. Things most couldn’t fathom unless put in a situation that pushed them over their limits. It was a scientific fact that under extreme stress people could defy odds and do things well beyond belief. As I pushed Lucy, I was curious to see exactly how strong she really was.

  The sun would be up soon. Sleep had been nonexistent. Pain kept her conscious, but she was hanging on by a thread. Blonde hair swayed as her head bobbed. With her now restrained nude from the thick metal canopy, she knew the worst was still to come. Fear and stimulation were the only things allowing her moments of alertness. She was in pure survival-mode, as she should have been.

  From just below her neck, all the way to the backs of her knees, welts lay amongst dark purple bruising. They were littered with numerous gashes. Some stretched straight across her skin. Others were at a forty-five-degree angle from where I’d gated my punishment at the time. Her pale complexion was completely gone. I took the damp towel, wiping away the blood that continued to bead and stream from the beautiful markings.

  “Too bad you won’t live long enough to see how this will scar. The character they would have given your flawless form would have looked gorgeous on you.”

  “Boston…will…c-come.”

  One lid slowly blinked before the other. She was trying so damn hard to stay awake.

  “He will not. The next time he sees you, it’ll be when he identifies your body in the morgue. This isn’t personal, Lucy. Well…maybe a little. But you see, you’re ruining a perfectly crafted killer. One I created. I can’t allow this to continue. Sure, he’s going to take your death hard, but imagine how much anger he’s going to have? He’ll have to kill again, and when he does, who will he come to? Me.”

  Her head shook, but her eyes were closing. I leaned forward from where I was sitting at the bottom of the bed. The plastic mattress covering crinkled under my weight. As I traced the tip of my finger over her slit, Lucy’s eyes jerked open. She tried to press her legs together, but they barely moved with how tight the strap running over the backs of her calves was.

  “D-Don’t.”

  “Still haven’t learned, I see.”

  My digit eased between her folds, moving back and forth over the smooth surface as I teased her clit with the pad of my finger.

  “There’s nothing to learn. Stop! You make me sick!”

  A scream exploded from the last word as I slid back and shoved my finger into her channel with brutal force. It wasn’t the first time I had violated her throughout the night. It was far from the last.

  “You haven’t seen sick yet, bitch. Before I’m finished with you, you’ll be reassessing your definition.”

  I forced another in, squeezing into her breast so hard, she threw herself around wildly to try to break free. The thick chains clinked together, but it only had me digging into her flesh. The sounds of the entire scene were like music calling me home—calling me back to a past I wished I could live in forever. There were times where these sweet noises were as familiar as breathing. A female voice. Chains. Pleas. Screams.

  I collected her wetness, easing to her side as my other arm wrapped around her waist. Forcefully, I pushed my index finger into her ass.

  “Tell me how appalling I am. Tell me.”

  Muscle tore as I forced another digit into her back entrance. Lucy’s body tried to bow forward to get away from me, but it was impossible for her to change position. Hoarse screams got choked off as she began coughing. The violent fit caused her to gag through my slow movements.

  “Oh, Lucy—”

  Vibrations buzzed from the bedside table, cutting me off. I ignored them, shoving a third finger in.

  “You hear that? He calls. Again. I don’t even have to look to know who it is. How many times do you think that is tonight? Twenty? Thirty? More? Obsession. Such a debilitating condition. He truly can’t help but reach out to someone. Anyone, when it comes to the compulsion he has to find you. I wonder how long it will take for him to find someone new? He will, you know. With you dead, he won’t be able to help himself. Even if he hates every second of the hunt, he’ll move on. But don’t worry,” I said, thrusting deep, “I’ll hold him off as best as I can. I’ll transition his needs to commit new murders. How would you like that?”

  “You’re g-going to rot in h-hell!” She could barely catch her breath as I began to practically punch my fingers into her ass. My actions weren’t about her pleasure. They were about pain. I didn’t want her to like what I was doing. She had to hate it as much as I did. Even though there was lust for Lucy, rage took the prominent role. It always did when I got to this point.

  The buzzing stopped, only to return.

  Again.

  And again.

  With each hour, my need was building. I wanted to hear how devastated he was. There had been enough time now that I didn’t have to fear him being suspicious. I was here for another client anyway. He’d believe it.

  My fingers withdrew, and I stood, heading to the adjoining restroom. I took my time, washing my hands while I stared at my reflection. For being in my early fifties, my hair had long been white. It was something I had tried to cover over a decade ago when it began at such an early age, but that didn’t matter anymore. There was a certain appeal about it that had grown on me. With my large arms, wide chest, and thin waist, I was more fit than most people my age. And it was all for good reason.

  More ringing continued, and Lucy screamed as they did. I dried my hands, heading back to the bedside table. Grabbing the phone, I glared at her while she sobbed.

  “Don’t get too comfortable. I’ll be back.”

  I left the room and closed the barrier behind me. I made my way through the front door, shutting it as the screams returned. It had me clenching my jaw and walking away from the house to my car. The moment I was in, he was already calling again. I took a deep breath, then answered in a groggy tone.

  “Hello? Boston?”

  “Oh God. I didn’t think I’d ever get ahold of you. Where have you been? Why haven’t you answered? I’ve been calling all night!”

  “Slow down. I had a meeting with a client. I turned in early. What’s wrong?”

  A deep-rooted groan sounded. One of heartbreak. Of a torment I had never personally felt.

  “It’s Lucy. Someone’s taken her.”

  “Taken her? Where? Back to Massachusetts?”

  “What? No. Taken her! Kidnapped her! They fucking—”

  “Calm. You have to ground yourself like I taught you. If you want my help, I have to know what’s going on. For that, I must understand what you’re saying. Now, slow down and start from the beginning.”

  “We were in Rockford. I took her to the gardens.”

  “Rockford? I thought you were taking her to Chicago.”

  “I did. I mean, we were there, but Rockford is where Lucy said she wanted to go. It had the gardens she liked. And it wasn’t a far drive from the city. Didn’t I already tell you this?”

  I purposely paused. “That’s right. Boston, you told everyone in the meeting.”

  “Everyone…Did I? …I did. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “You never do. I tell you all the time not to mention Lucy in the meetings. Not to be too personal, but you never listen. When it comes to her, you don’t think. Now, ground yourself so you can focus.” Was that a cry? “Are you crying?” I could barely hide my disgust as I asked. “I mean. I’ve never known you to be so upset. Don’t cry. That’s not going to help. You have to clear your mind.”

  “I’m not fucking crying. I’m trying not to break into and sear
ch every house in this goddamn city. Or maybe I should start a search for the people in that fucking stupid room you have us all in to speak about our feelings. One of them might have taken her. They could have followed us. They—”

  The stress in his tone was one I’d heard before. It had me biting into my lip as I focused on the smile forming. “Boston. Control. No one from the meeting has her. That I can guarantee. But take it as a lesson. You keep what you love private, and most of all, your mouth shut. Now, think. Think of the times before you had Lucy. Do you remember how I taught you to maintain your anger then?”

  “Amnesia, remember? Fuck, I can’t breathe. I keep walking in circles. I stare at my phone. I can’t sleep. I can’t keep still. The heat inside…it’s so bad. I’m constantly on the verge of unleashing this. Or getting sick. I feel like if I don’t do something, I’m going to throw up. This isn’t right.”

  My eyes closed as I accessed his condition.

  “Do you remember the men? Don’t say anything. Just yes or no.”

  “Yes. But…I can’t do that. Not now. Not while I’m being watched like a hawk. Besides, there’s only one person I care to set my sights on, and that’s the one who took Lucy. I’m going to find him, Dr. Patron. I’m going to find him and I’m going to—”

  “No more. Listen to me. Tell me what you know about the kidnapping. Are you sure that’s what it was?”

  “Do you think I’m making this up? The cops found evidence she was taken. Evidence. Someone came into the gardens and took her right after they distracted me. Fucking…motherfucker.”

  “You say distracted you. How? And what evidence?”

  A loud exhale sounded. “They called me over the speaker. Said I had a phone call. I went to answer it, and it was bullshit. Someone repeating the word hello. It was full of static. Next thing I know, I turn around and Lucy is gone. Are you sure it’s no one from the meetings? Nothing else makes sense.”

  “Positive. They’re accounted for. You said evidence.”

  “I’m not sure what it is. They didn’t tell me.”

  The call—Bill. I really did need to thank him for that. “All right. This is serious. I know you’re afraid for Lucy, but try to stay calm. I’m in Chicago. I can try to help you.”