Drifting from isle to isle, I wound up in the non-fiction women’s health section. I picked up a book about the dangers of unplanned pregnancy, fortunately something I never had to worry much about.
I’d become engrossed in a section that detailed a girl’s harrowing experience of having to choose between having her baby or losing her career when her deadbeat boyfriend left her with no support, when a deep voice startled me.
“Interesting, isn’t it?”
I looked up into frosty, blonde hair, hazel eyes and an easy-going smile. Dressed casually in white khakis and a preppy shirt, the stranger was tall and handsome with straight pearly whites.
Instead of responding, I glanced over at the computer room, uncertain. Mason warned me not to talk to anyone, but looking at the guy in front of me, he seemed harmless.
He’s obviously a student here, I thought, noticing how he seemed to just blend in with the surroundings.
For a moment, I debated walking off and leaving the guy hanging, but then I thought about how rude it would seem. Besides, it would only invite suspicion and maybe make a scene.
There’s nothing wrong with engaging in a little small talk, I thought. It’s not like I’m going to start spouting off on how I’m on a secret mission to help my stepbrother expose the scumbag mayor for the murderer he really is. Besides, he’s kind of cute.
I flashed him a friendly smile. “Yeah, it is.”
He gave me a look, looking my figure up and down. “You pregnant or somethin’?”
What the hell? Do I look pregnant?
I froze for a moment, shocked at such a direct question, and then laughed. “No, I’m not.”
His grin was easygoing. “Didn’t think so.”
“So a girl can’t pick up a women’s health book without being pregnant?” I asked. “I can’t just educate myself?”
“Sure they can,” the guy replied, “but when they’re as beautiful as you, well, you can’t help but think some lucky sap has . . .” he grinned as his voice trailed off and he surveyed my body.
I didn’t even respond. Was that supposed to be a pickup line?
“So did you find what you needed?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m just, uh, looking out for a friend.”
“Oh really? Sounds like your friend has a lot of work ahead of them.”
I glanced over at the computer room and then down at my cell. Seventeen minutes had passed — just about the time that Mason said he would be finished. I needed to start drifting over that way so we could leave as soon as he was done.
“Listen, um . . .” I began.
“Aubrey,” blondie supplied.
“Aubrey. It was nice meeting you and all, but I’ve got to go.” I turned to leave.
“Wait,” Aubrey said sharply.
I raised a curious eyebrow. His voice had a note of a command in it.
He glanced over at the computer room. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
So this handsome fella is cruising the women’s health section to look for girls. Really?
“No.”
He took a step closer. “Would you like to go out sometime?”
I shook my head, suddenly uneasy. He was starting to creep me out and was giving me that ‘weirdo’ vibe. “Sorry, I’d love to, but I really have to go, or else I’m going to be late.”
I turned away quickly, intent on making my way to the computer lab when Aubrey roughly grabbed me by the arm and pulled me against him.
“You’re not going anywhere, lying bitch,” he whispered menacingly into my ear, his breath hot on my neck. “Did you honestly think that I believed you went to school here?” Still holding me tightly, he grabbed me by my ponytail and jerked sharply, causing a stabbing pain in my skull.
Is this really happening?
I opened my mouth to scream for help but stopped when I felt cold metal press against my back. For a moment, I thought it was a gun, but then I realized that it was a knife.
I couldn’t make sense of it. Surely Aubrey wasn’t so bold and brazen as to try something like this in a library with so many witnesses.
Not unless he’s bat-shit crazy, I thought.
“You try to scream and I’ll gut you like a fish,” he growled, setting my heart to pounding against my chest like a sledgehammer.
“What do you want?” I asked, trying to remain calm. He wouldn’t dare kill me inside of the library with all these people. All I needed to do was stay calm, composed, and use my brain to get out of the situation.
“Shut up,” he hissed. “And come with me.”
He pulled me out of the women’s health section and out into the study area. We slowly started moving toward the exit, with him pressed closely against my side, making it look like we were a couple. He kept the blade pressed against my hip where no one could see it.
Jesus, will any of these people notice me?
I looked around the room, hoping someone would see the terror in my eyes. Nope. Not a single person looked up.
As we passed the computer room, my eyes darted to the side and I tensed. If I could just somehow alert Mason, maybe yell something out, I could probably try and make a run for it.
All I have to do is make a noise and people will notice. He wouldn’t really stab me then would he? Everyone would see and know he did it.
It was a gamble that I wasn’t sure that I was willing to take. The guy was obviously not in his right mind.
“Don’t even think about it,” Aubrey warned with a dark whisper, as if sensing my inner turmoil. “I won’t hesitate to stab you, even in front of all these people. And trust me, I’ll make sure to sever an artery when I do. You’ll bleed out before the paramedics get here.”
Bastard.
“And you know what?” he continued, his voice picking up intensity as if this was something he’d fantasized about for a long time. “I’ll get away with it too. Tell them that you were suicidal, that you were crazy.”
“No you won’t,” I whispered firmly. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. No one needs to get hurt. If you let me go now, I won’t tell anyone.”
Aubrey laughed in my ear. “That doesn’t even work in the movies. You have no idea of the power Anonymous wields. We have dirt on almost everybody. I’d be out on bail tomorrow morning.”
The fucker sounded so sure of himself that I almost believed it. I wanted so badly to yell out just to spite the asshole, but I now believed Aubrey was dead serious. He would stab me if I tried to scream for help.
Damn it. I should have listened to Mason. Although he found me, so I doubt it would’ve mattered if I spoke to him or not.
“Now shut the fuck up and keep moving,” Aubrey growled when he saw that I didn’t have a response. “I want to be gone before Razor finishes.”
We continued to trudge our way to the exit and I began shaking violently as I realized the reality of ending up dead in a ditch was becoming very real when a deep voice growled, “Let her go.”
Slowly, Aubrey turned us around and relief flowed through my breasts at the sight of Mason standing there, holding a small hardback book in his hand as if he had a weapon, his chiseled visage an angry mask.
Aubrey grinned. “Razor. It’s good to see you again, my friend.”
“Hey fuck face,” Mason said, obviously not in the mood for pleasantries. “Let her go. Now.”
“Sure thing,” Aubrey replied smoothly, “once you hand over that flash drive.”
By this time, a few students were glancing over our way. Of course, they were looking now that Mason had shown up to rescue me and not before. They didn’t look particularly alarmed, as if it were a regular occurrence.
Mason glanced at Aubrey’s hand that held the knife against my side. “Let her go and I’ll give you the thumb drive.”
“Try anything and its going right in her gut.”
I sighed with relief. I wasn’t going to die, after all.
Aubrey’s gripped relaxed and I prepared to spring away, but then he retighte
ned it, making me wince with pain. “You think I’m stupid?” he hissed at Mason. “We know all about your little plans to distribute the video. If you’re willing to give up the flash drive, it’s because you no longer need it and have completed your goal.” Aubrey shook his head. “Tsk, tsk, Razor. You should’ve known better than to try to cross Anonymous. Now there will be consequences.” Aubrey’s cold gaze settled on me and my heart started pounding faster. It sounded like he’d just given me a death sentence.
“Don’t do this, man,” Mason cautioned, inching slightly forward. “You’ll never get away with it.”
Any day now, I thought, waiting for a group of students to get up from their study tables and come inquire as to what was going on.
Mason was obviously stalling, but I don’t know what he was going to be able to do.
“Shut up! Don’t take another step. What you’re going to do is walk out of that door and not look back—”
Mason’s voice cracked like a whip. “Duck Carly!”
I was scared shitless, but I didn’t have to be told twice. I dropped sharply to my knees, surprising Aubrey and pulling him off balance. At the same time, Mason flung the hardback he was holding directly at Aubrey’s mug with lightning speed.
A loud crack sounded above my head and Aubrey let go of my wrist, letting out a pained cry.
“Fuck! You just broke my nose!”
Not wasting any time, Aubrey was still holding the sharp knife, and I scrambled away to safety on my hands and knees as a couple girls let out panicked cries.
I jumped to my feet and turned, just in time to see Mason rushing the stunned Aubrey. Mason collided with him with a grunt, and they went careening against a bookcase, knocking it over with a resounding crash, sending books flying everywhere.
Screams filled the room, yet I noticed several guys watching the commotion as if it was Monday Night RAW. The bastards.
Mason began laying into Aubrey, landing rapid punches to his bloodied face until the blonde dropped the knife he was holding. Aubrey tried to fight back, landing a few punches on Mason, but he was no match for the furious barrage.
At that moment, one of the librarians came running out from behind the desk with a walkie-talkie in her hand.
“Young man, stop!” she commanded the enraged Mason, gesturing at him frantically. “Get off of him!”
Mason ignored her, continuing to land blows on the guy who now had stopped fighting back, looking dazed, bloody, and confused.
“We need security!” she yelled into her transceiver, her face white with fear. “He’s going to kill this poor guy!”
“Mason stop!” I cried. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
Mason ignored me, intent on strangling the life out of the bastard.
“God damn it, Mason, listen to me!”
“We gotta go,” I repeated. “Before the cops get here.”
Slowly, Mason’s mask of anger faded away and he released Aubrey, who slumped across the pile of books, moaning and groaning.
Damn, his face looks like road kill.
“Fuck,” Mason muttered, seeming to come aware of his surroundings for the first time since he began pummeling the dude. “Let’s go.”
He jumped to his feet, grabbed my hand and began guiding me toward the exit.
“Where do you think you’re going?” The lady shouted at us. “Stop them!”
“You can’t leave until the campus police gets here,” A guy with a couple bystanders said, crossing his arms and planting his feet.
“Get the fuck out of my way, man,” Mason growled. He looked like he was ready to tear apart whoever or whatever the fuck stood in his way. “This has nothing to do with you.” He nodded at where Aubrey was moaning and groaning. “That guy over there threatened my girlfriend’s life. He deserved it.”
Though we were in a dire situation, warmth flowed through me. Mason had referred to me as his girlfriend. It felt good, even if it was fake.
The student looked unsure, glancing over at Aubrey, who was trying to rise unsteadily to his feet, and then at me.
“Is that true?” He asked me.
I nodded and sniffed, playing the victim. “The guy’s crazy. He had a knife — it should be lying around here somewhere. He threatened to gut me like a fish if I didn’t go with him quietly.” I let out a half sob and shook my head. “If it weren’t for my boyfriend showing up, who knows what would’ve happened.”
He stared at me for a moment, as if assessing my credibility, and then turned to mutter something to his friends. After a few glances and furtive whispers, they stepped out of our way.
Mason nodded as I sighed with relief and grabbed me by the arm and we ran for the exit.
As we reached the exit, I spared one last glance behind me. Aubrey had managed to climb unsteadily to his feet and was staring at us with hate through his bloody mask.
“You’re fucking dead, Razor!” He yelled as we fled through the door. “You hear me? Fucking dead!”
Madeline
“I got him on camera!” Andre announced triumphantly.
My heart pounded like a battering ram, and I jumped up from the couch, knocked my laptop onto the floor and nearly broke my neck to reach Andre. “Where?”
“Here.” He pointed at his screen. “I hacked into a CCTV feed on James campus. He has a hoodie on and is trying to hide his face, but it’s him.”
I stared at the footage. In it, Razor was walking with his head down, holding some girl’s hand. “Who is that?” I demanded. I must say that it enraged me to see him with another girl, a pretty one at that. And he looked protective of her in a way that he never looked with me.
Andre shook his head. “I don’t know. But obviously it’s someone he knows.” Andre scratched at his chin thoughtfully.
I seethed with jealousy at the image. Who was this chick that Razor would trust his freedom with and why her of all people?
A beep came from inside Andre’s pocket.
“Someone’s calling me, someone from Anonymous I think.”
“Well answer it!” I snapped.
“Chill, Maddy. Chill.” Andre reached into his pocket and took his cell out.
“Hello?
You what?
Damn, okay.”
Andre’s forehead crinkled into a frown.
“Who is it?” I hissed. It annoyed me to listen to a one-sided conversation.
“It’s Aubrey,” Andre whispered.
“Razor broke your nose?
Jesus.
Who is the girl he’s with?
I see.
Do you know where he’s headed?
Ok. We’ll keep in touch.”
I placed my hands on my hips and scowled. “What was that all about?”
Aubrey said he caught Razor on James campus and they got into a fight. Razor broke his nose and ran off with that chick before he could stop them.
“Did he say who that girl was, at least?”
Andre shook his head. “He said he wasn’t sure. One thing he was certain of was that Razor seemed to care about her.”
Red blurred my vision. He loved another. I couldn’t take it. He had to die. If I couldn’t have him, no one would.
“I want you to find out who she is and everything about her,” I growled. “Now.”
“How am I supposed to do that?” Andre asked. “And why does it matter anyway? We’re after Razor, not her.”
I gritted my teeth to keep from erupting. “Because she’s helping him, that’s why. And since he obviously cares about her, she might be the key to catching him.”
“Hmm you might be right,” Andre said thoughtfully.
I scowled. “Ya think?”
Fucking moron.
Andre smartly ignored my sarcasm and turned to his computer. “I’ll run her image through the DMV database to see what her—”
I placed a hand on his shoulder, interrupting him. I suddenly had an idea, a plan that would finally bring Razor to me.
“Stop.�
�
“Huh?”
I grinned, giddy with excitement. If my plan worked, Razor would be all mine. “Get Brian Keller on the line. Tell him I have information concerning his son.”
Chapter 10
Carly
“What the fuck was that!” I demanded as we sped down the highway. Luckily, we’d escaped the library and evaded the campus police. Now we had to hope that we’d make it back to the cabin without being pulled over. Meanwhile, I was shaking all over, still in shock at how close I’d come to being dead. “You almost killed that guy!”
Mason glanced over at me as he switched lanes. “I told you not to talk to anyone.”
Anger clenched my stomach. So he thought all of that was my fault?
“You could have killed him, Mason,” I repeated. “Murder.”
As if you needed anymore trouble.
Mason set his jaw. “He wouldn’t have thought twice about killing you.”
I shook my head, shuddering at how close I came to being taken by someone who at first seemed so innocent. I still wasn’t sure if he would’ve truly harmed me, but I’m glad I didn’t get to find out. “That doesn’t make it right.” I sighed. “And I didn’t mean to talk to the guy. He came up to me and started chatting. I just thought it would be rude to just ignore him. He looked harmless, like your average student.”
“I told you, Carly, Anonymous has eyes everywhere, especially where anti-government sentiment is popular.”
“I’m sorry,” I said simply.
“Don’t be.” Mason’s voice softened. “You just don’t understand who you’re dealing with, that’s all. And it’s mostly my fault for pulling you into this mess.”
“I told you once and I’ll tell you again, you’re doing the right thing—”
“I lost control. When he threatened your life, I blacked out. I was filled with rage.”
I felt cold all over. Mason just admitted he came close to murdering someone . . . for me. As sick as it was, I almost felt special. Almost.
“I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you and it caused me to panic.” Mason’s voice was thick with emotion and I was taken off guard by his intensity.
Razor: A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance Page 8
