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“He’s my bodyguard, but he won’t interfere.”

Not a wrinkled movement in his face. Not even narrowed eyes. He stood. “Follow the hall to the end. Remove your clothes at the door. Inside, assume the submissive position by the St. Andrew’s Cross. Once you enter the dungeon, you are my sub. Your body belongs to me.”

“Yes, Sir.” She rose on wobbly legs, a cluster of fear, uncertainty, and excitement battling through her.

Nathan’s gaze bore into her back as she walked down the hall and stripped her clothing. Naked, she stepped inside and drew in a shuddering breath.

85

“I didn’t take any fucking drugs!” Jay’s pulse thundered in his ears. He swung his head, meeting the glares of his so-called friends, as he marched through the suite, trying his damnedest not to hurl nearby lamps and vases. “Tell me! Where the fuck is she?”

Tony stood by the window, holding onto her stubborn reticence.

He whirled on her, finger trembling as he aimed it at her face. “You know where she is. Tell me, goddammit!”

“I promised Nathan. I willnotbetray him.”

Betray. There it was. The accusation by the one person who witnessed his blackout from beginning to end. Even then, she didn’t believe him. How could he defend himself when he didn’t remember a damned thing since the end of the show?

He woke thirty minutes ago with Laz slapping his face and screaming at him about how Charlee caught Ella sucking his dick. What the fucking hell? His anger leaked from his muscles, and he collapsed on the couch, face in his hands and stomach rolling.

He deserved this. His past mistakes clung to his back, as eternal as his tattoo. “I was drugged.” What did he drink at the arena? Bottled water. Nothing else. Was the cap sealed? “Who delivered our water? Where did it come from?”

“The production company provides it.” Faye sat beside him and straightened nonexistent wrinkles in her skirt. “Ella passed out the bottles last night.”

His hammering pulse returned with vengeance and his fingers curled into fists. “Call her. Get her in here right now.”

Faye nodded and scurried from room.

He jumped up and stepped into Tony’s unwavering posture. “If you’re not going to tell me where she is, at least send the protective team to her.”

“We’re supposed to be on the road, Mr. Mayard. The buses are waiting.”

“She’s all alone out there.” His voice was harsh even to his own ears. “Goddammit, Tony.” He spun away, hands curled in a helpless clench.

“The next two shows are smaller venues.” Wil rested his hands on Jay’s shoulders, his touch hesitant, his eyes less so. “We’ll cancel them. Refund the money. This is important, Jay. We’re all in agreement. Make sure your girl is safe.”

Desperate for the support Wil was offering, Jay dragged him into an embrace, one he’d never shared with the man. His pounding heart pulverized his chest, threatened to bring him to his knees. “Thanks.” His voice broke, and he stepped back. “I didn’t do it. I was set up. I was—” Drugged. Poisoned. He jerked his head around the room, met the stark faces of Rio, Laz, Tony, and six or so bodyguards. “Did any one eat the egg salad yesterday?”

“No one touched that nasty shit.” Rio rubbed his bald head. “We would’ve had to pry it from Charlee’s hands anyway.”

A chill sped down Jay’s spine. “She got sick at the show last night. The egg salad…” Oh God. Oh fucking no. “This goddamned nightmare has Roy written all over it. Poisoning Charlee forces her to leave my side. Drugging my water gives Ella the opportunity to drag me to her room.” His blood boiled, exploded. His fist flew and crashed into the sheetrock, spraying dust into the air.

“Calm down, man.” Laz sidled between him and the crumbling wall. “We’ll figure this out.”

The door opened, and Faye hauled in a blank-faced Ella by the arm.

Ella wrestled away. “I get it, okay? I’m fired. I was just leaving.”

Jay’s muscles contracted with revulsion. “What the fuck happened to your southern accent?”

She shrugged, her gaze trained somewhere over his shoulder.

“Sit down.” He thrust a finger at the couch.

Her sashay carried her across the room, but there was a wobble in her step as she neared. When she sat, he leaned over her and let her feel the rage pouring off him. “What did you put in Charlee’s lunch?”

Her entire body flinched, and her wide eyes landed on his for the first time. “I don’t know anything about that.”