Page 156

She’d helped my ex kidnap me inheels?
“Wake up,” Simone half-shouted. She grabbed my hair and wrenched my head back with a ferocious strength.
I wouldn’t be able to fake this unconscious bit much longer if I didn’t want to get beaten by this crazy bitch. I made a feeble noise, and it wasn’t entirely feigned. My headhurt.
“Stop it.” Cecil’s voice was much closer now.
She let go of me.
I dropped my head to the side, my hair falling to shield my face. Through slitted lids, I saw her glaring at Cecil, hands fisted at her sides. “What the fuck is your problem? You said you didn’t care what happened to her as long as we got the money!”
Of course.
“Yeah, the money, but if she’s seriously fucked up, the cops will spend a hell of a lot more time looking for us, Simone.” Cecil sounded annoyed, like he couldn’t believe he had to explain this.
They stood facing each other in front of a window partially obscured by broken blinds and grime.
Where the hell were we?
It was still daylight—the sun filtering in through the broken slats on the blinds was viciously bright, adding to the pain in my head. It was hot and stuffy wherever we were, but the heat wasn’t smothering yet, so it couldn’t be late in the day.
“Did wehaveto bring herhere?” Simone whined. “It’s fucking disgusting. I need to pee. And don’t youdaretell me to go outside again. We don’t all havedicks, you know.”
“Go to the gas station and piss. Get us some drinks while you’re there.” Cecil paused, then added, “And a bottle of water for her. It’s always so fucking hot here. I don’t want her too dehydrated to talk when we call Maximus.”
“She doesn’t need jack shit.”
My parched mouth said otherwise, but I wasn’t about to offer an opinion on the subject.
“Get a bottle of water,” Cecil said again. “We need her in good shape until we’re done with her.” He paused. “Youdostill want to go through with this, right?”
“Fine,” Simone muttered under her breath as she left. The creaking of a door’s hinges swallowed most of the complaint.
The silence stretched tight with every second thundering in my ears.
It did not surprise me when Cecil spoke. It seemed he’s waited for Simone to leave. And then waited a little longer, just in case. His voice was inches away.
“You’re faking it, baby. Go ahead. Open your eyes. She’s gone, it’s just you and me.”
Slowly, I straightened my head and met his gaze, wondering what in the hell I’d ever seen in him. “You’re probably used to having women fake it.”
His features tightened only to smooth a second later.
“Don’t bother trying to play mind games, Tina.” He crouched in front of me, resting his hands on my knees as he offered a charming smile.
Once, that smile would have made my heart flutter.
But I wasn’t that woman anymore.
“Relax, Cecil.” The small, tight smile was all I could manage with my head pounding. “I have no desire to do anything with you—not even share the same air. Can I go now?”
“No.” He extended a hand toward my head.
I jerked away to avoid his touch and immediately regretted it. The room began swirling while my stomach threatened to climb up my throat. I gagged, fighting the instinctive urge to puke—that wouldnothelp my headache.
Through the roar of blood in my ears and thundering pain in my skull, I heard Cecil swearing. “Damn it, the stupid bitch knocked you hard. Be still, okay?”
He tangled a hand in my hair, not giving me any choice but to comply. The only thing I could do was be grateful hewasn’tanywhere near the area where the pain seemed to be centered.