Page 4

Chapter Four

Chelsea

India's blonde hair fanned out around her head. Her eyes were open, staring. Her clothes, a simple white T-shirt and a pair of track pants, were quickly soaking up the blood that pooled on the floor around her.

I was still staring in horror, and the same anger I felt at the park, when I became aware of the guys stepping around me, moving carefully.

"Whoever did this might be close," Ramsey said.

His words took a few moments to seep into my brain.

Of course, India was the one who screamed. Right before she was?—

I swallowed hard. My stomach felt like it was in a knot. I saw dead people before, and badly injured ones, but nothing like this. Not someone I considered a friend. The last time I saw her, she was so full of life and excitement, and now, all of that was gone.

"If Dallas is…" Frost shook his head.

"He's not," Storm insisted. "He's not fucking dead."

I blinked. Tears trickled down my cheeks. Grief and fury, barely balanced by Storm's assurance.

I didn't want to think Dallas was dead either, but if India was dead and he was still missing, it was all too painfully possible.

"He'll turn up," Atlas said softly, his mouth near my ear. "Tex is tougher than that."

"So was India," I said. "And… Sadie." I looked over to Divina, my eyes wide.

"It's her day off," Divina said. "She said something about visiting family in Melbourne."

I nodded. When we stepped out of here, I'd call her and make sure she was okay.

Maybe tell her to stay away for a little while.

Until all of this blew over.

How long would that be?

That was anyone's guess. It could be days.

It might be never.

"Is there anywhere here someone could hide?" Storm asked. "Or another way out?"

"There's a door that leads out to the loading bay," Divina said. She nodded in that direction.

"Storm and I will go and look," Ramsey said. "Frost, Atlas, Jay: stay with Chelsea."

I wanted to tell them to stay with me too, but I couldn't. Whoever did this to India might still be close. This might be our only chance to catch them. When we did…

"Be careful," was all I could say.

"Always." Storm kissed my mouth and gave me a tight squeeze.

To my surprise, Ramsey did the same, planting a lingering kiss to my lips. "Won't be long." He gestured to Storm before they both stepped out of the bathroom and back to the corridor.

It was Frost who wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. "I'm so sorry this happened to your friend."

I closed my eyes and rested my head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry too. This whole thing, it's fucked up." That was the understatement of the year. Was it too late to grab all of my guys and get the hell out of Dusk Bay? I didn't care where we went, as long as it was away from here. To hell with burning the place down. We'd only get singed if we tried. Choked on the smoke.

"We'll find them," he assured me. "And when we do, they'll end up worse than her. I'll see to it personally."

"Don't do anything stupid," I said. "I don't want any of you getting hurt or killed. There's been enough death already." The smell of India's blood started to turn my stomach.

"I have no intention of getting hurt," he said. "I'm pretty sure I can say the same for the others. I know Storm would be pissed off if anyone tried to kill him."

"So would I," Atlas said.

"You'd be pissed off if someone tried to kill Storm?" Jay asked.

Atlas snorted. "That wasn't what I meant, but sure. I'd be pissed off if someone tried to kill any of us. We might be a fucked up family, but we're a family. If anyone messes with one of us, they mess with all of us. Even Storm."

"I knew you'd end up friends," Frost said. After a moment, he added, "Or maybe more."

"Not more," Atlas said, sounding definite. "We'll learn to tolerate each other for Chelsea's sake. That's all."

"I hope you learn to like each other for your own sakes," I said.

The fighting was starting to get on my nerves. Friendly rivalry was one thing, nipping at each other like a pair of dogs was another. Maybe I should threaten to have them neutered. They might try harder to be nice to each other then.

"There's no sign of anyone out there," Storm said, as he and Ramsey re-entered the dressing room. "If they went out that way, they're gone."

I sighed softly, inhaling Frost's scent, a hint of sweat and a lot of masculinity.

"We may never know who killed her. Or where Dallas is."

"The back of the club has cameras?" Jay asked.

"Of course," Divina said.

"I'll have my security check the footage." She pulled out her phone and sent off a text.

"Have it forwarded to me," Ramsey said. "I'll have a look at it. If we can get a good image from that, we might find whoever they were."

Divina nodded and tapped her screen again before putting her phone back in her skirt pocket.

"They'll send everything they find from the last couple of hours. It might show your friend Dallas."

"Good thinking," Frost told her.

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Thanks." His smile faded completely when she glanced down toward India's body. "She was one of my best girls. First Ivy, now India."

Frost shifted uncomfortably in my arms at the mention of Ivy.

"I don't suppose I can convince you to come back for a while?" Divina asked me.

"No," Storm and Atlas said at the same time.

"Not a fucking chance," Storm growled.

"She's with us now. We don't want her taking her clothes off for other men." He turned his best scowl on her.

She returned it with a flat stare.

"I don't remember asking you. My question was directed to Chelsea, who's more than capable of making up her own mind. A fact you should be well aware of if you know her at all."

Storm gaped at her, his face turning pink.

He looked as though he was about to verbally tear her a new one.

"I'm not coming back," I said quickly, trying to diffuse the situation. "I'm done with stripping. But I'll help out any other way, if I can. Even if it's only a shoulder for people to cry on." That seemed to appease Storm, for now.

Divina gave Storm a long, last look before turning and heading out the door.

"I'll need to organise someone to handle India's remains." She swept away without another glance.

"What do we do now?" Frost asked.

"I have to speak to Otis Skinner," Ramsey said.

"If he hears about this from someone else first, he'll wonder why. He'll see this as an attack on his plans." He seemed particularly unimpressed.

"Is that what this is?" I asked.

"Someone thought she was working for him and went after her?"

"Or someone knew she was working with me." He looked down regretfully.

"They might come after you next," I said softly.

This was getting worse by the minute.

"What I can't figure out is what Dallas has to do with any of this," Frost said.

"If he was seen talking to India, they may have made assumptions," I said. He might really be dead after all.

Frost brushed hair off the side of my face. "He's okay. He'll turn up soon, I promise."

"You might not be able to keep that promise," I pointed out.

I wanted him to, I wanted it badly. If Dallas was right in front of me now, I'd grab hold of him and never let go. Would it be strange if I handcuffed myself to him for the rest of our lives?

Probably, but I'd be tempted to do it anyway, so he'd never be out of my sight again. I'd consider letting him out to train and play, but only for a few hours at a time. I had a feeling he wouldn't mind being attached to me like that.

Okay, I wouldn't do that, but I still wished he was here with us.

"I never make promises I can't keep," he said.

"There's a logical explanation for him disappearing. He could be at home right now, having a nap. Or he might be looking at that mansion we were talking about, and putting in an offer. We might be the proud owners of a big, fancy house on the cliff as we speak." He seemed to like the idea.

"Why didn't he turn up at the animal shelter then?" Jay reasoned.

"He slept through it, then went to buy the mansion," Frost said.

"He was already late, so figured why bother? Buying property is much more fun, especially when he gets to give Chelsea the keys as a surprise."

It was a stretch, and we all knew it, but none of us had the heart to say so.

Not when we all hoped it was the truth, or somewhere close to it.

"Do you want someone to go with you?" I asked Ramsey.

"I don't like the idea of any of us being alone right now."

We wouldn't be very subtle if we moved around Dusk Bay in a group, but it would be more difficult for anyone to try to attack us. Especially if they were one person, acting alone. They'd either be very brave or very stupid to take on five big football players and a tall doctor.

Stupid, or desperate.

Ramsey took my hand and pulled me gently from Frost's arms. He wrapped his around me and pressed his mouth to mine. "I'll be fine. When I'm done with Otis Skinner, I'm going to claim you." He kissed me again, his tongue tasting my lips before he let me go and stepped back.

"Keep her safe," he told the others.

"Always," Atlas assured him. "Keep yourself safe."

"Always," Ramsey echoed. He stepped through the dressing room again and out the doorway. His footsteps sounded on the concrete floor before he pushed out the loading bay door and let it close behind him with a clang.

I tried to tell myself there was nothing final about that clang. We'd see him again in a couple of hours, safe and well. Ready to claim me and own me, like the other guys had already.

"Let's go home," Storm said. "If Dallas is there having a nap, I'm going to punch him in the cock."

"After you tell him how glad you are to see him," I said.

He grunted. "Maybe."

"I'll be glad to see him," Frost said. "But I might let Storm punch him in the cock after all this worry."

"No one is punching anyone in the cock," I said. "Not unless they're on the other side. Then you can do all the cock punching and kicking you like."

Frost pumped the air with his fist. "Hell yeah. Let's do it." He was clearly looking forward to raising some hell and getting his hands dirty.

"I need to be out of here," Jay said. He walked ahead of us, scanning the area as he went. Even stopping to push at the racks of costumes before walking past. "Just checking to see if anyone is hiding in there." If they were, they would have gotten a fist to the kidneys, or to the face if they were crouched down amongst the fabric.

Since no one cried out in pain, I presumed no one was there. Most of the costumes were too skimpy to hide behind anyway.

I took a moment to glance back at India and mouth her a silent apology. Was there anything I could have done to prevent her death? Was there anything anyone could have done?

Maybe if Ramsey hadn't sent Dallas to her, she would have gone unnoticed. Or would she?

This might not have anything to do with Dominic King or Carlos Jones. It might be a jealous former boyfriend or customer who killed her. Or a random attack on an innocent woman. I didn't like any of those options either, and I sensed this wasn't random or anything to do with jealousy. Her death had something to do with us. What, I didn't know.

I wish we'd come here sooner. A couple of minutes earlier and we might have stopped her killer before they took her life. She might be alive right now. They might be dead instead. Or on their way to my brother’s workroom. Or?—

Fuck only knew how many possible scenarios we could have prevented, or brought to fruition. In the end, we weren't here in time and India paid the price.

How many other people were going to die before this was done?

And where the hell was Dallas?