Page 81 of Blackmail

“As opposed to your dad, who put hard working people out of jobs to get ahead, and then was dumb enough to lose it all?”

I get another pop to the temple. Now my ears are ringing.

“Keep it up.” Tony’s face is a creepy mix of glee and rage. “This’ll all be easier if you’re unconscious anyway. Should’ve drugged you like the others.”

Elijah finally pipes up. “We already decided that would be slower and might arouse more suspicion. My way worked fine, didn’t it?”

Hearing someone I used to love more than anything say “my way” in reference to throwing me in the back of a fucking van makes my insides go cold. I grit my teeth through the pain in my head and turn to face him.

“What about you, Mr. I-can’t-be-with-you-because-I’m-going-to-take-over-for-my-father-someday? How does the Lord’s Mouthpiece end up transporting his ex-boyfriend against his will?”

“Oh really? You didn’t tell me that part. Juicy,” Tony murmurs.

“Shut up,” Elijah snaps. “We were never boyfriends.”

I think back to all of our time together. My first kiss. The intimate touches. The whispered promises. “Could’ve fooled me.”

Tony seems to find this hilarious. “So, when I checked you out after I started fucking you…” He taps his forehead like I should congratulate him on his genius brain. “I looked into your little farm too. Turns out they were having some money problems. Me and Elijah here struck a little business deal. After you started giving it up for my husband, we amended the agreement to include selling you off. You’re a hot piece of ass, so I know you’ll be popular. And once we do, I’ll have Sebastian back again.”

Privately, I think his plan has a few holes, but I don’t want to risk further brain damage to say so. Either way, I think I’m fucked.

As Tony put it, in the not good way.

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

SEBASTIAN

Sebastian: Is everything okay?

Sebastian: Simon, talk to me.

Sebastian: If you’ve changed your mind just tell me.

It’s been four days since I last talked to Simon. Since we agreed that I was going to work things out so we could take our relationship out of this weird gray area into something more serious.

I know he’s waiting for me to tell him something changed in my divorce process, but I decided I’m not willing to wait. I don’t care that it hasn’t been long since Tony and I separated. Our marriage was never more than a business deal. And nobody has made me feel the way Simon does. I want him to be mine.

Only mine.

I try calling Simon’s phone again, but it goes to voicemail. I’m dialing the number for his other job at the assisted living facility when Lehman enters the room.

“Belle Argo Assisted Living. How may I direct your call?”

“I’m trying to reach Simon Sinclair. Is he working today?”

The woman pauses before blowing out a shaky breath. “Uh. No. He’s not working today.”

“Do you know when he’ll be in next?”

“Are you family?”

Odd question. But since I’ve used the lie before, I say, “His boyfriend.”

“Oh.” The syllable is almost a whisper. “Well, this is kind of awkward then. He kind of disappeared in the middle of his shift the day before yesterday and he hasn’t been in since. I overheard one of the administrators complaining. He’s usually such a good employee, but she’s saying she might have to fire him for walking out?”

My stomach clenches. “Simon loves his job.”