Page 2 of Breaking Sanity

“Just answer my question, Titus,” I snap.

“It’s not bad. You will live. Just bandage it.” He hands the phone to Declan and walks out of view.

“Who did this?” Declan scowls into the camera.

“Honestly, I have no clue. He said he was collecting me.”

“Collecting you for what?”

“Fallen or Asylum or something like that.” I prop the phone against the bathroom mirror to look for a first aid kit.

“Alley, are the location services on your phone shut off,” Declan shouts. I pop my head up from underneath the sink and stare at his panicked expression.

“Of course they are. I’m not stupid.” I roll my eyes.

“Give me your location, then hang up, turn the phone off, and smash it.”

“What’s going on?”

He just gives me his stern look like an angry father catching his teenage kid in a lie. I give him the address, and we hang up.

Before I can turn off the phone, a text comes through. The pure irony of my nickname forhimmakes me laugh.

Too nice: Where did you run off to?

Me: Why? You want a round two after your nap?

Too Nice: You mean after you knocked me out with a fucking frying pan.

Me: Ol’ reliable just wanted to say hi *crying laughing emoji*

Too Nice: Hide all you want Gorgeous. I will find you.

Me: I’m not hiding. You want me? Come get me.

I turn off the phone but can’t bring myself to smash it as it holds the only remaining photos I have left ofhim, so I just shove it into the bottom of the bag. Pulling out my secret phone from three years ago, I plop on the bed and stare at it as the screen lights up.

It’s been a while since I have used this one. Hell, I thought I lost it during the last move, but alas, the torturous device would not leave me. It’s a painful reminder of twounrequited loves. The home screen is a picture they took of their masks for me, because I was never allowed to see their faces. I torture myself by going through all the text conversations until, ultimately, my eyes drift closed.

I am rudely awoken by the sounds of smashing plastic. My eyes burst open to see Declan taking a hammer to the phone that was in my hands. I look towards the door, and there is a tall broad man standing there with a simple black masquerade mask on talking to Titus, whose back is facing me. I lazily turned to look at the retro alarm clock to see that I was out for a solid three hours.

“Can you not?” I sit up to glare at Declan. “Someone is going to call the cops for the noise.”

“We are in BFE at a run-down motel, no one is calling the cops,” He deadpans, putting the hammer down surrounded by the smashed pieces of the phone that contained my mystery men.

“How did you escape a collector,” the tall man asks.

“And you are?” I eye him up and down.

The man is stunning with his perfect oval shaped face and five o’clock shadow. Along with his intimidating height, plus the lab that created him added the bulging muscles. that he covered with a long sleeve grey shirt. Given it acts like a second skin more than a shirt, I would say it’s two sizes smaller than what he should have. The same goes for his acid washed jeans. This man’s legs rival Nick Bosa’s.

You’re drooling.

Fuck off!!

“How did you escape a collector,” he repeats.

“And you are?” I stand up and cross my arms over my chest.