Page 95 of Dark Duet: Platinum Edition

She sighed. “Always business with you. Is that why Sloan’s mad at you?”

“What?” Matthew snapped. “She talked about me?”

Olivia gave him a confused look. “She asked if you were here this morning and when I said no, she seemed a little annoyed is all. You seem to bring that out in people… or just women. She didn’t want to talk about it. What’s going on with you two?” Getting even more curious, Olivia raised her eyebrows. “Did something happen between you two? Was there an FBI showdown?”

Matthew let out a breath he hadn’t realized he held. He was relieved and felt foolish for overreacting. “A showdown? No. Has anyone ever told you you’re overdramatic?” he dismissed her coolly. “Dr. Sloan’s usually more professional in keeping her focus on the case, not external distractions – whatever they may be.”

“Jeez, Reed. What the hell got up in your ass this morning?”

Matthew’s cheeks felt hot, but he forced himself to calm down before it could show. The things that could make him blush were limited, but damn it if the last few days weren’t designed to expose his weaknesses to the world.

“Just go on with your story. Please. I’m exhausted, my neck hurts, and I feel a headache coming on – so can we just get on with it?”

Olivia’s face was suddenly devoid of its light and humor. “Fine, Reed. Ask your fucking questions.”

He took a deep breath. “What did you and Sloan talk about? I’ll get her notes later, but just bring me up to speed.”

“We talked about Caleb. Nothing that would interest you, I’m sure.”

“Tell me anyway,” Matthew insisted. He tried to work up a smile to re-establish their otherwise good rapport, but by the look on Olivia’s face, it would take more than a smile.

“I had a lot of nightmares when I first got to the mansion. Sometimes about Rafiq raping Nancy. Sometimes I dreamt about Caleb selling me. Mostly, though, I had nightmares about the night the bikers almost raped me. I dreamt about them beating me, stepping on my stomach, and slapping my face.” She swallowed.

“I could almost feel blood pouring into my mouth. I would wake up gasping. When Caleb was there…” Livvie sighed. “He would just hold me. Caleb liked sleeping next to me, I think.

“Morning was our problem. I would lie in bed next to Caleb, watching him sleep and thinking he was so child-like when he wasn’t so obsessed with training me or proving how much control he had over me—”

Matthew interrupted. “Was Rafiq still there?”

“No. He left a few days after I met him. He and Caleb had breakfast on the balcony. Rafiq used Nancy as a table, and I don’t know how many times I had to shut my eyes because I thought Rafiq’s knife was going to go right through his steak and into Nancy. It never happened though.”

“What happened to Nancy?” Matthew asked.

“I didn’t know it until later, but Rafiq took her with him when he left. And before you ask – no, I don’t know where he went.”

“To meet the boat. Remember?”

“Right, to meet the boat,” she said.

“So where did you eat?”

“On the floor, next to Caleb. He cut things up for me and fed them to me as he ate. That’s what I’m telling you, Reed – he was good to me. I didn’t really appreciate it until I saw the way Nancy was treated. Even Kid. Celia was treated better than anyone, though. Toward the end I’d sort of hoped…” She was starting to drift off.

“Hoped, what?” Matthew asked in an attempt to regain her focus.

“That Caleb and I could have what they did. Felipe isn’t a great guy. He wouldn’t be involved with Rafiq if he were, but…. I don’t know. Celia loves him, and Felipe seems to feel the same way. He’s pretty protective.”

“You want me to call Sloan?” Matthew asked patiently.

Her eyes drifted toward him, narrowing suspiciously. “Why?”

“Because you need a lot of therapy, Miss Ruiz. A lot.”

She shook her head at him, clearly amused by his bluntness. “Fuck you, Reed,” she said through a smile.

“Please. Continue your story…”

Chapter Twelve