Page 78 of His Toy

“You’re dangerous.”

Hazel had the ability to reduce anyone, even silent types like Grant, to the argumentative capabilities of a teenager. As the two of them went at it, I looked around. The tray had empty plates this time. At least she was eating now.

“These are new identities for you,” Grant said, giving us the thick envelopes from earlier. “You will have complete anonymity. This will keep you safe from the trouble in Vegas.” He crossed his arm, his biceps bulging. Hazel eyed his muscles, but she still looked down her nose at him. Grant continued, “Until Zaid determines otherwise, I’m under orders to keep you both safe.”

“So you can keep us under your thumb?” Hazel asked

“As soon this is over, I’m gone,” Grant said. “I’m sure she’s told you what Zaid wants to do.”

“The stupid revenge thing?” Hazel asked, rolling her eyes. “Give me a break.”

“Are you going to tell Zaid where we are?” I asked.

Grant shook his head. “Zaid doesn’t want to know. Honestly, I don’t want to know anything either. I haven’t even looked inside of the envelopes.”

Zaid wanted us to be free. He cared.

“Zaid will get rid of Eric soon,” Grant said, “and then I will disappear too. This will all be a bad dream.”

“You got that fucking right,” Hazel said.

“We’re trying to help you,” Grant said.

“Oh, right, because kidnapping and isolation are so courteous of you.”

On the surface level, Zaid had kidnapped my sister. He had coerced me into a revenge scheme. He had lied to me. But there was more to it than that. I didn’t know what would have happened if we had been taken by Eric. Zaid had given me the opportunity to leave more times than one. And he was doing it now.

In his own way, Zaid cared about me.

Warmth surged through my body, making me blush. Zaid cared about me. I was grateful of this gesture of freedom from Eric, from everything linked to him, even Zaid. But I couldn’t let it go until I made things right. I needed to say thank you. To thank him for saving my sister. For saving me. For giving me freedom one last time.

“I need to talk to Zaid,” I said. Grant furrowed his brows. “Now,” I added.

“I’m under ordersnotto let you talk to him.” He gestured at the two of us. “Let’s get out of here before this turns into a spectacle.”

“A spectacle?” Hazel said, both eyebrows raised. “I don’t fucking care what you want.” She got into Grant’s face. “I’m not going anywhere. Not with you. Not with my sister. Not with your fucking master. I’m staying right here.”

“This is not a goddamn hotel,” Grant said. “You aren’t an addict. You aren’t even sick. You’re—”

“I’m sick in the mind, meathead! Isn’t that what you told them when you admitted me?”

He exhaled, growling. “You are demented.”

Hazel swung at Grant, and he twisted her arm behind her back so that she couldn’t move. “Ow!” she screamed. “This fucker is attacking me!” The staff swarmed the two of them, and I used the chaos to slip away. Hazel was the one who needed Grant’s protection. Not me. Zaid had trained me in self-defense.

I had no plans besides knowing that I needed to go back, to see Zaid. To tell him that I was sorry for walking out. That I knew there was more to his story. That I was willing to listen to the whole thing, from the beginning this time. That I wanted to listen.

My phone was dead. The front desk attendant said they didn’t allow personal calls on the office phone, but suggested I find a fellow visitor who might have had a phone on them. She was shifty, glancing around, almost looking for someone. I figured she was busy and excused myself. There weren’t many people in the lobby, so I walked outside. A man in a leather jacket, smoking a cigarette, disappeared behind the corner of the building.

I recognized that man. The angular chin. Had I seen him before? At the rest stop, maybe?

As soon as I made the connection, it was too late. Two men grabbed me from either side, instantly restraining my arms, and I screamed into their palms, thrashing. A black hood was tossed over my head.

They were Eric’s men.