Page 35

CHAPTER

TWENTY-THREE

ERIN

My eyes take a second to adjust to the darkness.

Everything is slightly out of focus, and straight lines blur at the edges.

Unfamiliar sheets scratch my skin, and I sit up in an uncomfortable bed.

I put my hand to my forehead, groaning. My head weighs a ton, and it takes all my effort to look around at my unfamiliar surroundings: beige walls with flaking paint, a metal toilet, sink, and cracked tile floors.

Where am I?

I replay what happened leading up to this moment. The fundraiser, searching Dad’s office, getting caught, and then…

Shit . I gulp as realization hits, facing the bolted door that’s holding me prisoner. I’m in Sunnycrest .

This is my punishment for snooping. Perhaps it was inevitable that I’d end up here, the easiest place for my father to gain control of my life.

I take deep breaths, determined not to give in to my rising panic. Outside my room, screams and hysterical laughter echoes. I stay quiet. If I’m stuck here, the last thing I need is for the other patients to learn that I’m the daughter of the man mistreating them.

Suddenly, the door creaks open. I expect to see Dad, arms crossed and ready to deliver another lecture about how I need to be taught a lesson. However, to my surprise, an orderly in a white coat stands in silence.

“Hello?” I say to the unmoving silhouette. “Can I help you?”

He says nothing and doesn’t make eye contact, then he nods to someone on his right and walks away, leaving my door open.

Seconds later, Aiden and Eli march into the cell.

Aiden’s fists clench in fury, and Eli checks my body for signs of injury.

They’re wearing furious expressions, and the small space seems to shrink with them inside.

I shuffle until my back hits the freezing wall.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

Aiden arches one eyebrow. The corner of his mouth tugs upward into a cheeky smile. “Would you rather stay?”

“N-no,” I stammer. “But my dad?—”

“Let us worry about him, Little Ghost,” he replies, then taps his wrist. “Now move, unless you’d prefer us to drag you out by your hair?”

I scurry to my feet. Eli grabs my arm; his grip is firm, like he’s afraid I’ll slip through his fingers.

We follow Aiden down the hall. Heckles from surrounding cells goad and taunt us with each step.

“Who is that slut?”

“Eli! Come back!”

“Save yourselves!”

“I’ve been keeping my bed warm for you, Aiden,” a girl coos. She presses her face against the glass of her room’s window. “I’ve missed you.”

Aiden stops sharply.

She licks her lips, pleased to have drawn his attention.

“Hi, baby,” she purrs. “I knew you’d come back for me.”

It’s hard to make out fine details through the murky pane, but she looks beautiful. Thick black hair and big brown eyes, framed with long eyelashes.

“Come back for you?” Aiden laughs cruelly, then his expression turns somber. “You can rot in here, for all I care.”

Her face crumples. “But we had something special. I?—”

“Enough, Charlie,” he hisses. His glacial stare makes her squeak. “You helped pass the time, but you’re just another used pussy, and not even a good one at that.”

“So you’re hooking up with this princess whore, huh?” She narrows her eyes in my direction like I’m a piece of shit on her shoe. “What’s so special about her?”

“Look at her like that again, and you’ll regret it,” Aiden warns. “Show some fucking respect and fall in line.”

Charlie whimpers like a wounded puppy and shrinks away from the window. All the while, Eli stays silent, only tightening his grasp on me.

“Ouch,” I yelp as he constricts my blood flow.

His grip eases, but he doesn’t let go.

Aiden speeds off again. I take two steps for every one of theirs to keep up with their relentless pace.

“Won’t someone see us?” I ask.

“No one who’ll tell,” Eli replies as Aiden swipes an access card to make a door open.

So much for the new security provisions that should make the building an impenetrable fortress.

“I thought you preferred to move around in the walls,” I mumble.

It’s not the time for jokes, but anything will help to make light of this crazy situation.

“Your father isn’t the only one who runs Sunnycrest,” Aiden says. “When he’s away, everyone else knows who is in charge.”

We pass a security station on our way to an exit. Much like high-security prisons, there are barriers and checkpoints to pass through to move from one area of the building. The guard on the desk snores as we pass; powdered sugar coats his top lip, and a box of donuts splays open in front of him.

We weave along different corridors that look the same and climb various staircases, sticking close to the walls and staying in the shadows.

“Shh.” Eli yanks me into his chest and puts his gloved hand over my mouth. His cock stirs in his pants as I press into him. “Don’t move.”

Around the next corner, two doctors talk and compare patient notes. Apparently, not everyone is under Aiden’s thumb. All it would take is a cough for them to find me, but I stay silent and hold my breath.

“Not far to go now,” Eli promises.

As soon as the doctors are gone, we continue on. After proceeding through various doors using cards, keys, and codes, the chilly night breeze stings my cheeks.

“Where are you taking me?” I ask.

“Would you rather return to your cell?” Aiden sneers. “If I tell the other patients who you really are, they’ll give you a warm Sunnycrest welcome.”

I bite my lip. No questions, understood.

Eli squeezes my arm in reassurance. I look up into his eyes, and he smiles, as if to promise everything is going to be all right.

I want to believe him, but I don’t.

“Get ready,” Aiden says.

Before I can reply, Eli breaks into a run, tugging me along with him. I sprint, praying that my shoulder won’t dislocate from Eli’s force. Two motorcycles wait for us, hidden in a cluster of bushes on the concrete perimeter.

Aiden jumps onto one.

“Climb on,” Aiden instructs, holding out a helmet.

I’m only wearing a flimsy white nightdress and socks. Without wearing proper riding gear, what will happen if I fall? Motorcycles are accidents waiting to happen.

My hesitation is clear.

“I won’t ask again, Little Ghost,” Aiden warns.

“Don’t you trust us?” Eli asks, dropping my arm.

“I don’t trust anyone,” I answer. How can I, after all they’ve shown me?

“Just get on the fucking bike,” Aiden commands, thrusting the helmet aggressively into my arms.

Reluctantly, I put it over my head and clamber on behind him.

There’s no going back.

“Hold on tight,” Aiden growls.

He takes off at speed. The rushing air makes it hard to snatch a breath.

Wind tears at my hair, causing it to billow from underneath the helmet.

On our left, Eli’s engine roars as he passes us, racing through the open asylum gates.

I don’t question why no one stops us, assuming it’s because of a bribe.

I wrap my arms around Aiden’s waist, clinging on for dear life.

My sweaty palms keep slipping on his leather jacket, so every twist of his hips makes my heart jolt, terrified I’ll be thrown off.

I clamp my thighs tightly around him. If this journey doesn’t kill me, my dad will if he finds out where I am.

I open my mouth to scream but nothing comes out as Aiden skids around a tight corner, and the wheels wail in objection. Aiden cackles, enjoying making me squirm, and rides more recklessly.

“Soak in the night air, Little Ghost,” Aiden yells. “This is true freedom!”

Up ahead, a lone pair of taillights illuminate a strip of road, completely out of place on the otherwise deserted mountain stretch. Eli swerves to a stop, and Aiden follows.

“Hang on,” Aiden says.

His quick turn causes the bike to tilt at a ninety-degree angle. I squeeze my eyes shut, convinced this is the end.

Aiden’s laughter lets me know I’m still alive when we finally come to a screeching halt beside the waiting car.

We dismount. I stagger and clutch my stomach, unsure whether I want to throw up or hoot with exhilaration because of the adrenaline surging through me.

A man gets out of the car to greet us. Even without his usual uniform, there’s no mistaking him.

“What is she doing here?” Officer Blackwell asks, gaping at me like I’m an alien when I remove my helmet. “I swear to God, if she tells anyone, my career will be over. Brady will?—”

“She won’t say a word,” Eli interrupts. He plucks a strand of my hair off my shoulder and rubs it between two fingers. “Will you, Little Ghost?”

I shake my head. Officer Blackwell glares at me, weighing up his options. He must realize that mutual silence is in both of our best interests. We all have our secrets.

“Do you have it?” Aiden snaps impatiently.

“Yes,” Officer Blackwell replies. “But it wasn’t easy.”

He removes an evidence bag from his inner coat pocket. In the darkness, I can’t see what’s inside it. Aiden goes to grab it, but Officer Blackwell holds back.

“This is the last thing I’ll do for you, understand?” Officer Blackwell says. “After this, we’re even.”

“It’s a pleasure doing business with you,” Aiden says, snatching the bag from him and stowing it in the under-seat storage before I get a proper look.

Blackwell gets back into his car without saying another word.

“Why did he owe you a favor?” I ask, unable to curb my curiosity.

“We know all about this town and its secrets,” Aiden says mysteriously.

“What do you know about Blackwell?” I press.

“He helped conceal evidence,” he says, patting the seat. “Evidence we now have in our possession.”

“What kind of evidence?”

“You’ll see,” he says. “Now get back on the bike.”

Eli must see the look of dread on my face and murmurs, “We don’t have far to go.”