Page 29 of Wickedly Played

UNKNOWN: I’m not laughing, Maximus

My nickname was given to me.

ME: Prove that this is Melinda

UNKNOWN: How would you like me to do that?

ME: If this were Melinda, she would know what to say

UNKNOWN: I know that you guys have ruled me dead

ME: That’s public record

UNKNOWN: I know you have a birthmark on the inside of your left thigh. You wouldn’t admit it, but you loved it when I bit it

ME: Where have you been?

UNKNOWN: I can’t go into detail about it on here.

ME: Where are you?

UNKNOWN: I’m closer than you think

ME: I’m not fucking around

Melinda? She’s back? What the fuck? She’s not dead? Throughout this time, I have been searching for her. I’ve searched the entire country and contacted the Families in the other territories to make sure she wasn’t hiding there. The only thing I could think of was that she was stolen from me.

This isn’t real. It can’t be.

I can hear Serena and Stella giggling in the living room while I’m spiraling out of control. This isn’t fucking good. I couldn’t save Melinda… Is history going to repeat itself with Serena?

Fuck!

My body is coiled tight while I pace, trying to calm my nerves. Nothing is working. Only one thing that would work right now, and I can’t have it—my need to dominate a woman.

Not just any woman. I need Serena.

The night I called herpreciouswas a mistake. My feelings for Melinda have long been buried. When her family buried the empty casket I paid for, I also put all my emotions and feelings in there, too. However, the guilt of letting her down is what I still carry with me.

ADAM: I’m outside. Jim’s here, too.

ME: I’ll be out in a second

God damn it. I have to get my shit together before Adam finds out how much I’m winding out of control. This is the reason why I didn’t want to protect women. Especially not women like Serena. Serena’s under my skin. I want to throttle her, wrap my hand around her throat, bend her over the table, and fuck that attitude out of her. After, I’m going to fuck her ass for good measure.

Maybe she wouldn’t be such a brat if I shoved my dick down her throat.

“I’m going to go check on Serena,” Jim utters as he lets himself into the house.

“What the fuck, man? You couldn’t have knocked? I have security all over the house,” I snap.

Jim doesn’t respond, but I hear him walking through the house before he gets to Serena. Serena’s voice is loud and irritated as she listens to what Jim has to say.

“What has you in such a pissy mood?” Adam asks with his arms across his chest.

Pulling out my phone, I open the text thread with Melinda so he could see it.

He stutters before answering. “Wait, I thought she was dead.”