spot where it felt like I’d been stung by a wasp. The burning feeling was spreading, and my entire body felt heavy. I blinked, then felt the world sway as complete darkness swallowed me whole.
Twenty
River
“I’m exhausted,” Mila said with a yawn as we finished putting the last of our inventory on the racks.
Between Avery, who was our new hire, Mila, and me, we’d gotten everything done with Kingston’s help doing the manual labor. I wiped the sweat off my brow and pulled my phone out of my back pocket, only to groan when I saw the time.
“Mav is probably worried,” I muttered, calling him. It rang and rang, and I swallowed a sigh, knowing he was going to be upset with me for not calling him. We’d been so busy that time had gotten away from me, and I hadn’t realized it had gotten so late. My plan had been to help out a little before going to the shop.
When my call went to voice mail, I figured he was just with a client, and I hurriedly told the others goodbye before running out the door with Kingston. He gave me a ride to the apartment, where I picked up my car, and I tried not to go over the speed limit on my way to the Ink Shoppe.
Pulling into the parking lot, I saw that Maverick’s bike wasn’t where it should have been. Frowning, I reached for the door, wondering if he’d gotten so worried, he’d gone looking for me. But I hadn’t seen him on the road…
My phone rang just as I was stepping out of my car. Seeing who the caller was, I quickly answered. “Hey, Elias.”
“You know the interstate motel?” he clipped out as a greeting.
I stopped with my hand still on the driver’s door. “Uh, yeah?”
“Get there. Now. Room 119. I’ll explain when you get here.” I heard the ice in his voice and knew it was bad. Elias didn’t do fire and ice; he was like a cuddly teddy bear. Until you pissed him off. Then he could get scary. The fire was for when he was about to beat the fuck out of someone. The ice…when he was trying to control the flames.
Without questioning him, I got back in my car and turned it in the direction of the interstate. But as I was driving, I got a text. Worried it was from Elias or Maverick, I picked up my phone from where I’d tossed it in the cupholder and glanced down at the screen really quick.
Only to do a double take.
“No,” I whispered, my foot slamming on the brake.
The text was from a number I didn’t recognize, but the picture was something I knew all too well. It was Maverick, completely naked, on a bed with two girls lying on either side of him. They were touching him, kissing his bare chest while one of them took the selfie.
I felt physically ill looking at the picture, but in my heart, I already knew it wasn’t what it appeared. Maverick would never cheat on me. I knew it all the way down to my soul. It didn’t matter that we hadn’t had sex in weeks. He would have gone without it for years if I wasn’t able to give it to him.
He loved me. Was loyal to me.
Yes, I might get jealous when he had a female client, but that wasn’t because I thought he would cheat on me. I was just possessive and hated the thought of him having to touch someone other than me.
In the picture, his eyes were only slits, barely open. I couldn’t even tell if he was even awake.
The longer I looked at it, the more and more pissed I got.
Tossing my phone into the passenger seat, I slammed my foot harder on the gas and left skid marks on the road as I blaze a trail in the direction of the run-down motel.
As soon as I pulled into the parking lot, I saw Elias standing by his bike, which was parked right beside Maverick’s. I slammed on my brakes and shifted into park, but I left the car running as I jumped out.
“Is he okay?” I demanded, running toward Room 119.
Elias clenched his jaw. “What you’re about to see isn’t what it looks like. I want you to understand that.”
I snorted. “I know that. Someone sent me a picture. Anonymously, of course.” But the dread in my gut was already telling me I knew who was behind