I’m about to tell her there’s a better chance of pigs flying than me signing another one of her NDA’s, but Marge stands up and addresses the room. “It’s not a misunderstanding. They assaulted me too.” She glares at Jared. “When I threatened to press charges, they said they’d release the naked pictures this asshole took of me while I was passed out.”
The guy next to her stands. “Jess offered me drugs one night while we were partying at a club. I didn’t think anything of it, until I woke up naked in Jared’s house and couldn’t remember anything that happened. When I said I would go to the police, they threatened to release the video they took of me sucking his dick.”
My mouth drops open and bile surges up my throat. Oh, God.
Up until now, I thought I was the only employee they manipulated.
Finding out that they’ve been violating and blackmailing my coworkers is nauseating.
“Smells like a lawsuit to me,” Preston sneers as two police officers enter the conference room. “You can kiss your company goodbye.”
I drop the box filled with crap from my former office in the foyer and head into the kitchen. “I need a drink. You want a beer?”
Juan shakes his head. “No, but I’ll take a mimosa.”
“We don’t have any champagne.” I open the freezer and pull out the bottle of Absolute. “But I’ve got vodka.”
“That works.”
I take the orange juice out of the fridge then fill two glasses with some ice.
Juan looks around the kitchen as I prepare our drinks. “So, where do you think your husband disappeared to?”
Shortly after the police took the reports and left, so did Preston. I figured he needed some time to cool down, but seeing as he’s still not home and isn’t answering his phone, I’m not so sure.
“I have no idea.”
My stomach twists with dread. I really hope he’s not gambling.
Exhaling a deep breath, I gesture for Juan to follow me into the living room.
He makes himself comfortable on the couch and flicks on the television. “Big dick energy and a hero complex. That’s so hot.”
I plop down next to him. “Yeah, he was awesome…but now I’m unemployed.”
Juan places his head on my shoulder. “Me too.”
Chapter 27
Kit
Iron tentacles wrap around my lungs and I scratch and claw at the hand around my throat. “No.”
His grip tightens, crushing my larynx. White-hot fear envelops me as I struggle to breathe.
One wrong move and I’ll fall.
A callous smile twists his lips. “I need a favor.”
Trickles of ice-cold terror zip down my spine when I feel the cold metal from the barrel of the gun dig into my temple.
Vomit works up my throat and my legs turn to rubber…because I know what happens next.
I know how this ends.
Reaching behind me, I clutch the railing for support…
Only this time, it isn’t there.
I freeze, realizing the only thing preventing me from plummeting to my death is the hand around my throat.
Hollow, empty eyes stare back at me. “I want you to beg.”
He eases his grip just enough to let me speak. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of caving into his demands, but I don’t want to die, either, so I concede.
“Please don’t kill me, Kyle.”
I reach for my poker chip, but he beats me to it.
“No.”
I can’t lose him.
Determination races through my veins as I dig my nails into his skin, trying to pry his fist open.
“Watch out.”
His deep, familiar voice wraps around me like a security blanket and I snap my head up.
Preston extends his arm, reaching for my hand, but it’s too late…
I’m already falling.
“No!”
I hit the water so hard my skin burns and my lungs compress.
I kick and pump my legs, trying to get to the surface, but I can’t…
Whatever you do. Don’t open your eyes.
“Kitty.”
No.
“Kitty cat.”
My stomach churns at the sound of my uncle’s voice.
“Here, kitty, kitty,” he teases.
“Leave me alone—”
The metallic tang of blood filling my mouth causes me to gag. When I make the mistake of opening my eyes, there’s nothing but a haze of red.
And body parts.
A scream tears out of me when I see my father’s head float by.
His lifeless eyes are wide with panic and his pallid face is twisted with horror.
My insides convulse and a sharp pang of sorrow shoots through me.
That’s how he looked when he died…utterly petrified.
Big ugly sobs wretch out of me. The pain of this grief is unbearable, and every ounce of fight drains out of my body.
I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.
“Wake up, Kit.”
Preston?
The water’s so murky, I can barely make out his face…
But I feel him.
He shoves his poker chip into my palm. “It’s me and you, angry girl. Until the end, got it?”
I grip his hand, holding on to it for dear life. “I’m so scared.”
Cruel laughter chills me to the bone and I’m paralyzed with fright as Preston’s face transforms into my uncle’s.
“You should be.” He rips the poker chip out of my hand. “Because he can’t save you.”
Chapter 28
Preston
The sound of scratching outside my bedroom door rouses me from sleep.
Opening my eyes, I scan the dark room. “Go away.”
The scratching picks up…followed by a bark.
Dammit. Kit said she’d take care of the dog…and that includes letting him out in the middle of the night.
Muttering another curse, I get out of bed and slip on a pair of boxers.
The mutt barks again, his scratching becoming more frantic.
Fucking hell. I knew telling Darius to forget the money he owed me in exchange for keeping the ugly, drooling mongrel was a mistake.
I only did it because I saw how happy the damn thing made Kit and how attached she is to him.
She’s already lost so much in her life, I didn’t have the heart to rip away another thing she loves.
But as the scratching continues—along with the barking—I’m seriously regretting that decision.
I swing open my bedroom door. “You’re testing my patience, asshole.”
I expect him to bolt downstairs so I can let him out, but he doesn’t.
Visibly anxious, he leads me down the hall…where I hear screaming coming from Kit’s room.
Instantly, my body jolts into action, ready to go in there and tear whoever’s hurting her from limb to fucking limb.
Another blood-curdling scream erupts from her when I enter the room and look around. She thrashes against the mattress, her small frame shuddering like a tree in a hurricane as she clutches her poker chip for dear life.
Shit. She’s having a nightmare. So much time has passed since her last one, I figured they stopped.