I stare up at my ceiling, assuming that now she’s said what she needed to say, she’ll ghost me once again.
It’s what I deserve.
But then my phone lights up the room again and a little hope flickers in my veins.
Telling myself it’ll just be the guys and that I’m setting myself up for disappointment, I look at the screen.
“Holy shit.”
Hellcat: Are you okay?
Honestly, no. I’m really fucking not. But the last thing I need is her pity.
Theo: Are you? Did they hurt you?
Hellcat: Nothing I couldn’t handle.
The fact that she doesn’t just say no makes that frustration and fury I’ve been fighting to keep down stir once more.
I’d put money on Archer and his little crew partying in their stupid fucking warehouse in Lovell, and I’m sure I could make my point well enough to get some answers out of them about Luis’s whereabouts.
Or I could stay here and see if I can keep Emmie talking to feed my addiction.
Rolling onto my side, the knowledge that my tablet is in my drawer right beside me makes my fingers twist to reach for it so I can see her.
But something stops me.
For once, I don’t want to invade her privacy.
If she’s willing to talk, I want this to be real, true. Honest.
Theo: Did they tell you why they did it?
Hellcat: Luis just wanted to know where my mum was. Seems a little extreme.
Theo: Do you think she’s told you everything?
Hellcat: No idea. Although I’m starting to think not.
Couldn’t agree with you more there, babe.
Theo: Maybe you should try to talk to her. See what you can find out.
Hellcat: I’m not doing anything because you tell me to.
As I read the words, I hear her voice in my ear and my cock stirs at her defiance.
Theo: I love that tone on you. Makes me hard as steel.
Hellcat: Theo.
Theo: Fucking love it when you beg, too.
When she doesn’t start typing, I put our conversation back on track, ignoring my need to push my hand inside my boxers.
Theo: I wasn’t telling you to do anything, Hellcat. It was just a suggestion. You deserve the truth.
It takes her a while to respond—so long that I start trying to come up with something to force her back into this conversation with me. I’m not ready to let her go yet. Thankfully, it’s not necessary, because she does eventually reply. Although her words make my heart ache for her.
Hellcat: She’s been lying to me my entire life. I don’t expect her to change her ways now.
9
EMMIE
I roll over, pulling the warm covers with me, but I startle awake when my arm hits something cold.
Undiluted fear flows through my veins, my brain putting me back in that prison cell despite the warmth that surrounds me.
“Oh my God,” I hiss, silently chastising myself for being so pathetic.
You’re safe. You’re home.
Grabbing my phone, the culprit for my rude awakening, I find a stream of messages from Theo and I’m instantly reminded of our conversation.
For hours I told myself that it was enough that Calli had reached out for me and told me that he was okay.
But in the end, my concern, plus my guilt over the whole situation got the better of me, and I turned on my old phone, my eyes widening at the sheer number of messages and voicemails he’d left me when I ran from the New Year’s party.
I didn’t read them.
Okay, that’s a lie.
I only read the last few that were visible on my screen when I opened our previous conversation.
My heart thundered in my chest and my hand shook as Theo’s voice rang out loud and clear in my head as I read his words.
‘You’re mine, Emmie. You can run, you can hide, but eventually, I will find you, and I will show you exactly where you belong.’
It was a threat, or at least I think it should have been, but nothing about his words scared me. I wasn’t sure if that was because what I’d been through in the previous twenty-four hours was way more terrifying than anything Theodore Cirillo could do to me, or if I was just missing the thrill.
Our short time together in the classroom at Knight’s Ridge feels like it was a million years ago now. And after watching him walk away from me, giving me the same treatment that I gave him multiple times before, I can’t help but secretly crave him.
I always have wanted what I can’t have.
Opening the chat, I read through the messages I missed.
His Lordship: What are your plans for the week?
His Lordship: Did you remember you hate me?
His Lordship: I’ll take that as yes. That or you're too busy getting yourself off as you imagine me lying here in my bed with my cock begging for you…
All the air rushes from my lungs as I re-read that message.
He’s lying.
He has to be lying. Right?
I bite down on my bottom lip as I picture him in the middle of his black bedroom, his muscular body stretched out on the giant bed and his fingers wrapped around his length.
Heat surges through me, liquid lust filling my veins and a throb I really don’t need to be distracted by starting up in my clit.
His Lordship: I’m not getting myself off. I want your hand, not mine. I want your body, not the cold sheets surrounding me. I want your wicked, filthy mouth telling me that I’m not good enough, that I don’t deserve you.
My heart races as I take in every bit of his vulnerability within those words.
His Lordship: Everything you’ve said about me is true. But you’re changing me. You have changed me. I want to be better. For you. Only for you. Always for you. My wife.
My eyes are so wide I swear they’re about to pop out.
I kick the covers off me as my body burns up and disbelief washes through me.
I can’t believe he’s actually acknowledging these things about himself.
His Lordship: I’m hoping you’ve fallen asleep and that you’re not just ignoring me as I bleed out through the phone. Although, I can’t really blame you if you’re reading all of this and cackling an evil laugh as you plan the best way to use it against me. If you are then do it. I’m sure Seb would help if you need it. But if you’re asleep and not scheming up my epic fall from grace, then I hope you sleep well and dream of all the wicked things you want me to do to you. Sweet dreams, Hellcat. x
“Wow,” I breathe.
I’m halfway through reading that message back, assuming I must have imagined the whole thing, when a soft knock sounds out from my door.
“Em?” Dad’s voice rings out.
“Yeah, I’m awake,” I reply, regretfully locking my phone and dropping it back to the bed.