Chapter 14 Dottie
Chapter fourteen
Dottie
"Wake up!"
I vaguely register the strike, and then my cheek is on fire. My eyelids, scratchy and heavy with sleep, beg to remain closed, but I force them open as another burning sting lands on my face.
My head is thrown to the side, and I blink repeatedly, trying to shake off my groggy stupor. I'm tied to a chair. I slowly lift my head to see Vera Eastwood smirking down at me.
"Rise and shine, princess." Her mocking voice grates against the pain in my head.
I take a shallow breath. "What... Where..." I can't get my thoughts together.
"What happened? Where am I?" Vera mimics cruelly, her high-pitched tone making bile rise in my throat.
"How much did you give her, you fucking idiot? Did you plan for her to sleep through the New Year?" Griselda's voice is unmistakable as she walks forward, shoving Vera out of the way. "Unfortunately for you, today has been one of the worst of my entire life, and I need someone to take it out on."
Vera snorts. "Better get ready, Dottie. Griselda's life is over after tonight. She has nothing to lose."
"Fuck off, Vera," Griselda snaps.
Vera's eyes glow with psychotic pleasure at having gotten under her friend's skin.
My heart beats erratically as I look around. We’re on an empty floor of an office building, and each side is lined with floor-to-ceiling windows. It's dark outside. Stacks of drywall are piled neatly in the corner, and temporary work lights cast strange shadows around the enormous space.
How long have I been here?
"Toto!" I flick my eyes from corner to corner, searching for my friend.
"You humans are so pathetic." Griselda eyes me with contempt as her eerily beautiful laugh echoes across the space.
"Help me, Dottie!" Vera mocks, and the two women cackle with glee.
"Your dear friend texts you, and you race over like a sacrificial lamb with no plan or backup." Griselda giggles like a maniacal schoolgirl. "Whatever were you thinking?"
Well, to be honest, I was hopped up on orgasmic bliss caused by your ex-fiancé, and my brain turned to mush.
But I don't want her to fry me on the spot, so I keep my mouth shut.
Was Maddox in on it?
The horrible thought worms its way into my muddled brain, and I'm immediately ashamed for doubting him.
No.
He tried to keep me at the cottage. I refuse to believe that the man who has stolen my heart is capable of breaking it so thoroughly. If he is, he deserves an Oscar. And maybe a blow job for being so good at acting... and fucking. Oh, God, now is not the time to think about that.
"What are you going to do with me?" I ask, trying to buy time as I think of a solution.
Vera steps forward and waves her fingers. The ties around my ankles and wrists fly free. She gets close to my face, her breath hot against my skin. "We're going to have so much fun with you, Dottie."
Vera grabs my arms to haul me out of the seat, and I cry out at the sharp scratch to my bicep. She pulls back in rage, sucking on the pad of her finger, and I realize I wasn't the only one who felt it.
"What the fuck was that?" Vera grabs my T-shirt sleeve and turns it inside out. The brooch from Glinda glimmers as she runs her hand over it.
I hold my breath, watching the two women as they peer down at the gemstone-encrusted piece.
"Holy fuck," Vera spits out. "That has to be the ugliest thing I've ever seen."
Griselda brings a work light over to inspect it closer. I keep my gaze firmly focused on the ground, afraid I'll give something away if I look at either of the two witches in front of me.
"Why would you hold on to something like this?" Griselda grabs my face, squeezing my chin as she forces me to look at her.
"My aunt gave it to me for graduation." The lie slips off my tongue before I can think better of it.
"Aw, how cute. She's holding on to a hideous Cracker Jack toy like it's a precious family heirloom." Vera cackles like she's said something clever.
Griselda releases my chin, shoving my face back painfully. She raises an eyebrow at me and rips off my shirt sleeve, tossing the brooch to the ground a few feet from my chair.
I reach for it instinctively, but Griselda tuts and waves her finger.
"Time to run, little girl," she sings out.
Griselda and Vera pick up their wands, blocking my path to the pin, so I have no choice but to run the other way.
I take off, racing for the stacks of drywall.
All the work lights seem to be powered via one extension cord that ends behind this pile.
I figure my best bet against their magic is to turn out the lights.
As I get close to the pile, a sharp crack of electricity whizzes past my ear, and I slide behind the stack like I'm stealing home plate.
I scream when another crack of lightning flies over my head, singeing the top sheet of drywall and raining charred remnants down on my head.
A barrage of fire follows, and I know I'm running out of time.
I race for the power cord, pulling it from the wall with a grunt as my makeshift bunker disintegrates around me.
"You think you're so clever, Dottie," Griselda taunts as we’re plunged into darkness.
Peering around the pile of debris, I see two pinpricks of light approaching my hiding spot. They've turned their wands into flashlights, but they’re not nearly as powerful as the work lights.
I move as quietly as possible on all fours, my palms and knees scraping against the rough concrete.
Crawling from behind the stack, I keep low to the ground until I get to the next pile.
I skirt behind the plastic sheeting stapled to a two-by-four frame.
I need to circle back to the chair to grab the brooch.
It's the only magic I have, and I know all too well that I'm a sitting duck without some help.
Two loud cracks come from behind me as the women reach the stack of drywall.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Vera's voice is the stuff of nightmares.
I remember Granger's warning from this morning. Rotten to the core is too kind for the soul of someone like Vera.
"Oh, this is fun, Dottie. But we're gonna get ya," Griselda snarls.
"I think I'd like your arm for my collection," Vera taunts.
I duck behind a work table, barely concealed but within ten feet of salvation.
"I've already got one, you know. Your Tin Man had such a lovely arm," Vera sneers.
I clamp a hand over my mouth, trying not to vomit as I realize she's talking about Nick. Is that what happened? She took his arm?
A small sob escapes as I run for the brooch, knowing I'm out of time.
Griselda leaps, landing in front of me with a snarl, but I slide between her legs, toppling her to the ground. I fumble for the brooch, knocking it out of reach, then lunge forward with a burst of adrenaline to grasp it.
"You gave up your chance to escape to reclaim a piece of junk?" Griselda cackles, getting to her feet. Her usually perfect hair is wild as she levels her wand at me, her face twisted with rage.
I close my eyes, holding the heirloom to my heart as I curl into a fetal position and scream, "Take me home!"
The last image I see before the world bursts into technicolor is Griselda's furious face.
I look around the rainbow vortex, trying to get my bearings, but it's a losing battle, and I give myself over to the magic. Just when I think I may never be free again, I plunge full force into the little cabin in the woods.
I land on my feet, looking around wildly. Checking behind me to make sure they haven’t followed me, I fall to my knees with a sob. I vaguely register a voice saying my name over and over, but it sounds like it's underwater.
Strong arms wrap around me, and the scent of spice and licorice flowers permeates my nostrils. I finally open my eyes.
"Dottie!" Maddox is frantically trying to get my attention.
I blink, locking eyes with him before throwing myself against his chest with a sob.
"Griselda and Vera. They're at Ozella Tower. Thirteenth floor. They were t-trying to kill me!" Now that I can talk again, I can't stop. I babble about Toto, the brooch, Nick's arm, and the evil monsters that will haunt my nightmares until the end of time.
"They're never going to stop, Maddox!" I wail. Then I freeze. "Maddox, we have to warn my brothers!"
Maddox doesn’t relinquish his hold on me as he pulls out his phone and barks orders, making call after call. I can't say anymore without crying, so I huddle into his arms, my body trembling like I'm stuck in a blizzard as I try to calm my racing heart.
"Thank you, Gigi. Yes, she's safe." Maddox eyes me with concern. "I’ll bring her home soon. I promise."
Maddox hangs up with his grandmother and lifts me into his arms. He carries me to the bed, whispering against my hair as he strokes my back. "You're safe, Dottie. Your brothers are safe. Toto is safe."
Finally, I calm enough to register his words. "How do you know?" I ask, my lip trembling as I look up at him through wet lashes.
"The guards caught Griselda. They were already searching for her in connection with an arson charge. She’ll now face kidnapping and assault charges too."
Maddox looks at me with love shining in his eyes. "The magic community does not look kindly upon those who use their powers for evil. She'll be locked away for a very long time."
"And Vera?"
Maddox hesitates. "She got away. For now. But she's no longer registering within Oz. We have armed guards stationed around your brothers' place, just in case, and Toto is there with them. They'll find her soon."
I nod, grateful that my brothers and Toto are safe. "Thank you."
"Dottie, I will do anything to protect you and those you love."
I look at Maddox properly for the first time since I crash-landed in the cabin.
His dark brown hair is tousled and sexy, and the sudden need to run my hands through it is overwhelming.
His eyes are trained on me, heavy with concern, but even in a moment of crisis, he can't keep his hands off my curves.
His hard cock presses against my side, and I know this man will never hurt me.
"I love you, Maddox." I glance up at him shyly.
Even though I said the same words last night, this is the first time I've said them outside of the throes of passion.
Maddox's smile lights up his entire face. I return his grin despite the trauma of this evening. He sits up, pulling me into his lap, and I snuggle against his chest.
"You are my reason for breathing, love." He kisses my temple. "If anything had happened to you tonight..." He trails off, closing his eyes in anguish.
I grip his chin, forcing him to look at me again. "It didn't."
Maddox stares down at me for a moment, a mixture of concern and love swirling in his eyes before he captures my mouth with his. Our tongues tangle, and his cock thickens against my ass.
He breaks our kiss, his heated gaze almost incinerating me. "I love you."
Grinning, I reach between our bodies to grip his hard shaft through his pants. I wet my lips, ready to try something I've only ever read about, but the next words out of his mouth stop me in my tracks.
"Marry me, Dottie."