15. Month 3
Month 3
Amity
T wo more deliveries of flowers have been sent since the last one. One to my school and the other to Blake’s. The one to Blake’s just so happened to be the week he was in Brazil tying up some loose ends with Clint before he can be back home officially. Once they found out Gage was behind hacking their system, they were able to get ahead of the problem and communicate with their clients. I pushed him to go. I needed the space. Hell, he needed the space and distraction just as much. The one sent to my school was a bouquet of a dozen red roses. The card was along the lines of Gage loving me and how he could not wait to roll my body across the thick thorned roses and watch me bleed as he took me for his own again. How touching I know.
The second was Lilies. This delivery represented what he will lay on my grave if I move forward with the wedding. That when he comes for me, I better be ready to let go of my life here. I remember his last sentence and can hear his edgy voice, “Time is soon, as I’m just around the corner. I can’t wait for you to bleed for me Amity while I take you. This is your last warning to leave Blake and never mention him in my presence again. Sincerely yours, my wildflower.”
That one still sends a chill down my spine, and at the time, I panicked. Blake came home to me moved in with Tilly and Lana. I took Hamlet with me, leaving no trace of my existence but my hangers swinging in his closet. In turn, sent him in a rage and wrecked his corvette into a guardrail that night. Luckily, he was fine, and he is now staying with Nash and Willa. I’ve already felt so distant from him over these past two months, some more time apart to keep him alive will be worth my own life. The world can’t lose Blake. Every side of him is a gift, body, mind, and soul. He brightens the room when he walks in like the sun rising over the mountains. My past won’t be his downfall. That is why I have already come up with a plan. Gage is waiting for the opportunity for me to be in the open, alone, and that is just what I am going to give him. I only wish I had one more night with Blake. To let him feel and be consumed by my love, but hopefully my letter will suffice for him.
Tilly and Lana won’t be home for another hour, and what the guards don’t know is I have it in me to jump from the second-floor balcony. I'll land in the bushes and be fine. By the time they realize something is amiss, I’ll be hauling ass down the road in my truck.
* * *
Paramour has its grand re-opening tonight. The crowd is large, and the perfect place to be seen and hidden at the same time for someone looking. Gage will eventually find me; I’m counting on it. I’ve been here an hour already, and my phone has started blowing off the hook. Tilly and Lana are home and have found their letters. I let them in on my plan but did not enclose where I would be. I trusted them to let me follow through with my plan, so we could all live in peace again. I promised them that I would find my way back, but to give me this right now. To keep Blake at bay, but to help him move on if I don’t come back. If this all ends tragically, because I feel the fear in my bones this could all end horribly. I turn my phone off and take a swig of my drink. Finding all the courage I need to get through this evening. Possibly longer.
Another hour goes by, and I have chatted with some acquaintances and past hookups. Smiling the whole time like I have no care in the world. All until the hot breath tickles the back of my neck, causing all the hair on my body to rise. “My beautiful wildflower,” Gage whispers in my ear. I take a subtle breath then turn to face him. I’m met with his face leaned down to mine. His knuckles graze my cheek, and I let him.
“Looks like you finally found me.”
“Oh my dearest, Amity, you were never lost to me. All this time, I knew exactly where you have been, who you’ve been with.” He laughs like a mad man, and I know he truly became his father. “You truly are my gorgeous, tantalizing little slut, aren't you?” Taking my chin between his fingers. “I’m starting to think you enjoyed all those times I took you recklessly and uninvited. Here I was thinking for years of all the harm I caused you, only to see pictures of you in sex clubs being whipped or splayed out in bed with men and women devouring every inch of you. Maybe you were jealous when I had other women, because I wasn’t including you when I was fucking them.”
All I do is glare into his soulless brown eyes. “You broke me Gage,” I grit out.
“Well then, wildflower, let me put you back together.” Before I can speak, he drags me away from the bar, into one of the dimly lit corners of the roof. Pinning me between him and the wall. “You make me murderous in this dress, Amity. I wanted to kill every single person that looked your way this evening.” Propping my leg up on his hip, while he slides his other hand up my thigh, under my dress. The touch of him makes me want to vomit, but I push through to see this play out. His fingers gently glide on the outside of my panties down my heat, causing him to groan and grind up against me. “Are you ready to come home with me?”
Looking up at him, I shrug. “I didn't think there was a choice in the matter.”
“There isn't, but I would prefer you come willingly, rather than me carrying you out of this club.”
“Then yes, I’m ready.”
His eyebrows furrow. “Are you playing me darling? You are coming too easily.” Letting my leg down, he bulldozes my body into the wall.
“No game. I just want those I love safe.”
An evil laugh escapes his lips. “Those you love, huh? Does that include Blake Holdings?”
“You told me not to speak of him, so I am not.”
“Tell me you don’t love him, Amity,” he growls. I refuse to speak, because my mouth is incapable of saying those words. A scream flies out of my mouth when I realize Gage has bent down and bitten my upper arm.
“Holy fuck, Gage!”
“I see your mouth has gotten dirtier. I told you; you would bleed for me, Amity.” His tongue slowly licks up my bleeding arm then he sucks where his teeth marks are, sending a painful burning sensation through my whole body. He pulls away, takes me by the arm. “Let’s go, wildflower, we have a flight to catch.”
* * *
Blake
“She did what? How the fuck did she get out with no one seeing her? I am going to murder her myself when I find her!” I shout, throwing my glass of scotch across the room, nearly missing Nash’s head, but he moved before it shattered against the wall. I take survey of the room. Both families, our friends, and all the guards are here, plus Detective Barge. Nash had everyone come to his house once we learned Amity went missing. Our first instinct was she was taken by Gage. Only for Lana to spill the beans on Amity's escape plan that was to be kept secret.
“Calm down, man. We will find her.” I give Nash the glare of his positive pattiness is not working tonight, and he needs to step away from me before I throw a punch. He heeds my warning and moves back.
“Does anyone have a clue where she could have gone? We have already checked at Howls, the school, airport, and bus station. Her phone is off, so I can’t track her”
No one seems to know as the minutes tick by. Ding! Ding! We all look at Willa. She hurriedly tries to silence her phone then, “Oh shit,” flies out of her mouth.
We all go “what?”
“The text is from Toby and Eric. They saw Amity leave Paramour with some man. They thought it was strange she was not with us or you and wanted to check on her to make sure she was okay… I’m so sorry Blake, I didn’t even remember tonight was a grand reopening with all of this happening.”
“Call them right now and tell them to stall. To follow. FUCK! Don’t let her out of their sight.” Grabbing my keys, we rush to our cars.
“Blake, get in the car with me,” Detective Barge warns, and I do. He is already on the phone with dispatch to get his team over to Paramour. I call Nash, knowing he and the crew are behind us.
“Any update?”
“They saw her get into a black escalade with tinted windows. Followed by three others. No license plate, the cars all look unmarked.”
I slam my fist into the dash. “Calm down there, diva. Don’t go breaking my shit.” I laugh.
“Amity calls me a diva bitch sometimes.”
“Well hell, I can see why.” He earns my icy glare as he calls back in to dispatch to block off all exits and roads leading to the highway from Paramour. “Even if they split up the vehicles to throw us off, we will trap them.”
“I sure hope so,” I murmur, then pray in my head just let my girl be safe.