Chapter 2
Chapter Two
BLAIR
Iblink, trying to adjust to the dim light that took away the pitch-black. My eyes burn with tears, but I try to push them back. Crying leads you nowhere in life. I learned that lesson years ago. But I hate the darkness.
I wasn't always that way, but when life pushes in and it's the only thing that cloaks you, you appreciate the light a whole lot more, and you never want to go back, scared it will consume the rest of you.
The heavy steps make me flinch with each one, not sure what is coming next.
At least I'll get to see it coming this time.
I sharply inhale when I meet the eyes of Eros Marino.
One might think it’s because I’m scared out of my mind, but that’s not the only reason. He is stunningly handsome in person.
What the fuck, Blair!? We hate the Marinos. How could I not after I tried to help but all that got me was getting knocked around, drugged, and now put inside of a creepy-ass room? The smell of dirt and bleach with a dash of something metallic fills the stale, thick air.
Metallic? Oh shit. Blood. That’s what I smell. It’s freaking blood and bleach. I believe those two items are at the top of a list for a murder room; the only thing missing is plastic to line the floor, but perhaps it isn't necessary. Not when I see the drain that’s been installed.
Eros stares at me, and I stare right back.
I've never met him. Of course I know of him.
I'm friends with Kinsley, who is in deep with one of his brothers.
It's difficult to keep track of all the Marinos; there are so many of them, and I didn't grow up in this city.
I learned about them the old-fashioned way: gossip.
Plus, Damon, who is Eros's brother, and I have a bit of an understanding or maybe appreciation for the other.
We at times will feed each other information.
That's how Damon is. He seems to know everyone and everything, and he reports back to his other brother, Jax.
Fucking Jax. Really, it's all his fault.
Okay, it might be Kinsley's too, but why blame her when I can blame him?
Then again, maybe I don't much like her anymore either.
Where is she right now? I had her back. I fucking killed someone for her.
All right, I admit that I might have killed him for my own reasons as well, but the dipshit, also our freaking teacher, who kidnapped us intended to kill me first. I didn't know a small shove down stairs would instantly kill you. I'll keep that in mind for next time. Maybe I won’t push so hard if I’m ever in that situation again—or maybe I will.
"Are we having a staring contest?" I finally speak when he doesn't. This must be some intimidation tactic.
He doesn't answer; his head only cocks to the side slightly. I can tell that I’ve surprised him a bit with my response.
"Well, I love true crime podcasts—not the ones about my life, but that's for another day.
And don't think because you're all quiet I'll start spilling all my secrets to fill the silence," I tell him before pressing my lips together to help myself stay true to that.
Being quiet really isn't my strong suit. I should have learned better by now, but old habits, I suppose.
“Name,” he commands.
“How do you not know my name?” I wish he wouldn’t insult my intelligence. The Marinos are the ones that took me. I know without a doubt he didn’t come here blind. He knows as many details as his family could access.
This whole thing is absolutely ridiculous. One second I was trying to help Kinsley, then running for my life, and next I’m grabbed with a needle being stuck into me. Then I awoke, and I was here. I’m really not in the mood for Eros’s crap. It's already been a long day.
“Name,” he repeats.
“Is Kinsley okay?” Not that I care. She abandoned me.
“The girl is fine. Now. name.”
“Blair,” I give. This whole thing is exhausting, and I’m annoyed.
“You’re a real one.” I suck in a breath loud enough for him to hear, really giving myself away. I don’t respond. I’m not that girl anymore. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. “You want out of here?”
“No, I was planning a vacation here.” I bite the inside of my cheek. So not the time. I know of Eros. The rumors around him are far scarier than those of his brothers.
He takes a step closer; the man's face is unreadable. It’s all hard lines with a strong jaw.
When did jaws become attractive? Why am I imagining how it would feel against my lips?
I think I’m losing it. Whatever I was given to knock me out is clearly still partly in control of my thoughts.
Maybe there was some X or something in there heightening my senses.
"I don't understand why I'm here. I didn't do anything."
"You had nothing to do with being kidnapped with Kinsley?"
"Looky there, a full sentence." Oh my God! "Sorry, it's the drugs."
"Drugs?" Now he clears all the space between us. He grips the top of my head, like all over it, tilting my head back. How big are his freaking hands? My head isn't giant, but holy shit. Suddenly, a light is shone in my eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"What drugs are you on?"
"I don't know, and get that out of my eyes!" His hold on my head releases, and he takes half a step back, flicking the flashlight he pulled out of thin air back off. "You all are the ones that stuck me with the drugs. You should ask your family what cocktail they gave me.”
"Oh, the sedative." Oh, the sedative, because yeah, that's normal. "Are you having side effects from it?" Does he actually care, or is this some sort of trick?
"Yeah, the side effect is waking up tied to a chair." Eros moves, pulling a knife out, making my stomach drop as he falls out of my line of sight. "What, what are you doing?" I stutter over my words. I hate how scared I sound.
"Fixing your side effects," he says as the bindings fall away that have kept me in the chair.
"Thanks," I say, even though I shouldn't. I don’t move.
Where the hell would I go? I do, however, take the chance to get a better look at the room I’m in. When I woke, it was to pure blackness. The thought alone makes me shiver.
“Are you cold?” I shake my head no. “What happened to your knees?” I flinch when he touches my thigh right above one. I’d fallen when one of the kidnappers took us. He pushed me; hence, I pushed him back. I was clever enough to push him back while we were on the stairs. "Does it hurt?"
"Does it matter? Aren't you about to hurt me?" I flick a glance over to a long table against the wall. It's littered with all kinds of contraptions. Ones I know are not used for good either.
"Answer the question."
I puff an annoyed breath. "One of the men who took us pushed me."
"His name."
"Jim McIntyre."
"He's dead."
"I know. I was the one who pushed him down the stairs." Eros's eyes widen a fraction before he quickly goes back to the emotionless expression. It was so quick I'm not sure it actually happened.
"Good girl." He holds his hand out. Did he really call me a good girl? And why does it make my insides melt a little?
Side effect of the drugs. Yep, that's what it is. "Take my hand," he orders. I lick my dry lips.
"If I don't?"
"Then I'll carry you out. It will be difficult.
It's a ladder, but I'll manage." That doesn’t sound too appealing, so I decide my best bet is to follow his order. Getting out of this place is priority number one. I’m not going to ask a million questions about why he is allowing me to leave. I don’t want to chance him changing his mind.
I place my hand into his; it's rough, but when he closes it around mine, the hold is gentle.
“This way.” His hand nudges my hip, causing me to jump, and he releases my hand. “The ladder.” He motions for me to go up first. When I put one of my boots onto the rung of the ladder, it’s then I remember I’m in a skirt.
“I’m in a skirt.” I point it out as if he can’t see that for himself.
“I know.”
“Don’t be a perv.” This might be me being crazy, but I could see a Marino killing me, but I can’t see one being a Peeping Tom.
“It’s safer. If you fall, I’ll catch you.” We have another staring contest. It feels like if I fall to my death, that might be easier for both of us. “Come on, Hellcat. I won’t peek unless you want me to.” My mouth falls open, and I quickly close it.
Right, he's not going to steal a glance at my panties. I'm sure women throw themselves at him. Even if the rumors about him are rather dark compared to the other Marino boys. Some girls eat that shit up, thinking they can fix a man. Hell, I can't even fix myself. No way I’m trying to fix anyone else. You can’t save people that don’t want to be saved, and most don’t want to be.
They’d rather that darkness consume all of them.
I place my other foot on the ladder and start to go up. I only make it a couple of steps before my foot slips right off. These combat boots aren't made for this. They are all for show. I catch myself at the same time that Eros catches me, too. His hands slip right up my skirt and cup my ass.
“Oh my God,” I hiss. This is mortifying.
“Only trying to catch you, Hellcat.” His hold tightens a fraction, and then he pulls his hands back slowly, making sure I have my balance again.
Once I get my bearings fully, I move quicker up the ladder until I come to a dead end. I push up on it, but nothing.
"Don't move," Eros orders.
"Yeah, I was going to fly right out." The fuck was I going to move to?! When Eros doesn't respond, I glance down and notice that he is trying to suppress a smirk.
"All right." And then he moves over me. I freeze as his body brushes against mine. His scent surrounds me, and I swear I have to catch myself from leaning back into him more. His hand pushes against the hatch, and it opens easily for him. “Up you go,” he says when I don’t move. Right. I hurry the last few steps out.
“Holy crap.” I push myself to my feet to see that I’m in the middle of the woods. “This is some Texas Chainsaw Massacre shit.” Good thing he decided to let me out of there because there was no way in hell that anyone was going to find me.
“Chainsaws aren’t my style.” Eros drops the hatch back down, spinning a handle thing on the top before grabbing a fake piece of grass to cover it.
I wrap my arms around myself, realizing how messed up this is and the danger I’m in.
They had me underground in the middle of nowhere.
They could have killed me, and no one would know.
It would likely take a few days for anyone to notice I was gone.
I’m not sure which one of those is more upsetting.
Binx would notice, but he’s a cat that can’t talk and doesn’t have opposable thumbs. It really puts him at a disadvantage for a rescue mission.
"Are you sure you're not cold?" Eros comes to stand in front of me. I already thought the man was big, but somehow, he appears even bigger now. I shake my head no.
Eros's eyes search my face. “Fuck, you’re beautiful.” His brows lift like he’s surprised by his own words.
That makes two of us. There is no way this man thinks I’m beautiful.
I’m sure I’m a hot mess, but not only that, I want to be called goth or emo.
It’s better if people believe my vibe runs on the darker side.
I'm sure a therapist would have a field day with it. That I use it as a shield. The black nails and heavy eyeliner go with my natural jet-black hair and combat boots. It’s really the only way to express yourself when you have to wear a school uniform every day.
"Are you just going to stare at me? I do have school tomorrow."
"You're not going to school."
"What?"
"Come on." His hand goes to my back, nudging me toward the black SUV. He opens the door for me.
"Not the trunk?"
"No, you'll wear a seat belt. Now, in."
This man is so confusing. His tone is firm, bearing no argument, but there is also this level of care in it. It's messing with my head, but I do as I'm told. I don't want to be left out in the middle of the woods when night is quickly pressing in.
Eros reaches in, opening the glovebox, where I see a gun. He grabs a cloth thing. "Going to cover your eyes."
"Why?" I shouldn’t really have the audacity to be asking questions right now, but he answers them.
"You can't know where the hole is." He covers my eyes with it before tying it in the back.
"Is this a supersecret location or something? Do you have to blindfold everyone that comes here?" Eros buckles my seat belt for me.
"No, you're the first to come out of it alive."
I open and then close my mouth, not sure how to respond to that.
Do I thank him for not killing me? Instead, I just keep my lips pressed together and fight the urge to cry again.
Not because of Eros but because of Kinsley and Damon.
They know I'm here, and they just left me to die.
I truly have no one who cares about me in this world.