Page 149

The words hit me like a boulder. I froze, my breath coming out in a painful gasp.

Fuck.

For a heartbeat—just one agonizing heartbeat—I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. My mind screamed at me to act natural, to not give anything away. The rational part of me knew I needed to move, to pretend like nothing had changed, but my body refused to obey me.

I forced myself to look up. Holland Bricks smiled at me, a tinge sadder. Like he wasn’t the one… who did all of this. Like he was innocent.

It took everything in me to return that smile.

I turned away, scanning the crowd for Layne or Asher, but didn’t find them. My pulse roared in my ears as I turned on my heel and walked toward the gate, keeping my strides even, when all I wanted was to run.

As I neared the exit, I took one last glance over my shoulder.

His smile never broke. It was like a saccharine poison. Seeping through my freezing skin.

My stomach churned as I grabbed my phone and called Layne. She didn’t pick up.

Vincent. I had to call Vincent and—

I jerked when someone grabbed my shoulder.

“Whoa. It’s me, it’s just me,” Ellis Bricks said, raising her hands.“I just got a call from Vince,” she said quickly. “He told me he tried to call you, but…” she trailed off. “So, he called to say they found where Millie is.”

“What? Where?”

“They’re checking the place out now. He wanted you to know, but for some reason, he couldn’t get through.”

I swallowed, my heart roaring in my ears.

“Don’t worry,” Ellis said softly. “Vincent is a great cop. Millie will be alright.” She smiled, and it wasn’t sad. It was… self-satisfied.

The smile that never reached her eyes, the practiced charm, the kindness that bleed like sticky sugar...

How did I miss it? She was a classic narcissist with antisocial personality disorder.

I sensed it before I felt the sting of the needle.

“I liked you, Doctor Sharma,” she whispered, leaning closer to me and the suffocating smell of lavenders.

This scent was what triggered Millie. Ellis must have worn the same perfume that day. She would have relished in the fact that it hurt Millie again. And again.

Fucking bitch!

“Jonah… Jonah. He always makes a mess,” Ellis hissed, running her long nails along my arm. My legs trembled, ready to collapse under me.

“Find him before he creates more problems,” a voice said. I didn’t have to turn to see. Holland.

“What do you want to do with this one?” Ellis asked. “Do you want me to kill her?” My eyes turned dark as the world around me faded.

“I’d love to fuck her before that.”

A short laugh. Delighted. He was already thinking about ways to hurt me, and she was loving it.

“She’s beautiful. But she’s not your type.” Ellis said, trailing her hands down my shoulder. “She’s more mine.”

“Join me, doll,” he said. “You love a good chase, and it’ll be so good, breaking her together. It has been a while.”

“I have to clean up the mess you made. She came too close, Holland. How did she do it? That shouldn’t have happened.”