That’s odd, I thought they were automatic. Unless…
The low crackle of thunder outside sounds, and I groan.
Power outage. Great.
I glance at my watch, haphazardly hanging by the latch. I click it to get some light to see where the fuck I’m going. I believe the bathroom was to the right…
Lightning crashes again, lighting up the hallway. Odd shapes and shadows form, like monsters from a children’s book. This house is unfamiliar to me, and so I’m sure everything is going to look weird on account of his gothic design taste. Which is also very badass.
I manage to find my way to the bathroom and take my piss, and when I’m done, I move to head back to bed when I hear a creak. I stand in the darkness, waiting to hear it again. Was it the floorboards creaking? The foundation settling? Or just my wild ass imagination.
Just as I move to go back to bed, I hear it again.
I freeze, because this time it sounded close.
Is it Sloane? Is he up?
Anticipation and arousal lace through me atthatthought. Maybe he’s decided to go for round two, which if that is the case…
I am not going to say no, but I’ll definitely make him work for it.
“Sloane… is that you?” I whisper. He doesn’t answer. I take two steps forward into the shadows.
“Sloane…” I call out a little louder. “If you’re trying to sneak up on me, I can hear you,” I bite petulantly, hoping to bait him enough to show himself. Another creak. It sounds like it’s right next to—
A hand is over my mouth, cold pungent fabric and chemical smells assaulting my nose. The taste is vile. Sharp, acrid. Another arm wraps around my waist and I’m pulled back against someone. But something’s wrong. He smells different. He smells like…
“Try again, baby.”
My blood chills and panic laces through me like the lightning that lights up the hallway. Harsh hands turn my head, forcing me to gaze into familiar dark eyes, rimmed in shadow and darkness and fear strikes me as I lay my eyes on the last person I ever thought I’d seehere.
I try to scream, but I can’t.
“Shhh…” Robbie says as I try to wrestle free from his hold, my vision starts to blur and my legs feel wobbly and my arms go limp. “It’ll all be over soon, sweetheart,” he purrs as darkness pulls me under.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Sloane
I wake in a cold sweat as thunder crashes outside. I turn over, reaching for Oliver, but all I feel is a cold spot.
“Oliver,” I whisper. No answer comes, and the instant panic hits me. “Oliver!” I call out. Silence. “He’s fine,” I tell myself. “Probably just went to the bathroom, or—”
My phone vibrates on the nightstand, LED light shining in the space.
I notice the caller immediately. Chickadee. It’s damn near 11:30.
I answer without hesitation.
“Chickadee, is everything okay—”
“The building’s blacked out," she says in a panic. “Ericson says there’s been a massive data breach. They think it’s a hacker, but—”
My blood chills as lightning crashes outside, lighting up the equipment in my room, turning it all to ominous monstrous shadows.
A sinking feeling forms in my gut.
“When did the servers go down?” I ask, trying to remain calm.
