Coming Undone (14 page)

“I’m not hiding.”

Carter snorted. “Could’ve fooled me, Stel.”

“I can’t go back,” she screamed. “That fucking house is filled with bad memories. I can’t do it.”

“This is fucked up.” Ren scrubbed a hand over his face. “You just disappeared, Stella.” He didn’t hide the anger in his voice. “You went away. Your father has been worried sick, and you’re saying it’s because you can’t deal with the memories?” He stared at her, incredulous. “Are you a fucking kid? You don’t do shit like that. We thought Salim had done something, hurt you somehow.”

She didn’t speak, just stared him down, arms folded.

“The old man’s been worried sick. You could have at least called, Stella.” Ren touched her cheek. Her lashes fluttered. He pulled away. “Let him know you were all right.”

“Like you did?”

Okay, clearly there’d be no reasoning with her. Ren got up and moved to the door. “I’m done here.” Hopefully her father would have better luck talking sense into her. Ren rubbed his temple. It had been three days since he’d left McKenna’s bed. He ached to crawl back in, wrap around her, bask in her heat.

Don’t come back unless it’s to stay.

She needed stability. She needed someone to be there with her, by her side. Someone to take care of her. She’d been doing it for herself for too long. If he could be that someone, he’d go to her in a heartbeat. Just to watch the shadows in her eyes melt away, to watch that gorgeous smile blossom. But he’d been moving since forever it felt like now, and he wasn’t sure he knew how to remain still anymore. He needed to get rid of Salim.
That he knew for sure. He hadn’t been the reason for Stella’s disappearance, but he couldn’t be allowed to mess with McKenna ever again.

Pulling his phone from his jacket pocket, Ren looked over his shoulder at Carter. “Gotta make a call.
I’ll be back.” The time was past due for him to act on what he’d been putting off. He had just the thing to put Salim in his place.

Slender arms wrapped around him from behind as he stood outside in the open doorway. He stiffened.

“Stella.”

“I’ve missed you, RJ.”

She released him, and he turned to face her. Her eyes were once again wide and hopeful. He touched her hair, pushed it away from her face like he used to do all the years ago. She leaned in to the touch. He’d loved her so much back then. Loved her with all the innocence and good intentions of his nineteen-year-old heart.

“We’re older now,” she whispered. “Nothing is in our way.” She cupped his jaw and leaned in, brushing her lips where she touched. “I haven’t stopped wanting this.”

He opened his mouth but didn’t get the chance to speak a word. Stella kissed him, a hungry press of lips, a grown-up intrusion of tongue. Ren hesitated for a second until Stella’s familiar scent and touch took over, and then he buried his fingers in her hair and matched her kisses with his own.

****

She lived a nightmare, but no matter how hard she tried, no matter how many times she pinched herself, McKenna couldn’t wake up. She hadn’t allowed herself the time to grieve her mother’s death. More accurately, Salim hadn’t left her alone.

He’d returned from his trip and ordered her to his side, only easing up the bonds long enough for her to deal with the pesky details of settling her mother’s affairs and arranging to have her cremated.

Her ashes were in a gray urn over in the brownstone. She tried not to look at it whenever she stepped into the living room, but she hadn’t had much luck with that. Lucky for her, she hadn’t had to get naked for Salim. Whatever he was dealing with had him cranky and ornery and way busy. She kept him company all day while he did meetings and whatever the hell else he did, but he kept her with him until she was damn near falling down with tiredness. Then he’d send her home. The good thing about that was she was always too damn exhausted to do anything except crawl into bed.

It had been a week since Ren left, since her life went to hell. She really was well and truly alone, and McKenna didn’t know how to deal with it, so she didn’t. She locked it all away, tight and safe from herself-examinations.

“We’re here, ma’am.”

She nodded and waited for the driver to open her door and escort her out. Salim had requested she join him for a late lunch, so she’d splashed cold water on her dull skin and applied some lip gloss. It was an imitation of her game face, but damn it, he couldn’t expect her to be all perky after her mother died. Not like he’d acknowledged it. He hadn’t once mentioned her mother’s passing.

She swallowed the bitterness, rearranging her face into something that closely resembled a smile. She wouldn’t be doing that for much longer, that much she knew. Still, she had to pick the perfect opportunity. But one way or the other she was getting away from that soul sucker. Not for the first time, she regretted not taking Ren up on his offer to deal with Salim.

The driver opened the door and offered her his arm. She crawled out of the limo with the smile in place. Inside the restaurant, she spotted Salim quickly. He wasn’t alone.

Her heart leapt to her throat and remained stuck there.

She didn’t have to be a fucking rocket scientist to know what he was up to. This soon after her mother’s death, he was back to sharing her. Why she was surprised by that, McKenna couldn’t rightly say. She walked up to Salim and his companion. The stranger wasn’t dressed like one of Salim’s regular pals. For one, he was young, judging from what she could of his face not hidden behind the dark sunglasses. He wasn’t dressed for business. He wore jeans and boots and a dark leather jacket over a black cable-knit sweater. His shoulders were wide, his skin
tanned, and his hair cut close to his scalp.

“McKenna, here you are.” Salim got to his feet to greet her. His companion followed suit.

She knitted her brow. Since when did Salim show any kind of deference to her?

“Mr. Bowen, allow me to introduce the lovely McKenna Lacey.”

What the hell had she stepped into? Salim was never that accommodating.

“Ms. Lacey.” The guy took her hand in his much larger, gloved ones and nodded once. “A pleasure to meet you.” A corner of his mouth lifted. “I’ve heard so much about you. I feel like we’re already intimately acquainted.” His hand tightened on hers.

She stiffened. She should run. Her head screamed run, but where would she go?

“Sit. Sit.” Salim
gestured. The two men waited until her ass settled into her seat before taking theirs as well.

Heart hammering in her chest, McKenna stared at the manila envelope on the table in front of Mr. Bowen. He tapped a gloved finger over it, and somehow she knew her ass was in trouble.

“Now, who wants something to drink?” Salim rubbed his hands together. She saw the glee in his eyes. He’d fucked her over once again. She just knew it.

Shit didn’t even come as a surprise anymore.

“Nothing for me,” she said softly.

“I’m not here to dine,” Bowen said sharply. “Let’s take care of this business.” He held up the envelope. “I’m sure once you see what I have in here, you’ll agree to my terms.”

Sweat pooled under McKenna’s armpits and dampened her palms. Jesus fuck. Her mind ran in all kind of crazy directions. What did that man have, and what did she have to do with it? For a moment she thought maybe he knew about Ren, but she shrugged that off. If Salim had proof she’d fucked around, he’d strangle her with his bare hands. Definitely not in public.

Unless the man was just now showing him the evidence?

McKenna bit the inside of her cheek and remained frozen in place. Sounds disappeared as she waited for the bottom to fall out from under her.

Curiosity flashed in Salim’s eyes as he took the envelope and opened it with a slide of his finger. She held her breath. He pulled out one photograph and stared at it. She couldn’t see what he looked at from her angle, but she did see his eyes flare in shock and panic before he blanked his features.

His jaw ticked.

What the hell was going on?

“There’s more where that came from,” Bowen spoke up. “Of course.”

Salim didn’t raise his gaze from the photo. “What do you want?” he barked.

Bowen laughed. “Why do you think I told you to bring your lovely female companion along?” He grinned, a blinding flash of white, straight teeth that sparked something in McKenna’s mind. Recognition. Before she could chase that thought, his words registered.

“What?” She looked from Salim to Bowen and back. “What’s going on?”

“I want her.”

“No!” She didn’t even know what she was saying no to, other than the word needed to be said. Over and over until the two men heard it and understood. She pushed her chair back.

“Don’t move!” Salim jerked his head up. “Be quiet, McKenna.”

She whimpered. The bastard couldn’t just… he couldn’t just give her away, could he? He wouldn’t simply hand her over to some questionable stranger.

The men ignored her. Bowen leaned toward Salim and spoke in a low voice. “That is only one of more than fifty photos.”

Damn it, what was in that photograph?

“It’s yours. The secrets you have can continue to remain that only if you give me what I want.” He paused and turned to McKenna. “Who I want.”

She didn’t hide the tremors his words brought. Who was this man? She couldn’t see his eyes, couldn’t make out his features. There was nothing distinctive about him, nothing markedly different other than it appeared he was blackmailing Salim in order to have her.

“Why her?” Salim asked.

Bowen shrugged. “Let’s just say that I’ve seen her in action.”

Oh God. She choked, fighting to keep from throwing up all over the table.

Salim went back to studying the photo he held.

“Do we have a deal?” The impatience showed in Bowen’s voice. “I’ve got places to be.”

“How long?” Salim’s gaze flicked to McKenna then away. “How long will you keep her?”

“No. Please,” she begged. “Don’t.” She
begged
. Both men ignored her. Tears ran down her face and she dashed them away with cold, stiff fingers.

“As long as I feel like,” Bowen answered Salim. “The fact remains, she won’t belong to you anymore.”

Those words, they should have made her happy. But she realized she much preferred the bastard she knew to the one she didn’t.

“McKenna, I’m sorry.” Salim met her gaze. Pity shone in the depths of his eyes. Pity.
For her.

“You son of a bitch,” she cried. “
Isn't it enough that I lowered myself to whore for you, for your friends?” she spat. “You’re selling me off now?”

He shrugged. “It can’t be helped.” Salim turned to Bowen. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Perfect.” Bowen got to his feet. “Let’s go, lovely McKenna Lacey.”

She heard the words but couldn’t make herself move. She couldn’t budge. Her brain and limbs had given up, shut down. She sat and stared into place,
crying silently, tears rolling down her cheeks. Impatient fingers gripped her elbow, yanked her to her feet.

“Come on.” Bowen’s fingers gripped her way too tight, but she couldn’t even make herself flinch away. “Wave good-bye.” Pressure increased as he maneuvered her out of the restaurant. She
wasn't even aware of walking out. One minute she was inside and the next a blast of winter air hit her in the face, freezing the breath in her lungs.

A limousine screeched to the curb in front of them, and the back door opened from inside.

“Come on.” Bowen pushed her in and climbed in to settle beside her. Her ass hadn’t hit the black leather before the car pulled off, tires squealing.

The motion knocked her out of her paralysis, and McKenna caught him off guard, punching him the throat.

“Fuck!” He grabbed her hand and twisted it behind her back. For some reason his hold wasn’t as brutal as it should have been. “Damn, calm down.”

“Fuck you!” she shouted. “Who the hell are you? Let me out!” She flailed. “Let me out.”

“Calm down, damn it!” He yanked her backward when she lunged for the door handle. “Sit still for a second and I’ll explain.’

Explain. Explain what? That once again she’d been fucked good and proper by Salim? Explain that she’d been sold—not even sold, bartered more like. The fight left her. She slid back on the limo seat. Her body trembled uncontrollably, but her throat felt dry, parched.

Maybe she was all cried out because the tears were no longer there.

“Look at me,” Bowen said.

She ignored him and threw her head back, eyes closed. Maybe it was a dream. A very, very bad dream, but she knew better. She always knew better.

“Look at me, McKenna. Now.” There was an “or else” missing there in his command, and if she had the heart for it, she’d point it out. Instead, she let out a sigh and turned her head. As she watched, he took off his sunglasses and held her gaze. Waiting. She squinted. What was he waiting for?

“Look at me,” he coaxed softly. “My eyes. Have you seen them before?”

“What the hell kind of question is that?” she lashed out. “I’d know if I ever came across someone as heartless as you. I’d damn sure recognize you if I—” His eyes were green. A light minty green with flecks of gold and—she knew those eyes.