Hold Me (12 page)

My breath catches in my throat. “What do you mean get killed? How do you know that?” I remember Prescott’s death, but I push the thought away. I shouldn’t be jumping to conclusions.

“Can’t you just trust me? We’ve been friends for a long time.” She stares down at her hands.

“And why can’t you just tell me the whole truth?”

“Because I don’t want to get you involved in this. The less you know, the better. Just cut your ties to Caleb and those people.”

“What people? Alessandra? She’s the one who introduced me to Caleb in the first place.” I frown.

“Well, she didn’t tell you the truth. It’s for a reason.” Katherine bares her teeth. “Honestly, I don’t know how she can do it. Set you up with Caleb despite knowing everything.”

“Are you going to tell me or are you just going to keep feeding me bits and pieces that don’t make any sense to me? You know me, Katherine. I won’t tell anyone if you just tell me truth. No one has to know, especially if it’s something so important. You can trust me. And you know that if you don’t tell me, I’m going to drive myself crazy with wondering and then I’ll end up doing all the things you don’t want me to just because I want to find out.”

Her shoulders sag forward. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but please don’t freak out.”

I nod.

“Caleb is a sex slave,” she says, and I gape at her, then burst into nervous laughter.

“Really? That’s what you’re going to say? Do you think I’m crazy enough to believe that? A sex slave?” I want to get up and leave, but I’m too shocked to move. “If you want me to stay away from him, just tell me you like him or that you slept with him or something, but don’t tell me these... these awful lies.”

“I’m not lying,” she says. “Did you see that tattoo on his hip? It’s a mark of ownership. He belongs to a man named Raphael.”

I know Caleb has a tattoo, and that he never told me what it is, but that doesn’t mean it’s some weird ownership mark. “How do you know that?”

Her gaze meets mine. “Because I’ve seen it before.”

“Right, so let’s assume you’re telling the truth, and Caleb belongs to someone.” I sound ridiculous to myself just by saying it. “Is that like some sex club thing? Alessandra mentioned some parties...”

“I told you, he’s a sex slave, and I meant it. It’s real and not some game he’s playing.”

I’m about to laugh again. “That doesn’t make any sense. If he was a sex slave, he’d never even get to meet me. He’d be locked up in some dungeon or something, not walking around with me to parties and restaurants. I would’ve noticed it.”

“Do you really think the only way for someone to be a slave is if they have a collar and chain and are locked up somewhere?” She snorts.

“No... I’m just saying he’d have said something to me or wouldn’t even want to be with me... I...” I shake my head. The idea is so ludicrous that I can’t wrap my mind around it. “And you’re always so sensitive about such things. You would’ve called the cops already.”

“No one ever threatened your life, did they?” She tilts her head.

“Is someone threatening you?” I lean forward. “Just tell me. I know who to contact. I can help you.”

She rolls her eyes. “Things aren’t so simple. You don’t know what it’s like to fear for your life or the lives of your loved ones. And you can’t just run off to your cop friend and solve everything in less than a minute.”

“True, but you can’t just let someone...”

“Go ahead then.” Katherine gives me a challenging look. “Call your cop. See how well that plays out. At best, your boy toy will end up in jail. At worst, well... you’ll never see him again.”

I gape at her, still not quite sure I believe her. The whole thing seems so surreal. And why would Alessandra ever hook me up with such people? “No, there has to be another explanation for this.”

“There isn’t. You can ask Caleb all you want about it. He’ll deny everything. Trust me. Raphael has ways of controlling him. Caleb will never betray him.” She’s clenching her hands into fists. “You don’t know what his life’s like... I could be wrong, though.” She shrugs. “Caleb could actually be one of those who signed up for such a twisted thing, but I doubt it. Raphael is just one of the men who run an elite prostitution ring here. There’s a reason they’re still in business after all this time. They have connections everywhere and means of making sure everyone keeps quiet about it.”

“Wait, how do you know this Raphael guy? Do you know what he looks like? We can find out more about him and get him arrested.” Even if Raphael is bribing other cops or is friends with them, I’m sure my friend Lloyd would find a way to get the justice done.

Katherine licks her lips as if contemplating what to tell me. “Someone took me to one of his parties once.” She picks at her fingernails. “Everyone was wearing masks, so I don’t really know what he looks like, but I heard and saw things that... I don’t really want to talk about.”

That sounds illogical. How could Katherine have ended up at that party and heard such things? Surely no one would be so stupid to talk openly about sexual slavery in front of unknown people, even with masks and everything. “You have to tell me everything. Don’t you get it? We can find a way to help everyone and put those twisted people where they belong. What do they have on you that you’re so afraid of them?”

She takes a deep breath and looks up at me. “Quit being so naïve. I know you’re used to getting your way in almost everything, but if you want to stay alive and don’t want your life ruined, you’ll forget you ever found out anything and stay away.”

“Forget... I can’t just forget! If what you’re saying is true, then we have to do something...”

“Just stay away from Caleb. You’ll do both of you a favor.”

As I stare at her, I wonder if this whole thing is something she came up with to separate me from Caleb, but I’m not sure. I haven’t seen any signs that Caleb was with me against his will... But then I remember the pills. What if Caleb works for Raphael to get the drugs or whatever those pills are? “I sent payments to Caleb. Someone should be able to track that account. I can see if the money is going to Caleb or to someone else...”

“Please, don’t be ridiculous. Those accounts are untraceable.”

“And you know all that from just one party?” I raise an eyebrow at her. “Damn it, Kat. Whatever you tell me about yourself, I promise it won’t leave this room. I’ll never bring it up again, okay?”

She worries on her bottom lip, then finally nods. “Okay. Remember a couple of years ago when I went to Paris for three months and didn’t tell you?”

I’m surprised by the change of subject. “Yeah, of course. I was mad at you for not contacting me, but your parents assured me I’d hear from you when you came back. They said you needed some time for yourself.”

“And you almost didn’t forgive me for that.” A trace of a smile tugs at Katherine’s lips.

“Yeah, but in the end I did. So what does that have to do with any of this?” Will she finally admit that everything she told me is just a story to separate me from Caleb?

“My parents lied to you. And later, I lied too,” she says quietly. “I was never in Paris for those three months. I was kidnapped.”

“What?” My heart skips a beat. My whole world seems to have tilted upside down, and it takes me a moment to be able to focus again.

“I was returning from a club when a van stopped right next to me and masked men grabbed me. I was taken to a man... Raphael’s friend... who made me his slave.” She grits her teeth. “You don’t know how many times I just wished he would kill me... and there were other times when... I hoped he’d just look at me with love in his eyes. Three months... three months of hell. Luckily, my father’s investigators found me and... saved me. My father paid a lot of money and he and my captor reached an agreement because I wasn’t just any girl. None of us wanted the press and the world to ever find out about what happened to me... I don’t think I’d ever be able to look anyone in the eye on the street if they found out the whole truth...”

“Oh God, Kat.” I go over to her and pull her into my arms.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I just... I couldn’t. I needed to forget and get back to my life as if nothing happened. And they forbade me to tell anyone... It’s a part of the agreement we made to get me my freedom back.”

“So the men who kidnapped you... and that man who... They’re still out there somewhere?”

She nods.

I sit next to her, my arm still around her as she leans her head on my shoulder. I can’t even begin to imagine what she’s been through and I want to hunt down the people who hurt her. When she came back from what I thought was just a vacation, she started drinking more and was no longer interested in serious relationships, just one night flings with different guys.

I thought it was just a phase she was going through, a new way of fun she’d discovered in Paris, but now... now I know the truth is far more horrifying. But if Katherine was able to keep the truth from me for so long, then it shouldn’t surprise me if Caleb is doing it too. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve known you wouldn’t just leave without a word.”

“You couldn’t have known, but I hope you’ll stay away from Caleb. I don’t know if he works willingly for Raphael, but you should stay away from all of them.” She pulls away from me, her eyes filled with unshed tears. “I tried to help one girl I met while I was... She’s dead. Because of me. Because I stupidly thought I could help. But she didn’t have any family or anyone who could look for her, so... no one even knows or cares that she’s dead.” She grabs my arm suddenly. “Promise me you’ll let this go. Don’t get involved. Nothing good will come out of it.”

I give her a brief nod, but I can’t really do what she’s asking of me. I can’t just turn my back on Caleb if he needs my help. I have to find out exactly what’s going on with Raphael, Caleb, and everyone else. Maybe Katherine doesn’t believe anything can be done, but I have to try.

Caleb leans against the wall, closing his eyes and resting his forehead on his arm. How could Lilith’s friend have recognized the tattoo? He’d never seen the woman before, and yet, what if Lilith decides to believe her? He doesn’t know how close the two of them are. If Lilith realizes what he really is... He clenches his teeth. No, she can’t. It would break his heart if she did.

She would probably never want to see him again. And if Raphael found out, he’d never let him out again. Caleb takes a shaky breath, and when he hears someone’s footsteps behind him, he quickly opens his eyes and turns around. He sighs in relief when he sees Isaac coming toward him. Isaac’s eyes are troubled, and there’s a fresh bruise under his left cheek, but he doesn’t seem to be bothered by it.

“What’s wrong?” Isaac asks.

“She knows,” Caleb says and chews on his lower lip. “She fucking knows.”

“What are you talking about?” Isaac frowns.

“Lilith,” Caleb whispers, eyeing the guard across the room. There’s no way the guard can hear him from that far away. “Her friend saw my tattoo and somehow recognized it.”

“You know what that means. Who’s the friend? One of Raphael’s?”

Caleb shakes his head. “I don’t think so. She wouldn’t have revealed the truth to Lilith for no reason. You know Raphael would never allow it. I’ve never seen her before anywhere and I didn’t recognize her voice. How can she know?” He raises his dark eyes toward Isaac.

“Maybe she was at a masked party. You wouldn’t have seen her face then, especially if she was at the other end of the room.” Isaac shrugs. “But if she knows everything, then she won’t tell anyone or let your Lilith tell anyone because that would be stupid.”

“I know. I just... told Lilith that we shouldn’t be seeing each other before she could ask me anything.” He glances at his feet.

“Good. If it was one of Raphael’s tests, then you did well.” Isaac claps him on the shoulder, a small smile breaking on his face. “If it were me, I’d have told her every single last detail.”

Caleb gives him a hard look. “And lost your life in the process.”

“Eh.” Isaac waves his hand. “It’ll happen eventually anyway.”

Caleb wants to tell him not to be so pessimistic, but he doesn’t, because he knows Isaac is right.

“That’s not what’s really bothering you, is it?” Isaac tilts his head. “You like her. You really like her, and now she knows the ugly truth. Or maybe she knew it all along, and that’s what hurts you the most. Maybe she’s only teasing you. I doubt she doesn’t know exactly what’s going on. Raphael’s clients always know and they don’t give a damn.”

Caleb shifts on his feet. “I thought...” He runs his hand across his face. “I thought she’d be different. When I’m with her, everything... everything is so normal. And now, I don’t think I can ever see her again. I don’t want to. I can’t look her in the eye, especially if she had me fooled the whole time.” He meets Isaac’s gaze. “Do you really think it’s just Raphael playing mind games with me?”

“I don’t know, but forget about her. Nothing good will come out of it.” Isaac freezes as more of Raphael’s men enter the room, and he takes a step away from Caleb, who quietly observes the men.

Still, somewhere deep inside, Caleb is hoping that Lilith isn’t like the rest of his clients. The thought that she tricked him is unbearable, and suddenly, taking one of the pills he’s stored in his room sounds like a great idea. All he can think about is her, and he wants to get her out of his head. Maybe she’s already forgotten about him and moved on to someone else, a decent guy. Yeah, that would be the best.