Please Save Me (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (11 page)

“You need to see a doctor. Sit down before you fall down,” Steve ordered Dorian.

“No. I’m fine. I’ve had a lot worse.”

“I’m sure you have, but it looks like you need stitches in your head.” Steve headed to the bathroom to get some antiseptic. He was back moments later.

“Nah, just patch it up for me. Hey, I remember a funny smell before I was knocked out,” Dorian began and then hissed when Steve poured disinfectant on his head wound.

“Sorry. What smell?”

“It was like tobacco, garlic, and mint.”

“Fuck, I know who it is. That sounds like Jose Santiago. He works for us, but he hasn’t been with us for long. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that reek coming off of him. It was enough to make a grown man gag.”

“Do you know where he lives?”

“No, but I’ll bet money on it that his details are on Selina’s computer.”

“I’ll find them, you call the local sheriff and tell them what you suspect. Wait! Why would this Santiago want Selina?”

“I have no idea,” Steve replied.

“Someone who works for you wouldn’t be questioned if they came into the office. They could pass on information,” Dorian speculated.

“Joe,” they both said at the same time.

“How long do you think he’s been here?” Dorian asked.

“I have no fucking idea,” Steve replied and ran his hand through his hair. His gut had a knot the size of a football lodged in it, his muscles were so tight with tension he felt like he could snap at any moment, and he felt sick to his stomach. He was so scared for his woman, he was on the edge of control.

Just as that thought coalesced, his lover came storming through the front door. Gary looked like he felt. Ready to explode at the slightest provocation, and he didn’t even know about Selina yet. Steve took a step toward him but stopped again. He was dreading this, because he knew Gary too well. His lover was going to go ballistic.

“What’s going on? Where’s Selina?”

Steve took a deep breath and exhaled. He moved to Gary and wrapped his arms around his lover, speaking quietly. He tightened his hold on Gary as he explained that Selina was missing. Tears formed in his eyes as Gary roared with pain and fury.

It took both him and Dorian to hold Gary down. He knew if they hadn’t, Gary would have gone on a rampage of destruction through the office until his rage had abated and his common sense kicked in. Finally his lover slumped down onto the sofa, breathing heavily but once again in control. Dorian reached for the phone and called the police while he continued to talk to and calm Gary.

Just as Dorian went back to searching for Jose on Selina’s PC, the law arrived, and Steve began explaining to Detectives Crispin and Russ what he knew. By the time they were finished, the detectives had a copy of Jose’s address and the sun was beginning to set.

“Keep away from Santiago’s,” one of the detectives commanded from the entrance. “I don’t need you two getting in our way.”

Steve exhaled heavily as the door closed with a click and looked at Gary. He could see the fear and pain clearly on his lover’s face and knew he probably had the same look in his eyes.

“Do you want me to stake out Jose’s place?” Dorian asked.

“Can you get in there without getting caught?” He held up his hand in placation when Dorian scowled at him. “Sorry, don’t answer that. I know you can. Yeah, if you can get to that bastard and find Selina, I’d be grateful.”

“Okay. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.” Dorian headed out.

“So, what now?” Gary asked.

“There’s nothing we can do until we know who has our girl. I guess we just sit tight and wait.”

“Fuck that, Steve. I can’t just sit around doing nothing,” Gary yelled. “We have to find her, man. God knows what they’re doing to her.”

“You think I’m not worried! Fuck, Gary, I’m so torn up I feel sick, but what else can we do?”

“I don’t know, but I can’t just sit and wait. Did Dorian get the call from his buddy yet?” Gary asked.

“What? Oh, no, not that I know of. I’m sure if the search on Joe had been completed he would have told us. These things take time, man. You know that.”

“Fuck, I hate this shit,” Gary snapped.

Steve knew exactly how Gary felt, because he was sick with worry as well. But it wasn’t just for Selina. He was scared that if they didn’t get her back, he would lose Gary, too, and that thought ripped pain through his chest so severely, he nearly doubled over with it.

Selina had a jackhammer pounding inside her skull and a queasy stomach. Her shoulders were screaming with pain, her hands and fingers were numb, and her body was one big mass of aches. But she was alive. She thanked God she was still breathing.

It took her a few tries to open her eyes, which felt glued shut, but when she had them open to slits, she wished she’d kept them closed. Bile rushed up, and she was just in time to hang her head over whatever she was lying on as she emptied the contents of her stomach. When she was finished she flopped back onto what she realized was a bed and whimpered with pain. Her vision was blurry, and all she wanted to do was drift back to the obliviousness of sleep. It didn’t take a miracle worker to know she was suffering from a concussion.

But she wasn’t about to give in. Gazing around the unfamiliar room, she took note of the one exit and then let her eyes wander over to the windows on the left side of the room. The sun was just beginning to set, and she hoped that Gary and Steve knew she was missing by now. She prayed that Dorian wasn’t hurt badly and had been able to raise an alarm.

Shifting on the bed caused her to whimper with pain and her stomach to churn again, so she held still and breathed deeply until the nausea was under control once more. She was so tired and thirsty, and she just wanted to be back in the arms of the two men she loved with her whole heart.

She had never loved anyone the way she did Gary and Steve, and if she got out of this alive, she was going to ask them to marry her. Her current situation pointed out to her how precarious life really was. She didn’t want to lose Steve and Gary, since she had just found them. Life was too short not to go after something or someone she wanted with her whole heart and soul. If she survived, she was going to wrap herself around the loves of her life and hold on tight. There was no way in hell she was risking them slipping away from her.

Convention be damned. She didn’t care that she would probably be the subject of gossip and labeled a whore for loving two men. Life was too short to worry about what other people thought. She knew in the eyes of God it couldn’t possibly be wrong to love two men.

Footsteps sounded outside the closed bedroom door, and Selina quickly closed her eyelids and concentrated on breathing deeply. Maybe Joe would leave her alone if he thought she was still unconscious.

Curses followed the footsteps when they stopped inside the door to the room, and Selina was secretly pleased she had made a mess. Whoever had taken her would have to clean up after her.

“Jose, get the fuck in here and clean this up.”

Oh shit
. She knew that voice. It was Joe. She also knew that name but couldn’t quite remember where she’d heard it before. Jose came shuffling into the room, and the smell of bleach wafted to her nose. That mixed with the scent of garlic, tobacco, mint, and cologne was enough to make her want to toss her cookies again.

“Why do I have to clean it up? She’s your responsibility. You’re the one who wanted to kidnap her,” Jose whined.

“Just do the hell what you’re fucking told,” Joe commanded.

“She’s nothing special. Why did you want her anyway?”

“Mind your own fucking business.”

“Sure, man, don’t get your panties in a twist. You know the bosses are gonna find her.”

“Are you sure you weren’t followed or didn’t leave a trail?” Joe asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Fuck, that guy in the office with her was one big, mean son of a bitch. I’m glad I was able to knock him out and didn’t have to shoot him.”

Hands grabbed at her upper arms and moved her across the bed, and even though she bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to draw blood, she couldn’t stop a cry of pain from erupting between her lips.

“Ah, so you’re awake. Been playing possum, have we? Leave us,” Joe snapped.

Selina heard the door to the bedroom slam closed and slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was still very hazy, and her stomach revolted with the movement as Joe continued to drag her across the mattress.

“What do you want?” she asked in a croaky voice. “Why are you doing this to me, Joe? I’ve never done anything to you.”

“You see there. That is the problem. You weren’t supposed to break up with me. I am the one to end relationships if I feel they aren’t going anywhere. You didn’t have to get a restraining order on me. Now, that wasn’t very nice at all.”

“You’re crazy,” Selina whispered as she looked into his blank eyes and knew that her statement was true. Joe was definitely lacking something in the brain department.

“That might be so, but you and I are going to have some fun real soon. No one breaks up with me and gets away with it. Now, let’s see about getting you cleaned up. I can’t have my bride looking and smelling like something the cat dragged in, now, can I?”

Selina held still while Joe worked on removing the rope from about her wrists. When her hands were released and hung uselessly by her sides, thousands of tiny needles of excruciating pain traveled down her arms to her fingertips as blood flowed back into her starving limbs. Tears rolled down her face, and she whimpered in pain. Once the rope was removed from around her ankles, Joe pulled her to her feet and she stood, swaying as dizziness assailed her.

He grabbed her by her wrists and pulled her into the bathroom adjoining the bedroom and began to remove her clothes. She tried desperately to get her mind to command her useless limbs, but no matter how hard she tried to move, her arms wouldn’t obey her brain. Tears streamed from her eyes with shame as she finally stood before him naked. Turning on the shower, with one hand still shackled around one of her wrists, he then pushed her into the cool water.

“Wash your hair and body for me, my love. I want you squeaky clean for the wedding,” Joe insisted.

Selina couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Surely he didn’t think she would just stand at his side docilely while they got married? Turning her head toward the door when she heard it close, she sighed with relief when she realized Joe had left her alone.

Working quickly, she shook her arms hard and fast, speeding up the circulation in her limbs, and then set about washing herself. She was done in minutes but left the shower running as she dried and dressed. She went to the small window high up in the room and tried to reach it from the floor, but she wasn’t tall enough. Growling with frustration, she looked around the room to use something to climb on. Spying a small plastic trash can, she pulled it across to beneath the window, held her breath, and stepped up. She prayed it would hold her weight and be tall enough to give her the added height she needed.

* * * *

Gary and Steve had just finished eating when Dorian entered the kitchen. Gary got up and got the plate he’d left in the fridge for their friend.

“Did you find anything?” Gary asked, placing the microwave-heated food in front of Dorian and taking his seat again.

“No. The place was empty. From the looks of it, Jose’s strapped for cash. He has no furniture, just the bare necessities.”

“I thought Jose was married with a kid,” Gary said and looked at Steve.

“Me, too. Maybe they split up.”

“Well, something’s not right,” Dorian stated.

“What do you mean?”

“All his clothes are gone.”

“Shit.”

“Normally I would say so, but my gut’s telling me no,” Dorian explained.

“Do you have any ideas on what’s going on?” Gary asked.

“I think your man is on Joe’s payroll, like I said before.”

“Wait. Let me get this straight. You two think that Joe has hired Jose to help him get to Selina?” Gary asked. “Why the hell didn’t you mention that before, Steve? Fuck!”

“Don’t go off half-cocked, Gary. We don’t know anything for sure.” Dorian’s cell phone chose that moment to chirp.

“Yeah, okay, hang on,” Dorian spoke into the phone and then looked to him and Steve. “Have you got a pen and notepad?”

Gary rushed to get them and placed the items on the table in front of Dorian.

“Go ahead.”

Gary watched as Dorian wrote on the paper without speaking. As the person on the other end continued talking, Dorian’s face got grimmer and his jaw clenched harder.

“Thanks, man, I owe you,” Dorian said and ended the call.

“What have you got?” Gary asked.

“Joe’s not who he says he is. Joe Cox is one of ten aliases. His real name is Michael Jones, and he is a known sociopath. He is wanted in five other states for the murder of seven women. He charms the women into dating him, and when the relationship ends, he stalks them. It doesn’t matter if they end up in bed with him or not. The seven he’s killed are the only ones reported missing. God knows how many other women he’s killed. He is thirty-eight years old and has lived in ten different states in the last eight years. He was in and out of psychiatric hospitals when he was in his teens and early twenties, but he fell off the radar after that. He has warrants out for his arrest, but he keeps changing his name and credentials.”