“Let me talk to Aidan again first. Possibly, it was just a one-time thing. Who knows if she actually knew he was there or not. May be just a coincidence.”

Max clears his throat as he moves to the edge of his seat. “Luc, I would guess you’ll hear from Lee Jacks or someone in his employment. There’s no way he’s missed the fact I’ve been asking questions about him; he’s going to want to know why. It won’t take much digging for him to find out I work solely for Quinn Software…and you. I’ll leave it up to you to answer that question.” Unspoken between us is the fact we both know Lee Jacks is well known in the area for more than his real estate holdings. It’s long been rumored he’s well connected on both sides of the law. Undoubtedly, Max is right; a man who rides the gray line as closely as Lee Jacks will almost certainly know when someone unusual is asking personal questions about him.

“Thanks for the warning. I’ll let you know if I hear from him.” Max stands, taking my words for what they are-a polite dismissal, for now. “I’ll call you later after I speak with Aidan.” As he shuts the door behind me, I am already dialing Sam. I need to update him on Lia’s stepfather.

Lia

I set my pencil on my desk, fighting the urge to do a fist pump. My last test of the day is complete, and I know I did well. I had easily known the answers to the majority of the questions, and I am finished well ahead of schedule. I quietly make my way to the front of the classroom, handing the test to my teacher, Miss Riddle. She gives me an absent smile and waves me toward the door. I have almost an hour before Sam is picking me up. I look around the empty halls for a moment before heading toward the courtyard and the coffee shop. I’ll kill some time by having a frappe while I wait. I know he would drop everything and come early, but I don’t want to put him out; he’s already doing enough by driving me everywhere I need to go.

I text Rose when I get settled with my cold drink-hoping she’s finished early, as well-but know when there’s no immediate reply that she’s still in class. As I take the first sip of my drink, I accidently squeeze the cup too hard and the top pops off. “Shit,” I gasp as the cold, icy liquid splatters onto the front of my shirt, making an ugly stain right over my left breast. I dab it with a handful of napkins, but the stain only spreads. Just great. Now I’m stuck sitting here, or worse yet, walking around for forty-five minutes looking like I have a leaking nipple.

My bra is now uncomfortably wet and sticky, and I can’t fathom having to meet Sam looking like this. Suddenly, it hits me. My apartment is only a block away. I need to get some more clothes to take to Lucian’s anyway. He’ll be pissed if he finds out I’ve gone by myself, but if Sam mentions it, I’ll just say I met up with Rose. If I hurry, I’ll be back in plenty of time to meet Sam. Standing, I hold the still-messy cup far away from my body and throw it in the trashcan on the way out the door. I walk through the back gates of the university, skirting the delivery trucks coming and going.

When I reach our apartment building, I feel a touch of nostalgia. I have hardly been here at all the last few weeks. For all intents and purposes, I have unofficially moved in with Lucian. I’m also still cleaning his apartment, despite his various and vocal protests. I thought men liked it when women took care of them? He seems to feel guilty every time I wash a dish or a load of laundry. It’s really nothing new to me; I have always taken care of myself along with being my mother’s slave for years.

I miss the girl-time with Rose, sitting around watching a Lifetime movie while gossiping. I love going to sleep and waking up with Lucian each day, though…and the sex. Oh, my, the sex. Lucian likes it a lot, and he needs very little recovery time between. I feel my face heat just thinking of the way he touches me, possesses me. Just one look from him and I am melting in a puddle at his feet.

My face is stretched into a sappy, goofy grin, and I thinking of nothing but him as I enter our building. I stop by the mailboxes, finding mine is overflowing. As I sift through the pile, pulling out the junk mail, I am surprised more than alarmed when arms come around my body and a hand clamps over my mouth. My first thought is Rose or even Jake, though it is hardly his style to manhandle me. Lucian even runs through my mind. Maybe he’s found out I walked home and is here to give me hell over it.

When the arms tighten and I am bodily-dragged across the floor toward the now-open door that leads to the tenants’ storage lockers, I start to panic. This isn’t right. Lucian, nor any of my friends, would do this. Whoever is holding me is far stronger than Rose and taller than Jake. I am struggling now in earnest, knowing instinctively that something bad is going to happen if I am pulled through that door. My foot stomps down, connecting with the person’s foot that is holding me. I hear a grunt and then curses. “You’ll pay for that, cunt.”

The strength suddenly leaves my body. I sag weakly against my attacker as he pulls me through the door and shuts it behind us. Oh, dear God, I know that voice. Please, oh please, let me be wrong. As I am shoved roughly against a wall, a rag smelling of gas is shoved into my mouth, almost immediately followed by a wide, silver piece of tape over my lips. In my panic, I can’t breathe. I move my hands to claw at the tape, but they are wrenched above my head, restrained tightly together with the same silver tape. Stars dance behind my eyes as I start to hyperventilate. My face is roughly pulled up, forcing me to look directly into the eyes of my captor. Jim Dawson, my stepfather, stares back at me, looking triumphant. “No,” I mumble around the rag in my mouth. The spinning, black void rises to claim me, and I slump limply to the floor, barely registering the pain in my head as it connects with the metal corner of a shelf. Oblivion is what I need now, and I go into it willingly.

Chapter Nineteen

Lucian

“Sam, how long until you pick up Lia?” As soon as Max leaves my office, I pick up the phone to call Sam. He needs to be updated on Lia’s stepfather.

“I’m picking her up at three. I’m here now waiting for her.” I take a quick look at my watch, frowning when I see it’s now ten minutes past that time.

“That was ten minutes ago. Is she in the car or isn’t she?”

“No…she’s not here yet, Luc. I’m out front now, walking around the courtyard. Maybe she got held up in her last class.”

“Fuck,” I hiss; can’t anything go smoothly today? “Listen, Sam, Lia’s stepfather was released from jail earlier. I don’t have any reason to think he’d come for her, but we need to be on our guard. Head to the office and talk to Mrs. Phillips. Tell her I need to know Lia’s schedule today and then track down her last class. I know Mrs. Phillips’ husband, so she’ll give you the information. Call me as soon as you have something.” Without waiting for a reply, I end the call. Running a hand through my hair, I kick the side of my desk in frustration. Today has been nothing but one big clusterfuck; nothing has gone as planned from the moment I walked through the doors this morning.