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Noises echoed down the hall—something smashing and Cedric screaming.
Ignoring it all, I squeezed my hand beneath the pillow. I gripped Rhylie’s drawing, needing to know it was safe. It ripped across her chest as it snagged on the door.
“No.” I stepped backward, out of the panties hanging around my ankles. My heart ripped right down the middle, just like the ruined picture.
“I’ll draw you another one when we get to my place.” Remi appeared in the doorway, looking more tanned under the orange light.
All the pain I’d caused him was still showing in his expression, and guilt clung to me for hurting him so badly when all he wanted to do at my weakest moment, was take away my pain.
I’d been doing the opposite, taunting him with things he desired—someone to always be there, someone to truly care. I’d promised to be that person for him. And I’d lowered his mood by taking it all away, leading him to search for another artificial high.
I swallowed down the hate for what desperation had made me do as I nodded in thanks.
“Remi…I’m—” sorry.
Cedric came pounding down the hall, interrupting me. A baseball bat smashed everything in the hallway. China and wood splintered everywhere as he swung at furniture and the antiques that sat atop.
His screams were buried beneath the noise, my ears and Remi’s oblivious to what was said.
Remi turned in the doorway, exposing another needle in his arm as he caught the bat flying toward his face.
He’d injected more.
Letting my own stupidity drag me down, I sank to the carpet, clutching the panda that had been flung from the bottom of my bed by the heavy door. My fingers felt the little pink tie for comfort because I didn’t have Rhylie’s image, and I didn’t have anyone’s ears.
Cedric whimpered, followed by what sounded like him falling to his weak knees.
Remi threw the bat and stepped into my room, his empty hand stretching out to me. “Come on, Cat. We’re going.”
Focusing on the needle and nothing else, I whispered, “You took more.”
He mumbled something about needing it but was drowned out by the continuous noises Cedric made.
Remi scooped me from the carpet, collecting his sweatshirt on the way. He pushed my limbs and head through different holes, still mumbling something and laughing to himself about the colors in the room touching him, tickling his blood.
He had fucking lost it, and I lost all hope as he tossed me over his shoulder and walked out the door.
Cedric sat slumped in the splinters of a broken table, one hand on his back, the other holding his phone to his ear.
“Alerion, you better get over here and get your boy. And if you want to keep him alive, you better bring something. He’s taken enough to kill a fucking elephant. He’s got her. I want that replacement. Do the trade.”
Chapter 61
Remi
Cat struggled in my arms, her knees hitting my ribs as she tried to get free.
I could feel the vibrations as I laughed at her weak attempts.
My car—well, my rental, a Porsche that was fancier when I picked it up before I scuffed it leaving the parking lot—was parked around the side of Cedric’s house and still looked fantastic, despite the scratched paint, next to his ancient jeep.
I placed Cat down on her feet.
The hood of the car smiled at me, and stupidly, for whatever reason, I smiled back.
“She’s happy to see you.” I turned my head to Cat.
Her eyes moved from me to the car, and her manic glare changed from terrified to concerned.
