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“He transferred last year, and it was his first year at Whitmore, so all the girls wanted to get to know him, including me.” She raised a finger in the air, grinning. “But he’s really private about his time before he showed up here. I mean, he talks about football and a bit about his family, but very little. No one has been able to find out much about him.”
A beat of silence filled the room. “Sometimes you have to protect your future by burying the past,” I whispered.
“Are you talking about Kane or you?” Gabby propped up her elbow on the back of the couch, then rested her head against her fist.
“All I’m saying is that it sounds like he has some bad shit he’d like to leave behind him. I respect that.”
A memory of a night terror flickered through my brain. Screams filled my mind, and I clutched my chest.
“Brie, are you okay?” Gabby leaned over and placed her palm on my leg. “You’re pale and breathing hard. Talk to me.”
I looked up at my friend. “I don’t know.” I shook my head, attempting to clear my head. “I think I just remembered part of a bad dream.” I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry and scratchy. “Someone was running, and there were screams.” Tears welled in my eyes. “I sound crazy.”
“No. You don’t. But I have a sneaking suspicion Kane isn’t the only one who wants to keep their past buried.” She squeezed my hand.
Gabby had no idea how right she was.
ChapterTwenty-One
Kane
Ipressed the accelerator of my Jaguar, the speedometer nearly reaching ninety miles an hour as I drove like a bat out of hell, leaving the university in my rearview mirror.
How the fuck had I let my guard down with Brie? I’d been weak while I’d watched Marc mess with her. One minute, I admitted I still loved her, the next, I wanted to fuck her over and laugh as she begged and pleaded for mercy. I’d grown soft and lost sight of the fact that she could ruin my entire life.
The second Brie said I would be able to blackmail her, then she would have to kill both Marc and me, I’d fucking come unglued. Images of that asshole getting rough with her came roaring back. I white-knuckled the steering wheel, willing myself not to turn around and visit the motherfucker in the hospital and finish him off. At the same time, I couldn’t get his words out of my head. What in the hell had he meant that she had issues? Maybe Brie hadn’t escaped our past as much as I thought.
Jesus, I was fucked up. This girl had flipped me inside out, mentally and emotionally, and I had to get a grip on my life again.
I turned into the gravel parking lot, desperately needing to clear my thoughts. Visiting Madeline’s had become much more frequent since Brie had arrived at Whitmore University.
I locked the car, then hurried inside the building, welcoming the acceptance I felt while here. I nearly barked out a laugh. Here I was, visiting a discreet sex club because I had a kink that would send most people running, yet it was safe for me.
“Hi, hon,” Madeline said, approaching me in the hall.
“You look gorgeous this evening.” I kissed her on the forehead. “Special plans?” Raking my gaze over the fitted black blouse that amplified her full breasts, I wondered if she ever dated or just dedicated her time to the business.
She patted my cheek. “Such a charmer, Kane.”
I chuckled as she slipped her arm through mine and led me down the rest of the hall to my room. “Are you sure you want to do this? You’ve never requested it before.”
“Yeah. I’m sure.”
Madeline showed me in. Ready to get started, I removed my clothes while Madeline opened the trap door in the floor. I hurried down the ladder and into the pit, then Madeline followed me. I moved my hands behind me, then she slipped on the handcuffs.
“I don’t know how you do this, Kane. This hole barely fits two people. It’s claustrophobic as hell.”
“I know.”
Madeline climbed out and disappeared.
I sat down, the cold dirt chilling my bare ass. The cold was nothing, though. I lay down and closed my eyes. Although I was aware that I had been with several different girls at Madeline’s, I never saw them. I didn’t want to. They had also signed a nondisclosure form, swearing they would never reveal my identity. In fact, Madeline had confided in me that she never used her client’s real ages or names. All our files were encrypted on her computer, as well.
Whispers caught my attention, but I kept my eyes closed. Feeling another presence next to me, the creak of the door and the sound of the lock reached my ears, sending my pulse into overdrive.
A warm palm landed on my chest, and I shifted, the handcuffs biting into my wrists.
ChapterTwenty-Two
