Page 40 of Between Steel and Secrets
Bristol’s voice sounds far away, almost muffled, but I still make out the words clear enough.
“Why are you bringing me to a hotel room? I’m not interested in you like that, Jaxson. You’re married. I’m … your employee.”
My stomach drops and I shout, making sure that she can hear me. “Bristol!” I need her to give me something else to go on, some way to find her if she needs help.
A hotel.
What hotel?
Where is she?
Who the hell is Jaxson?
There’s silence on the other end and I don’t like not knowing what’s happening.
Her mumbled response comes closer to the phone, “Not again,” she mutters, and then there’s a loud thud.
Did she fall?
Did her phone hit the ground?
What the hell is going on?
“Bristol!” I try again, but she’s not responding.
Silence fills the space, and then a male voice sounds a bit closer to the phone but not directly into the line. “Maybe we should call an ambulance for you.”
There’s rustling and then a few soft gasps that I’d recognize anywhere.
Bristol.
“I’m fine,” she answers and ends the call.
Shit.
Is she fine? Or is she in trouble?
She wouldn’t have called me if things were fine. Her boss was taking her to a hotel room. My stomach tangles into a knot just imagining all the grotesque things he might force her to do.
Bristol could be at any hotel in Great Falls, Breckenridge, or another neighboring town.
She wasn’t specific enough for me to know where to find her.
I try to call her back, but it goes immediately to voicemail. The same happens after the second and, again, the third time. I don’t bother leaving her a message. I do, however, send her a text.
Where are you? Are you okay?
She ignores my text, or maybe she doesn’t see it.
Either way, she doesn’t answer me. Do I reach out to her father? That’s one sure-fire way to guarantee she hates me.
“I’ve got to head out.” I slip on my shoes and grab my keys by the door.
“Where are you in a rush to?” Nova asks, watching with rapt curiosity.
“I think Bristol is in trouble.”
“Good luck!” Nova calls behind me and glances at Ashton. “Who is Bristol?”
