Page 131 of Scandal
All I can do is nod. Because no, I’m not all right, but I don’t dare voice it for fear that acknowledging it will unleash the avalanche of tears I’m desperately trying to hold back.
“I’m so sorry about this,” he says with a look of pure agony in his gaze. “We’ll get you back to Asher, I promise.”
My eyes widen. He knows who I am?
“We will not!” Ian shouts, obviously overhearing him, despite his attempt at discretion. “Do you know how hard it was to get her here?”
Mitch whirls around, taking a protective stance in front of me. “Your sister and I have been trying to get in contact with you for months, Ian. She’s worried sick. And then, out of the blue, I get a call from you telling me to meet you in Iverloch of all places, and this is what I find? Asher Knight’s girlfriend? You know this is a kidnapping, right?”
“But I did it for you!” Ian roars. He frantically starts pacing and pulling at his hair. His icy demeanor is all but gone and is now replaced with something closer to an erratic child being scolded by a parent. “You always said you hated Asher for taking everything away from you. You wished he could feel the same overwhelming sense of loss you did when he kicked you out of Manic.”
Mitch takes a step back, inching himself closer to me.
“Yeah, I did,” he agrees, his voice calmer than before, almost pacifying. “I said a lot of stupid shit when we first met. I was angry and hurting, but then I met your sister, and she helped heal a part of me I think was broken for a long time.” He takes a breath and looks at the man I know will be his future brother-in-law. “I think something might be broken in you too, Ian. Let me help you?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “No! There is nothing wrong with me. I did exactly what you wanted. I left Burnhollow and used my military background to get a job at Blackstone House. I was ready to wait it out for years, but then Asher showed up a week later, after more than a decade away. That’s not a coincidence. That’s fate! I was destined to do this!”
“Ian, how about we let the poor girl go?” Mitch suggests in a soft voice, but Ian just ignores him and continues his mad rant.
“And then she—” He staggers forward, pointing at me with wild eyes. Mitch takes another cautious step back. His legs are almost touching mine. “Shows up, and it doesn’t take long to figure out how much he loves her. So I started sending texts. And then photos. I wanted him to know how much he took from you, Mitch!”
“Oh, Ian…” Mitch says in a devastated tone.
“Getting her out was tricky, but I pulled it off. And now, you want me to let her go?” His eyes flicker back to me, and I feel acold wave of dread run down my spine. “No, we’re not letting her go. We’re getting even.”
He rushes toward us, or maybe just me. My heart leaps into my throat, and I let out a scream as Mitch lunges forward to stop him. But he’s clearly no match for Ian, who’s younger, stronger, and far better trained. He dodges Mitch’s punch and throws one of his own, hitting the former bass player square in the jaw.
Mitch’s eyes roll back as he goes down hard.
I turn to Ian, and he’s staring at Mitch with a mix of betrayal and disbelief. Then he shakes his head, and his back stiffens as he pivots back to me.
The supervillain is back.
He’s grinning again, moving purposefully as his gaze sweeps over me in a way that sends shivers down my spine.
“I thought he’d appreciate everything I did for him. But I should have known,” he says with contempt. “Ever since he started fucking my sister, he hasn’t been the same.”
Then it dawns on me…
“You love him,” I say, realizing too late that I’ve voiced the words aloud. But it makes sense—his jealousy toward his sister and the elaborate plan he believes will earn Mitch’s affection.
Ian’s eyes widen. “Shut up!” I barely register his hand moving before I feel the back of it collide with my face. I cry out in pain.
Fuck, that hurts.
Ian looks over his shoulder at Mitch, who is slightly comatose and clutching his nose, which is gushing with blood.
“If he doesn’t want to finish this, I will,” Ian says with a gleam in his eye. “But first, we’ve got to get a photo for your boyfriend.”
Photo?
He grins as he moves to the small desk and grabs his phone. God, what I wouldn’t give to get that from him. “Of course, I already sent him one when you were asleep with a sweetmessage.” His eyes drift downward. Mine follow, and I gasp when I see thick black letters on my chest.Finders Keepers. Oh god, Ash…“But I’m sure he’s dying for another.”
I notice out of the corner of my eye that Mitch is gradually leaning to his side. At first, I worry he’s losing consciousness, but then I realize he’s trying to grab his phone from his pocket without Ian noticing.
He needs a distraction.
“You seem to enjoy sending photos,” I say quickly. My voice is hoarse, and my throat feels sore. I try to keep my focus on Ian, even though every inch of me is dying to look at Mitch and see if he’s managed to get that phone out of his pocket.
