Hyde, an Urban Fantasy (28 page)

The Clinic. He needed to know if Margaret had ever heard of it. If a shrink as well-connected as she was didn’t know, then it didn’t have anything to do with psychiatry. He left a message on her voicemail. When Eden had told him Hyde had mentioned it—or cursed it or groaned it—a spark had lit inside him. He knew that name. He’d heard it a long time ago, but couldn’t place it. A pharmaceutical company? Low-fucking-cost vaccination business? Doc-in-the-box?

Hell, it was probably just some company he’d done a lecture for at some point. Jolie hadn’t answered her phone either, so she was no help. He’d considered going to the office to look, but everything was on that damned computer filing program Jolie had set up and Mitch had never bothered to learn how to use. That was what he had
her
for.

Night was coming. And he couldn’t get his mind off of that damned girl. Thankfully, he trusted the locks more than that boyfriend of hers, so she’d be safe. What bothered him most was not being able to help her himself. She was tough, he kept telling himself. He just hoped she was tough
enough
.

He knew Jolie had spoken the truth. Eden was at least part of the reason Hyde had come out early. It was the only thing that made sense. He’d let her inside of him, made him want to be a better man, and that was dangerous. For everyone. He couldn’t be around her anymore. He needed to sink back into the cesspool of his old life. Pre-Eden. Get back to the good ole days of being a prick and not letting anyone close. That was safer.

A very long, very hot shower made it even clearer. He wrapped a towel around his hips and walked into his bedroom. Night was here. Shit. He’d taken a
very
long shower. The hallway was dark, but the stairway was lit, sending in just enough light so he could make it across the room.

He blinked, seeing the silhouette of a woman in the hallway. “Jolie? Is that you?” He chuckled at the idea that he’d just said a line from every Slasher movie ever made. “Is anyone there?” Funny. Horror movies had nothing on his existence.

The curvy shape came closer, until it became more than an outline.

“Hmm . . . you’re not Jolie.”

She shook her head, but there wasn’t enough light to see her eyes or her hair.

“Which one are you?” Not that it really mattered—he didn’t want either of them here.

She ripped off her shirt and tossed it onto the ground.

That’s an answer I can understand.
“Good evening, Chastity.”

She slithered into the room and walked a tight circle around him. Why had she come inside this time, instead of just leaving Eden to wake up on his doorstep?

He needed to figure out what to do with her. But her hand running across his chest was very distracting.
Break contact, Mitch. Do something
.
What are you, fourteen?
He crossed his arms, but couldn’t seem to get his legs to work. “How’d you get out of her apartment, Chastity?” Damn, the feel of her breasts through the thin layer of her lace bra pressing against his arm was even more distracting. “I’m afraid you’ll have to go play in another part of the house.”

“Are you saying ‘no’ to me again?” she pouted from behind him, the heat of her body scorching his back.

“I am.”

She reached her arm around him, traced a trail down his abs and settled her grip around his traitorous erection, the thickness of the towel providing too little protection. “But your cock isn’t.”

“Thankfully, my cock doesn’t do all of my thinking for me. Please remove your hand.” When she gave him a firm squeeze, he stifled a moan. He took her wrist and pried her fingers off him. “No means no, Chastity.”

She pulled back her hand. “No one says no to me.” Dumbfounded. “Why do you?”

The long version/truth wouldn’t hold her attention. “Eden asked me to.”

She huffed and came around to face him.  “Eden asked you to? Oh well, if
Eden
asked you to! Anything for her.” She stepped in close and whispered in his ear, “Would you say no to her, Mitch?”

He said nothing. All he wanted was for her to get away from him. Far, far away from him.

Chastity threw her head back and laughed. “Christ, I hope you’re a better liar in front of her. She’ll walk all over you.”

He grinded his teeth together. He had nothing to prove to her. To himself? Now, that was a different story. One he’d deal with eventually, but not now. No, now was the time to focus on breathing and baseball.

“You obviously don’t know anything about your other half.”

She shrugged and ran her hand through his hair, down his back to the too-thin barrier of the towel covering his ass. “But I know all about men. About you. I know you have a fun side. And a dangerous side.”

Could she know about Hyde? Sense him. Or had she seen him?

Mitch took a step away from her grip. “What do you know about my dangerous side?”

“He’s a lot more entertaining than you are. Why can’t you be more like him?” she pouted.

He fought the need to be exactly who this woman—or creature—wanted him to be and backed up until his thighs bumped the mattress. “Have you seen him?”

Her eyes flashed for a moment. “I’ll tell you all about him, if . . .”

This was not going to be good. “If what?”

“If you play with me. All night, like a good boy.”

He sat down hard onto the bed, which she took as an invitation because she wiggled over to join him. He barely got his hand out in time to stop her, his palm pressing into her tight belly as she leaned toward him.

“I haven’t agreed to anything.”

“Yet.”

Jesus, she was so sure of herself. Or of him.
Damn it.
He shook his head. “I haven’t agreed to anything. Period.” Was he actually considering this? Putting out to get some information from her? The temptation was definitely there. But, while he’d never met a promise he couldn’t break, this involved Eden too. Chastity would be using both of them. How much did he owe the girl?

Chastity straightened up, crossed her arms around her ample breasts and tapped a foot on the hardwood floor. “This is boring.” She had the attention span of a spaniel.

If he didn’t say something soon, she’d just move on to other prey. Maybe he could use something other than his body and hers as leverage. “Okay, Chastity. But not here.”

She smiled, her tongue peeking out as she ran it over her pearly whites. “Where?”

“Follow me.” As he walked by her, she grabbed the edge of his towel and yanked it off him, giggling.

“That was completely unnecessary,” he grumbled.

“I know,” she said, tossing the towel onto the ground and following his naked body.

He took her down the hallway into Hyde’s room.

“I’ve seen this room before,” she said.

He glanced at her, shocked. “When?”

She shrugged. “I get images of places she’s been, the boring shit she does. Almost all of it is boring.” She rolled her eyes.

“You get to do all the fun stuff, right?”

“Sure. Lots.” Her voice was lower than Eden’s. And the more she spoke, the more Mitch felt like he was talking to a cast member of The Real World. Not that he’d ever really paid attention to reality television, or much of reality for that matter.

He led her into the cage. “What kinds of stuff?”

“Boys. Booze. Drugs. You know, the things that are—” Her eyes widened when she saw the straps. “Are you going to tie me up or can
I
do you?”

“What kind of drugs?” He cringed at the idea that Eden had been doing drugs without her knowledge. “Ladies first.”

She ripped off her bra, slid her skirt down over her hips and hopped onto the mattress. Spreading her arms and legs out to each corner, she said, “What are you waiting for?”

He was waiting for his eyes to go back into their sockets. Yeah, and it would be nice if his cock would stop throbbing.
Damn it, focus.
He ran a hand through his hair and bent down to attach the cuffs to her wrists. “What kind of drugs do you do?”

She tugged against the straps, satisfied they were tight enough, and grinned. “Whatever I can, but never any uppers. That might wake her up and I would have to go away.”

Interesting.
“You’re a smart girl.”

“Yes, I am.”

Not smart enough to know what I’m about to do, though.
No, she definitely wasn’t Eden. “What else do you know about her?” Aside from his rapid heartbeat and dry mouth, this was incredible. He was getting a glimpse into Hyde in a way he’d never thought possible. But he needed a cold shower. Maybe he could have one installed . . .

“I don’t want to talk about her. I want to play.”

He rubbed his face, thankful the sight of her body outstretched like that was gone even momentarily. “Now we play.” He turned and walked out of the cage. With a quick glance to the table, checking to see if the keys were still there, he locked the door. “Chastity, have you ever heard of The Clinic?”

“Mitch, let me out. Or come in here.” She yanked against the straps. “This isn’t fun.”

“What do you know about Hyde?”

She clenched her jaw, squeezing the words through it. “Mitch, let me out!”

“Tell me what I want to know and I will,” he lied. His heart was pounding, not from lust—which
was
present—but from misery. He tried to think of her as an animal that needed to be protected from herself. But she wore Eden’s body, Eden’s face. Everything but the hair and eyes. That’s what he focused on.

Once she understood that he’d played her, she screamed at him for hours, shouting obscenities and threats, and tugging against the bonds with her entire body. Eden would feel it tomorrow. Eventually she calmed down and tried another tactic—manipulation. She rubbed herself on the sheet and arched her back, then contracted her hips up and down, dry-humping the stiflingly hot air of the room.

It was torturous for Mitch as well. He kept his hands gripped onto the arms of the chair, as far away from his cock as possible, and fidgeted, unable to leave even to go get some pants on. Both of them were sweating. He tried to get her to talk, but aside from suggestions of how he could be using her body right now, she stayed mute.

Not what he’d hoped. She told him nothing about Hyde, what she’d done, or anything she’d witnessed. A total bust. With one last struggle to free herself, she sighed, almost crying. “You’ll be happy now, Mitch. She’s coming back.” Her eyes closed and her whole body twitched. Then she was still.

Mitch approached the cage and watched her. As her hair shortened and darkened, he waited. She was truly beautiful. He knew he shouldn’t be a part of her life. Wondered if that was possible. It was easier to blame it on Chastity, take no responsibility at all. Truth was, he wanted to be with her. And if he couldn’t have Eden, then, at some point, he might convince himself that Chastity would be good enough. Hell, he’d done worse things.

In fact, at this very moment, he was considering one. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on Carter. That fucking kid needed a wake-up call. Chastity could have ended up anywhere. With anyone. And Mitch had probably just burned a bridge to ashes with her. Next time she came out, she wouldn’t come to him. Okay, decision made—he’d kick Carter’s ass and convince Eden she needed to be caged. A conversation he
so
didn’t want to have.

Mitch saw Eden gasp, eyes wide open, and move to sit up. The chains stopped her, snapping her back to the mattress. Her scream was the most desperate and anguished sound he’d ever heard. Damn it, why hadn’t he untied her instead of contemplating his own crap.

“Eden! It’s me, Mitch,” he called through the bars. He ran to get the key, realizing he was still naked. What the hell could he do about it now? She needed to get out of there. He knew what it felt like to wake up trapped, held down.

She was struggling to get a full breath, panic filling her face, her body. Clenching muscles that had spent the last seven hours tightened by someone else. “Get me out of here! Get me out!”

He tore open the door and headed toward her wrists. “Eden, you have to relax your arms. I can’t release the cuffs if you are pulling on them.”