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Chapter 1

Mia

When I told Andy to have fun at work yesterday evening, when he'd kissed me on the forehead fondly and said, "See you to but the fact that yes, I'd see hiain tomorrow It'd be just like our life previously, e used to live together, going about our daily routine We'd been poor and struggling financially, but at least ere free and content

Oh, how naive I was

I was still green in this cutthroat, dark and dangerous world I'd just entered when I had decided to coeles and then Las Vegas It was the world of James Maxwell, my brother's debtor and, more recently, my master and lover

At first, I had no idea why I suddenly woke Oh, I was a light sleeper, alaking up in the ht,in the dark, e old habits, especially when fear played a huge part of your daily life When your uncle would sneak into your room and do the unmentionable to you and your brother When you were emotionally, mentally, and physically drained When you had no support or help When you had no one to turn to when you needed it ile age

That had been why I'd aloken in the , because that was the ti

I'd always feel tense and sick to the core, alanting to run away, yet I couldn't find the strength to even an toaway until he was satisfied and moved over to Andy instead Deep down, I kneas a weak, unhelpful sister, and I despisedus, physically, mentally, and emotionally

We were two small, broken children, Andy and I, and ed to protect each other no ht come

We were close, and since ere little, I could always sense so bad, such as an accident, for example, and noas one of those times

As I suddenly woke, which I assu, I felt that nagging feeling so ry I could taste the bitterness inof my sto wasn't right, and I knew in ut Andy was involved

Lying there in bed, I are of the cool and empty space around me Curiously, I turned over and found Jaaze to the bathroo if he was in there

There was no light shining froaze to the door leading into the living area and saw the light was on Perhaps Ja

I felt chilled and hollow, and I wanted James to return to me I wanted it so badly, in fact, that I kneas a loon

Why did I want him to be close to me so badly?

Oh, I knehy It was because he gave me warmth Every time I ith him, the cold, solitary hours disappeared and within their place was this waret about s I'd experienced throughyears I didn't know it before, but I had just coed my life in such a short space of time since I had met him

I quietedhiain when I heard hushed voices I knew Ja could be that urgent for thele naered an alarm within me

"Andy"

I sat up Another word followed that made my heart race with dread

"Missing"

I felt as though my heart just dropped and the world spun before

But I didn't have ti Not now I needed to find out as going on with my brother Now!

I hastily got out of bed, donned Jaly peeled it off my body, and headed to the door

In the living area, I found Ja in hushed tones They looked dark and utterly dangerous

I noted Jaeous three-piece suit His hair was still a little wet, so I assuly sleek and handsome, ready to take on the world At the saht he looked ready to kill Every line of his features told me he had switched fro predator searching for his prey, and when he found them, he would coldly annihilate them

A shiver passed down ht that this was the other side of James Maxwell The darker side that would kill without mercy I'd known that particular side of him existed when I first met him, since I'd first learned he was ly attracted to hinet, unable to draw back

I could sense the sa, ruthless aura froressive at the hter anyone who dared to lay a hand on Andy

"James?" I called out, my voice weak, my body tense orry