Page 66 of Insidious Heart
With a sigh, I stop just off to the side of the stage and stare in front of me at my only options for the location of a bathroom on this side of the building.
To the left is the beginning of a spiral staircase, one that definitely goes upstairs to the VIP rooms, but it’s roped off and guarded by a rather intimidating looking man that I could ask to point me in the right direction but won’t becauseintimidating.
Straight in front of me is the opening of a hallway, one that is dimly lit and rather ominous looking, but my only other choice is a door to my right and since that has a sign on it that saysStaff OnlyI’m assuming it’s off limits to someone like me—who is definitely not staff.
Ominous dark hallway it is.
Mentally preparing myself to be murdered inside the dark corner of a classy strip club, I take a deep breath, steel my spine, then walk through the archway like I’m not freaking out like a wuss.
Only to make it an entire foot before I feel like I’m being followed.
But I don’t look back. I don’t run or scream.
Nope, I just keep walking nonchalantly down the hallway of terror and pretend like I know where I’m going.
Unfortunately, I do not, and since the hall is lit by what appear to be oil lamps circa 1888, I have no idea if I’m heading in the right direction because I can’t find signs on any of the doors I’m passing.
Funny how I’m slowly becoming a character in the reenactments from the true crime shows I love so much.
It’s after midnight.
I’m alone in an unfamiliar place.
Unarmed and unprepared for the worst.
Wandering a dimly lit path and feeling like I’m being followed.
All this scene needs is a—
I jump about thirty feet in the air as one of the lamps behind me goes out, visibility decreasing immediately from the loss of what little light there was to begin with. My heart starts to pound as I pick up my pace, turning the corner to my right I hit a dead end, and it’s all I can do not to scream when another lamp goes out.
I’m being ridiculous.
This is silly.
The Dollhouse is a legit business, and right now it’s packed with too many people for someone to think it’s the ideal place to kidnap, let alone murder, someone. This is simply the result of one too many documentaries and movies based on true events. No one is following me and I’m sure the lights are just burning out in a really strange and coincidental pattern. I’m fine.
Everything is fine.
I’m paranoid, that’s all.
Nothing is going to happen to me, not when…
The hair on the back of my neck raises and my entire body breaks out into chills as the unmistakable sound of a lighter clicks behind me but before I can react, before I can start running or turn and confront whoever it is messing with me, a hand comes out of nowhere and clamps over my mouth tightly as an arm wraps around my waist from behind, pinning my arms to my body as I’m dragged backward into the shadows.
Dragged backward to an end I really didn’t think would be mine.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
VICTOR
With a stunningly devious grin—becausehow could it not be—I pull Stevie tight to my body, backing us up at the end of the hall until we’re almost completely hidden in the darkest corner I could find.
Technically, the hall behind the stage is the darkest, but it’s also the loudest, and after our little run in at the bar, I’m sure my sweet little dove and I will need to be able to hear each other while we enjoy these few delightful minutes alone together.
Minutes I’ve been fuckingdyingto have ever since I saw her walk in with her bastard father.
My god, Stevie looks incredible.
