Unmasked (King Morine #4)

64. Mallory

CHAPTER 64

Mallory

I open my eyes, groaning as nausea assaults me. Squeezing them closed, I focus on breathing through it.

The rocking motion isn’t helping.

Opening my eyes, I take a deep breath to get my muddled brain to work. My head pounds, and my body aches.

The memories begin washing over me. I went on the self-guided haunted house tour with Mandy. I wished Stryker was there to experience it, and she smiled and said, “I think your wish came true.”

She ran down the steps, and I saw his glowing red mask. I encouraged him to chase me and took off.

My eyes widen as my breathing accelerates. Except it wasn’t Stryker.

Oh, God. He got me.

Panicking, I try to sit up, realizing that my wrists and ankles are bound by rope.

Deep laughter rumbles in my ears. “You’re awake.”

My mouth is as dry as cotton as I meet his eyes in the rearview mirror. He’s the creepy Uber driver, and I ’m in the back seat of a car.

I take a deep breath and push myself to a sitting position, ignoring the aches and pains. The leather seat is cool against the exposed skin on my back that isn’t covered by my dress. “W-Who are you?”

He looks at me in the rearview mirror. “Don’t you recognize me, Mallory?”

My eyes widen, fear making my heart pound faster. “Cole? Cole Jacobs?”

He looks at me over his shoulder, his dark hair gleaming beneath the red light ahead. “Correct. Took you long enough.”

“But… How…”

“I’ve had some plastic surgeries done for my career. Of course, the biggest one was when I was seventeen, and you shoved me down the steps and ran off.”

“Y-You were groping me. You weren’t taking no for an answer.”

Oh God. I tried to tell my mom not to set me up with Cole again because he gave me the creeps. My mom scoffed, looking at me like I was insane. She refused to listen, setting me up with him again.

I try not to let the memories assault me, dragging me down. Even though I escaped, the fact that Cole slammed me against the car and roughly groped my breasts and pussy through my clothing while I begged him to stop, messed with my head when I was younger.

When I finally dared to tell my parents, my father said, “Boys do those kinds of things,” and shrugged as if it were no big deal.

My mom’s response was worse. She accused me of “enticing” him and then changed my mind, claiming he assaulted me so he looked like the bad guy.

Pushing it away, my voice shakes as the light turns green. I look around, not recognizing anything. “Where are you taking me?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.” He leers at me in the rearview mirror. “Love that dress. You look slutty.” His vile laughter fills the vehicle, making me nervous and angry.

I grit my teeth, anger winning out of fear and nervousness. “You won’t get away with this.”

“Why do you think I won’t, my sexy little slut?”

“I’m not yours,” I spit, seeing red from his words. “And I’m not a slut.”

“The way you carry on with your worthless boyfriend, you sure act like one.” He shakes his head, glaring at me through the mirror. “Yet you ran from me. What does he have that I don’t?”

Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “Tattoos and a big dick. Most importantly, he loves and respects me.”

Cole stares at me so long, I’m afraid he’s gonna wreck the car and kill us both.

“Eyes on the road.”

He glances ahead and then back at me. “Oh, Mallory. You’re delusional if you think he loves you.”

I don’t say anything. His attention goes back to the road, and I can breathe again.

“Where is he now, Mallory? He wasn’t with you on your birthday. He was absent at the charity event a couple of weeks ago.”

“He has a job,” I snap.

“A job.” He sneers at me before giving me a pitying look. “That’s what he tells you. Have you been to his house? His apartment? Where does he live, Mallory?”

I purse my lips together, wiggling my wrists together, trying to figure out how to get out of the ropes. I wish Stryker would have told me how he escaped when I had him tied up .

“You’re just his side piece while he keeps his main bitch hidden at home.” Cole’s voice shakes with his rage.

Play him, Mallory. Try to figure out where he’s taking you.

My eyes widen. “H-How do you know that?”

He chuckles. “Oh, Mallory. You’re so preoccupied with him that you haven’t noticed me watching you.” His hands tighten on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. “All fucking semester, you’ve been at my university and haven’t noticed me.”

His university? He doesn’t own Stone Ridge. He’s the delusional one.

“People will notice I’m gone. My mom and?—”

“Your mom. Who do you think helped me orchestrate this?” His maniacal laughter rings through my ears. The sting of betrayal floods over me, feeling like I’m being stung by thousands of bees.

My mom. How could she do this to me?

“She wanted you away from that tattooed low-life freak. After his proposal, your mom was out of her mind with anger and grief. It took me hours to calm her down.”

My eyes snap to his. “Calm her down? How do you know she was… Oh, God.” I feel nauseous again. “Please don’t tell me you’ve been fucking my mom.”

He smirks at me in the mirror. “Guess I’ll find out which of you is better in bed.”

I lift my bound hands to my mouth, close my eyes, and breathe through my nose, trying to fight the wave of nausea.

Oh, God. Someone help me, please. Get me away from this unhinged monster.

Tears fill my eyes as I look out the window.

Stryker. Please find me.