Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2)(38)

Fuck that shit. I never wanted to take orders again.

Frederick snuck glances at me, but I ignored him, focusing on curling my fists so hard my fingers threatened to break. The chance of a fracture prevented the fog of pain from devouring me completely.

I stepped back a little and skidded on a puddle of water. I figured my brain was playing tricks on me. I discounted it, but then froze. I could smell it.

Frost.

Orchids.

Tess.

My body locked down as panic charged through my limbs. Why the hell had she been in the lift? And without me? She wouldn’t be able to get back without my keycard.

Frederick raised an eyebrow, noticing my trembling muscles. “What the hell, Q?” He came forward but slipped, too.

His eyes shot to the floor, reaching out to grab the side rail to avoid slamming to the floor. “Huh. That’s strange. There shouldn’t be a leak in here.”

My instincts roared to life—trying to tell me something—something I should’ve noticed the second I entered the lift.

The beast inside sniffed and howled. Something was seriously f*cking wrong.

The conclusion kept darting out of reach. I slapped myself in the head, trying to get my brain into some sense of working order. The migraine curled around my neurons, making me dumb as a piece of concrete.

I inhaled deep, trying to calm my crazy pulse. The scent of Tess swam in my pounding head, making my heart thud and cock twitch.

And that’s when it f*cking hit me.

My entire body felt as if knives dragged along my skin, flaying me alive. The world screeched to a halt.

“Shit.” Tess!

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Frederick asked, eyes flying around the lift, looking for some unseen threat.

The rush of panic shoved the migraine away as it darted down my spine. Rage followed hot behind, filling me like a cannon. They f*cking dared touch her! My body coiled with the need to attack, to turn animalistic and rip apart anyone who touched my woman.

I sniffed again, dragging the horrible stench of cigarettes and grease into my lungs.

Must and body odour.

Men.

Something malicious wrapped around my stomach, dragging images of every bastard I’d dealt with in the trafficking industry. I didn’t understand how I recognised the stench, but I knew.

Evil had been in this lift. With Tess.

I needed out of this metal box that travelled way far too slow. I needed to scale the building like King Kong and smash every last * into pulp.

Snarling, I punched the mirrored wall so hard it shattered. Cracks radiated from my fist, splintering into tiny pieces and tinkling to the floor.

“Mercer, wh—”

The elevator doors opened, and I bolted.

I slammed my shoulder into the metal door and gulped in a breath as I stumbled and fell to my knee. The sun was a dagger, a f*cking bazooka to my head with its brightness. My vision turned completely white as I battled to stay lucid.

Gritting my teeth, I forced my body to obey and half-lumbered, half-ran across the minefield of sunlight. Birds took wing, squawking at my interruption.

With my heart in my throat, I exploded into my office.

“Mercer! Tell me what the hell is going on! You’re f*cking scaring me.” Frederick chased after me. I didn’t waste my breath answering. I couldn’t afford to waste any part of my rapidly failing body.

I had to know Tess was here. Safe. Protected.

It’s all in my mind. It’s a horrid daydream. My brain is playing tricks. It’s not real.

But the stench was worse here, the carpet wet with large puddles. Shit.

The energy of the office wasn’t tranquil anymore, it was tainted. Brittle and tense, it lurked with a nasty undercurrent: something black and hellishly cold—evil and putrid.

The migraine throbbed around my skull, squeezing my thoughts in a never-ending vice. I sensed death and unhappiness. Tess’s strength and pureness were nowhere to be found. Some chasm that had been full before was now empty and dark.

Don’t be such a f*cking drama queen.

I stomped on the fear, crushing it. The stink of cigarettes permeated the lounge, guiding me down the corridor and into the spare bedroom.

I followed the reek, but retraced my steps to unlock my HK P2000 pistol from the sideboard. Frederick skidded into the office, gawking around like a maniac. Considering he was supposed to be the calm one of our duo, he looked wired and ready to kill.

“Do you think I should take that?” He eyed the gun in my unsteady hand. My vision wavered in and out. One moment full colour, the next black and white. He had a point, but screw my head. Screw my shitty eyesight. I was in charge of Tess’s safety; I’d use the f*cking gun.

Ignoring him, I crouched and moved silently down the corridor. I’d never been so thankful for being deathly silent on my feet before.

The urge to shoot some f*cktard who dared breach my space and take what was mine consumed me. The beast inside roared and raged, ready to go nuclear with fury.

I swung my arm wide, finger pressing the trigger as I entered the bedroom.

Nothing.

The bed was untouched, the room perfect as I left it.

Frederick fell back, keeping close to me with his legs bent, ready to fight at a moment’s notice. If I had to have anyone at my back, it was him. He looked like a *, but he fought with the best of them.

Frederick was my wingman, my confidant, and ally, but he didn’t have the same blackness in his soul, or the blurred lines of right and wrong.