Tease Me (Private Listing #4)

Heeled footsteps click on the wood floors outside the room I’m in. Heeled? Not the typical sound of male steps. I freeze as doors open and close.

Then the footsteps stop outside my door. I hold my breath, too afraid to move.

The door opens, and Anna Beck stands there looking around. She walks in and stops at the end of the bed, seeing me there. I can’t move.

Holy fuck, what is she doing here? Is she my stalker? Has she been in front of me all along? Her excitement to see me at the benefit? The weird lunch date? The odd bathroom conversation? She’s known me forever. How hard would it have been for her to figure out everything? She has money and power.

“Madison?” She glances over her shoulder and then steps toward me.

When I flinch away, she holds her hands down in front of her to calm me. There’s nowhere to go. I’ve cornered myself.

“What are you doing here?” She keeps looking over her shoulder like she expects someone to pop up behind her. It’s unnerving. Is she working with someone else?

“A car brought me here.” I don’t know what game she’s playing, but I’m not buying into anything right now. I straighten and wait for her explanation.

“Is Patrick with you?” She glances again.

“No.” My brow furrows. Why would Patrick be here? Why doesn’t she end this game?

Her eyes narrow. “Look, I don’t know what he promised you, but he’s not leaving me for anyone. We have a prenup. He’ll get nothing, and he’s used to money. Trust me. This is fruitless.”

I tip my head to the side in confusion. Leave her for me? What is she trying to get me to say? How will she use that against me? “I’m sorry, but what?”

“He’s made promises to women before. God knows, the man can’t keep it in his pants. But he always comes back to me.” Sighing, she gestures for me to follow her. “I didn’t figure you’d be one of them. After all, you have Cooper Graham, but Patrick can be persuasive.”

“I’m not here for your husband.” I’m barely holding back my shock. If this is a game she’s playing, I’m buying into it. She thinks I’m sleeping with her husband? Fuck.

What if this is all a game?

I follow her back into the living room. She heads over to the bar and opens it with a key.

“Do you want a glass of red?” She raises her eyebrow as she holds up a bottle.

I shake my head. I’m so confused. “Where are we?”

“No? Shame, but more for me.” She uncorks a bottle and pours herself a glass. “One of my family’s homes. How did you even get out here? I didn’t see a car. Though it shouldn’t surprise me. He tries to keep it secret, but I always know. This is the first time he’s used this particular house.”

She sets the bottle down and lifts the glass to her lips, meeting my eyes over the rim. “I found pictures of you and figured you were his latest obsession, but then you and I talked. And Coop. Well, why would you want my husband when you have Cooper Graham?” She laughs and takes a drink. “Fuck, I’d leave my husband for Cooper Graham.”

Maybe she’s telling the truth. I don’t know what to think, but she’s not being aggressive. Maybe I can get more information if I share. Besides, if she’s the stalker, she already knows all this. I won’t be telling her anything new.

“I don’t want your husband. A car brought me out here and dropped me off. Someone’s been stalking me.” I lift the phone and bring it over to her. “They gave me this phone.”

Her brow furrows as she reads the opened text conversation. “I’ve gotten notifications of my family’s vacation home being accessed for the last month. I figured it was Patrick and his latest whore, but it’s possible someone else could have been using it. With my client load, I haven’t been able to get out here, but today there was an accident and my client canceled.”

Her eyes widen as she looks up at me. As our situation finally registers. We’re alone in the middle of nowhere with a stalker on his way.

“We should go.” She sets down her wineglass and takes my hand.

When she tugs, I don’t move. I shake my head. It’s not that easy. I haven’t found Hope. “The stalker has my friend. I can’t leave.”

“What are you going to do? Just give yourself to whoever this psychopath is?” She drops my hand, goes to her purse, and digs through it. “Fuck. I mean, there’s a list of people who have access to this house, some with questionable morals. But I never imagined they’d bring someone here to be victimized.”

“Maybe my friend is here somewhere? An attic? The basement?” I ask hopefully, wrapping my arms around my waist. I didn’t find either when I was looking. “If I knew she was safe, we could leave and get the police.”

She holds up her phone, squinting at the screen. “There’s a basement. A false cabinet hides the door in the kitchen on the right. Fuck.”

Staring at her phone, she moves it around like she’s searching for a signal.