Hunting for Honey - THE SPECTER SERIES [book one]

Chapter TWENTY SIX: The Sinister

Honey Sinclaire

You pull into the parking garage of your apartment building, exiting your car juggling an armful of work files, your handbag, a bottle of wine and a paper bag of Thai takeout.. Climbing the stairs to your floor you fish the keys from your pocket.. When you reach your door its a miracle you manage to get the door unlocked without dropping anything..

It's pitch black inside your apartment as you enter, so you slide your elbow along the wall until you feel the light switch for the living room..

At the same time as the room floods with a bright white overhead light, an enormous hand clamps over your mouth, while another equally enormous arm snakes around your waist, jerking you back into the solid form of a heavy set man.. The entire contents of your arms clatters to the floor, almost as if in slow motion and your eyes meet with an elegant man with ashy blonde hair and dark brown eyes, currently seated in your favourite armchair, with his ankle crossed over his knee.
You recognise him immediately, even though you'd only met once or twice in brief passing, you had contacted Brian Asher many times to set up meetings for Alex..

You claw at the hand over your mouth but your assailant just squeezes you tighter, your breath constricting as pain begins to radiate from your chest, forcing you to still your movements..

"Come now, Honey.. I'm not going to hurt you love.." Brian Asher's polished British accent reaches your ears as he grins slyly with cruel predatory eyes... His grey suit is a dapper designer three piece and his pointy leather shoes look more than a little expensive..

Your assailant steps forward, shoving you closer to Asher, but not releasing you.. Instead, he grabs a fist full of your hair and yanks you down to your knees on the floor in front of him, causing you to cry out in pain .. "Owwh!"

You look up at Asher, who is enjoying himself, if his face is anything to go by..

Your hands wrap around the henchman wrists as you try to ease his hold, you feel your knees bruising already from the force of being shoved into the floor and it's hard to concentrate but you manage to rasp out the words.. "W-What do you want? I don't understand.."

He leans down to bring his face an inch from yours, he smells like cedarwood, and a little like stale cigarettes and scotch.. He takes your chin between his fingers, looking into your eyes with his soul-less blank stare.. "Yes you do.. Don't lie to me now, my pretty little love." His voice is quiet and calm, its scarily eerie.. You stare at him, trying not to wince from the pain of your hair being ripped out from the roots.. Your whole body trembles and your mind blurs as it races, trying to keep up with the nightmare unfolding in your living room.. "Your boyfriend.. Where is he?"

You shake your head as much as your restrainer will allow.. "I don't have a boyf--"

It's like a switch flips in Asher, and suddenly the room is filled with his thunderous anger.. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO FUCKING LIE TO ME! WEST! ?WHERE THE FUCK IS ARCHER WEST!?" He rises to his feet, looming over you menacingly..

You can't help but cower as his voice booms out above you, filled with rage.. "I don't know! I don't! He doesn't tell me those things.. Please.." You feel weak.. Archer would never break in the way you feel yourself coming apart..
Terror paralyses your limbs, your heart aches with each thudding beat, you can't escape the idea that you are going to die.. Or worse.. You feel ashamed of your weakness.. Your inability to protect yourself.. Your naivety around everything you thought you knew, about the men in your life ..

You realise now, you know nothing..

"Of course he doesn't, love.." Just like that he slips back into his quiet calm.. "Very well, how about instead, let's have ourselves a little chat.. We could talk about our dearly departed mutual friend, Alex Carrington.."
You keep your mouth shut, figuring it's better to wait for a direct question, rather than offering up whatever it is you will blabber about if you try to speak.. "What?.. You have nothing to say?.. But I hear you were ever so fond of him.."

You know he's taunting you, but being so close to the man who tore your life upside down you can help but seek answers.. "You killed him.." Your eyes water, a little from Alex's memory but mostly from the enduring pain..

"I did.." He says proudly..

This triggers a ripple of anger in you... "Why? How could you!?" You are crying now, you can't hold in your fear, your anger or sorrow anymore..

He gives an evil chuckle.. "Oh believe me, very easily, love.."

Just then your phone rings, the man behind you shoves his hand into your pocket and pulls it out, flashing the screen at Asher so he can see who's calling..
Asher leans in towards your face again and you try to turn away.. "Why is West calling you now?"

You don't speak, so Asher nods and the man yanks harder on your hair, your neck aches and your scalp burns.. "Ow! He was going to come see me tonight!" You whimper..

"Ahh.. A little booty call, as the kids say.." He laughs like a maniac as the phone begins to ring again.. "Answer it.. Tell him not to come... And make it believable.. Or.." A blade comes into your vision held by Asher's henchman, he twists the knife menacingly in front of your eyes.. "I'll have him cut up that pretty face.."

You take the phone nodding as you suck in a breath before pressing accept and lifting it to your ear..
"Hi.." You try to keep your voice steady and normal, which is difficult now the knife has now been drawn in and is pressed firmly to your cheek..

"Hey baby, you're still up. I was beginning to think you'd fallen asleep on me..." His tone is filled with affection. It makes you want to cry, but you steel yourself and say the first thing you can think of to hopefully get his attention without Asher noticing..

"West.." You say his last name sweetly, hoping he notices the unusual occurrence..

He does..
Immediately you hear his concern.. "Ah, should I be worried?"

Asher watches you intently and you have no idea if he can hear Archer on the other end of the line. You force a smile and casually answer as if you hadn't just tried to send a coded message.. "Okay, sure.."
Now you know he will notice the bizarre exchange because it makes no sense .. You just hope Archer understands what it means, somehow..

"Honey, what is--"

Asher makes a motion for you to wrap up the call, twirling his fingers, you quickly spit out the words you don't want to say.. "Listen it's late so.. You probably shouldn't come over tonight.. I'm just going to bed... I'll see you.. Um, later.."

You quickly hang up the call and hand the phone over to Asher who holds out his hand for it.. He sighs, "Good," dropping back into the chair and waving a hand at the grizzly-bear of a man holding you captive, he removes the knife, stowinf it at his hip before his hands then move to your throat..

Asher nods approvingly, "That will do.. For now.."

The vice around your neck tightens painfully, you try to hit and kick out but it's no use, the mammoth of a man is unmoved by anything.. White spots appear and your vision blurs before you're plummeted into blackness..