Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 135378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
The front door on the driver’s side opens and a guy gets out. I’m only half paying attention because that’s clearly not my ride, but then the guy turns around and my stomach drops to my toes. I recognize him.
Joker.
I’m frozen in place as he heads toward me. There’s something naturally predatory about him that makes me uneasy, but then my gaze lands on his hands, and my fear spikes.
He’s wearing black leather gloves.
Move!
My instincts wake up a little too late, and I stumble back a step in my stupid heeled boots.
Of course, the day I wear heeled boots is the day I get an impulse to run for my life.
I’m 5’9”, so I’m hardly short, but he’s taller than I am with a longer stride, so before I can gather my wits and choreograph my getaway, he’s closing in on me. “You must be Sophie.”
“Nope,” I chirp, backing away from him.
He grabs my arm to stop me, shoots a look behind me to survey the scene (and note any potential witnesses?), then brings his gaze back to me.
Not suspicious at all.
“I’m here to give you a ride,” he says.
I try to pull my arm free, but his grip is too firm. “No, thank you.”
“Silvan sent me,” he adds as if that will reassure me.
“He usually sends someone else.”
“Yeah, well… today, he sent me.”
That is not encouraging.
I shake my head. “I’m suddenly feeling a bit sick. I think I’ll stay home.”
“Better take a Tums ’cause that’s not an option,” he says simply, then he snatches my weekend bag with his other hand and hauls me over to his car.
My heart kicks up several speeds. “Let me go. I don’t want to scream and make a scene, but I will. I don’t know you; I am not getting into a car with you.”
“You’ve seen me before.”
“At a crime scene. Oddly enough, that doesn’t make me want to get into a car with you.”
“Silvan said you might have some objections. He also said to tell you he invited a friend of yours out to the New Hampshire house tonight to have a little chat, and if you’d like a chance to say goodbye to him, then you should really get in the car.”
Say goodbye.
To him?
I don’t have any male friends. Hell, I hardly have female friends.
My mouth opens and closes, and then a thought passes through my mind.
Professor DeMarco?
He wouldn’t… right? He has no reason to! I transferred out of his class. I haven’t even seen the man since.
I look up and meet a pair of cool brown eyes that make my stomach sink all over again. Something about them is unsettling, but his clear disinterest when he looks at me somewhat neutralizes the unease.
I can’t imagine having him coming at you like that with interest in his eyes.
It would be terrifying.
“Did he… tell you the friend’s name?”
“If you want any more information, you’ll have to get in the car.”
I bite down on my lip, my gaze flitting to the open car door on the passenger side. I very much do not want to get in… but surely Silvan wouldn’t have sent this guy to pick me up if he didn’t trust him.
Also, despite putting in actual effort to look cute and having more exposed skin than I’ve shown in public in about two years, the man could not be less interested. His gaze hasn’t lingered for a millisecond. Even his touch felt clinical when he grabbed my arm.
I’m not overly worried about him pouncing on me, but I am still uncomfortable getting into his car.
I do it anyway.
I don’t understand why Silvan sent his illegal activities friend to get me instead of Hugh, but the only rational explanation I can glom onto with the limited information I have is that he’s doing something too illegal to involve Hugh. Obviously, Silvan has access to professional criminals through his father, yet he’s opted to go with this friend of his instead.
Like the night at Professor DeMarco’s house.
So maybe he doesn’t want his dad to know about the stuff he’s doing to Professor DeMarco. I guess this is a game he only wants to play with me, and using his friend keeps it between us. When Silvan’s father gets involved, sometimes he grabs the reins, and I’m sure Silvan doesn’t like that.
He wants me at his mercy, not his father’s.
I just don’t understand why he’s doing this without any provocation. I’d understand if I had put up a fight and refused to transfer out of his class or something, but I’ve done exactly what he…
The computer password.
I haven’t seen Silvan use my computer since I gave it to him, but sometimes he wakes up before me to work out and shower before school. I know he expressed concern about me that day in the coffee shop, and then I suddenly dropped his class. Could Professor DeMarco have sent me an email that Silvan intercepted, and I never saw?