Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 101399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
She gasped. “You knew all along.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you let me do it?”
“I guess I needed to see if you would. It was the only definitive proof I could get that would show my plan was unworkable.”
Her eyebrows knit together. “Are you saying the only way you’d let me go was if I tried to kill you?”
“Something like that, yes.”
She just shook her head, disbelief in her eyes. “But what if I go to the police?”
“Then you go to the police.” I shrugged. I had a strong hunch that she would do no such thing, but it didn’t matter. This was the only chance I had.
“This has to be a trick.”
I stopped at the helicopter and put her on her feet. “It isn’t.”
“But why?”
“Because I love you.” I leaned down and kissed her, tasting her for what could be the last time. Tangling my fingers in her hair, I slanted my mouth over hers, taking more than I should, but damned if I could stop myself. She clutched the lapels of my coat as the pilot started the rotor.
I broke the kiss, though tested my resolve to do it. Then, before I could change my mind, I lifted her into the helicopter. “Buckle up. The pilot will take you to the Trenton baseball field. Shouldn’t be anyone there. All your things will be delivered to your cottage tomorrow. Also, I’ll have Timothy send someone over to remove all the surveillance.”
“Surveillance? Are you—”
I twirled my finger in the air, and the pilot raised the engine noise. She frowned. I wanted to yank her back down and carry her back to our house. But I’d tried that already. I took her hand and kissed it, then pointed to the seats.
She scooted back and scrambled into a seat. After buckling the belt across her hip, she stared at me. Tears brimmed in her beautiful eyes, and I wanted so badly to know what she was thinking.
The engine noise grew louder, and I backed away. Step by step, I gave up what I wanted more than anything else in my life. Once I was far enough away, the helicopter lifted off the ground, and I lost sight of her. They flew off into the night, the blinking lights dimming until they disappeared in the distance. Something deep inside me fractured, and the fear of never seeing her again brought me to my knees.
I watched the sky for a long while as the chill wind blew past. It didn’t bother me, all the warmth I’d ever had was long gone. She’d taken my heart, my soul, with her.
“Sebastian.” Timothy’s voice startled me. I hadn’t realized he was behind me. “We should get back. It’s below freezing out here.”
I struggled to my feet, my body leaden. “You take the car. I’ll walk.”
“It’s at least three miles to the house. Take the ATV.”
“I said I’ll walk.” I strode past him, my thoughts with Camille as she flew back to her life—the one that didn’t include me.
“Fine.” His frustration didn’t matter to me. “I’ll just stash the ATV and come back for it later.”
I didn’t care. My feet carried me. One step after another. Eventually, Timothy drove past me in the car at a snail’s pace. I ignored him until he took the hint and disappeared ahead of me.
I replayed the months since I’d first seen Camille, analyzing each moment, trying to find at what exact moment I’d failed. The frozen air burned my lungs, and I couldn’t feel my face. But any pain my flesh endured was nothing compared to the torment that ripped and raged inside me.
42
Link
“Hey, slow down.” Mint pointed at something in the road ahead.
“What the hell?”
A man walked down the road, his shoulders bunched against the cold. He turned left into a winding drive.
“Is this the house?” I pulled into the mouth of the driveway, my headlights illuminating the man.
Mint checked the GPS on his phone. “Yeah, I think so.”
The man walked through the gate, which began to swing shut behind him.
“Shit.” I jumped out of the car. “Hey!”
He kept walking.
I took a chance. “Sebastian, is that you?”
He slowed and stopped as the gate clanged shut, but didn’t turn around. “What are you doing out here?”
Mint walked to the gate and clutched the bars. “We’re looking for Camille Briarlane. Have you seen her?”
“Why would I have seen her?” He turned, though the headlights only illuminated up to his chest. His face remained steeped in shadow.
“Because you visited her at school.” I stepped to the gate at Mint’s elbow. “Because you invested in a greenhouse there.”
“I did. That still doesn’t explain why you think I’ve seen her.”
His snide tone ate through me like acid. “Are you fucking her?”
“Am I fucking your girlfriend?” His laughter chilled me more than the icy air. “You came all the way out here on Christmas Eve to ask me if I’ve been fucking your girlfriend?”