With Every Breath (Slow Burn #4) - Maya Banks Page 0,114

onto the porch next to Thomas, looking up at him as though awaiting instruction.

Thomas stared hard into her eyes, holding her gaze in a fixed manner. The woman’s eyes glazed and she swayed as though she were in a complete daze. A puppet awaiting its master’s manipulation. But then that was what Thomas cultivated. Mindless followers incapable of making independent decisions.

“Get out,” he said sharply. “Leave and don’t return until tomorrow.”

As if in a trance, the woman started down the steps, barefooted and only dressed in a nightgown, her gait jerky and stilted. She walked straight to a vehicle parked a short distance away, got in and then simply drove away, disappearing down the drive.

Panic swamped Eliza and she lifted her chin in determination, staring Thomas down.

“If you planted a compulsion for her to commit suicide, I’ll never forgive you.”

In a sickeningly sweet and soothing tone he said, “You have no need to worry about the woman. No harm will come to her. She’ll return to her home tomorrow and resume her pathetic existence. Now we need to hurry. We are also leaving this house and this town.”

“I didn’t pack a bag,” Eliza murmured, her tone regretful and apologetic. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, what your plans were or if you even still wanted me.”

Thomas’s eyes glittered, triumph and victory gleaming brightly. “You don’t need anything, my love. I will provide everything you need. I only have one task for you before we depart.”

Eliza sent him an innocent, puzzled look. “You know I’ll do whatever you want.”

Thomas nodded approvingly. “You will write a letter explaining that you are leaving with me and that you only want a quiet life with me away from the prying eyes of those who would judge and scorn you.”

“But why bother?” she asked. “No one would care. Everyone here hates me. They won’t care that I’m gone. In fact, they’ll be happy.”

Thomas made a sound of impatience. “If we both disappear, it will raise suspicion and we will never have the life I want for us. It will be suspected that I killed you in revenge so you have to convince the public that you willingly chose to go away with me.”

A chill slithered down Eliza’s spine. She had been wrong about Thomas’s obsession with her and her certainty that he would never harm her, only those he saw as a threat for her love. He was lying about the reasons for wanting her to write the letter. He had no intention of taking her anywhere. The letter would only serve to exonerate him when he killed her and she disappeared, leaving him free to also disappear and everyone would assume she went willingly with him. No one would even look for her body or blink an eye over her sudden disappearance.

Except Wade and Dane.

They’d never buy anything she wrote about loving Thomas and going away with him. But would they find the letter—or her—too late to save her? Did Thomas plan to kill her here or would he take her somewhere so he could make her suffer for as long as possible before finally killing her?

Thank God he couldn’t read her now or he’d know everything. Everyone she loved would be a target. And because he couldn’t read her he didn’t know about her ace in the hole. Wade. She just had to buy enough time for him to find her. He wouldn’t rest, sleep or eat until he found her. She knew that. She just had to pray that he found her in time.

“Of course I’ll write a letter. Is there anyone specific you want me to address it to?”

She purposely injected excitement into her voice and then asked, “Where are we going Thomas? Where will we live? I can’t believe we are finally free to be together. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment.”

His smile was smug and victorious. He thought he had her right where he wanted her and he was positively gleeful over the idea of retribution and escaping justice yet again.

“You don’t need to worry about a single thing. I’ll take care of you just like I always did.”

She smiled despite the fact she was screaming on the inside. She had to hold it together. She couldn’t fall apart. Everything was riding on her being able to deceive Thomas and buy enough time to either catch him off guard and take him down herself or for Wade to track her down and swoop in