With Every Breath (Slow Burn #4) - Maya Banks Page 0,115
like an avenging angel and mete out his own brand of retribution.
“I know,” she said softly, her tone dreamy. “You always took care of me, Thomas. You always protected me. You’ve always been my hero.”
“Come,” he said, extending his hand to take hers. “We need to get you inside so you can write the letter and then we’ll leave immediately.”
Eliza let him take her hand and managed not to shudder or recoil. She even leaned into him as they entered the house, but the entire time she was fervently praying that she would live to tell Wade how much she loved him again.
Thomas urged her to the kitchen table where pen and paper were already laid out. He directed her to sit, forgoing any attempt to be tender and loving as he’d been earlier.
He stood over her, dictating word for word what she was to write and he watched closely, ensuring she did as commanded. It took all of Eliza’s hard-won and practiced self-discipline to maintain her composure and calmly write exactly what Thomas recited without her hands shaking or her handwriting being illegible.
She made a mental sigh of relief when she completed the letter without giving herself away. She signed her name and dated it and then tilted her head up to look at Thomas and smiled.
“So do we leave now? Where are we going? I’m so excited, Thomas. You have no idea how much I’ve longed for this. It’s like a dream come true.”
Thomas reached over and snatched the paper, folding it neatly and then laying it aside.
“Stand up,” he said coldly.
She adopted a hurt, confused look as she rose from the chair. “What’s wrong, Thomas? Did I do something wrong? I wrote the letter verbatim as you told me to.”
His hand slid inside his jacket and he pulled out a handgun, aiming it directly at her. Her heart sank. She’d known this was going to happen but a secret part of her had hoped she was wrong. Was he going to kill her right now? How could she buy time? Time had run out for her.
“What are you doing?” she whispered. “I don’t understand.”
His eyes glittered with rage. “Did you honestly think that I would just forget and forgive what you did? I loved you. I would have done anything in the world for you. There is nothing I wouldn’t have given you. And you betrayed me. You are a lying, deceitful whore. I’ve spent the last ten years dreaming of this moment. To return the pain and suffering you caused me. I lost years of my life because of you. You ungrateful bitch. I gave you everything and you gave me lies. Now it’s my turn to make you suffer. To cause you unspeakable pain and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.”
TWENTY-SIX
WADE tore recklessly down the bumpy dirt road leading to the residence belonging to the wife of the cop who’d been responsible for Harrington’s release, his heart pounding with fear and praying the entire way that he would get there in time. That he wouldn’t be too late. God, please don’t let him be too late. He’d sworn to protect Eliza, that nothing would happen to her and he’d fallen neatly into Harrington’s trap.
As he rounded the bend, he was blinded by oncoming headlights and then yanked the steering wheel to the right to avoid a head-on collision. The other vehicle veered to the left, losing control and spinning in a complete three hundred and sixty-degree circle before skidding to a stop, hitting a large tree that lined the road.
Fuck! He didn’t have time for this shit!
He slammed on the brakes and bolted from the SUV, running to check on the driver, hoping no serious injury had been incurred. All he could do was call 911 because he couldn’t stick around when Eliza was in the hands of a madman and every minute counted. Every second he was delayed could mean the difference in Eliza living or dying.
He yanked open the driver’s side door and blinked in confusion. A woman was sitting stock-still, her gaze fixed through the windshield as if she had no awareness of the situation. Even more alarming was the fact that she was dressed only in a nightgown and her feet were bare.
“Ma’am, are you okay?” he asked sharply.
Slowly she turned her head and an eerie sensation slithered over Wade’s skin, raising chill bumps as he stared into vacant, lifeless eyes.