stopped the car then jumped out to open the back door. Kit had taken over from her husband when he’d died. He was just as ruthless, but without Rex’s hot temper. No, Kit ran completely cold. It was almost like he was devoid of emotion.
He pretended. But it wasn’t really there.
She was surprised when he didn’t go with Forrest on this last trip. But he’d probably stayed behind to keep an eye on her. They had to know she wasn’t going anywhere.
She couldn’t.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
“Go upstairs, my dear. Get some rest. You look like shit.”
She took the reprieve, forcing herself to walk calmly up the stairs. If she showed any eagerness to get away, he’d just make her spend the next few hours in his company.
But she couldn’t stop herself from thinking. If he wasn’t going to kill Ink, then what the hell did he mean by killing blow?
She realized she had a choice. Go up to her room, keep herself safe for another night. Or find out what they really wanted with Ink.
She couldn’t just stand by while they hurt Ink. Somehow, despite her best efforts to keep herself apart, from feeling anything, she’d come to care about him.
The idea of him being used by Forrest, that she was helping to hurt him…it made her want to hurl.
So instead of moving towards the stairs as she would have any other night, she walked to his office. She hated this room. Her pulse pounded; nausea bubbled in her stomach.
Kit was the first to spot her. He was seated on the couch. Forrest was pouring them both some Scotch. They had a different relationship than Rex had with Forrest. More like they were on an equal footing.
Kit raised his eyebrows. But that was the only reaction he showed. The coldness in his face didn’t lighten. Rex had scared her. This guy terrified her.
Forrest turned and saw her standing there. He took a sip of Scotch. “Was there something you wanted?”
Be brave, Betsy.
It felt like she’d been a coward her whole life. As though she’d always taken the easier road. Not that it had ever ended up easy for her.
Maybe it was time to jump off the cliff. To take her fear and shove it where the sun didn’t fucking shine.
Ooh, Mama wouldn’t like that saying. Mama didn’t like women who swore, so she’d learned to only swear inside her head. A silent defiance.
She didn’t look him in the eyes. Looking evil in the eyes never ended well.
“What is the killing blow?”
Forrest stalked towards her. She had to force herself not to move. Kit sighed, sounding bored.
“Since when do you get to demand things, Betsy?”
Uh-oh. Normally that voice would have her running for her room. But she had to know. Needed to know.
“If I’m helping to do this shouldn’t I know what you plan to do?”
He wrapped a hand around her neck and pushed her back several steps until she slammed into the wall. She held in a grunt of pain. Letting him see that he’d hurt her would please him too much.
Then he might do it again.
And again.
He held his hand around her throat. So tightly she could scarcely breathe. He leaned in; his breath smelled like scotch.
“You get to know nothing. Because you are nothing. All you are is a pawn for me to use, isn’t that right, Betsy? Because I own you, don’t I? So what you get to know is what I tell you. Just do as you’re fucking told and you’ll get to live another day.”
He drew her away from the wall then shoved her out the door, closing it behind her. She fell back on her ass on the floor, wincing as pain radiated up her tailbone.
She sat there for a moment, wrapping her arms around her legs as she brought them up to her chest.
Heaving in breath after breath, she tried to bring her shaking under control. One day, he’d lose his control. He’d take things too far. And then she’d be dead.
With a longing glance, she stared over at the front door. She knew she wouldn’t even get off the property. There were cameras and alarms everywhere. Someone was always listening and watching.
She had no privacy. No will of her own. A pawn in an evil man’s game.
But she couldn’t just stand by and let him ruin a good man’s life. Maybe he didn’t plan to kill Ink, but there was some reason he was making her do this. Making her get close to