Torn - Cynthia Eden Page 0,83
police station, when Dace first read the text, you immediately stepped to my defense.”
He waited.
“You . . . knew, didn’t you?”
“I suspected.”
Her eyes widened. He’d suspected, but said nothing?
“And I wasn’t about to have you making a big confession there.”
“Wade?”
“You don’t get it yet, do you?” He gave her a little smile. “You will, soon enough. Because I’m tying up those strings . . .”
But they’d said no strings . . .
“No secrets. No lies. Just trust.”
Trust. It seemed like such a simple thing to give. For most people, it probably was. She wasn’t most people.
But for Wade . . . she’d try.
VICTORIA COULDN’T LEAVE town.
He watched the little B&B, keeping his gaze focused. Lucas Branson had come and gone, keeping the simpering blonde with him.
That woman was nothing compared to Kennedy. So weak. So bland. A woman like her would never hold a candle to Kennedy. Did he realize that?
No matter.
Kennedy was gone now. So was Melissa.
Melissa was my warm-up. One he’d been building up to for so long. He’d watched Matthew. Learned. Grown.
There was no more standing in Matthew’s shadow. He thought he’d proved that. Now it was his time, and he was ready for a much better target. A target he could understand. One who could understand him.
But he couldn’t let her leave town. And he was sure that was the plan. After all, there were no more missing in Savannah. No one out there for sweet Victoria to find.
You’ll be the one missing soon.
He just had to separate her from the asshole who seemed to shadow her every move. The man who touched her far too much. Her partner. Wade Monroe. Monroe needed to be removed from the equation.
Then Victoria would be his to enjoy. Oh, but he couldn’t wait to hear all of her secrets. He even had the perfect place to take her, a spot already picked out. They could be alone for so very long.
The cops had her phone. He couldn’t reach her that way. No more texts. He’d made her a promise in those texts. She wanted him to lose his control. I will.
But she might not like it when he did . . .
He put his phone to his ear. Matthew answered on the second ring.
“This is fucking insane,” Matthew muttered. “We aren’t—”
“All I need is for you to distract him.” A distraction that they’d talked about last night. “Do what I said, and leave everything else to me.”
Matthew’s long sigh filled the line. Matthew was too hesitant. He’d saved the guy’s ass, and now he wanted to play cautious in return? No, playing cautious wouldn’t work.
Not while she was close.
You started it for me. And you don’t even realize it . . .
“Fine,” Matthew said. “I’ll do it, but then we’re even, got it? No more games. No more favors. I’m going to get out of this town, and I really never want to see your ass again.”
There was a stark pause.
“No offense,” Matthew muttered, as if he realized that he’d overstepped.
He smiled. “No offense taken. I think separating is very wise for us.” He’d learned quite a bit from Matthew. But he wasn’t a student any longer.
I’m the fucking professor now.
Matthew had become too predictable. He had a narcissistic personality. From a young age, Matthew had enjoyed watching women. Following them.
Controlling them.
Kennedy had been a tipping point for him. His obsession had consumed him too much. By the time he realized what he’d done . . .
It’s a good thing I managed to convince him that she needed to stay alive. Otherwise, the last few years would have really been a waste.
Instead, he’d got to see Matthew evolve. A beautiful thing.
Even if Matthew could be an ass.
He ended the call. Put the phone back in his pocket. And knew that it was time to act. Victoria Palmer would be disappearing soon, and even her LOST buddies would not be able to find her.
Once he took her, no one would ever see her again.
THE PHONE RANG, jarring Victoria as she stared up at Wade. The ring was so old-fashioned—a long, shaking blare, when she was used to her smart phone—that she sat up and glanced at the landline on the table.
“Could be Gabe,” she said. “He ran that NamUs check for us . . .”
Wade nodded curtly and hurried toward the phone. When he moved away from her, Victoria’s shoulders relaxed. She hadn’t realized she was tense until that moment.
He picked up the phone. “Monroe.” His gaze sharpened. “Right. Now?