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He snickers. “You’re fucking clueless. I mean, I know you’re never been the brightest crayon in the box, but Jesus.”
“If he’s so dangerous, why are you messing with me? He’s very protective, you know. He’ll kill you if you hurt me.”
His body stiffens. “You think I don’t know that?”
I have to look away. His eyes are murderous. “Tell me your plan, then.”
“The way I see it, we have two options. One, you come away with me and we have a fresh start somewhere far away. Failing that, well, I think we both know what will need to happen.”
“You won’t hurt Jamie, though,” I say.
Jeff puts on a sad face. “He’s a witness, now, unfortunately. And I can’t have him telling the cops about this.”
“It’s not too late,” I say. “You haven’t hurt anyone yet. There’s nothing to witness.”
Jeff grimaces dramatically. “That’s not entirely true.”
I can feel the blood draining from my face. “What do you mean? What does that mean?”
I follow his gaze to the shoe rack at the door. Lorna’s trainers are there, neatly stacked beside Jamie’s signature blue wellies.
“No,” I say, my stomach cramping. No, no, no.
Jeff shrugs. “It was her fault, really. She wouldn’t leave, the stubborn old cunt. And I needed her gone before you got here.”
“You’re a monster,” I whisper.
Lorna was the kindest person I knew. I feel my sinuses sting with tears, but I will them back. This is not the time to fall apart.
“No!” Jeff shouts, taking a stride toward me. “It’s your new man that’s the monster.”
“Alistair doesn’t hurt kind-hearted nurses! He doesn’t threaten people’s vulnerable brothers.”
“That you know of,” he says. “And do you know why you don’t know these things? Because the Ravenscrofts have enough money to cover everything up, every single time. When they want someone gone, they disappear like fucking magic. No body, no crime. Plus the police are in their pockets. Obviously.”
“Why this sudden obsession with the Ravenscrofts?”
“Because I saw him. Alistair. At the protest. He carried you off in his arms like a fucking Disney princess. He had no right to do that. We were protesting against him. Against everything he stands for. He had no right to come in and pretend to be a hero.”
“I fell,” I said. “I would have been trampled in the panic. He probably saved my life.”
“Well, he shouldn’t have!” Jeff shouts. “He had no right!”
“Yeah,” I snark. “He should have left me to die. Like the evil mob boss that he is.”
“You wouldn’t have died,” he says, rubbing his face. “You wouldn’t have died, because I was right there, watching you. I was the one who was supposed to come to your rescue when the bombs were detonated.”
I suddenly feel faint. “It was you,” I murmur. “You planted the bombs.”
“Very strategically,” he says. “And very small blasts, so that no one would get hurt.”
“I got hurt,” I cry.
“Hardly. You didn’t seem that hurt when you shacked up with a billionaire.”
My mouth hangs open. “You planted the devices, and then you were going to rescue me. And then what? Live happily ever after?”
“I’m not stupid, Ivy. I know we have … baggage to deal with. But it could have been a new beginning for us. A second chance.”
