“I’m here if you want to talk about anything, like what happened at Neurovida,” he says. His tone flattens. “Or Matthews.”
My gaze strays to the dwindling fire. “He said he’s tried to stop my death more than once,” I whisper. “Which doesn’t make sense, because I just saw him shoot me.”
Liam shifts so our eyes are level. “I’ll force him to tell me how he changed your past, and I’ll stop him pulling that trigger.” He speaks with such assurance, as if he’s already done it. “No oneis going to hurt you.”
I want him to be right. But what if he can’t stop my death? Liam’s arms tighten around me, as if he can sense my thoughts.
“How long until we need to go back?” I whisper. When we disappeared, Rose must’ve been furious.
Parker presses his forehead to mine and my fear dissipates. “All the time in the world. And then I’m going to make it so we have forever.”
37Rose
The blunt ache in my skull morphs into a fierce stab. My nails claw at Matthews’ shoulder as I slide onto the floor beside him, facing the space where Parker and Ella disappeared. Fucking assholes. He’d better be using this time to say goodbye. The relentless ticking has my skin crawling. It feels like the room’s swallowed me whole, and I’m stuck with Matthews inside the belly of a beast of his creation.
He hasn’t moved since Parker injected him, but considering his size, he won’t be out long. The clock I’m monitoring flicks to nine forty-eight. Ten minutes have passed. Either Parker’s losing his touch, or he’s distracted.Where are they?
As if demonstrating his impeccable timing, Parker and Ella appear, hands clasped together. A dark determination shines in Parker’s eyes, but I’m having trouble getting a read on Ella.
“You okay?” I ask her.Who would be after watching themselves die?She nods, but her eyes are glazed over, her fingers clutching the charm on her necklace. “She should leave,” I say to Parker, snapping Ella from her daze.
“You won’t hurt him, will you?” she asks, looking between Parker and me.
I have to give her credit; she’s witnessed her death at the hands of this man and still requests mercy on his behalf. She’s always been the better person.
“We need answers,” Parker says, his eyes glued to Matthews.
“I’m staying,” Ella says, lifting her chin. “You two aren’t the only ones who deserve the truth.”
“If you’re sure,” I murmur, glancing at Parker.
They sit on the bed while we wait, Ella perched by Parker’s side. He’s holding her to him as if reluctant to let her go. A prickling heat fills my chest. It’s obvious something’s changed between them. I just hope Parker knows what he’s doing.
Matthews groans, and I funnel more power into him, holding him here in this time in case he tries to escape. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.Finally, we will get answers, and he’ll get what’s coming to him.
“You ready?” I ask Parker, and he nods. The pounding in my head eases, his influence flowing into Matthews from where he sits on the bed.Show-off.
In his groggy and disoriented state, Matthews opens and closes his eyes a few times. He glances from Ella to me, but when he sees Parker he jerks awake, yanking his wrists against their restraint.
Parker springs to his feet. “Hey, Matthews.” One side of his mouth curves into a malicious smirk, but there’s no humor in his voice. “How’s the eye? Looks all better.”
Matthews mumbles something, but with the sedative flooding his system, the words are too slurred to decipher. Parker lunges for him and crushes his forearm against Matthews’ throat. “That’s not how this is going to work,”he growls. “I’m going to ask you a question, and you’re going to answer it. Now, tell me how you change the past without detection.” Parker releases Matthews, glaring down at him while he coughs.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Matthews says, his deep voice slow and hoarse.
Parker thrusts his arm back against Matthews’ throat. “Let’s try that one more time. How did you change Ella’s past without our memories splitting?”
I dig my nails into his shoulder. “And don’t bother lying. We already know about the sleeping pills and the scar on her wrist. How did you stop her from meeting her ex-boyfriend, Glenn?”
The moment Parker lets go, Matthews throws his head forward, striking Parker with surprising accuracy. I shudder at the sickening crack of bone colliding with bone and the hunger for vengeance behind Matthews’ steely gaze.
Parker falls backward and Ella cries out, moving to help him. But Parker’s back on his feet, lunging at Matthews, nostrils flared and body shaking. “Why did you tell Neurovida we were working with Fan?” he asks, and I shudder at the memory of the rogue time traveler on the video, plucking those men’s lives like grapes from a vine.
“To get you out of the way,” Matthews mutters.
“Why?” I ask, but Matthews remains silent.
“Still not getting it, are you?” Parker says. He grabs the fabric of Matthews’ shirt and wrenches him forward, his other hand tightening into a fist. “Maybe if I break your other eye socket?” Matthews doesn’t flinch or pull away. He just stares at Parker, his gaze lethal beneath his drooping eyelids.
