Page 56 of The Quiet Witness

He offered no answer. There was nothing but the hum of the engine in her ears. His silence only adding to her building frustration. “What do you want me to do? Escaping hasn’t really worked out well for me now has it?”

Lucien checked the side mirror before merging onto the highway. His cool composure back once more. Nothing but the tense jaw a tell that he too… harbored some irritation.

If he’d expected her to thank him for not being a total psychopath, for not harming her more than he needed to, he could wait for all of eternity.

Kate shook her head in disgust. “So this is the way, that you make it all sound okay in your own head. That the money given to you for murder, can do something good. And then what? The people you’ve killed are nothing but a mere obstacle to… a greater good?”

He merely replied in a clipped tone. “I’m not the monster you think I am. I only wanted to show you that I am not planning to harm you, to ease that fear lingering in you. After what happened… yesterday.”

She slumped in her seat. Bewildered. Yesterday he was threatening her not to go to the police, today he was telling her this? What would tomorrow offer? A love letter?

It was all a show. A performance to get her guard down.

The car in front of them hit the brake. Kate gasped as the jolt shot them forward. ABS kicking into gear. As if on instinct Lucien’s hand shot out. Saving her from hitting her head against the dashboard.

His entire arm covered her chest, lingering a beat too long. Her heartbeat ramped up at the warmth.

Tires screeching the Volvo rolled to a stop. Just in time.

He pulled away. All she could do was stare but he didn’t even offer her a look. Resting his chin in his left hand as he looked out the window.

The red tail lights gleamed all around as the fog set in, growing denser and denser. Kate felt as if it closed in on them. Stifled her.

His reaction had been fast as lightning. Her heart had skipped a beat due to the swiftness. That was all.

Lucien continued. Voice soft considering the fact he had nearly crashed his beloved car due to their heated argument. “But perhaps you’ve been through too much to see that.”

Her nails dug into her palm, jaw stinging.

Bitterness crept its way into her tone. “What do you think you know? You haven’t asked me anything. Did you get what, a special folder titled Kate? Depicting all the things that happened to me while in that house?”

He said nothing. Likely mulling over some answer that would go straight over her question. With steel in her tone, she demanded. “Answer me.”

His shoulders tensed, sharp eyes burning onto hers. “Did I hear in detail the beatings you’ve had to endure? The bruises you hid? No. But it’s written all over you.”

She wrung her hands while he continued. Oblivious to the fact each of his words was a blow to her composure.

“The signs are everywhere. In the hard eyes that scan the environment for threats. The near flawless way you hide the flinches. And, the way you’ve come to accept the situation, to a degree.”

His attention drifted back to the traffic jam. “I know the signs Kate. Know the desperation that you feel. The whole point of today’s outing was to lighten that load. I apologize if it has instead contributed to the burden.”

She hesitated. Wondering how much she would spill. How much she would show to a killer. Eventually, her words a mere whisper she said. “You know, the thing is. People have always decided for me. It’d be nice, if I could make a decision for myself for once.”

“From what I see, you were as stuck with them, or more, than you are with me.” Bitterness lined his words.

“At least I knew what I was up against.” Her fingers ached and she looked down at them, Lucien’s gaze following. They were red and raw from where she’d been rubbing them together. She drew his attention away. “I was making moves to get out of there, you know. Had you not interfered. I might have been out there in the world, making my mark. Or I would have ended up at a shelter. That’s the thing, though. I won’t ever know. Because I didn’t get to choose.”

The cars around them started moving.

He offered her one last straw. “I can’t let you go. I tell myself that maybe this isn’t the worst life for you. Against my better judgment, I hope for the time being, you can accept it.” Accept that you’ll kill me.

She didn’t bother replying. Letting her head rest against the cold, foggy window. Staring out at nothing as the highway gave way to the familiar towering pine trees to surround her once more.

Chapter 24

Broken Silence

Lucien’s latest assignment had taken him two states away from Montana. But even so, he’d found himself swiping through his phone. Thoroughly expecting another ping to alert him that someone had tripped the alarm. Maybe even a call, telling him the house had been lit on fire.