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She shrank against the wood at her back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you felt that way.”
“I didn’t get the chance to tell you, because boy wonder stepped in and assumed ownership.” Dillon stepped back. He gave a dry laugh. “Seth wanted you the moment he laid eyes on you. I could tell.” He stared at her, but his eyes weren’t quite focused, as if he was reliving the encounter. “I knew at that moment I’d lost you.”
He’d never had her. But she didn’t dare voice her thoughts. This Dillon in front of her was a stranger, an emotionally unhinged threat who had her helpless.
She needed to escape before he gave in to whatever demons filled his head.
With small movements, she tested the strap keeping her in the seat. No give. Maybe if she could reason with him? “Dillon, why don’t we—”
“No. It’s too late now. Too late for you to act like you care. You had plenty of chances to feel that way before you met Seth.” He took several steps back, ending up beside the laptop. “Each morning you’d smile at me, ask me how I was. I mattered. At least I thought I did.”
“You do.” She stressed the last word.
“No. Not since that summer.” His voice was toneless, flat. “When those fucking bastards came into our lives, they changed everything.”
She tried for a calm, even tone despite the sickening fear clawing at her belly. “I don’t understand.”
“Oh, but you will. You, Seth, Heath, Zach and Adam.” His mouth twisted in a spiteful snarl. “Especially Adam.” He drew out a revolver from the back of his dress pants. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out one bullet, dropped it into a chamber and spun it.
Harper stared in horror at the weapon, barely managing to hold back her scream.
“Good, glad to see you’re keeping it together. If you scream, I’ll grab my Glock and shoot you before the fun starts. That one’s fully loaded.” Dillon used the mouse pad on the laptop and her image flashed up on its screen. She let out a sob, unable to reconcile the woman with matted, wet hair taking shuddering breaths as her.
He clicked another few keys. “And now we play.”
Dillon moved to stand next to her as a smaller square opened up on the top right of the screen.
Seth’s face appeared. His beautiful, handsome face. Her heart clenched. What if she didn’t make it out of here? Was this her last contact with Seth? She fought the tears, so hard, but a hot, salty drop fell down her cheek and onto her lip.
Seth clenched his jaw. He swallowed once before speaking. “Harper, sweetheart.”
Dillon punched the side of Harper’s head. Pain flashed through her skull, blinding her for a second. Her neck ached from the wrenching force of the sudden movement. She shook her head, trying to refocus.
“Jesus, Dillon,” Seth yelled.
“Like any game, this one has rules. One of them is you address me only, Seth. Any transgression outside of the rules and Harper pays a penalty. Understood?”
“Yes.” Seth’s murderous gaze stared back from the screen.
To the side of Seth’s head, Harper caught glimpses of buildings out a car window. Was he looking for her?
“There are a couple other rules, but it’s more fun for you to discover them along the way.”
Harper closed her eyes at the implication of that threat.
Dillon lifted the revolver and placed it against her temple. Harper bit down on her lip to stop herself crying out. “We’re going to play a game of Russian Roulette. The difference here being Harper’s the only one playing.”
Seth’s face resembled an iron mask. “Why are you doing this, Dillon?”
Dillon’s tone changed from conversational to resentful. “Everything changed the moment Adam pulled me out of the water.”
“The rescue?” Seth asked in a cautious voice.
The muzzle was pushed harder against her scalp. “Rescue? Of course, you’d see the results of a freak wave as a celebration for the Aussie street thugs.”
Harper fought to ignore the pain of the pistol jammed against her head. She wouldn’t think about him firing, what it would feel like. God, he really was twisted. Wasn’t saving his own life something to be grateful for?
Seth frowned. “Dillon, Adam saved your life. Anybody would do the same. It was a good thing.”
