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“She is here, honey. In your heart, where she’ll always be.”
She kissed him again until she felt nothing but joy, and then they settled back to watch the remainder of the show. Once it was over, everyone gathered their belongings to head home for the night, and they remained in the park for about ten minutes, chatting to familiar faces.
It was well and truly dark by the time they headed for home, and they walked down the main street. Cars were parked in every available parking space, parallel to the stores. All of a sudden, Freya stopped on the footpath, her body tense and staring at something ahead.
Wyatt placed a hand on her flank. “Freya, what is it, girl?” The German shepherd growled into the night, before taking off at top speed down the road. “Freya!” he yelled after her, but she bounded across the road and disappeared down one of the alleys toward the end of the main street in between the stores. “Fuck.”
He bolted after her, only stopping to check for traffic before dashing across the road. Beth chased after them, trying to keep up, but her legs weren’t as long as Wyatt’s and so she fell behind. When she ran into the alley they’d both disappeared down, they were nowhere to be seen.
Panting, Beth bent forward, her hands on her knees as she gasped for breath. It was dark in the alley, and she wasn’t sure if all the bulbs had blown and not been replaced, or there simply hadn’t been any lights to begin with. The alley appeared to be mostly for trash, with dumpsters lined up against the walls.
She turned and headed back toward the light of the street, figuring she’d just go back across the road and wait for Wyatt and Freya to find her. Just as she reached the end of the alley and was about to step back out into the night, a hand shot out from nowhere and clamped tightly around her arm.
Beth froze in fear as she felt someone step up beside her, their breath warm on her skin.
“Hello, Lizzie. Fancy meeting you here.”
When she recognized the voice as belonging to the very man she’d been running from, her heart almost stopped beating in her chest.
ChapterTwenty-Five
“Let me go.”
Even though fear had risen up from the pit of her stomach to wrap around her heart and squeeze so tightly she could barely breathe, Beth kept her voice steady. Miles had been the only person in her life who’d insisted on calling her Lizzie, a name she now despised. She’d thought it cute at first, but it had quickly come to annoy her, and no measure of pleading had stopped him from using it.
Just one more way he’d controlled her, tried to get her to conform into the perfect little woman.
Gathering up all her courage, Beth attempted to wrench her arm free, but Miles was stronger and wouldn’t let go. “Now, now, Lizzie. Don’t make a fuss. You wouldn’t want me to shoot one of those lovely people across the road, just minding their own business, now would you?”
She looked at him properly for the first time since she’d spotted him at the supermarket, and he looked terrible. Even in the shadow of night, she could see how pale he was. His eyes had dark bags underneath them that were almost purple, and his face looked drawn.
Something cold and hard pressed into her side, and she realized it was a gun. Oh God. She prayed to whomever was listening that he wouldn’t shoot her. She didn’t want to die tonight, but she didn’t want another living soul in this town to be hurt, either. So it would be best to comply with her crazy ex’s demands for now, and wait until Wyatt found her.
And he would. Beth had no doubt about that.
So she played along, trying to soothe Miles as best she could. “Come on, Miles. There’s no need for a weapon. I’ll do whatever you want, promise. Let’s just go somewhere and talk. I know the diner’s still open. Why don’t we get a coffee and work this out like adults?”
He hissed in her ear, digging the gun closer. “The time to be civil is over, bitch. What did you think would happen, running away from me? Did you think I wouldn’t find you? Just let you go? You don’t do anything without my permission. Do you know how bad you’re making me look back home? I’ve had to lie for you, Lizzie. Tell people you needed a vacation to deal with your mother’s death.”
“Miles, please let me go.”
“No.” He jerked her closer, causing her to cry out in pain. He was holding her tight enough to bruise, but she didn’t dare attempt to pull away again. “I’ve been watching you, my love.” He paused, and she braced herself for what was coming next. “Didn’t take you long to whore yourself out, I see. Do you like spreading your legs for him, Lizzie? Does he enjoy it when you just lay there like a dead fish?”
“I enjoy it when she comes all over my cock, screaming my name.”
Beth jumped at the sound of Wyatt’s voice coming from behind them. Miles spun her around to face Wyatt. She could see him clearly, thanks to the light coming in from the main street. It was still dark in the alley but illuminated enough to see both men. “Wyatt,” she whimpered, terror once again seizing her heart.
“I’m here, honey. It’s going to be okay.” His voice calmed her, even though the situation they currently found themselves in was fraught with danger.
“Back the fuck off, asshole.” Miles pushed the gun deeper into her side, making her wince. “Or you’ll be watching Lizzie bleed out in front of you.”
“There’s no need to hurt her, Miles.” Wyatt inched closer, stepping forward until he was within reach. “We can talk about this.”
“Talk about what?” Miles waved the gun around in the air, causing Freya to growl menacingly. “Muzzle your fucking mutt before I shoot it.”
“Freya, down, girl. It’s okay.” Wyatt kept his tone calm and even as he stroked his dog, keeping her close. Freya growled again, but remained at his side, ready to pounce if needed.
“I’m so disappointed in you, Lizzie.” Miles sighed dramatically and shook his head. “I’ve been watching you since you left, and I thought you’d just keep driving until you got to wherever the fuck you thought you were going.” He kissed her temple, and just the feel of his cold lips on her skin made her shiver with fear. “Imagine my surprise when you stayed here for weeks on end. I knew something had to have made you hang around, so I came to see what it was.”
