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As the predator buried deep broke to the surface, I headed toward my bedroom to retrieve one of my weapons. No one and nothing would take her from me.
Not fate.
Not God.
And certainly not a man.
* * *
“In visions of the dark night I have dreamed of joy departed — but a waking dream of life and light hath left me broken hearted.”
—Edgar Allan Poe
Lark
There was no reason that the crisscrossing patterns of lightning flashing in the sky should trouble me more than any other night. Except that this wasn’t just any night. I clutched the card I’d been given, glancing at the single letter on the front. The conversation with Candice had been brief, very little information provided, but it was enough to know that I was risking more than just my career.
I was jeopardizing my life. As I walked off the elevator, I took a deep breath, opening my purse, sliding my hand inside. When my fingers touched the hard steel of my weapon, I felt more at ease. I’d left messages for Lachlan as well as the detective who’d hassled him. Would it be enough?
As I moved down the long corridor, holding the keycard in my hand, my inner voice and my instinct told me to get the hell out of the hotel. Yet, I still felt compelled to try to help Lachlan. My hand was shaking as I slipped the card into the lock, almost hoping the light wouldn’t turn green.
When it did, I said a silent prayer that I was doing the right thing.
There was no one inside as I’d been told, the suite posh by any standards. I turned on several lights, trying to find the best location for my purse. When I did, I left it open, but the gun wasn’t visible to anyone glancing at the desk. Now all I had to do was wait.
Five minutes passed and my stomach remained in knots. I stood by the window, the view of the Potomac beautiful at night. But the eerie blue lightning kept me on edge.
Another ten minutes dragged by and I was close to being frantic. Then my phone rang and I was forced to bite back a squeal. Swallowing, I yanked it from my purse quickly, tears forming in my eyes when I saw the number of the caller. Lachlan.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?” he demanded, his tone riddled with anger and concern.
“I’m at the hotel.”
“Get the fuck out of there. Now. I mean it, Lark. Get. Out.”
“I’m trying to help.”
He grumbled under his breath. “You can’t. This is dangerous. I received a package from Davidson with a list of names and a confession that he killed the first girl. But there’s a lot more. I’m on my way but go down to the lobby. Do not argue with me on this. You can watch people entering from there. I have all the information I need. Get out. You don’t understand how powerful they are.”
The insistence in his voice boosted the edge. “I’m leaving now.”
“You and I are going to talk about this. When you’re safe.”
I held the phone to my forehead after ending the call. He was right. I was out of my mind. I grabbed my purse, dropping it the second I heard a knock on the door. Tension roared through me, my mind attempting to process why I’d been so stupid as to believe I could do this. After grabbing my bag and placing it on the desk, I tried to think of a legitimate excuse to get the hell out of the room.
There was no chance of doing so until the person standing on the other side of the door walked into the private space. My mind continued spinning, ugly images tearing through my brain cells as I walked closer. As soon as I wrapped my fingers around the doorknob, I stiffened. Lachlan was on the way. Whatever happened, he’d arrive in time to protect me.
With that in the back of my mind, I opened the door.
“Well, well. If it isn’t the little troublemaker.” When he wrapped his hand around my throat, pushing me into the room and closing the door, stars pulsed in front of my eyes.
And all I could think about was Lachlan.
He would save me.
I knew he would.
