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His face was inches from mine as I stared at him. My look was lethal, full of rage because this was his fault. He’d filled both our heads with lies. With his poison until we couldn’t even trust our own inner thoughts.
“I can do whatever the fuck I want. I’m your boss, remember?” He cursed as I twisted his arm further. His face turned red with pain or anger, but I didn’t really care. “So get out before I decide a bullet through your skull would satisfy me.”
I tossed him towards the door, ignoring his grumbles as I turned back to Zara. Her lips were parted in shock as she glanced between the two of us. But I didn’t have time for her fear.
“I need you to track Ariella.” I grasped her chair, turning her to the computer.
She whipped her head back to look at me. Her brows furrowed, and her voice soft like I was a child. “She left. She doesn’t want you looking for her.”
That’s what I’d thought, too. I stood there on my porch, feeling my insides corrode and die. Thinking I’d lost the only thing I’d ever had. The only thing worth living for.
And I was going to respect her wishes. I would let her go. It would kill me, but I’d do it. Because I’d lied. I’d hurt her. I didn’t deserve her.
Then, my gaze had fallen to the tattoo on my finger. The chain of flowers we’d gotten while holding hands. And I knew.
She wouldn’t leave.
She wouldn’t leave without her sketchbook. Without the drawings she’d spent her life on. She wouldn’t leave Zara. She wouldn’t leave me.
Not like this. Not without telling us.
She knew what it would do. Knew the pain of not seeing someone one more time. This wasn’t her.
“Do it.” Zara jumped at my order.
Her fingers shook as she pulled up some program on her computer. I felt the tension rising in my body as she typed the number in. I took slow, even breaths as a loading symbol appeared on the screen.
I wanted to grab the computer and throw it across the room for not moving fast enough. I wanted to destroy everything in sight, but that wouldn’t bring back my nightling. I’d save my rage for the person who’d taken her.
“Where?” I demanded a second after the screen beeped.
“I-I’m not sure.” Zara leaned forward, tilting her head as she stared at the flashing location. “In the woods behind our house, but—Adam!”
I was already out the door when she called my name. I knew exactly where she was. But it didn’t explain why she hadn’t come back. Or why she wasn’t answering her phone.
All I knew was I had to get there. Now, before I lost her forever.
39
Adam
Ibarely heard the crunching leaves over the pounding of my own heart as I raced through the woods. I knew this path better than how to efficiently remove an eyeball. This trail was ingrained in my memories. It had haunted my nightmares for years. And I had a feeling it would again after tonight.
Finally, I broke through the tree line at the top of the hill. The sun was just starting to rise, casting shadows in the clearing as I searched for her. I didn’t know what it was, a sound or a flick of movement, but suddenly my eyes jerked to the side, and there she was.
But no relief came.
Britney had Ariella pinned to the ground, a large object poised over her head. My fingers brushed my gun, but in a split second, I knew I couldn’t shoot. She’d collapse on top of her, taking whatever she was holding down too. They’d crush Ariella.
I half slid, half ran down the hill. I wanted to shout her name, draw attention to me, but I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs to speak. All I could do was move. Get to her as quickly as possible.
Fear tightened my chest the closer I got. She was completely still under Britney. There was no struggle. No fight.
My nightling would’ve fought until the end. I didn’t want to analyze what it meant if she wasn’t.
I felt like I was running in place. My body was moving, but I wasn’t getting any closer. Time seemed to stop as I watched Britney lower the rock.
“No!” A shout ripped from my very soul as my body collided with Britney’s. The rock made a thud as it fell to the ground.
