AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Because I’m the reason he’s gone.” I fill in the details, excluding the part where I killed him. There is no expression on his face. He looks as lifeless as Elliot’s cold corpse.
“And now she wants to reconcile with him?” he asks at the end.
I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know. She’s asking for proof of life.”
“I thought you already gave that?”
“She’s become paranoid ever since her father’s death. And even more so after Emery. At one point, she thoughtyoukilled her.”
He necks the rest of his drink without so much as a wince. “Why are you going through all this trouble?”
I pull on my cuffs until they align with my suit jacket. My hands run down my shirt to remove the invisible creases.
“Part of me feels responsible for her. Since coming into our lives, we’ve inflicted so much pain on her. The ex. The father. Pregnancy. Emery.” I shake my head as if it will eviscerate the image burned into my memory.
“You didn’t see her when Emery died. The isolation. The crying. The accusations. After giving birth, she had a breakdown. After all we’ve done, we owe this to her.”
This is the first time Ray lets me see his pain, and it’s all for her. “And what if she chooses to walk away?”
It won’t come to that because my plan is foolproof, but I feign uncertainty. “Then I’ll let her go.”
Ray nods. “Consider it handled.”
There’s the friend I’ve known my whole life – putting his work above his feelings. He doesn’t want her to go, but he will because I asked.
It’s because he wants her to be happy, even at the cost of his happiness.
I hate that my subconscious is right. He’s not doing me a favour. He’s making a sacrifice for her. The knight is surrendering to save the queen.
It’s a worthless martyr because he doesn’t know I’ve already saved her.
In the privacy of my car, I hit dial.
“Is it time?” he asks.
“Yes. Fuck this up, and you’ll meet the same fate as the real Elliot Hunter.”
44
Savannah
Ifeelsicktomy stomach as I pace the dingy hotel room. I recheck my watch. This only works if Huxley follows my clear instructions. Doubt plagues my thoughts.
What if he didn’t check his draw?
What if he hates me so much that he ignores it?
What if he told Xavier?
Bile rises in my throat. The naïve part of me believes he wouldn’t after I specifically asked him not to. Plus, Xavier isn’t in the office today – I know this for sure.
But he could call him?
I jump when there is a knock at the door.
What if it’s Xavier? What if he found out about my plan? What if he’s here to kill me?
Only one way to find out.
