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“Okay,” I huff out. “Let’s go.”
I stick close behind Zeke as we make our way over to the warehouse Zeke pointed out, but instead of heading for the front entrance, which would be obvious, he slips down the side of the building, and I follow him.
He pauses about halfway down and motions for me to get down and stay quiet. I do as I’m told. My heart is thumping so loudly it’s ringing in my ears, but over the top of that I hear muffled voices. I take a deep breath trying to calm myself.
“– long until it wears off?” Declan asks.
“Another ten minutes or so,” Aiden replies.
“And he didn’t have a phone on him?”
I don’t hear the response, but Declan’s curse is loud, and I flinch. I’ve been on the receiving end of that anger before.
Zeke taps my leg and motions for me to keep low and follow him. We head towards the back of the warehouse, stopping at the corner. He moves in closer, and I can feel his breath on my cheek as he murmurs in my ear. “Is it just the two of them? Could there be anyone else?”
“I only saw the two of them,” I whisper back. “Declan’s paranoid. He doesn’t trust anyone but Aiden. I’m ninety-eight percent sure it’s just the two of them.”
Zeke nods. “Good enough for me.” He peers around the corner of the building, assessing the area. “There’s a dumpster over there, I’m going to climb up and see if I can see anything. Wait here.”
I crouch into a tiny ball, my arms wrapped around my legs as I wait for Zeke. Aiden said we had ten minutes. Ten minutes until what? I’ve heard the rumours about Declan–he likes to play with his victims. It’s a powerplay for him. He gets a thrill from their fear.
A tear slips down my cheek. I hate that Harley might be hurt because of me. I got too comfortable in Blue Haven. I should have known that Declan wouldn’t let me go. There was nothing in the news about my disappearance. I kept checking. The lack of media coverage lulled me into a false sense of security–none of my so-called friends reported me as missing. Not even Jasmine. I never bothered to wonderwhy that was.
Instead, I settled into my life here. I became Lily Adams. Isabelle Adamos was nothing but a ghost. I never planned on falling for Harley. Now his life is in danger, and it’s all my fault. I should have known better than to think I could get away from my old life.
Footsteps approach from the direction that Zeke had disappeared, and I hold my breath until he ducks around the corner and crouches down next to me.
“Are you okay?”
I shake my head. “Did you find anything?”
He nods, his expression grim. “Harley’s in there. They have him chained up, but he’s still alive.” I choke back a sob. Zeke places his hand on my shoulder. “We’re going to get him out of there, but you need to do exactly what I tell you to do. Can you do that?”
I swallow back my fear, and nod.
“LET HIM GO.”
My hand is steady on the gun as I aim it at Declan. For the first time in my life, I’m thankful to my father for taking me to the gun range every year on my birthday.
I can’t bring myself to look directly at Harley, but I can see him in my peripheral vision. Aiden stands behind him, and I can see the muzzle of his gun pressed up againstHarley’s head. I take a deep breath and step towards the man who abused me. I need to keep Declan and Aiden’s focus on me.
“Lily,” Harley chokes out. “What are you doing? Get out of here. You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“Lily?” Declan snorts. “Well, well, well. This is going to be fun, isn’t it, darling?”
I let off a warning shot aimed at the floor near Declan’s feet at the same time he swings his fist one last time, smashing into the side of Harley’s temple. My stomach drops as his head rolls forward, and he doesn’t move.
“Let him go, Declan,” I repeat, but I can’t stop my voice from breaking.
“Put the gun down, Isabelle. We both know you’re not actually going to shoot me.” He speaks to me as if I’m a disobedient child throwing a temper tantrum.
“Isabelle doesn’t exist anymore.” I need to keep him talking, keep his attention fixed firmly on me. “What do you want, Declan? Why are you even here?”
He snorts. “You’re my fiancée. You think I was just going to let you go?”
“You almost killed me, you sick bastard! You don’t love me. You just want to own me.” My eyes prick with tears, and I’m breathing heavily.
“But Idoown you, Isabelle.” Declan’s psychotic level of calm is really starting to grate on me, and if Zeke doesn’t hurry the fuck up, I’m going to lose my cool and shootDeclan in the balls.
