Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
“Run, Bianca,” Ashland says into my ear, urgent and commanding. “I’m here now. Run.”
“Come here, Bianca,” Marcus says in that cold, threatening tone I've come to know so well. “Don't make me come get you.”
“Stay away from me.” My voice cracks.
He laughs. “Oh, love. Scream all you want. No one's here to help you. They all think you're crazy.” He takes another step closer. “Just like the others. Thinks about it. I helped them through it. They thought I was their savior, right up until the end. Nobody trusts an unbalanced woman, darling. You have too much of a reputation for instability now.”
“The… the others?” I whisper.
“Otherwise very smart girls who lost the privilege of life,” he says, close enough now that I can see his face clearly in the dim light from the street. His mask has completely dropped. “Look at you, trembling. Pity you had to ruin everything, Bianca. I actually quite liked you.”
He tilts his head to the side, studying me like I'm an insect.
“I'm here, lass,” Ashland growls in my ear. “Black Range Rover. Right side of the street. Fucking run. Now.”
I see it—headlights cutting through the darkness at the mouth of the alley.
I bolt. I hip-check Marcus, taking him by surprise, but I only have seconds before he rights himself.
I kick off my heels mid-stride, my bare feet scraping the rough pavement. Behind me, I hear Marcus's roar of rage.
“Bianca!” Marcus lunges, his hand catching my dress. The fabric tears, but I don't stop. I can't stop.
I run as fast as I can. I can feel him behind me… can hear his footfalls pounding closer.
The SUV’s door flies open.
Ashland’s wearing a mask, but I can see what’s in his eyes—pure, unfiltered murder.
“Get in the car, Bianca,” he snarls. “Now, before I kill him, and we do not want that right now.”
I scramble past him, diving into the passenger seat. I hear the sickening thud of Ashland’s fists and Marcus’s howl of rage, before Ashland tosses him bodily to the ground and leaps into the driver’s seat, cursing up a storm.
“You'll regret this!” Marcus screams after us, his voice echoing down the alley as he pushes to one knee and grips his side. “You'll regret this, Bianca! And you—” He points at Ashland. “You have no idea what you're interfering with! No fucking idea!”
I slam the door, and Ashland takes off, the tires screeching.
His hands are trembling on the wheel. “Are you okay? Tell me you're okay. Did he hurt you?”
I've never heard his voice like this—shaking, desperate, barely controlled.
“I'm—I’m alright.”
He yanks off his mask and throws it to the floor, his eyes raking over me frantically. “Of course you are. You brilliant little lass. You're fine, aren't you, you brat? You ran like you'd never been injured in your life. Shite, Bianca.”
I let out a laugh that's half sob. I'm laughing and crying at the same time.
“You have no idea how much self-restraint it took me not to kill him right there,” Ashland says through gritted teeth. “I was right there. But I had to get you safe first. If I'd killed him with you standing there, you'd be dragged into this, and there were too many witnesses.”
“I know,” I whisper. “It's complicated.”
He reaches over, not looking away from the road, and takes my hand. His grip is fierce, desperate—a lifeline in the darkness. It's warm and comforting—safety and home, everything I didn't know I needed.
It's Ashland.
“Take me home,” I whisper.
He glances at me sharply. “Home?”
“Take me back to the cabin. With you.”
“Are you sure?” His voice is hoarse. “Because once you're back there with me, I'm not letting you go. Not now. Not ever.”
“I'm sure.” For the first time in weeks, I'm completely sure.
The smile that breaks across his face is devastating.
“He's not gonna let this go,” I tell Ashland quietly.
“I know,” he says, shaking his head, that small smile still playing at his lips. “And I can't believe I had to let the bastard live. But we'll handle it.” He squeezes my hand tighter. “Together.”
I let out an exhale, lean back in my seat, and feel his reassuring presence next to me.
I'm safe.
I'm with Ashland.
Whatever Marcus brings next, I won't face it alone.
Chapter Nineteen
Ashland
The drive back to the cabin is the longest forty minutes of my life.
She's here… in my car. She chose to come with me. And I can barely fucking breathe because I'm terrified she'll change her mind. Terrified I'll wake up, and this will all be a dream.
I can almost feel the phantom ache in my knuckles where I’d have split them on his face. It killed me not to attack him now, but I’m appeased for the moment, knowing his time will come. I'd break every bone in my hands if it meant keeping her safe.
I glance over at her. She's staring out the window, her arms wrapped around herself. Her dress is torn, and she’s trembling slightly. I want to pull over, wrap her in my jacket, and hold her until she stops shaking.