Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
“Anything off?”
“No. The blinds are open downstairs.”
“Why would the blinds be open? She never leaves them open.”
“She’s otherwise occupied, I guess.”
“True.” I think for a moment. “Is everything alright inside?”
“Yeah, I’m looking through the windows right now. Everything is normal. Nothing to see.”
I listen with my heart in my throat. “Nobody is in the backyard?”
“No, boss, of course not. The only way to get in here is to scale up a cliff or over the neighbors’ twelve-foot fence. We’re parked in the driveway and are doing perimeter checks every half hour. I’m telling you, everything is fine. Alora’s asleep and you should try and relax and get some too.”
“Okay.” I think for a moment. “Maybe I should come over and stay in the car with you?”
“Then it’s just more people to guard. Get some sleep.”
“You’re right.” I nod. “Call me if anything happens.”
“Of course.”
I hang up and walk out into the deck, I watch the lights of Monaco twinkle in the distance. A deep anxiety swirls deep in my psyche and I feel so unhinged without her by my side. One night without her and I feel like I’m falling apart.
Who even am I?
ALORA
Swish, swish…. Swish, swish…swish, swish.
Metal clangs in the distance, a hard sound, familiar and yet unknown.
Swish, swish…. Swish, swish…swish, swish.
I doze, somewhere between reality and hell. It’s dark but the area appears to be lit by a flashlight, where am I?
My heavy eyelids battle to open and I gag, whatever is in my mouth is so big that I can hardly breathe.
Help me….
I look around as I try to get my bearings. I go to wipe my face only to realize I’m tied down; dragging my eyes up to my wrists I see huge bolts have been drilled into the floorboards and I am spread out and tied down by my hands and ankles.
I pull to try and loosen them but I can’t move an inch.
Swish, swish…. Swish, swish…swish, swish.
What the fuck is that noise?
Where the hell am I? My eyes dart around, suddenly panicked. What’s going on here?
I look to the side of me and there on the floor is a blue cloth tool kit rolled open and in it a set of stainless-steel hunting knives.
Swish, swish…. Swish, swish… swish, swish.
What the hell is that noise?
I look over to the corner to see a person dressed in black, wearing a black balaclava and some kind of goggles. Sharpening a knife on a honing rod. They swipe it back and forth making the swish sound as they stare at me blankly.
Oh my god….
My breath hitches in fear as tears roll down into my ears.
No.
Panic screams through me and I struggle to break free. I try to yell around the gag in my mouth but no sound comes out.
Help me! Help me!
Swish, swish…. Swish, swish…swish, swish.
I screw up my face as I fight and struggle and pull on the ropes and try my hardest to break free.
The person in black calmly kneels down beside me and seemingly studies my face.
I frantically shake my head.
Please don’t do this!
They slowly run the tip of the blade down my cheek and then hold it to my neck, they stare at me for a long time. Emotionless and cold.
I shake my head, frantically hoping for a miracle.
Please, God.
Please don’t let this happen…help me!
Please help me.
“Prescott will pay.” They cup my face in their hand and brush their gloved thumb over my bottom lip. “With your life.”
I shake my head frantically as I scream around the gag. I kick and fight with everything I have.
“It’s time to die.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
EDWARD
Patience isn’t my greatest strength.
I’ve tossed and turned all night, fought with myself long and hard not to go to Alora and make her believe me. The only thing that’s stopped me is the knowledge of her zero tolerance for my controlling ways.
Turning the corner into her street, I glance at the time on my dash: 6:21 a.m.
I couldn’t wait a minute longer.
I pull my Bentley into the drive beside Philippe; he’s sitting inside the car and another man is sitting on the front porch.
“Hi.” Philippe scrambles out of the car. “I wasn’t expecting you this early.”
“Yeah, I know.” I walk past him. “Just wanted to get here.” I walk up the stairs and put my key into the door and push but it doesn’t open.
“The deadlock’s on,” Philippe tells me from behind. “We checked for that last night.”
“Good.” I take out my phone to call her, I really want to surprise her while she’s still in bed. “I’ll go around to the back door.” I make my way around the side of the house and to the set of French doors. I open the door with my key and head upstairs. The room is dark and the blankets are pooled over her body. I lie down beside her and pull the blanket back to see pillows strategically placed under the covers to look like her.