Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 88270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Because her life is now in danger. If Carolyn was willing to kill Frances, she wouldn’t hesitate to kill her body-double especially, now the imposter had the goods on her.
The farmhouse appears out of the dark, old and weathered. Gravel crunches under the tires as I pull up. I switch my headlamps on. I need the element of surprise. I get out of the car and start running towards the house when I hear the shriek of pure fury. Carolyn.
My blood runs cold as I rush to the door, pushing it open. I take in the fight between the two women and the gun on the floor. I have seconds to act. I pick up the gun and pull the trigger.
And now, Carolyn is dead. And I’m holding her imposter tight in my arms. Wet tears soak my shirt.
Her words tumble out, distraught, emotion cracking her voice. Her body shakes, and I hold her tighter, my hand slowly rubbing her back. "How... how did you know where to find me?" she asks, her voice breaking. Her hand grips my arm tightly as she faces me.
"Mom told me. She suspected that you were meeting the real Carolyn or running away from our lives forever, so I checked my Find My app, and it showed me you were headed here.”
She nods slowly, then looks up at me with wet eyes. “You haven’t asked what my name is.”
"I know your name, Juliet," I tell her. My voice is soft, the confession spilling out like it has been waiting.
She starts crying even harder. “I’m sorry, Blake. I’m so sorry. Look at the mess I’ve created in your life.”
I pause and understand now why I chased her here. Why I am never ever going to let go of her. “There is nothing for you to be sorry for, Juliet. My life was a barren desert until you came along. Life was so intolerable that I buried myself in work. I’m in love with you, Juliet. I can’t imagine life without you,” I say. “So no matter who you are, you’re going to come back with me, and we’re going to figure this out together, okay?”
A smile breaks through. Her hand rests on my face, her fingers trembling.
"I’m in love with you too," she whispers.
I kiss her then, soft and lingering. There is a dead body next to us, I’m now a murderer, and there is a whole world of problems ahead, bad publicity, I can kiss the Tokyo deal goodbye, but none of it matters.
All that matters is I’ve got her. And she’s mine.
Chapter Fifty-Six
JULIET
“Can you stand?” Blake asks.
"Yeah, I think so," I mumble.
His hands are gentle but urgent, as they run quickly over my arms and body, searching for injuries. His touch grounds me, sensual even in the chaos, stirring that deep craving for him despite everything.
Blake pulls back, his gray eyes calm, but his face looks pale under the lamp's sickly glow.
"We need to call the police," he says, as he reaches for his phone in his pocket.
But before he can dial, a knock sounds on the door, sharp and unexpected. It makes us both freeze. Tension coils tight in my stomach as the rap sounds again, cutting through the heavy silence like a warning.
Blake picks up the gun and stands, his body tense. He glances at me with a protective look, before, gun in hand, he goes to open the door. The wood groans on its hinges, and the night air rushes in cool and fresh, carrying that earthy scent from the fields.
A tall, broad giant of a man in a dark coat steps in. He is bald and so completely expressionless that his face looks like a mask. He glances around the room. The light catches his shaved head as his eyes fall on Carolyn’s dead body. He remains completely emotionless at the gruesome sight.
“Who are you?” Blake asks briskly, and I can see that even though his arm is lowered, he is ready to shoot.
“I’m the clean-up guy," he replies, matter-of-factly, no pause, like this is routine. He jerks his head in my direction. “She hired me to get rid of the body."
He doesn't know the difference, or maybe he does, but either way, he clearly doesn't care. His gaze flicks again to the corpse, and I feel a chill run down my spine.
For a moment, both Blake and I are too shocked to do anything, but then Blake speaks.
“No need. We can handle the —"
But I cut him off quick, my finger pressing across his lips, soft and urgent. I shake my head slowly, begging with my eyes, wide and pleading. Whispering, “Don’t,” the word hangs between us.
The man looks at me. “Well? Up to you, but I don’t return money paid to me.”
“Go ahead. Do it,” I croak.
Without hesitating or asking any further questions, he pulls out a large black bag from under his coat and unfolds it with a rustle, the plastic crinkling loudly in the quiet. We watch him stand over Carolyn’s body and make his calculations.