Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
I stand and walk to her. I want her to know I could intimidate her physically. I could hurt her. On the island, I trained hard, and I know it would be an easy matter to incapacitate her and force her into telling me the truth. But something tells me it doesn’t have to come to that.
I don’t want to do that. I’ve seen, witnessed, and enacted too much violence already. And if she is innocent…
Instead I try for blatant honesty.
“You know the truth, Lila. I know you do. There’s some kind of desperation in your eyes, so I know you didn’t take part in any of this willingly.” My voice cracks, and it fits my act right now, because I need her to tell me the truth so badly, and perhaps she’ll cave more easily if she knows I’m not just a job but a human. “I have a brother at home. He’s disabled, and I’m all that he’s got.” I close my eyes, immediately flooded with the image of my Daniel. But I quickly open them again. I don’t want to be taken off guard. “Please, Lila.”
“I—I don’t know what you’re saying,” she protests, but she doesn’t look at my eyes. “Can I get you anything?” She turns to leave, and I grab her arm.
“You know,” I tell her. “You know.” Her eyes shoot to where I’m gripping her, and she blanches.
“They paid me so much money, miss,” she whispers.
Hope flares in my chest like a match to flame. It’s the first inclination I’ve gotten from any of them that this is a façade.
“Call me Harper,” I whisper back, a friendly gesture that seems almost out of place, and yet, I can’t help but try.
“Harper,” she whispers. On impulse, I reach for her hand.
“Who did?” I whisper back. We can’t have this conversation loudly. At any minute, someone less sympathetic than Lila could destroy this moment of truth, and I know intuitively that I’m in danger. That we both are. Perhaps even more danger than I ever was with Cy on the island. Whoever’s behind this is powerful.
“The people… the man behind this,” she whispers back. A lone tear escapes her, and she swipes at it angrily, as if to hide the evidence of her cowardice. “He told me he’d hurt my mother, and I can’t let that happen.”
I nod, keeping my voice as gentle as possible, with effort. I want to grab her by the shoulders and shake her. How could she be complicit in this? How could she value the safety and wellbeing of one woman over the lives of so many impacted by our kidnapping and manipulation?
With effort, I keep my voice steady, and even try to be sympathetic. “Of course not. Who is he?”
“His name is Finley Morose,” she whispers, shaking her head. “But... well, there was a man who recruited us…” she waves her hand at the ship, her voice dropping even lower, “All of us.”
I swallow hard. She’s confirming my suspicions. Everyone aboard this ship was paid.
“Where are we going?” I whisper.
She whispers back. “It’s a port near Miami. Not in Miami, but nearby. When we get there, we have strict orders to announce your rescue to the media. You’ll be treated as a hero, Harper. Given the highest honors.” She swallows hard.
“And Cy?” I ask her. “What will become of him?”
Too many questions run through my mind like a flock of birds rising, powerful and in sync, yet too many in number to count. I don’t know where to begin.
She shakes her head. “I don’t know,” she says. “We were never told details. All I know is the job I’m supposed to be doing.” I can see it in her eyes. She’s shutting down. She knows what she’s told me already has jeopardized whatever she’s been promised.
I nod. “Tell me more. Please, Lila. I promise, I won’t make you bear the brunt of this.”
She clasps my hands and whispers in my ear, “There are cameras everywhere.”
The tone of her voice is so terrified, I shiver.
“I was told that we were rescuing you, but that you were dangerous. We had to be careful to follow the script. To tell you that we didn’t know anything about Cy. He wasn’t supposed to have ever followed you as far as he did, but something went wrong, and he did.” She swallows hard. “We will dock in the port planned for us and alert the media. A hero, they say. Why were you separated from him? I don’t know. I think it’s a test of sorts.”
A test? A fucking test? Like we’re goddamned lab rats?
She must accurately read the irate expression on my face, for she speaks quickly. She’s afraid of me. I try to school my features, but I can’t.
I want Cy.
I will find who took him from me and I will find the man that I love, no matter the cost.