Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
I send her a bunch of heart eye emojis. She’ll need plastic surgery once her face heals, but at least she’s alive. She knows I was abducted and hurt, but she doesn’t know it was Mom’s ex-boyfriend. Some secrets have to stay secret.
The doorbell rings and Hugo groans. Spencer huffs, pushing my feet out of his lap and standing. If it were a family member, it’s likely they’d let themselves in, hence why we don’t do anything in the living room for fear of being caught. If someone is at the door, it’s someone else.
A few seconds later, Spencer yells at us, “Dad! The police are here!”
Hugo and I bound to our feet. He races ahead of me. We make it to the front door where Spencer is glaring out the window beside the door.
“What do they want?” I ask, voice tight with fear. The last time I saw the cops, I’d been naked and a victim. The memory physically hurts and sends terror surging through my veins.
“I don’t know,” Hugo rumbles. “Let me do the talking.”
He pushes Spencer aside and unlocks the door. When he opens it, four officers are standing on the porch. The lights from two squad cars are illuminating the darkness with flashes of red and blue.
“Can I help you?” Hugo says, squaring his shoulders. “Is everything okay?”
“It’s about your missing wife,” one of the officers says, voice tight. “I’m so sorry, sir.”
She’s dead.
They found her body.
Oh God.
Bile creeps up my throat. I’d been perfectly content hoping she’d just bailed, leaving this town to go after her own desires. When Drew took me, though, I’d had real stirrings of doubt about my wishful thinking. Everything pointed to her death. I was too eager to step into her place and pretend it wasn’t true.
“Why are you sorry?” Hugo asks, voice husky.
“She was found at the lodge,” the officer reveals.
Spencer curses and kicks the wall beside the door. The officer’s hand goes to his gun. Panic rises up inside me. I clutch onto Spencer’s arm, attempting to calm him down. He seems angry, not upset or shocked.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Park, but we have to do this. We’re placing your son under arrest.”
Hugo gasps. “W-What? No. You can’t do that. He didn’t kill anyone. My son’s not a murderer.”
Except he did kill someone.
He killed Drew.
“Murder?” the officer snaps. “No, sir. We’re arresting him for the kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment of your wife.”
What?
“She’s alive?” I croak out, the world around me spinning and closing in.
The officer smiles at me. “They’re taking her to the hospital now, but she’s alive.”
I fall to my knees as the gravity of his words sinks in. Mom’s alive. She’s alive, but Spencer’s been keeping her in captivity and now he’s going to jail because of it.
She’ll come back to her husband.
My lover.
Oh God.
Hugo
Spencer opens his mouth to speak to me, eyes burning with shame and regret.
“Don’t say anything, Spence,” I bark out as they cuff my son. “Pops will be there soon.” Then, I turn to Aubrey, who’s pale and sitting on her knees. “Get my father on the phone, Love. Now.”
She scrambles to her feet and pulls her phone from her pocket. Her hands shake as she makes the call.
“What happened?” I demand to the officer whose name tag reads Knowles. “I need you to tell me everything.”
Knowles steps out of the way to let two of the officers guide Spencer out of the house and toward one of the waiting squad cars. The other officer, Jimenez, stands beside Knowles, arms crossed over his beefy chest.
“Apparently, there’s a wedding happening soon, and the lodge was booked to capacity. A couple just checked into their room and were talking when they heard Mrs. Park’s cries for help through the wall. They contacted the front desk. One of the lodge staffers opened the room up and found your wife being held captive.” He frowns. “They called the station and she told us who was responsible.”
I scrub a palm over my face. “And you believed her?”
Knowles exchanges a confused look with Jimenez. “She was shackled by her ankle and a chain that was anchored to the bed frame.” His brow furls. “Mrs. Park was hysterical and in a lot of pain, but she was quite clear about who did that to her. It was your son, Mr. Park. I’m sorry.”
“He’s on his way,” Aubrey blurts out behind me. “Nathan is on his way.”
Knowles tenses at the mention of Dad. Despite the obvious evidence against my son, no one wants to have to deal with Dad.
“I understand you want to protect your son,” Knowles says gently, “but your wife needs you right now. Would you like an escort to the hospital, Mr. Park? I know this is a lot to take in.”
Before I can answer, a news van pulls up, and then two more are on its trail. Fuck. Dad trots our way, face stern.