Page 155 of Before I Loved You

I don’t understand. Why would he need me as—

My eyes widen, understanding jolting through me.

“You’re a smart girl. Knew you’d connect the dots.” An evil grin appears as he watches me. “Paul will notice you’re missing soon enough. It will be impossible for him not to since he’s been watching you like a hawk these past few months. And when he comes running in here, ready to be the hero who saves you, well…” He shrugs his shoulders, leisurely picking up the gun beside him and waving it in my face.

I shake my head furiously, murmuring an inaudible plea into the tape. There’s no way in hell I’m letting him touch a hair on Paul’s head. Even if I am entirely immobile, there has to be some way for me to stop this. Moving my eyes around the room, I search for anything.

Something that will make this nightmare end.

“You see, it took me a little while to figure out how you got into my computer in the first place. Or, more accurately, how Paul did. I had to think long and hard about it, and that’s when it—”

But his words are cut off as we both hear feet running down the hallway. My breathing rushes out of me in panted exhales through my nose, leaving me lightheaded as though I’m about to pass out. When Greyson stands beside me, smiling triumphantly, reminding me of the monster I’ve feared, I know only one thing.

It’s too late.

“It’s showtime.” Greyson presses the barrel of the gun into my temple, eliciting a whimper of pain from me.

The door slams open, and Paul emerges before me, suddenly stopping as he sees the scene in front of him.

His eyes darken, narrowing in on me, observing everything Greyson has just put me through.

I widen my eyes, waiting for his eyes to lock onto mine, and they finally do as I silently beg for him to leave.

Please leave. Please leave. Please leave.

It’s the first and only time in my life that I want someone to leave me. To let me go. To get the fuck out of here as fast as he can.

But he won’t.

I know he won’t.

Because of what I stupidly made him promise me.

More tears fall silently down my cheeks, knowing he won’t leave.

He never will.

Thunder roars in my ears from my vigorously pounding heartbeat as Greyson clicks the gun’s safety off and says, “We’ve been waiting for you.”

Paul’s eyes move to Greyson, staring him down. I see a slight tremble in his fist, tightening by his side. His jaw furiously clenches as tension builds in his shoulders. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Greyson?”

Greyson casually waves the gun in the air as though it’s a toy. “Well, you made a mistake when you once again took something that was mine. And I decided I’m not letting you get away with it this time.”

“Greyson,” Paul grits out, his chest heaving. “Just put the gun down, and we can talk about this.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” He points the gun back at me. “As I was just telling Sarah before you rudely interrupted, I know it was you who hacked into my computer. I had to piece together everything, but it finally clicked. That night you stormed into the bar, trying to beat me to a bloody pulp, was when you found my collection of videos, including hers.” He laughs manically. “It was my favorite video, too. God, I would watch it on repeat. Couldn’t get my fill of her.” He strokes the end of the gun over my cheek, and tears gather in my eyes, blurring my vision.

My eyes latch onto Paul as his whole body vibrates in rage. I’m desperately trying to get his attention with whimpers and head shakes, but no matter what I do, he won’t look at me.

And I can feel him falling deeper into Greyson’s trap.

Greyson’s riling him up, waiting for the right moment to strike.

“Don’t fucking touch her.” The deep tenor of Paul’s voice sends an icy chill in the air.

“Or what? I don’t think you’re the one in this room who can make demands right now,” Greyson responds, sliding the gun down my head to the side of my neck.

“What do you want?”

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