Page 111 of Exile and Embrace

Becca’s hands fly to her mouth as I snatch my car keys from the coffee table.

Cillian pulls out his phone, his words flying out too quick to pay attention to while my dad laughs in my ear.

Dad’s laughter dies. “Do you really think that I would be stupid enough to call you without having your little whore in my possession? You don’t want to know how easy it was to take her from that airport, Finnigan. She went without a fight. If I didn’t know better, I would say that she loves you.”

My heart slams against my chest as I clench the keys tight in my grasp. “Where is she?”

“Tennessee. A bit of a drive from the airport. It really is a shame that it’s going to take you so long to get to her.” Dad is no doubt wearing a smirk right now. “I’ll send you the address. Hopefully, she’s still alive when you get here. Declan is frothing at the mouth to punish her for all she’s done to him.”

The call goes dead as I rush for the door.

Cillian moves fast, stepping in my way and planting his hand on my chest. “What the hell is going on, Finn?”

Tears stream down Becca’s face. “Is Ava alright?”

“My father and brother have her somewhere in Tennessee.” I glare at Cillian, ready to throw him out of my way if I have to. “I need to get on an airplane now, but I need your help. I don’t know what I’m walking into when I get there. I’m not supposed to be in Tennessee. I’ll call Christian on the way to the airport, but I may not be able to get to Ava in time.”

Becca shakes her head. “That’s not an option. You’re going to rescue her, and you’re going to bring her back here where she belongs.”

I move past both of them. “I’m going to do everything in my power. If things go bad, you need to kill my father.”

“We will help you. I’ll call ahead and have my plane and some of my men waiting.” Cillian follows me out onto the front steps. “Keep a calm head about you. Going in there is going to be anything but easy. Killing your father is going to feel wrong.”

I spin and face him. “No. After taking the woman I love and threatening her, killing my father is going to feel like a relief.”

Cillian says nothing else as I get in my car, already dialing Christian’s number.

He may have told me to stay out of Tennessee, but he can go fuck himself.

Ava is in danger, and I’ll be damned if anything stops me from getting to her.

30

AVA

Declan’s hot breath skates across the back of my neck as he tightens the ropes. The rough material bites into my wrists, blood pooling as I try to wriggle free.

I move my wrists faster, trying to keep some slack in the rope.

Declan growls and pulls the rope tighter, pinning my hands in place as he finishes tying me back up to the pole.

I’ve been trapped in a single room for a day.

My wrists ache, and my stomach is growling. Declan’s only untied me long enough to use the washroom, before securing me back to the pole.

I don’t know how I’m going to get out of the ropes.

Hell, I don’t even know how I’m going to survive this entire experience.

I can’t free myself, and even if people know that I’m missing now, how long is it going to take them to get to me?

I’m going to be dead long before Finn ever gets here. If he is even coming.

Declan smacks the back of my head. “Enough of the shit, Ava. You’re the one who got yourself into this mess. What did you really think was going to happen when you left me? Did you think that I would just forget that? Allow you to leave? No, I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Sounds pretty pathetic.” I spit out the words like venom, knowing that taunting him is a dangerous game.

Declan’s hand wraps around my throat, and he slams my head back against the pole. “How many times do I have to teach you how to speak to me?”

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