Page 112 of Burning Your Lies

His gun presses against my chin. “I’ll just torture it out of you.”

“How long will that take? I pressed the trigger when you sent that message. I’d say she’s got about three minutes before she goeskaboom.”

His desperation turns to Brynn. “Did you know about this?”

She vehemently shakes her head. “No! He told me she was dead.”

Picking up my tie, I hang it around my neck before pulling my suit jacket on. “I bluffed. I knew I could not trust you with the truth. I knew when the chance came, you would sell me out. So, I lied.”

“Prove it,” Rowan demands. “I want to see her.”

Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the polaroid I took of Eliana holding this morning’s newspaper. I toss it at him. “She’s been right under your nose. I knew you would look everywhere except here in London. You’ve probably walked past her hideout. How unfortunate. Did you never wonder why I killed Kane’s friend the second you called my name? Poor Eliana thought Chase’s oldest friend would help her, so she called Kane and told him about a man named Huxley who saved her twice; once from each Ashford brother.”

“She didn’t need saving from me!” he roars. “I…” His voice falters and he stares past me.

For a moment, I pity the man. “You love her,” I finish for him. “She learned that too late. But do you still love the woman who betrayed you?”

He’s trying to hold on to his anger, but the pain is rolling off him in waves. “I should ask you the same question.”

“Then we both know the answer. I will give you her location once Savannah and I are free. Do you understand?”

“You’re going to give it to me right now—”

“You’re not the one calling the shots anymore, Rowan. You’ve been sitting atmytable, playing withmycards. You saw whatever I wanted you to see. You can call yourself Basileus, butonly one of us is walking out of here a victor. And it’s not you. You touch a hair on Savannah or my family, and I will decapitate the woman you love and personally hand-deliver her head on a gold platter to you.”

In his state of desperation, Rowan looks pathetic. The power that he normally exudes has vanished at the mere thought of losing her again. “If you escape with her again—”

“After you do one last thing for me, I have no purpose for her.”

“What thing?”

I head for the exit. “I’ll be in touch.”

“You have five days,” he calls out behind me. “Five days before I tear this city apart until I find her. Do you hear me?”

I stop and turn to face him. “You’re asking the wrong question again, Rowan. You should be asking if she wants you to find her.”

The look that overcomes him is harrowing and determined. It is a look of a man so dangerously in love, nothing will stop him. “It doesn’t matter, because Iwillfind her. And this time I’ll make certain she doesn’t ever leave.”

50

Savannah

I pull my hoodover my head, trying to conceal as much of my face as possible. Bouncing from leg to leg, I check my phone again to see over ten minutes have passed. The phone is pressed against my ear when I see her exit the lifts and walk towards me.

“What is going on?” Francesca frantically looks around us, as if she’s scared someone is going to come charging at her.

I rub my face and shake my head. “Where is he?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. He left a few hours ago. Are you okay?”

“He released sex tapes I didn’t even know he had to the entire world. What do you think?”

There’s a look of contemplation on her face. “He said it was you.”

Tears brim in my eyes. “Do you really think I would let him record our affair? Those cameras were hidden inside the wall, Fran. He was watching me the whole time; eating, sleeping, undressing…” I wipe my tears. “He promised to ruin my marriage. He said if he couldn’t have me, nobody can. I haven’t even heard from Hux since this all broke out.”

Her eyebrows furrow. “Why would he do that, though? He’s denying it all. It makes little sense for him to…” Her arms fold over her chest. “I just don’t get it.”

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