Page 113 of Burning Your Lies

“I’m scared,” I whimper. I look over my shoulder before turning back to her. “He’s dangerous. I’m scared he’s going to kill me.”

Francesca pulls me into a hug and her hands rub up and down my back. “You’re going to be okay. Maybe just lie low for a bit. Let this storm blow over and then the two of you can figure a middle ground. Elise deserves that.”

I retreat from the embrace, releasing a sob. “Elise. Where is she?”

Worry flashes in her eyes before she relaxes. “She’s with Brynn.”

Every muscle in my body tenses. “Brynn doesn’t have her. She told me she’s getting the hell away from him.” I shake my head in panic. “I need to go.”

“Savannah? Where are you going?”

I look over my shoulder and shake my head once again at Francesca. “She is not safe with him. I’m going to his house.”

The front door is unlocked. When I enter the house, it is eerily silent. My slow footsteps feel heavy in the silence. I peer into the living room to see it is completely undisturbed. Stopping in front of the mirror, I stare at my reflection. My fingers trace my features before I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I pull my hoodie down and then open my eyes. Where my long black hair once swayed, a copper-brunette bob-cut replaces it. I finger the ends of it, realising how much it changes the shape of my face. My irises look darker and my skin deeper. Somehow myjaw looks sharper, or perhaps that’s because of how hard I’m clenching it.

I pull my hoodie off and discard it onto the sofa before continuing my walk around the house. “Honey, I’m home!” I follow my echo into the dining room and smile at the sight.

Xavier’s chin touches his chest as his eyes remain closed. His hands and legs are tied to the chair and I smile at the great job Brynn did. The closer I get to him, I see his chest rising and falling.

I kneel on the ground next to him. My lips press against his ear as I whisper, “Wake up, Mr Rivers. It’s time to play.”

Blue eyes stare back at me, making me jump. Xavier’s icy gaze lingers on me before he slowly lifts his head. He looks straight ahead. His hands wriggle and the rope I thought was keeping him hostage falls to the ground. He picks up the deck of cards I never spotted and shuffles them. “Okay, Savannah. Let’s play.”

I can’t help but laugh at his confidence. I take the seat opposite him and when he tries to deal the cards; I snatch them from him with a tut. “My game, Mr Rivers.Ideal the cards.”

He smiles. “Very well.” He clasps his hands together on the table. “I must say, Savannah. You have been a formidable player in this game. It’s a shame you’re going to lose.”

Dealing each of us two cards, I ask, “And how have you come to that conclusion?”

Xavier eyes his cards, giving nothing away. “You started this path for justice. There is no jury that will convict me.”

“You seem very certain of that.”

A sigh passes his lips. “Do you want to know how I won our game of chess?”

Feigning a bored expression, I mutter, “How?”

He leans in closer. “I timed itperfectly. I let you do whatever you wanted and let you build my case for me. I introduced Elliot back into the game when Ray was the most vulnerable. And I gotyou sectioned just as the seed was planted, but before you could kill it. But you…” He laughs. “In playing the long game, you gave me all the time I needed to cover my tracks.”

I tap my fingers against the table. “Place your bet, Mr Rivers.”

“Elise.”

My brow arches at his boldness. “You’re willing to bet your daughter?”

He waves his cards at me. “That is how confident I am.”

“Call.” I toss the top card of the deck aside. “Burn.” I reveal a card and place it on the table between us. “How have you covered your tracks?”

“There’s now proof Caitlyn got onto a flight. There’s proof of her employment history and taxes. There’s proof that we communicated after she left the country.”

“All circumstantial. That’s not enough for a jury, especially when they know what you do for a living.”

He holds his finger up. “Ah! But so is your so-called evidence. Where is her body?”

“The diamond.”

“A diamond that no longer exists.” Xavier leans back in his seat with an aura of arrogance. I’m almost surprised he destroyed his collection, but it proves how desperate he’s become.

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