Page 98 of Nest Of Lies

“I want my money,” Malone snarls, his grip on me tightens, and I let out a tiny groan of pain.

I hear the thud of something hard.

“Don’t move, Lia.”

I turn my head in the direction of the speaker. The voice is familiar, sort of. I can almost remember it, but I can’t place it.

“What happened?” The voice asks. I don’t recognise it, but the smooth depths are familiar. Like a memory of a dream.

“He killed Nick and Kyle,” I whisper.

A hand touches my chin. I flinch and tremble.

“You hit her?”

I don’t listen to the rest. Who cares? Nick and Kyle are dead. I want my pack. I want to go home.

I hear footsteps run away, and then a car starts and speeds off.

“Come on, Lia.”

I stand still, somehow more terrified than I’ve ever been. “No. No, I don’t want to go with you.”

“Lia, I need you to walk or I’ll carry you. No one is going to hurt you here.”

I snarl. A hand grips my arm and drags me forward.

“I’ve waited years to meet you,” he says.

I’m so confused that I walk with him, letting this stranger in the dark guide me further away from my pack.

Chapter thirty-five

Lia

“Let me go!” Ihowl suddenly. The blind obedience is suddenly ripped away, and I realise what I am doing. I throw myself both ways, trying to escape. With vicious snarls, I struggle against the hands holding me tight until they leave bruises. I’m dragged forward, and I kick out, my heart pounding. I fight to stop any forward movement, but it’s impossible.

I’m dragged to a stop. I can hear multiple people in the room. Sounds of movement are everywhere, and I turn my head at the sound of footsteps to my right, tracking the movement.

“Let me go!” I try to sound calm and in command. “You let me go or else!”

One of the guys lets go of my arms, and my blindfold is torn off. I blink, glancing around really quickly, looking for the exits. When I find the closed door and the two men leaning on it, I dismiss it and turn back to the front, searching until I find a man sitting at the long ten-seater table to my right.

He has a folder in front of him. I can barely make him out in the dim light, but I can see the large hand with the chunky rings on it.

“Why am I here?” I snap. “You fucking murderer. I want to go home!”

He laughs. “You’re just as you were when you were a child, Lia.”

I tense, uncertain. I peer at him harder. “Who are you?”

He nods, and the lights come on. I know him instantly. He hasn’t changed at all. His mid-brown hair is still hanging down to his mid-back, except now it’s grey. His face is more lined, but it’s still Andy.

“Andy?”

He grins that familiar smile that used to turn my world joyful. “How have you been, kiddo?”

I laugh and spring towards him, hugging him tight. “I missed you.”

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