Page 80 of Texting My Valentine

He sighs darkly. “I don’t like this, Tori, but if we’re going to do it, I might have an idea. He doesn’t want to see any security, but he can’t police who uses the beach. I’ll put on some running gear and a hoodie so he won’t know it’s me and jog up and down the beach nearby. Lure him to the back porch…”

I nod quickly, my heart pounding as I mentally prepare for this. “Okay, we can do that.”

“And if you need me, scream, okay?” he says urgently. “I’ll be in there in two seconds flat. I’ll tear his arms from his goddamn body if he even thinks about hurting you.”

“What are you going to tell the security?” I ask.

“I’ll tell them I want them to stay here, watch the frontandthe back of the property, to make sure nobody can hurt Elliot. I’ll say we want some alone time. I hired them so they won’t press the issue. But Tori?—”

“I know. You don’t like this.”

“That’s a goddamn understatement.”

“What other choice do we have?” I say. “If I don’t go, he could kill her.”

“If you go, he could kill you,” he counters.

“That’s a risk I have to take. For Mom. You’d do the same for Elliot.”

“You’ve got me there,” he snarls. “Goddamn it. Remember, I’ll be nearby. And if you’re not out in five minutes, I’m coming in anyway.”

“Alex…”

“No,” he snaps. “I’m not arguing that point.”

“What if it takes longer?—”

“Enough, Tori,” he says firmly. “Five minutes is already too much time to be alone with that psycho. You wanted a compromise. This is your compromise.”

He’s not going to give in, is he?

“Fine, let’s do this. But I’ll need a change of clothes; I’ve only got my coat and underwear.”

“I’ll loan you something,” he says. “But it’s going to be baggy.”

A surreal feeling hits me as I walk up to the entrance of the beach house. I know Alex is jogging up and down the beach behind the property, but that doesn’t do much for the nerves and the fear twisting through me.

For Mom, I remind myself.

The door swings open before I can ring the bell. Damien holds a gun in one hand. He’s got his other clutched to his chest, probably from where Alex snapped it the last time he tried to pull some crap.

“You did the right thing coming alone,” Damien says smugly.

“What do you want?” I hiss, thinking that ten seconds have already passed.

I know that Alex will be counting down. He was livid about putting me in harm’s way. But he didn’t have a choice. If he’d refused, I would’ve come here anyway, with or without him.

Damien steps aside, nodding into the house.

“Where’s the big bad wolf?” he says, laughing in a self-assured way.

I rush to the center of the room, where Mom is tied to a chair. I glide my hands over her body, checking for injuries. Apart from the knock on her head, she seems unharmed.

“Where are your goons, huh?” I snap, spinning to him, letting anger rule me, which probably isn’t the best idea.

He rolls his eyes at me. I turn back to Mom, taking the gag from her mouth. She sucks in a breath. “Your man scared his goons away,” Mom says bitterly.

“Enough of that,” Damien snaps, striding over.

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