Page 14 of Redemption's Inferno

The New Scotland Yard building was sleek and modern, covered with glass and a seemingly endless stream of windows. She stared up at it with a strange combination of awe, nervousness and trepidation. This was it. One way or another, she would find redemption here—even if it meant giving up her freedom. She walked briskly towards the entrance, her focus so intense she didn’t see the man moving up behind her until he grabbed her around the waist.

“What in bloody hell do you think you’re doing?!” Chains hissed, looking down at her with about the darkest look she’d ever seen on anyone.

“None of your business!” she snapped, her eyes narrowed. “Let go of me!”

“Can’t do that, love.” He shook his head. “Whatever it is, you need to tell me. You have friends—we want to help.”

“No one can help!” she hissed. “Dammit, Chains, let me go!”

His grip tightened and he stared into her eyes. “You know you’re not stronger than I am, so stop it.”

“It’s my life!” she cried. “You have to let me live it my own way! I have to get out from under this—it’s destroying me! Please!”

Looking down into her tear-filled eyes, Chains felt something stir deep inside of him. She was desperate, angry and afraid, all rolled into one, yet she was going to turn herself in without an attorney or even her friends to support her. Could she really have done something so terrible? “Let’s make a deal,” he said softly, his grip firm but gentler now.

“What deal?” she whispered, meeting his gaze suspiciously.

“One week,” he said. “Give me one week.”

“One week to do what?”

“To be trusted enough to hear your story. To come up with a solution.”

“There is no solution!” she cried, trying to wrench away from him. It was futile since he was far bigger and a whole lot stronger than she was. She would never get away from him unless she screamed for help, but she didn’t want to draw attention to them.

“Don’t even think about it,” he warned, a glint in his eye as he suspected what she was considering.

She made a face. “One week won’t change anything and it only delays the inevitable.”

“What’s the inevitable? Prison?”

She didn’t say anything, merely set her jaw and looked away.

“Look,” he said, blowing out a breath. “It’s one week. Give me seven days to either change your mind or find some way to help you. What difference will seven more days make?”

She laughed bitterly. “It’s been eight damn years—I don’t sleep, I don’t eat—I can’t do it anymore!”

“Seven days,” he repeated. “That’s all I ask. If you still don’t feel you can tell me what it is at that point, I’ll deliver you right back to this spot, exactly seven days from now.”

She looked up into his handsome face and was surprised to see genuine concern there. He was staring back at her so intently she suddenly felt shy, as though he could see inside of her. The fact he’d seen her naked really didn’t bother her—she’d walked around naked at sex clubs all over the world—but the way he was looking at her now sent a chill down her spine and she wasn’t sure why. Swallowing hard, she gently pulled her arm free from his viselike grip.

“If I agree to seven days, will you let it be?” she asked softly.

“If you’re honest with me.”

“Chains, I don’t even know the whole story.”

“Then let me help you figure it out.”

“Why do you care?”

“Because you’re my friend. Because Viggo and Becca and Warren are all worried—afraid you’re going to hurt yourself.” He paused. “Because I see something in your eyes that I recognize.”

She met his gaze. “What does that mean?”

“When you come to trust me, maybe I’ll be able to trust you.” He closed his hand around hers. “Come with me, Em.”

“Where?”

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