Page 159 of In the Pursuit of Haven
Technically untrue, but apparently these men hadn’t been chosen for their brains. Instead of taking a healthy dose of caution, they dashed headlong up the stairs. Hunter and Divine stayed a safe distance behind.
Abby turned to Jessie and me, her eyes bright with eagerness. “This could be it,” she said in a rush. “This could all be worth it in the end.”
She was so desperate to make things right after what she had done that she hurt my heart a little bit.
“I’m sorry, Jessie”—she found his hands—“but once we bring this treasure home, we won’t have anything to worry about ever again.”
If only it was that simple. Glancing back at Luther, who watched on like a sweaty bulldog, I had serious doubts that he’d let us leave with our fair share, if at all.
Jessie squared his shoulders. “Abby…”
Luther came up behind us. “Keep moving.”
Stiffening, Jessie turned, blocking Luther from the ones he cared most about, his every move protective when it came to his little sister and me. I didn’t doubt that if given the opportunity, he’d fight Luther and his men until the end.
Unfortunately, the ones he loved most were being used to control him.
Luther’s brows rose at me when I glared at him past Jessie’s arm. “I’m sure you’ll thank me after this is all through,” he said.
Is that what he thought Haven would’ve done? And what about my grandparents? He’d ruined any kind of future they had. I couldn’t keep back my anger anymore. “You were the last to see Matthew before he died,” I hissed.
The man had the absolute nerve to roll his eyes. “You think I killed Matthew?”
“Yes,” I said, “and you planned it with Drake.”
Jessie put his hand on mine to stop me from getting close to Luther, but I wasn’t having it. “You both were trying to pin Matthew’s disappearance on my grandfather; convenient for you that Robert killed your brother and there went all your witnesses. There’s no love in you.”
Luther made a loud scoffing sound. “You don’t seem to hold Haven to these same high standards.”
My teeth clenched at the injustice. “That was self-defense and you know it!” Luther had torn all those families apart without a second glance.
His lips curved. “If that helps you sleep at night, I’ll allow it.”
No, it didn’t! I wanted to shake him until he admitted the truth.
“C’mon.” Jessie tried to stop me again from having this clash. “He’s too far gone.”
That didn’t mean I wouldn’t put him in his place. “Haven trusted you,” I said, “after everything you took from her.”
“I know you’d love to pin all your pain on me, but Robert was a hothead, just like all your stupid ancestors—the law was always going to catch up to him, and Felicity?” Luther shook his head with an easy laugh that grated against my nerves. “She never loved him or she wouldn’t have run at the first sign of trouble… and to run so far? Last I heard, she was in Scotland, where she built herself another life, another family. She had no plans ofeverreturning to pick up the pieces.”
“It was really Felicity.” The truth slammed into me as the horror of what had happened all those years ago finally came together in my mind:
“Haven!” I rushed around the boat, holding my pregnant belly as I followed my cousin’s screams. I screamed when I saw her struggling in Drake’s arms ahead of me.
“Stop fighting me,” the angry man shouted at her. “We can have it all. Don’t tell me you’re not tempted. Come with me. We’ll have plenty of time for you to show me what my brother saw in you later.”
Haven hit at him. “You’ll never be the man he was.”
“Doesn’t matter because he’s never coming back for you.” Drake shook her. “Give me the locket, Haven!”
She kicked, overturning the lantern that illuminated this horrible scene against the seat. As if everything happened in slow motion, I watched the flames rush over the cockpit like a hungry wave. Flames engulfed one side of the boat.
I turned, seeing Robert running from the other direction. Drake picked up his gun and pointed it at him. “Don’t interfere,” he said. “Get off the boat. I’m through with you.”
I stood behind the raging maniac. The crowbar they’d used to pry the figurehead from its mount in the garden rolled past my feet.
“Felicity killed Drake when she was trying to protect Haven,” I said. “He’d attacked my aunt and Felicity must’ve run to her cousin’s aid.”
