Page 206 of Burning Daylight
I’ve never driven fasterthan when I get behind the wheel of Benjamin’s car, and before I can blink, we’re at the base of Verona County Park.
“What happens when I go up there?” I ask Benjamin as the car idles.
“Juliette will be there, but listen, he’s expecting you.”
I grit my teeth and nod. If something happens to Juliette…
“I don’t care,” I say. “He can have me as long as he lets her go.”
He nods once, and I reach out to grab his arm.
“I’m going to find Lance, okay?” he reassures me.
My heart pounds against my ribs. “Lance wasthere. Isn’t he in on this?”
“Lance is a prisoner just like everybody else. Freddy promised him a way out, and he’s desperate for it. But there’s no fucking way he’d let them hurt Juliette.”
I blow out a deep breath and nod again, throwing open the car door and trekking up the hill. Fury lines my blood, and my focus is singular.
Get to Juliette.
If it’s me Frederick wants, then fine. He can have me.
When I get to the open space at the top of the cliff, I don’t see Frederick anywhere.
My eyes skim over the area, and on top of the picnic bench where I fell in love, there she is.
She’s knocked out cold, laid out on her side, and her hands and legs are bound with what looks like rope. My vision narrows, and I race to her, picking her up from the table and dragging heronto the ground and into my lap, my hand brushing her cheek. “Juliette.”
Her head lolls to the side, and I lean forward and press my trembling lips to hers, my stomach filling with dread. “Little Rose, wake up,please.”
My fingers grip her neck, trying to find a pulse, and a breath of relief hits me when I do.
Not dead.
No blood, either. Thank God.
Juliette whimpers, and my gaze moves back to her, my hand on her cheek. Her eyes flutter open, and she groans again, shifting like she’s trying to move her hands.
Fuck. I should have started to untie those right away. I move to try and untangle the knots, but before I get anywhere, footsteps sound behind me, and then Frederick walks into the space, a smile on his face.
“Roman, you made it,” he says.
Juliette’s eyes close again, and she’s back out, another small whimper leaving her.
“What did you do to her?” I spit at him.
Gingerly, I put her on the ground and move to stand in front of her, like I can keep him from even looking at her too closely.
I still have the pocketknife on me from earlier, and I’ve never been a murderer, but if he tries to get close to her, I will kill him. Even if it gives me nightmares for the rest of my life.
He looks around. “Just us?”
“Isn’t that what you wanted?” I ask.
“I wasn’t sure Benny would follow through. He’s a little fickle, runs on emotions, you know?”
Did Benjamin trick me here? Am I all alone in this?
