Page 83 of Seal My Fate

“Please, no—” I try to stop her, but she’s already rising to her feet, emerging from behind the car, hands raised.

“I’m over here!”

Fuck! What the hell is she doing? I look on in horror as Hugh whirls around, training his gun on her. “Get over here,” he barks, wary now. He’s got blood on his face, and an unhinged look in his eyes. “Nice and slow. No fucking games this time.”

Wren walks towards him, leaving footprints in the pool of gasoline spilling on the floor.

I peer out, horrified. I want to scream and shout, and stop her from doing this, but already, he’s grabbing her and yanking her closer; one arm around her neck in a chokehold while the other waves that gun around.

“Now, where the fuck’s your sister?” he demands. “Better get out here, Tessa, unless you want to see your sister’s brains all over the floor. You’re both dying today, but if you play nicely, I can do you the favor of making hers quick!”

I stay frozen there, torn. Wren told me to run, but I can’t just leave her here. Hugh is losing it, unravelling before my eyes. There’s no telling what he’s capable of.

I look around me, searching for a weapon. The gasoline is spilling slowly, pooling on the floor at Hugh’s feet. If I could just find a way to spark a fire—

CRASH!

There’s suddenly an ear-splitting wrench of metal and glass, as a black Jeep careens through the garage doors and spins to a stop. And behind the wheel…

It’s Saint!

Relief crashes through me, but it’s quickly drowned out by fear as Hugh fires towards the car.

“Stay back!” he yells, still holding Wren in a headlock. He presses the barrel of the gun against her head. “I’ll kill her, right now!”

Saint climbs out, his hands raised. He’s got his gun in one of them, but when he sees Wren, he drops it to the ground, and kicks it clear.

“Calm down,” he tells Hugh, his voice even. “I heard the gunshots, and thought you were the one in trouble. Your father sent me, to give you a hand with these two. And clearly, I got here just in time.” Saint gives a snort of derision. “You couldn’t handle two girls alone? Christ, it’s no wonder you need a babysitter.”

Hugh pauses, clearly confused. “I don’t believe you,” he says, aiming the gun at Saint. But his hand is shaking, and I can see the wheels turning in his mind.

Saint is bluffing, I know he has a plan, but how long will Hugh let him talk?

I look around, resuming my search for a weapon as Saint keeps him distracted, facing the other direction.

“I’m on your team,” Saint continues. “Why else do you think I’ve kept Tessa so close? I had to find out who they told about the Ashford scheme.”

“But your brother said—”

“Robert doesn’t know everything. This was above his pay grade. After all, the way he failed in the woods, my parents knew they couldn’t rely on him anymore. That’s why they brought me in. Finally. You should have told me sooner,” Saint adds, as I spot a glint of metal nearby, under the next car. A heavy wrench.

I crawl over to it, my heart pounding.

“You love her,” Hugh’s voice comes, sounding uncertain. “You chose her.”

Saint laughs. “Over a billion-pound profit, and the entire Ashford empire? C’mon, no pussy’s worth that much, even if she does fuck like a champion.”

My hand closes around the wrench handle, and I slowly drag it closer, praying the sound won’t carry over their voices.

“You know me,” Saint is saying. “A little rebellion is one thing, but I was always going to do my duty in the end.”

I slowly rise to my feet. They’re twenty feet away from me, Hugh’s back still turned with his gun in one hand, and Wren gripped against him.

Silently, I creep closer, brandishing the wrench.

Saint sees me over their shoulder. His eyes flicker wider in recognition, but then he talks again, louder, to cover the sound of my approach.

“So, how about you stop waving that gun at me, and let’s get this mess cleaned up?” Saint continues, as I force myself to put one foot in front of the other. Creeping closer,closer... “God knows they’ll already be missing us for the ceremony, but we can get back to London in time for the reception. A toast, eh? And a nice, solid alibi. Not that anyone else will notice those bitches are gone. They’re not one of us, are they now?”

---