Page 7 of Vow To The Devil

"She is a liar," Burn spits, his words hollow and bitter. "You may have married her, but your wife is carrying my child."

I feel Talia flinch in his grasp, and I take a step forward, my fists clenching.

"You think I don't know that, Burn?" I hiss.

He blinks. "What?"

"You heard me." I take another step forward, my eyes blazing with fury. "I know that Talia is carrying your child. But that doesn't change a damn thing. She's still my wife. And I'll protect her with my life if I have to."

Burn sneers at me, his grip on Talia's arm tightening even further. "You're delusional, Dare. You think that just because you forced her to marry you, you own her? You're just like our grandfather, thinking that everything is yours for the taking."

My blood boils at the mention of our grandfather, the man who had ruined our familywith his greed and cruelty. But I refuse to let Burn's words get to me. I take a deep breath and fix my gaze on Talia's tear-streaked face.

"Talia, do you want to be with me?" I ask her, my voice gentle but firm.

Her eyes flicker to mine, and she nods. Her voice is reedy and damaged when she croaks out, "Yes, Dare. I want to be with you."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, relief flooding through me. But the tension in the air doesn't dissipate, and Burn's grip on Talia only seems to tighten.

"You're lying," he growls, his eyes narrowing. "Shedoesn't want to be with you. She's just scared of you."

I take a step towards him, my eyes flashing with anger. "Let her go, Burn. You have no right to hold her like this."

Burn sneers at me again. "I have every right. She's carrying my child."

I take another step forward, my fists clenched. "You won't lay a finger on her. You hear me, Burn? I won't let you hurt her or our child."

"We'll see about that!" he snarls.

I surge forward, ready to reclaim what is mine.

Burn's eyes flash with anticipation, sensing the impending confrontation. In one swift motion, he shoves Talia towards the docked speedboat. She stumbles, red hair flying as she falls hard into the boat. Burn lifts her legs without hesitation, and she falls inside the boat like an upended sack of potatoes.

"Talia!" I cry out, fear and rage twisting my gut.

Burn leaps into the driver's seat, gunning the engine. The boat lurches away from the dock as I sprint desperately towards the shoreline.

No. I can't lose her again.

"Rob!" I bellow into my earpiece. "Get the jet boat to my location, now!"

I hit the dock just as a driver pulls up in a slick speedboat, engine roaring. The boat was borrowed in haste, I'm sure, but it looks fast enough to beat anyone in any race. The driver is young and blond but focused.

“Jump in!” he urges me.

There’s no time to even think about life jackets. I vault over the side, landing hard on the deck.

"Follow that boat, full speed. Don't lose them," I order.

“You got it.”

The driver kicks the boat up to full speed and my hands grip the rail, salt spray stinging my eyes as we blast across the water. But I don't blink, refusing to lose sight of the boat carrying my heart and soul inside.

I'm so close to Talia. I hope she knows that I'm going to save her if it's the last thing I do on this earth.

Up ahead, Burn stands at the wheel, broad shoulders taut, dark hair ruffling in the wind. And beside him, a flash of red as Talia struggles against his hold.

I lean forward, willing our boat to close the distance.

---