Page 113 of Voracious

“Bernadette Sawyer found you,” he says, and my heart sinks. “Her men are coming for you right now. There are two cars outside. We need to hide.”

A tear falls down my cheek as I remember everything he did to me. I was free from him, and now that freedom is gone. “You ruined my life – what makes you think I’m going to listen to anything you say?”

“Because if they find you, she will torture you. Despite what you think of me, I’m all you’ve got.”

“The house is protected. There are guards everywhere.”

“You mean all the guys with slit throats and broken necks? They were already dead when I got here.”

We both jump in fright as the front door crashes open and we hear what sounds like a group of men storming in.

Chris doesn’t let me argue with him as he starts pulling up floorboards. He hauls me down with him, settling them on top of us. I want to scream, but he covers my mouth with force and warns me not to say a word – that he’s protecting me.

The heavy footsteps come closer as they swarm through the hallway. I can see through the thin gaps that they’re all dressed in black with helmets on, faces hidden beneath balaclavas. My body tenses as one of them fires a spray of shots all over the room, the window smashing, mirror shattered, bullet shells dropping above us.

I shake beneath the floorboards, unsure who’s more of a danger to me – Chris or these armed intruders.

More tears fall as Chris keeps a firm grip on my mouth. One of them speaks in a different language, and then I hear a set of heels in the hallway.

“She must have run off. Search the woodlands and replace the tracker on her car,” a woman says, and my nerves shatter when I realise I’ve heard that singsong voice before. “Try not to kill her, but you can mess around with her. I expect Stacey Rhodes to be in my facility by the end of the week. Preferably alive.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Her wine-red hair curls down the front of her tight black suit, breasts spilling out where she keeps her shirt unbuttoned at the cleavage.

I hate her – despise this horror of a woman. I grit my teeth, digging my nails into my palms. I want to yell, to call her a filthy bitch and rip her hair out. If she’s here with her team, and they’re firing openly in my house, not knowing if they’ll sink a bullet into my gut, where is Kade?

Is he here?

My inner questions are answered as she speaks again.

“Don’t let him know why we’re here. He thinks it’s a regular contract. If you see Christopher Fields, shoot on sight. I’m not going to let him get away with stealing our data files.” She’s silent for a moment, then she adds, “Barry Lennox. The owner of this house. Did you find him? His wife and daughter?”

My eyes widen, but my shoulders unstiffen as he replies, “No. Do you want to give orders to look for them?”

“No need. Just kill the brother and bring me Stacey Rhodes.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the guy says again, and she orders everyone to leave – they’ve obviously assumed the place is empty.

I hear a few things smashing, and when we’re sure the coast is clear, I elbow Chris in the ribs and push against the wooden slats. They lift, and when I get up, I turn around and punch him right in the nose as hard as I can, knocking him back into the hole he made in the floor.

“I fucking hate you!”

“Fuck, Stacey, stop!”

I’m impressed he bleeds so quickly, and when he doesn’t try to hit me back like I expect, I punch him again, slapping his face and sinking my nails into his cheek.

I tumble back as he shoves me.

He wipes blood from his lip, giving me a deathly stare. “What the fuck was that for?”

When I turn and attempt to land another punch, he grabs me by the throat and shoves me against the wall, hard enough to hit the back of my head. My vision fogs, and painful pressure makes me groan as dizziness settles in.

“I’m sorry I left you,” he says. “I was going to stop them, but I couldn’t. Do you understand? I gave you the blade. Did you use it? I haven’t heard from any of them since that night.”

I spit in his face. “You made my life hell,” I say breathlessly, my eyes stinging with tears and pain and exhaustion. “Why won’t you just leave me alone?”

“Because I love you.” Chris grabs my jaw in a tight grip. “Believe it or not, I’m trying to save your life. I’m trying to make it right, okay? Let me protect you. Pack your fucking bags and let me protect you. We need to run, Stacey. If not, they’ll kill you.”

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