Page 57 of Just One More Moment

Before Raven couldblink, Lance clamped his hand around her wrist, causing her to drop her phone, as he pulled her around the corner, giving her no time to run. Instead, she opened her mouth to yell and he clamped a hand over her lips, squeezing her cheeks too tightly.

“Don’t,” he said in a harsh, brutal tone that sent chills down her spine. “You scream or make a scene and I promise you I will hunt down every friend you have and make them wish they’d never met you.”

She wished she’d never methim.

He released his hold on her face and grabbed her forearm hard enough to leave a bruise, but not before moving his sport jacket and revealing a handgun tucked into his dark jeans. “Got it?” he asked.

She took the threat seriously and managed a curt nod. She was both relieved at how he could screw up his parole by carrying the weapon and afraid of what he might do with it.

The pain in her face lingered and tears filled her eyes. She was frustrated that after all their preparation, Lance had found her without her protection detail. Then again, the area was mass chaos because of the bomb threat, which made her a much easier target. Something he’d no doubt planned because she was sure now that he’d made the call.

Luckily, Lance let the gun remain in his pants, not pulling it on her. She wondered if she grabbed the weapon, would she be able to fire at an actual human being? She had to believe that yes, she could… if her life depended on it.

“Let’s go.” Lance dragged her around the corner where they were hidden from view, and since she had no choice because of his threat, she followed.

With a rough grip on her arm, he leaned against the brick building and peeked out at the main street. His head darted from side to side in a jerky motion. His erratic movements worried her.

“We fucking need to get out of here,” he muttered, turning toward her.

She looked into his normally vacant eyes and just as Caleb had said, his pupils were tiny pinpricks. Not good for her now but excellent if he had more drugs on him when he was caught. And hewouldbe captured. She couldn’t allow herself to think any other way.

But for now, they were alone and she had to consider how she could keep herself safe. She’d never allow him to take her to a secondary location where he could do God knew what to her. She took some comfort in the fact that Remy had access to the tracking app in her phone and though she’d dropped it, she was close by and she hoped he would find her before Lance moved them.

She thought about the changes she’d noticed in her so-called brother. Gone was the façade of the society boy. Though he still wore a sport jacket, the white dress shirt beneath was wrinkled and one too many buttons were open at the neck, as if he couldn’t stand the choking feeling of the collar. In fact, he was sweating in the winter.

Once again, he peeked beyond the alley. “Still loaded with fucking people,” he said to himself, running a hand through his hair in agitation. “Need to get away.” That same irritation sounded in his stilted words.

“Why can’t you leave me alone?” she asked, trying to divert his attention and stall him.

He faced her and his lips turned up in a sneer as he raked his gaze over her, openly leering. “We grew up in the same house and every damn day, you teased me with that body and those big tits. I knew you wanted me. Then you played hard to get, like every other bitch I know.”

He truly was insane, she thought, and narrowed her eyes, the revulsion swirling in her stomach making her nauseous. “I’m your sister,” she spat.

“Not by blood.” He raised a shoulder in that arrogant way of his. “And I can’t say it would bother me much if wewererelated. If I want something or someone, it’s easy to reach out and take it.”

Bile threatened but she had to keep him talking. Someone would come looking for her soon, she was sure of it. She just worried no one would think to look down an empty street when there was a crowd of people she could be mixed in with.

“But the main reason I won’t give up until I have you is payback.” Lance’s threat jolted her out of her hopeful prayers. “Youput me in thatfuckinghellhole,” he said bitterly. “Your testimony. So much for being family, right,Caroline?”

She cringed at the name she despised. “You attacked Emily. Beat her badly and you were about to rape her when I walked in. Did you expect me to let that happen?” she hissed.

He still gripped her forearm and pressed his thumbs into her soft flesh, grinning his evil smirk, as he caused her more pain. Instead of giving him the satisfaction of a reaction, she bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood.

“Yes,sister, I did. Where’s that asshole ex-detective who’s always with you?”

She wasn’t surprised Lance had figured out who Remy was. Ignoring him, she didn’t reply.

“No need to answer. I was brilliant with the bomb threat phone call. Got everyone all panicked and separated. And now I have you and you’re mine.” He leaned over and met her gaze, then to her disgust, he licked her cheek.

She gagged and jerked back, only serving to hurt herself when he refused to let go.

“Raven!?”

She stiffened as a familiar voice called out her name, his loud yell both welcome yet... not.

Lance wouldn’t hesitate to shoot him. She knew it and would do everything she could to protect the man she loved.

“Answer and he’s a dead man,” Lance said in a low voice and patted his weapon for emphasis, confirming her greatest fear.

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