Page 180 of Chandelier Sin
“Don’t shut down on me, Eve.”
Staring out at the garden, I watched his expression in the glass, his show of kindness.
“Okay, I’ll go,” I said. “But promise me you’ll not betray them.”
“They’re the best thing about me.”
I wanted to believe him, needed to, and all that was left for me to do was walk toward the door and let him win.
“I’ll walk you back to your car,” he offered.
I gave a nod, knowing he’d want to witness me leaving theproperty. In silence, we made the short journey from the front door back to my car.
He opened my car door. “Let’s meet up again soon,” he said.
“Why?”
“What do you mean why?”
“If you misuse the secret that I shared, I will kill you, Atticus.”
He stared at me for the longest time and finally said, “Then you’ll be killing the only man who won’t fail to get your daughter back to you.”
I sucked in a breath. “You’d really help me?”
His eyes reflected love but he didn’t voice it.
“Even after everything?”
“You stayed with a monster to protect your daughter. Eve, that’s profound.”
“I had no choice.”
“Will you be okay to drive?”
“Of course.”
Atticus gestured for me to get in the car.
I refused, not ready to part from him.
I felt a surge of panic. “What are you going to do?”
“Nothing without your permission.” He reached into a jacket pocket and pulled out a set of keys. Quickly, he detached one of them and offered it to me. “Here.”
“What’s this?”
“My home. If you need refuge.”
“I just threatened you.”
“Honestly, seeing this side of you is everything.”
“Tell me I didn’t make the worst mistake of my life.”
He reached up and swiped a tear from my face. “I will not rest until you and your daughter are safe.”
“Why would you do this?”
