Page 128 of Creep

“And the police ruled it as no foul play, but we both know they only ruled it as such because of pressure from the Abbiati.”

“They want to investigate this on their own.”

I nodded. “And I have a feeling those Sicilian fuckers are the culprits.”

“What does this have to do with Lia?”

“Those fuckers were sent here by Briggs.”

“Are you sure?”

I pulled out the phone and showed Theo the text Briggs had sent an hour ago.

Briggs:And don’t interfere with me teaching my little Lia a lesson about not lying to me.

He wanted to teach her a lesson by having her raped.

I was going to fucking skin Briggs alive, one fucking inch of flesh at a time.

Theo nodded. He didn’t need any more from me. “I’ll see what I can find out.”

I didn’t look back at Theo as he walked away, just kept my eyes focused out at the darkness in front of me.

Now we knew who was backing Briggs. And I was going to fucking destroy the entire organization with my bare hands.

36

LIA

My stomach growled.

It was a wonder I could still think about food given my current situation, but I was now. And I was hungry. But to brave a step out of this room and risk running into Mael, to see him again after I ran away from him… after seeing him last night likethat.

I didn’t think I could do it.

I shook my head.

It was nearly noon, and I hadn’t eaten anything. I hadn’t done anything either but stare out the window.

I had my phone.

But there was no service here.

That talk with Leo telling me to call him if I needed anything…

Did he know there was no service here?

I had been trying so hard not to think about it, but how had the men who had the keys to the cabin known I was here? And why were they so adamant about chasing me through the woods to bring me back here? As if it had been their entire purpose last night.

But no one knew I was here but Leo… and Mael.

Who killed the men.

I closed my eyes and tried to push the thoughts away. The last thing I needed was to make myself sick again by revisiting last night’s memories. And my stomach was empty.

My stomach growled, and as if on cue, a knock came at my door.

I inhaled slowly and tried to calm the panic I could feel rising inside me. It wasn’t like I had expected him to leave me alone.

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