Page 49 of The Vigilant

I filled my lungs with oxygen and drew a serene expression to my face—a mask if ever there was one.

The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.

Letting a few strands of hair cascade over my shoulders, I blinked slowly one last time.

I’m coming, Mara.

And then I hit the record button to start the live.

The giant right dot flashed like the scope of a rifle, harmless and ominous in equal measure.

Keeping my chin lifted, I backpedaled until I was close to the bed. My feet rooted for a second, and I stared at the screen like I could see the man on the other side.

I’m coming for you, too.

And then I turned as he instructed. Counterclockwise, I watched the bedroom filter through my view. The empty closet, my bag and clothes still tussled on the floor. The door to the hallway. If Tynan were on the other side—if he knew?—

No, I couldn’t think about him now.

Swallowing through the tightness in my throat, I continued to turn, allowing my eyes to blink only once I knew the camera couldn’t see them anymore.

My pulse stomped in my ears. Heavy, thundering footfalls of adrenaline chasing fear from my blood.

I faced the bed just as the music screamed from behind me, the words twisting and turning into something that fit my own story.

Take my body. Take my knife.

Rage cooled my flesh as I bent forward, my hands outstretched and waiting for the kiss of the comforter to my fingertips.

My back angled harsher and harsher until my ass was prone to the view of the camera.

It wasn’t just my ass he was seeing, but hell, I’d let him see the whole of my black soul if it meant getting Mara back.

One.I breathed out.

Two.I breathed in.

Three—BANG!

The door slammed open, and my head jerked.

Tynan.

My eyes went wide, staring at a man who looked once more like Zeus robed in wrath, lightning bolting from the fury in his stare and thunder cracking with each of his breaths.

My first thought was that he was enraged before he got here—before he opened the door. And now…

Now he was something beyond that.

“What the fuck?—”

The sound of his voice broke my trance, and I remembered what I was doing before he’d come—and who I was doing it for.

Fuck.

I spun and lunged for my phone. I had to end the stream—end the content before?—

I managed to stop the recording before my cell was speared from my hands.

---