Page 7 of Saving Her

“They’re here,” Tobias calls from another room. “My brother is here.”

I stalk into the living room, finding Abi, Nina, and Chloe frantically scrambling to pack their cleaning supplies.

“Don’t panic.” I maneuver around the coffee table, then the sofa, and squeeze by Nina to get to the curtains and gently glide them an inch aside. “Take a few minutes to breathe.”

I listen to my own advice and slow my inhales, expelling the air from my lungs gradually as Luther and Chris stride toward the house. But it’s the men climbing from the parked car who steal my attention.

They’re both tall, broad, with one man looking toward the house to reveal a face resembling Luther so closely it’s clear he must be the son.

My hatred is instantaneous.

No introduction is necessary to determine he’s the scum of the earth. Not when I’ve already heard enough whispers to know this confident man lazily strolling for the mansion doors is yet another monster.

“Go get Lilly.” I glance over my shoulder and meet Nina’s gaze. “Reassure her everything will be fine.”

She nods and quickly leaves the room, Abi and Chloe following behind her while I release the curtain to fall back into place.

The front door opens in the distance. Tobias greets them with words I can’t decipher before he rushes back down the hall in the opposite direction. Heavy footsteps approach, accompanied by murmurs from men without souls.

I toe off my shoes and creep across the room, listening, eavesdropping, and plaster myself to the wall beside the doorway. I hear disjointed conversation as they approach, none of which makes any sense. Then I spy a glimpse of Luther and Chris as they pass the living room and continue toward the back of the house.

Their guests walk by a few seconds later, and I stiffen at the malevolence ebbing from them. I can feel their malicious intent.

I wait for the footsteps to move farther along the hall before I attempt a peek around the doorway. The Luther lookalike is focused, eyes straight ahead, while his companion carries his menacing frame with confidence. He’s strong, his suit-covered frame hiding what I assume is a lethal body beneath.

I need to see his face, though. To stare into those soulless eyes and determine what I’m up against. But it’s too risky now. I won’t bring unnecessary attention to myself by greeting these assholes before I’m summoned.

Below the radar is where I fly.

I silently inch back into the living room, prepared to remain in hiding until I can make an escape to find my sisters, when the face-less man glances over his shoulder.

I pause.

Freeze.

I hold my breath as his face comes into view. The deep scowl. The tight-pressed lips. The aura of a brutal man filled with darkness. And as his intense eyes narrow precisely on mine, his harsh attention fills me with dread.

2

Penny

I holdhis gaze as his brows pull deeper, the slight flare of his nostrils increasing my fear.

He’s angered at the sight of me. Furious.

I fight all the instincts screaming at me to run and begin to breathe again when he turns away, continuing around the corner, the door to the outside entertaining area closing moments later.

“Oh, God.” I collapse against the wall, sucking in gulps of air.

Each blink brings back a memory of hard eyes and an even harder scowl. Like every other man to walk through the front doors, Cole’s companion didn’t have an ounce of pity for my situation.

There was no surprise. No concern.

But there wasn’t a taunting smirk either. His expression didn’t hold the conniving prelude I’ve witnessed from the vilest of Luther’s guests.

The patter of small feet rushes down the hall, forcing me to put my game face on right before Tobias runs into the room and skitters to a stop before me. His eyes are big as saucers, his inhales rampant.

“He’s here… my brother.” He waves a hand for me to hurry. “You need to come meet him.”

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