Page 44 of Hunted Innocence

Orion clears his throat. “He watched them for years, a predator to say the least. He waited and made them an offer he knew they wouldn’t refuse. Not that those assholes would refuse much as long as it kept their asses out of hot water.”

“Then I need to look into his property holdings,” Vaughn mutters.

A man stands and knocks on the table. We all swing our attention over to him.

“I’m Broker,” he states. “I already looked up his real estate holdings while we were talking. He owns a commercial property, a warehouse where I assume he’s doing something illegal. But what is most interesting is a single-family home that he has in town.”

“You’re shitting me?” I ask. “Let’s fucking go.”

Broker smirks. “You guys need firepower?” he asks.

“We got it.”

He snorts, then clears his throat. “I assume yours is registered with legible serial numbers?”

I hadn’t thought of that.

Shit.

NADINE

As much asI want to focus on Brody and make sure that he’s okay, I can’t any longer. Right now, it’s time for self-preservation. The moment Landon is finished reveling in myparents’ deaths, he lifts his gaze to mine and focuses intently on me.

It’s my turn.

And he won’t kill me, at least not right now. He’s going to make me suffer for leaving him, for stealing from him—a lot.

“Landon,” I whimper.

My facade is broken. There is no more strength inside of me. Just him looking at me this way breaks a part of me. I’m stuck. There is no way out. I feel eighteen all over again, and I never wanted to feel this way, ever. I wanted to forget this sensation ever flowed through me, but it’s back and stronger than ever.

He hums.

“When I’m done with you here, you’ll be nothing but a little broken doll.Mybroken doll. It’s time to come home, Nadine.”

I shake my head, trying to say the words that are desperately screaming inside my head and begging to be released, but nothing comes out. My throat is completely closed. I can’t even swallow the saliva that’s gathered in my mouth.

“Don’t bother responding. There is nothing for you to say. It’s time for you to be quiet now,” he coos, his voice fake soothing, saccharine, and aching, before he continues.

“I allowed you your false sense of freedom. That is over now. I only wish that Grayson Calloway were here for this. To see this for himself.”

He stops, almost as if a thought enters his head, and he makes a split decision.

Slowly, his lips curve up into a diabolical smile, and I know that something did appear in his tiny asshole brain.

Something scary.

He takes his phone out of his pocket. His smile doesn’t even falter a tiny bit. He is actually giddy, which means he’s going to cause me not only physical pain but mental anguish as well.

He touches the screen, and then a noise fills the small living room. It’s the sound of the FaceTime ring. My eyes widen, and then I hear his voice, and my whole body turns to ice.

“What the actual fuck?” Grayson’s voice booms.

Landon laughs. The sound sends a chill down my spine, as if I didn’t already feel like a complete block of ice. Goose bumps break out over my entire body, and I know that something really bad is coming. I pinch my eyes closed in hopes that it doesn’t happen, but I know it’s coming.

“I thought since she was here, I would invite you as well,” Landon states.

Holding my breath, I watch as he walks over to the fireplace mantle and positions the phone so that Grayson can see the room.

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