Page 91 of Breathless

I feel like I’m in the fuckingTwilightZone.

When Rambo jerks in her arms, she sets down the dog, and he runs to the hallway and starts barking. With a groan, I press my palm into my poundingtemple.

“Samantha, I’m giving you one more chance to tell me what’s really going on. Zach already told me he didn’t get sick last weekend. I don’t know why you’re lying or what you think you’re doing here, but if I don’t hear something that sounds like the truth in the next sixty seconds, I’m calling the cops, and you can explain to them why you abandoned your kid and broke into my house. So one more time, where the fuck isJoey?”

Rambo starts scratching at the hallway closet and whimpering and barking, drawing myattention.

There’s water on the hardwood floor that wasn’t there a minuteago.

I look to Sam, and her eyes widen as she pleads, “I-I wa-was just trying to get clo-closer toyou.”

My heart thunders in my chest as I turn back to the closet where that water isspreading.

But it’s notwater.

It’sblood.

41

Logan

Bolting to the hall,I fling open the door, and my whole world collapses in on itself when Joey’s limp body tumblesout.

“What did you do?” I yell atSamantha.

Why is there so much bloodeverywhere?

“WHAT DID YOUDO?”

For some reason, all I can think of is that time when Joey was little, and my mother got her a dress, and she was obsessed with twirling. When she spun, all of her blonde hair would get caught in the sunlight and look like spun silk. Even when we were kids, even before there was any hint of something more between us, she’s always been my sunlight. Everything that’s good and sweet and genuine in my life is wrapped up in this girl. And I can’t fucking lose hernow.

Leaning down, I gently wipe her hair out of her face. It leaves streaks of blood. “Joey. Baby. Talk tome.”

I don’t notice the gun until it’s right in myface.

Samantha is crying, her hands shaking as she waves it at me. “It doesn’t have to be this way. We can get away! Just the two ofus!”

“The two of us?” What the fuck is she talkingabout?

“Zach’s like a son to Carmen, and I bet she wouldn’t mind keepinghim.”

She says this so matter-of-factly, it’s like we’re talking about what kind of toppings she wants on herpizza.

I stare down the barrel. “Samantha, the only way I’m going anywhere with you is if you shoot me and drag my dead body along. Do you hear me?” My voice is a low growl, but this is what happens when you eviscerate me. The thought of losing Jo now, after everything we’ve been through, sends me right to the fuckingedge.

I scramble closer to Joey and feel for a pulse. From this angle, I can’t tell if she’s breathing. “Come on, baby. Comeon.”

There. It’s faint, but her heart is beating. I place my hand over her chest and nearly collapse in relief when it rises.ThankGod.

As carefully as I can, I try to pull the rest of her out of the closet so I can see where the blood is coming from and try to stopit.

Samantha releases the safety and wails, “Don’t be like this, Logan. Let’s go somewhere and talk. You don’t need this bitch. She only brings you down. I tried to get rid of her for you last year. I tried so hard, and it worked and she went to Florida, but then she had to come back for this stupid wedding. But I have a place we can put her, and no one will everknow.”

I’m about to punch this psycho in the fucking face when someone comes flying in from the living room and tackles her down to theground.

Silas.

I have no idea what he’s doing here, and I don’t have time toask.

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