Page 132 of Ruthless Secrets
I screw my eyes shut, my thoughts focused solely on Marco and Zoe as I wait for him to pull the trigger.
But it never comes.
Instead, a soft thud sounds nearby, and I peel my eyes open to see the burner phone in the middle of the mattress.
“You’re going to call Marco and tell him that you escaped and are hiding in a warehouse on Lakeview Drive.”
I frown as I turn to face him. “W-why?”
He watches me with amusement in his eyes, and that’s when I realize the game being played here.
He wants me to lure Marco to him.
I reach for the phone and grip it tightly in my palm as my mind races. This could be my last chance to talk to Marco, to tell him I love him, but at what cost?
“And if I don’t?”
His lips curl, slow and deliberate. “Then you’ll die screaming.”
My knuckles turn white as I grip the phone. “And what if I do?”
The man tilts his head slightly, studying me.
“If you do, no harm will come to your daughter.”
My heart stops.
He knows about Zoe.
I can’t move. I can’tbreathe.
The thought of anyone touching my daughter fills me with such rage that it scares me. But I will do anything to make sure she stays safe.
“How do I know you’re not lying?” My voice wavers.
His lips pull up into a smile, showing his yellowing teeth. “I may be many things, but a liar isn’t one of them.” He watches me, like he enjoys the way I tremble beneath his words. “If I make a promise, I honor it.”
I feel sick. I don’t want to do this, but how can I not? What kind of mother would I be if I risked my daughter’s life?
My hands shake as I unlock the phone and dial Marco’s number.
He answers almost immediately, and the sound of his voice has my heart shattering.
I just have to hope that he works out that this is all a setup, otherwise it will cost him his life.
“Clara?” His voice cracks. “Love, where are you?”
I screw my eyes shut as I try to push past the lump in my throat.
“I-I’m okay. I managed to escape. I’m hiding in some warehouse out on Lakeview Drive. P-please come get me.” My voice cracks, and I choke back a sob as I clutch the phone tighter to my ear. “I’ll leave my phone on so you can track it.”
“Wait there, love. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
I glance at the man standing in the doorway, and I almost tell him not to come. But as he approaches me, I know I’ve run out of time.
“I love you.” It might be the last time I ever get to tell him.
“I love you too?—”
