Page 101 of Surly Sheriff
He took hold of her arms and turned her to face him. “Bastard deserved to die.”
“Ikilledhim, Beau.”
“And I killed many with my sniper rifle. More during general combat.”
“That was war.”
“You and Kat were in a war of your own. He was an evil man. A rapist, Rae.” He trailed a finger over her cheek before cupping the back of her neck.
It lay warm and comforting against her nape.
She resisted the urge to sink into his arms and beg him to forgive her.
To love her again. But she couldn’t.
She had squandered his love by turning her back on their lives, burning their marriage to the ground. There was no forgiving, no coming back from that type of betrayal.
“You were brave and strong,” Beau continued, “saving your sister’s life. A hero. Bet you that’s what the police said when they arrived.”
“Oh, Beau,” she said, exhaling. “We didn’t call the police.”
Beau frowned. “You didn’t?”
“No. We ran,” Rae said, and told him of their escape …
“Fetch the backpack. We’re leaving now.”
Kat’s eyes widened, but she made no move to obey.
“Kat!”
While her sister scurried across the room to the liquor cabinet behind which they had hidden a PVC bag weeks ago, she tipped the desk lamp and slid back the latch of the small compartment carved into the base. A small key fell into her palm.
Kat sidled up to her. “We’re really leaving?”
“Yes.”
“Nessa …”
“It’s our only option,” she snapped.
She rolled the heavy leather chair away and yanked the carpet aside. Eyes narrowed, she stared at the polished wood flooring, hesitating for a beat. If caught, they would bepunished. Vasily, heir apparent to the feared crime syndicate, would see to it. Their uncle was worse than their grandfather.
With fresh resolve, she kneeled and searched for the tiny keyhole.
There.
Fingers trembling, she inserted the key.
And turned.
Click.
Air whooshed from her lungs, and she took a moment to steady her nerves.
Slow breathing, Inessa. Slow breathing.
She ran her fingers over the smooth wood to the almost undetectable indent.
