Page 73 of The Burdens We Share
I swear to God if you hurt her, I will kill you
BLOCKED
Always so feisty. It’s one of the many
things I love about you
ME
Where is she?
I see three dots appear as he types his response, pressure building in my stomach. They disappear and then reappear and then a moment later they’re gone again. I have to force myself to breathe so I don’t pass out. I thought this was over. I thought Connor being locked up was the end of this, the end of having to look over my shoulder and be afraid of my own shadow. I never thought I would have to feel fear like this again. But something more unsettling rises to the surface of my thoughts. He took Brody because ofme. If something worse happens to her, it’sgoing to bemyfault. That realization tears me to shreds inside worse than any fear ofhim.
Another realization comes to me. If Connor Mulligan is locked up, then who is texting me right now? Who’s the man that kidnapped Brody and tortured me for months and how the fuck did he manage to trick Dallas and Harvey?
My phone starts buzzing in my palm and my eyes widen as I realize he’s calling me. Oh my God. Every instinct is telling me to decline it, toss my phone on the floor, and stomp on it until the glass shatters, but that isn’t an option because Brody’s life is at risk. I pick up immediately, “Where is she?” I rush back into Dallas’ bathroom and lock the door. I know nobody could hear me from his bedroom in this giant-ass house of his, but I need to be safe.
A deep laugh sounds from the other end of the line and I realize this is the first I’ve actuallyheardhim. “Oh my sweet girl, how I’ve missed you,” his voice is amused but it seems forced, controlled. Unreliable in a way that tells me he’s volatile and could snap at any second.
“Where. Is. She?” I repeat myself.
He sighs, “She’s in front of me.” He sounds impatient.
“And where might that be?” I ask, pressing him.
He chuckles on the other end. “Now why would I tell you that?”
I pause. What fucking game is this psycho playing? I open my mouth to attack him verbally but stop myself. I can’t risk triggering him because if I step out of line or anger him in any way, he may retaliate and hurt her. Unfortunately, he holds all the power right now. The best I can do is play into his hands and make him think I’m complying without being too obvious. “Because obviously, you want something. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have taken her, right?”
I can hear the grin in his voice, “You really are beautyandbrains.”
“So I’m right?” I prompt.
“Yes.”
“What is it you want?” I ask, trying to keep my voice confident.
“Guess,” the word comes out so suspenseful.
There’s only one answer that makes sense in all of this. “Me,” I stammer.
He chuckles, “Right again, darling.”
I knew from the second I realized he was responsible for her abduction that this was what he wanted.Me.I knew it and yet I still wanted to hear him say it because a part of me is still in shock and disbelief that this is really happening. There’s one other thing I know for certain aside from the fact that Connor isn’t really my stalker and that my stalker was biding his time and letting me think I was safe so that he could strike when my guard was down, and that fact is that I will do any and everything in my power to get Brody away from him. Which is exactly why I say, “What do you want me to do?” Defeat thick in my voice.
“Don’t sound so sad now, Ivory. I promise you’ll learn to love me just as much as I love you and soon you won’t even remember Dallas’ name,” the way he says Dallas’ name has me furrowing my brows. He says it with such familiarity as if he’s said it a million times before.
The thought makes me nauseous. How delusional is this guy? How could he ever possibly think I would want to be near him let alone love him after he stalked my entire life and tortured me for months? Anger simmers beneath the surface of my skin, but I bite my tongue for Brody’s sake. “Tell me what I need to do before Dallas comes looking for me,” I press him. Any moment, Dallas is going to come up here in one of his frantic and worried states to make sure I didn’t vanish.
He gets right to the point, urgency in his tone and the amusement from seconds ago gone, “Meet me at your movie set. Come alone and tell nobody where you’re going. You leave that phone of yours behind so that techno boyfriend of yours can’t track you. If you tell anyone, I will kill her. Understand?”
Tears well in my eyes at the thought of him hurting her because of me. “Yes. I’ll be there. Please don’t hurt her,” I beg.
His voice softens, “Oh it sounds like you’re going to cry, my love. Don’t cry. I won’t hurt her as long as you follow my directions. Be here at nine,” he adds. It truly gives me whiplash how he can go from his delusional state of love and soft voices to demanding and aggressive. He’s unhinged, unstable, and I am absolutely terrified.
“When I get there, you’ll let her go?” I clarify.
“Yes. Cross my heart and hope to die. Your friend will run free and you and I will finally be together like we’re meant to be,” he promises.
