Page 104 of Erik's Salvation
“Fine,” he growled. “You have ten seconds.”
She hurried to the bedside table, intentionally opening the wrong drawer and pretending to look through it. When she found the small stone, she absently placed it on the bed, pretending to continue her search. She opened the next drawer and grabbed an insulin pen, which she pushed into her pocket.
“That’s all you need?” he asked.
She nodded.
He wrapped his fingers around her upper arm so tightly, she winced, then he tugged her through to the back door. When he dragged her toward the opposite side of the property from Erik’s home, all she wanted to do was fight and scream and battle for her freedom. But that would just get her knocked out and Erik shot. She needed the protection of the woods. Somewhere to run and hide.
Her hands trembled as they walked, the insulin heavy in her pocket. Tonight, it was the closest to a weapon she was going to get. It was a needle, and if she used it correctly, it could help her get away.
She worked hard to control her breathing as he moved through the trees. Once they were in the densest section, she slowed, lagging just slightly behind him.
“Hurry up,” he growled, tugging her forward.
In one fluid move, she pulled the syringe from her pocket, uncapped it, and plunged it into Marco’s right eye before tugging it out.
He cursed, his hand dropping from her arm to grab at his face.
Hannah ran.
* * *
“He’s still not answering,”Chandler said quietly.
Erik’s muscles tensed. Chandler had been trying to contact Angelo on any line he could find for the guy, but the asshole wasn’t picking up.
After speaking to the police at the hotel, he was sure they’d also make contact with Angelo, particularly if they found James with his painting, but that wasn’t enough, dammit. They needed to make contactnow.
“So we just wait?” Erik growled, the words tasting like acid in his mouth.
“Hang on. I’m hacking into his phone records to see who he’s been in contact with.”
Erik ran a hand through his hair, his pulse drumming at the base of his neck. He fucking hated this. He wanted any and all threats to Hannah eliminated.
After too many goddamn minutes, Chandler cursed.
A vein throbbed in Erik’s temple. “What is it?”
“Angelo’s been in contact with Marco several times in the last twenty-four hours.”
Blood roared between Erik’s ears, and he scanned around the area.
That’s when he saw it…a gun, glinting in the moonlight from behind a tree.
He turned away quickly, rage moving through his veins like acid.
Half a second later, he spun, whipping out his pistol and firing three times at his target. Then he crashed into the house.
“Hannah?”
Silence. And that silence was so fucking loud, it deafened him.
He took off down the hall, scanning the living room and kitchen as he went before finally running into her bedroom. The light was on, but the room was empty. A quick check of the walk-in closet and bathroom told him he was alone.
His heart pounded against his ribs as he returned to the bedroom where his gaze stopped on something he’d missed at first glance. The drawer in her bedside table where she kept everything for her diabetes was open…
But it was the small stone on the bed that caught his attention. The one he’d given to Hannah by the river.
