LOGINLORETTAI had imagined so many different ways this could end, and almost every one of them involved being dragged away by those men, taken somewhere no one would find me, and hurt in ways I didn't even want to imagine.What I hadn't imagined was being rescued.And certainly not by the one person my mind had kept running to even while I was staring death in the face.ElionFor a few seconds that felt like an eternity, I could only stare at him, unable to decide whether I wanted to run into his arms or disappear beneath the creaky floorboards.He stood in the doorway like he had dragged all of the darkness of District Six One in with him. Save from the splash of blood across his inner shirt and the smear on his knuckles, he was immaculately put together; how that was possible was still beyond meElion's chest rose and fell with measured breaths, yet something in his eyes told me that the calm was nothing more than a thin layer stretched over something far more dangerous.Rage, Pure, unr
LORETTAThe house was moving side to side“Loretta,” Trevor called, his voice seeming distant in my head. The house was still moving. Why was it moving?Another sharp blow to his door had me flinching and shaking my head. “We know you've got that rich bitch in there, bring her out, Trevor..” The voice behind it bellowed and pounded on the door hard again, so hard it cracked“Oh my God,” I cried out, tasting salty tears on my lips, “I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come...."Another blow slammed into the front door, cutting me off. The entire frame shuddered, dust falling from the ceiling of Trevor's collapsing house. “We know she's here!” Another man shouted from outside. A different voice spoke this time, rough and excited. “We know exactly who she is. Fitzpatrick's woman.”My stomach dropped to my toes, I braced my shaky hand over my midriff, my entire body trembling with bone-chilling fearWhat was going to happen to me if this guy got his hands on me? What would they
LORETTA The deceleration hung between us with weight, for some few moments, Trevor stared at me weirdly, almost with something close to...panicThen his expression suddenly shifted into disbelief. “You really believe he's not a bad person?”I held his gaze, even though my heart was still beating too hard. “Yes, I do”Trevor's eyes narrowed, “No, Loretta. You don't truly believe that, but I think you want to.”My jaw tightened with infuriation. Why was I still here, listening to this man?? Surely everything about today had been a mistake. He stepped up from the armchair slowly, his eyes not leaving mine. “You know what else I think? You have spent this entire conversation defending a man who isn't even here. Why?”“Because you keep accusing him of things you haven't proved.” The words rushed out of me. My eyes flicked toward the worn-out clock hanging on his wall. Two hours has past. It had been two hours since I had left Fitzpatrick Holdings, and there was only so long I could stay
LORETTA I shot up from the old couch, planting my heels firmly in the ground. “Let me make one thing clear,” I hissed at him, baring my teeth. “I may have come here seeking answers and for a way to find Beatrice Leonard for myself, but make no mistake, I am not a fool”Trevor's eyes narrowed in mockery. He rubbed his jaw while observing me. “Crazy B said this was going to happen,” he said, shaking his head again. “She was right, you are in love with him”The words struck into me deeply, deeper than I wanted them to. I suddenly found myself panting, at a loss for words, “I...I am not—”“You are.” His shoulders shook with a humorless laugh, which made my inhibitions only rise. “I've known Beatrice for some time, just like I know Elion.” He spread his arms wide over the apartment. “Why do you think I live in a godforsaken house like this?”My lips parted, the silent question curling between us. “What you're guessing is correct, Loretta,” He answered himself. “Just like B, I too am hidi
LORETTA Trevor's home looked like it had been forgotten by the world It was a narrow, two-story brick building wedged between an abandoned warehouse and a run down bulding. Its walls were darkened by years of rain, no maintenance, and neglect.Most of the windows had been sealed shut, while the remaining ones were covered with dust so thick I could barely see through them. Ivy crawled up one side of the building, winding around broken bricks. His faded green door hung crookedly on its balance It looked less like a home where someone lived and more like a....“You're going in?” The guard's voice pulled me back from my thoughts I glanced over my shoulder. He was standing behind me, one hand resting casually near the weapon beneath his jacket. I stepped past the threshold, and the first thing that hit me was the smell.It wasn't pleasant. The smell of Damon wood, dust, old cigarettes, and something like bleach hung thickly in the airThe second thing I noticed was how dark it was in
LORETTA We hadn't gone up to twenty feet before three men lounging against a graffiti-covered wall straightened. One of them flashed a smile with his yellow teeth. “Well, well... what've we got here?” Another whistled low, his eyes rolling over me, “Lost, sweetheart?” The third stepped directly into my path, his gaze lingering far too long. “You don't belong around here.”Before I could respond, the guard shoved the man back with enough force to make him stumble. “Back off” The man's smile vanished. For a heartbeat, I thought a fight was about to break out; my fight or flight reflexes kicked into motion, but there was no way I could fight all those guys, and where could I possibly run to from here? How far before someone catches up with me?The guard casually pulled back his jacket just enough for them to notice the pistol tucked beneath his waistband. I gasped loudly, not expecting that it was with a gun this whole time. The three guys exchanged glances before stepping aside with
ELION This city is beneath me.Everything else will be soon. It's only a matter of time. My jaw ticked once as I watched the bustle in the streets of Seattle, several floors beneath my office windows. Busy people moving in every direction: hurrying, rushing, sprinting, scrambling, running towards
LORETTA Find his secret. Nine months. Be free This has been my mantra for the past three days. I hadn't seen him since my first night here. Elion leaves early before the sun is up and arrives late at night when everyone is asleep, I should have been relieved by his absence, but somehow, it made m
LORETTA “Inform me if anything goes wrong” I instructed Abel's personal nurse just the driver arrivedFather gave me a small, tight smile. “Remember, you must act fast and find out his plans. That way you can be free from this marriage”I nodded, then cast one long, lingering glance at the home I'
LORETTA I barely made it to the car before my legs gave outFather's grip on the steering wheel was tight. “That went...well”I didn't know if it was a question or not. Bile revolted in my stomach and rose to my throat “Drive” I wanted to be out of here, put as much distance between Elion and me







