Her complexities, subtleties, depths, and secrets.
Each layer begged to be unwrapped and enjoyed.
Only once she stood before me, stripped bare of sanity and dreams, would she be ready.
Ready to pay her final debt.
Nila rubbed her cheek, displacing another silent tear. That single fucking tear stopped everything, freezing over the unwanted feeling of excitement at what my future held. Her sniffle gave me a layer of obligation rather than anticipation.
I wasn’t going to, but she’s given me no choice. Fuck it.
Moving closer, my hands opened to throttle her—to give her something to truly cry about, but I restrained myself.
She looked up, eyes glassy.
I forced a smile—a half-smile, letting her believe her tears affected me, offering false humanity. I let her believe I had a soul and didn’t punish her for hoping. Hoping I was redeemable.
She bought it. Stupid girl. Allowing me to offer my arm as if it were some sort of consolation and guide her from purgatory into hell.
Chapter Eight
Nila
––––––––
THE AIRPORT BAR reeked of sad goodbyes and tears.Just like my soul.
I rolled my eyes. I didn’t like the sort of person Jethro made me. Someone who only saw the negative and was ruled by fear.I’m an award winning designer. I’m wealthy in my own right.
The unknown future crushed my heart, but it was the thought of losing myself while it happened that scared me the most.
“I need a drink. I’ll get you one, too,” Jethro muttered.
I spun to face him. Big mistake. I stumbled to the left, cursing the suddenly tilting room. My vertigo wasn’t normally this bad. An episode a day was my norm, not every time I tried to move.
A cold hand grasped my elbow. “That condition you have—it’s really getting on my nerves.”
The floor steadied beneath my feet; I tore my arm from his hold. “Leave me alone then. Get on the plane and let me fall over in peace.”
He shook his head, gold eyes darkening with impatience. “I have a much better idea.”
I looked away, taking in the low square-line sofas, sad plastic plants, and dirty carpeting.This can’t be happening.Everything seemed surreal. I was at the airport with a man who’d threatened the lives of my brother and father. I was about to climb on a plane with him. I was about todisappear.
And probably never be found.
It wasn’t rational. It was completely nonsensical.
Suddenly, a drink sounded perfect. Alcohol and vertigo didn’t mix,but damned if I wanted to exist full of grief and horror.
Jethro motioned toward a booth by the window where large spotlights turned the black sea of tarmac into false daylight, casting a warm glow on sleeping jumbo jets ready to depart.
Not giving me a chance to say anything else, or to even relay my preference, he stalked away, beelining for the bar.
Quick. Now.
The moment he had his back to me, I pulled my cell phone from my jacket pocket. He said I could keep it. He said I could talk to anyone I chose. He hadn’t said when—now or when we got to his ‘home’, but I desperately needed Vaughn.
My eyes burned as I unlocked the screen. Hunching over the glowing device, I did as my captor ordered and made my way to the booth.
