“If you sign those papers, I will.”
He sat beside her, gun pointed at her head. The man who had forced her to run from the life she’d always known. Looking at him now, she realized she’d been a coward. She should have tried to fight. Find a way to get her money and do that. She’d been scared and unworldly; she was neither of those things now.
“How did you find me?” It was dark out, the Bronco’s headlights picked up the road and trees but little else. They’d left Lake Howling and the man she loved behind thirty minutes ago, and only now was Barnaby Lester talking. Everything was always on his terms Mind games were how he lived his life and got his kicks. She’d been blinded by his looks and charm. Grief had overwhelmed her, and she’d fallen for him hard when he’d shown interest in her.
“I’d been monitoring Melanie’s calls, and imagine how good I felt when I realized you’d made contact. I couldn’t get a location, but then my luck changed. Actually, quite by chance. We have clients in the gene modification industry, so I saw what had happened there and looked online, and there you were in that photo. Who is the man you were tied to in the race? Someone special?”
“No.”
“I believe that. You were always the ice queen. Mommy and Daddy’s little princess. Spoilt with no clue how the real world works.” His words were a sneer.
To her shame, he was right. Lani hadn’t wanted to know what was happening in the world; her focus had been on her life.
“Precious little Elaine Dwight.”
“Whatever. I get it, Barnaby, you’re going to kill me after I sign the will. Just tell me how to get to the place so you can get it done.”
“What’s it like, living life on the run? No money, and ugly clothes. Daddy’s gold card wouldn’t get you out of trouble now.”
“What’s it like, living ugly?” she fired back.
“I’m making your death slow and painful for this,” his hissed, touching the scar on his cheekbone.
Lani was scared. Scared enough that her hands shook and she wanted to throw up, but one thing she’d learned in the last four years was that she was tough. This man had forced her to live the life she had, and she loathed him for that, but if he was going to kill her, she’d be damned if he’d do it with her cowering and begging him for mercy. She was going to fight with everything she had to survive.
“Actually, I should thank you, Barnaby. Really, I’ve learned a lot about myself and seen some of the country since that day I found you in bed with the bimbo.”
“Bethany is not a bimbo, and don’t bullshit me, Elaine. I’m not sure how you survived, but I can see it wasn’t easy.”
“How’s your daddy, Barnaby? Still signing your paychecks and keeping a tight rein on the finances because he knows what a liability his son is?”
“I won’t need his money soon, and he knows it. Wants me to find you so he can be rich too.”
“I left a letter in my possessions that will be opened if I’m found dead.”
“You’re lying!”
“No. So my advice is, you better run fast, because they’ll be coming for you.”
“I don’t care. I’m leaving with your money and never coming back.”
“With Bethany, or did she leave you when she saw your ugly face?”
He grabbed her throat and squeezed tight. “Shut up!”
Lani veered over the road, so he released her.
“Speak again and I’ll put a bullet through you now.”
Hauling in a deep breath, she fought the panic. She had to live, had to get out of this so she could get back to Noah.
“There’s a road up ahead on the left. Turn there.”
She didn’t speak again, just did as he asked. It was surreal now that it was finally coming to an end. This man had terrified her, but looking at him, Lani wondered why? He was just one man—okay, and his father—but she should have at least tried to fight. The girl she’d been was a coward, pampered and spoiled, and her reaction had been to flee. Then it had turned into her way of life. Travelling, working, and keeping her head down.
No life, Lani thought. Now she had Noah, Buddy and Bandit, Mrs. C, and Hank and the others in Lake Howling. She wanted to get back there badly, because it was her home.
“There.”
