Warren grinned. “Everyone knows how jealous you’ve been, Ellie. How you would do anything to have Vic’s life. We tried to keep away, tried to stay out of your path, but you couldn’t let go. Everyone knows you’re a geeky loner, stuck down in your basement playing violent games. Everyone knows about your mental health problems.”
Ellie flinched, and Victoria hung her head, sobbing quietly. And Josh stepped forward. He was going to kill this fucker, and he was going to feel a lot better. And since no one could see him, he genuinely wouldn’t be going to jail.
Ellie must have seen the violence in his face, because she grabbed his hand and whispered, “Please don’t. I don’t want Victoria to get hurt.”
Warren must have assumed he was finally breaking her; his eyes shone even brighter. “It all came to a head when you accused me of a crime—with no evidence, no reason other than to harm me.” Warren gestured with his free hand, the movement jarring his hand holding the knife and digging the blade deeper into her friend’s delicate skin. “Victoria confronted you. And you were so enraged that you attacked her with a kitchen knife. You fought, but she managed to defend herself. Unfortunately for you, the knife turned. You’ll die of your injuries before the ambulance can get here.”
“No one will believe you,” Ellie whispered. “I already gave a statement to the police. Victoria will tell the truth.”
“Victoria will explain that as soon as she found out you’d called the police, she came here to try to talk reason into you. She’ll weep over the loss of her friend. And then she’ll get the game, the company, her grandmother’s house, the man, and the wedding of the year,” Warren said smugly, nostrils flaring. “She’ll do as she’s told.”
“I trust her.” Ellie looked across at Victoria and gave her a reassuring smile that nearly broke Josh’s heart. “Vic is one ofthe best people I know. She’ll do the right thing.” Ellie’s hand was shaking in his, but she didn’t back down. “And she won’t be alone. Liam knows the truth.”
Warren laughed. “No one will believe the drop-out who broke into your house. In fact, I think you’ll find he was even cycling behind you on the day of your ‘accident.’ Victoria mentioned some photographs of his eyes from when he tried to break into your system and steal your IP… I’m sure your constable would love to take a look at those.”
Josh had heard enough. He let go of Ellie’s hand and stalked forward, rounding the table just as Ellie stood, her fists clenching into tight balls of fury. “No. You don’t threaten Liam. You don’t threaten Vic. You don’t threatenmy family! You pointless, useless, incompetent arsehole!”
The mottled flush on Warren’s face turned crimson as he roared. “Don’t ever speak to me like that!”
And maybe she’d been waiting for that moment. Or maybe Victoria had borne too much and finally snapped, but she launched up, crashing into Warren with a muffled scream.
Everything happened in slow motion.
Victoria hit Warren in the chest, but he didn’t lose his grip on the knife. He surged to his feet, dragging Vic up with him by her hair. And, in the uncontrolled fury of the moment, the knife slid along her throat, slicing a vicious gash. Victoria fell, bleeding, choking, and screaming into the gag in her mouth, but still kicking out at Warren.
Ellie let out a wail of fury and terror and leaped. But Warren had already pulled his hand back, already wound up, and then his arm was swinging forward, wrist snapping as he released the knife and threw it straight at Ellie.
Josh didn’t hesitate. There was nothing in his mind except his need to protect her. He would sacrificeeverythingto keep her safe.
He flung himself into the path of the blade, willing himself solid—pouring every ounce, every iota of energy, all the warmth Ellie had given him, all the trust, all the hope, all the love—into taking the knife.
It embedded in his chest as he flew over the table, slid across the smooth surface, and crashed brokenly on the other side.
Ellie screamed; a horrified wail of utter despair. And the sound pierced him all the way to his heart.
Somewhere in the distance, Warren howled and Victoria sobbed brokenly. Nissy met his gaze and then dropped her small head.
The world faded and flickered. Black mist swirled around his vision. There was only pain. Agony.
Josh closed his eyes. Opened them in a white hospital room. The ceiling spun as nausea churned, and he retched around the tube in his throat. An alarm rang discordantly. Fuck.Fuck.
He closed his eyes.
Opened them in Ellie’s kitchen. He was crumpled on the floor and she… she was a goddess of vengeance. She picked up a chair and smashed it over Warren’s head where he stood staring at Josh in abject horror. Warren lifted an arm to defend himself too late, and the wooden legs caught him with vicious strength. She was magnificent.
Warren crashed to the floor beside Victoria, tried to crawl, and then slumped unconscious. Vic spat out the gag and pressed her bound hands to her throat, dark blood running slowly down them.
Not arterial. The thought filtered in through the haze.
Thank God. Because Ellie was going to be alone. She would need her friend. They would need each other.
Josh blinked. A white light blazed. Someone called for a crash cart. “I’m losing him!”
He blinked again. Ellie spun back to him. She threw herself down beside him, pulling out her phone to click the panic button. “Hold on, hold on.” She found his hand and gripped it tight, even as she dialed 999 with her other hand.
She shouted something, begged for help, gave her address. He wasn’t really listening. The blaring sirens had followed him. His soul was untethered. Drifting. Only she held him.
There was only Ellie, and the growing darkness.
