There was also no way in hell could she take that chance. Jake meant too much to her. So did the team.
She was faced with the worst kind of decision. Either go willingly into that barn, and let this man dish out whatever torture he had in mind before killing her, or fight him and risk him going after Jake and the others.
He may still do that, but if there was even achancethat she could prevent that, Olivia would do whatever she had to in order to—
Oh, God!
Realization hit with the force of a wrecking ball. Everything Mikey and Trevor had said about Jake and why he’d lied to her came rushing back tenfold. Olivia choked out a low sob as it all sank in.
She finally understood, but now, it was too late. She was going to die with Jake believing she hated him.
Another sob escaped because she knew Jake would spend the rest of his life blaming himself. That thought alone was worse than any physical pain she was about to endure.
At least Jake will be alive.He’ll have a chance to move on. To be happy.
With that in mind, Olivia began walking back toward the barn. Her entire body hurt, but the jolts of pain were worth it if it meant saving Jake’s life in the end.
****
Jake sped into Olivia’sdriveway. He slammed on the breaks, and put his truck in park behind Trevor’s.
A large dust cloud bellowed up from behind him, and the vehicle was still rocking when he opened his door and raced toward the house.
Trevor stood on the sidewalk at the bottom of the porch steps, the look on his face confirming Jake’s worst fears.
“Why the fuck haven’t you been answering your phone? I’ve been calling you for twenty goddamn minutes!”
His friend remained quiet, which pretty much gave Jake his answer. With his heart in his throat, he made a move to go inside, but Trevor’s palm slapped against his chest to stop him.
“She’s not here, Jake.” Jake’s boot hit the bottom step, but Trevor pushed harder. “You don’t want to go in there, man.”
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Jake knew he was right. From the tortured look in Trevor’s eyes, he knew that whatever was behind that door was bad. Really bad.
Still, he couldn’tnotgo inside. Jake had to know. He needed to see for himself.
Shoving Trevor’s hand away, he leapt over the rest of the small steps. Olivia’s door was ajar, the place eerily quiet.
He raised his right hand and slowly pushed it open. It gave way with a soft creak, and his world came crashing down.
A strangled sound of denial escaped his throat as he took in the gruesome scene. Everywhere he turned, there were signs of a struggle.
A broken chair lay at his feet. Blood was on the floor, not far from where he stood.
Jake looked toward the living room, his knees shaking when he noticed the pile of broken glass that used to be Olivia’s coffee table. His throat closed around a painful knot when he saw more blood there.
God forgive me. I’ve failed her again.
Woodenly, he stepped further inside. Turning to the right he noticed coffee cups and knives strewn across the countertop, stove, and floor. Broken porcelain crunched beneath his feet as he continued into the kitchen.
Jake ignored it. All he could focus on was the blood.Olivia’s blood.
It was smeared all over the normally pristine countertops. Jake zeroed in on a particular steak knife lying on the floor near the edge of the stove.
Once again, Liv had been forced to fight for her life. This time, in the one place she should have been safe.
But it hadn’t been enough. She was gone.My world is gone.
Jake’s mind raced with questions to which he had no answers. They hit him at full speed, their effect dizzying.
