Because Josiah was so focused on Eden, he didn’t realize Alex and Dan had entered the dark and musty space until the barrel of Alex’s gun was pressing against the back of the bastard’s neck.
“Drop the knife.”
Making sure Josiah knew there were two of them, Dan kept his own weapon trained on the target while he walked around Eden’s feet to the other side of the table.
“Alex?” Eden moaned, his name slurred as it fell from her swollen and bleeding lips.
He couldn’t believe she was still conscious. Not after having this man’s hands on her, not to mention the beating she’d been forced to endure. Just more proof that what she’s said was true.
Eden had gained a hell of a lot of strength over her power since the last time they’d worked together. She was stronger than he’d ever hope to be.
That’s my girl.
God, he wanted to touch her. To hold her and tell her everything would be okay. But there was one thing he had to take care of before that could happen.
Josiah’s shoulders shook with laughter. “Hello, Detective Bennett. I guess I should have known you’d find me.”
“Drop the fucking knife and step away from her, or I swear to God, I will kill you where you stand.”
Giving him an almost indiscernible shake of his head, Dan let Alex know the asshole wasn’t complying.
“This blade is very, very sharp, Detective. I’m certain I will die if you shoot me. But how sure are you that she won’t, too?”
Goddamn it.Josiah was right.
The guy had his hand rested on Eden’s left collar bone, positioning the blade perfectly above her carotid. If Alex shot him now, chances were the man’s muscles would jerk on reflex, sending the blade slicing across her delicate skin.
“Josiah, no one else has to die,” Dan spoke calmly, trying to get through to him. “Eden told us about your family. About what happened to your sister. That shit wasn’t your fault, man.”
“You don’t talk about my sister,” Josiah warned.
“Look, man…” Alex followed Dan’s lead. “We get it. You think by killing these women, you’ve been helping them. Hell, you probably did.”
“That’s right.” Dan nodded. “Alex and his team spoke to their families and the few friends they had. From what they’ve said, the women you killed were miserable.”
“Hell yes, they were.” Alex continued slinging the bullshit in hopes they could talk the monster down. “You truly were their liberator, Josiah. They had no one to turn to. No one cared about their pain until you came along.”
Josiah nodded. “You’re right. I was the only one who could give them the peace I knew they longed for.”
“But I don’t long for that anymore, Josiah,” Eden whispered weakly. “You know this to be true.”
Anymore?Jesus, she was breaking his heart.
“We can get you help. You just have to drop the scalpel and step away. You do that, I’ll get you into the best hospital in the city. You have my word.”
“I’ll do you one better, Josiah,” Dan tried to sweeten the pot. “You don’t know me, but I’m a man with a lot of power and even more money. I can get you treated by the best doctors in theworld.”
As if he hadn’t heard a word either man said, Josiah told them, “I helped those women.”
“We know, Josiah.” Eden’s voice slurred even worse than before. “But you’re not…helping…me.”
“She’s right, man,” Dan kept on, his eyes bouncing back and forth between Eden and the other man. “You can argue what you did to those women, you did all that to help them. But Eden?” Dan shook his head. “You kill her, its nothing more than cold blooded murder.”
When Josiah still didn’t budge, Alex decided to try another approach.
“Think of Mary Grace. This whole thing started with her, right? Would she really want you to do this? To kill an innocent woman who doesn’t want to be liberated?”
Everything seemed to happen all at once.
