He leaned closer. “I will kill you and I’ll get away with it. You’re with a Huston, baby. There’s nothing in the world that we can’t get away with. Trust me.” His smile was so sinister a cold shiver skittered down my spine. Did he mean … had his family … had they killed someone before?
Terror was a sick wave in my gut.
“So, this”—he waved my passport—“is going into the safe and will only be used when I want you to leave the country with me. I’m not playing, London. This isn’t an idle threat. You leave me, I kill you. Do you understand?”
His tone was so mild, like he’d asked me if I understood what his stance was on wine selection.
Despite my terror, that little ember of defiance wasn’t doused.
But Nick saw it.
Like he saw everything in me.
“And if that doesn’t dissuade you from doing something foolish, I will make sure Halston is successful in eliminating Tierney Silver as a threat.”
I sucked in a painful breath.
He smiled tenderly. “Good girl.” He leaned forward, and I turned my head to avoid the kiss that landed on the corner of mymouth. “Do you think I want to hurt you like this?” He leaned his forehead against my temple. “I love you so much. I hate hurting you. So just be good. Be a good girl for me, and this never has to happen again.” His lips brushed my cheek, and I shuddered.
Nick sighed heavily and stood. “I’ll give you some time to remember how much you love me. I need to change my shirt. You got blood on it. I don’t know what I’ll tell my colleagues about the scratches. Maybe that an obsessed ex-lover wouldn’t take no for an answer. They’ll like that. And I’ll call Mother and let her know you need to reschedule lunch.”
As I watched him stroll into the closet, as I heard him open the safe I didn’t have the code to and place my passport inside, I knew I had to get out. Once Tierney was safe from him and Halston … I had to get away from him.
If I didn’t, one of us was going to end up dead.
1.London
Present day
Isle of Glenvulin, Scotland
Birdy’s mellifluous voice filled my ears as I wiped down the quartz countertops in the B and B’s kitchen. My earbuds were open so I could still hear what was going on around me, but I enjoyed listening to music while I prepped and cooked. Breakfast was over for another morning at the Leth Sholas Guest House, and I was wiping down the beautifully renovated kitchen, making sure everything was prepped for tomorrow’s early start.
“Spoon,” a voice cut through my music.
Glancing over my shoulder, I found my best friend and employer, Tierney, leaning into the room, one hand wrapped around the doorjamb. “Just four covers for breakfast tomorrow. A guest called in a last-minute cancellation.”
“That’s fine.” I frowned. “Did they hassle you for keeping their deposit?”
Nee wrinkled her nose. “You know it. I handled it. It’s fine.”
April in Leth Sholas, the small harbor village on the north coast of the Isle of Glenvulin, an island off the west coast of Scotland, was entering its tourist season. Although ferries ran year-round to the mainland for those who lived here but worked on the mainland, the heavy tourist traffic we saw during the summer months disappeared over winter. It meant Tierney, who owned the guest house, relied on being near to fully booked April through September to balance out the slow winter months. There were some days this past winter she didn’t have a single guest. As her chef, it left both of us twiddling our thumbs. Breakfast started at 7 a.m., but I began work at 5 a.m. and finished at noon, leaving the running of the guest house to Nee and the seasonal managers she hired. To give me a break so I wasn’t working seven days a week, breakfast on Mondays and Tuesdays was continental style. I made pastries to go along with the offering of yogurt and cereal.
That gave me some off-time and Ramsay had finally convinced Nee she needed downtime too. Therefore, she’d started hiring seasonal managers to live in the guest house. However, not having a permanent full-time manager was also stressful for her.
Knowing she had me gave her some security.
Which was why I felt so guilty for feeling trapped and confined by the job. The problem was I didn’t know what else I wanted to do with my life, so there was no point grumbling about feeling stuck. I’d never leave Nee in the lurch after everything she’d done for me. Moreover, there was no guarantee my visa would be extended, and it wouldn’t be if I didn’t have a job.
The thought of leaving Leth Sholas always filled me with panic, so I immediately stopped myself from dwelling on it.
“When does Emmy start today?” I asked, referring to the Canadian postgrad who had started last week as Nee’s seasonal manager for four months.
“Soon.” Nee glanced at her watch and frowned. “Your shift ended twenty minutes ago.” She looked up and lowered her voice. “I thought you had a late lunch date in Oban today?”
It was not common knowledge that I’d finally ventured back into the dating game. I didn’t want anyone in my business about it, considering how vulnerable the whole situation made me. I’d never been the casual dating type, so I refused to go on dates with any islanders. Gossip here traveled faster than email; therefore, I’d only gone on dates with strangers from the mainland. We usually met in Oban for coffee or lunch. It was a long way to go for a date, but it was the only way I was comfortable doing it.
I was proud I’d finally gotten to the point where I felt strong enough to look for a meaningful relationship.
