Chapter 21
Guy
I’ve perfected the art of turning a book page with just my thumb. Not that I’ve had much of a choice, given that Lina has been asleep on my chest the whole flight. I’ve never flown first class before, but I’m glad I can if it means she’s this close to me.
Meeting Alistair was an experience. Not exactly one I’m looking to repeat anytime soon, but it’s clear he loves Lina, and that’s enough for me.
I’m also glad he backed me up on the Sinclair situation.
I’ve already received the files from the bureau, and we can go through them once we get back to the cabin with Ella, Gable, Y and Silence.
Ella texted that by the time we get back to the cabin, Gable will have a barbecue in full swing, which is good, because I’m starving.
“Sir?” A flight attendant stops by me, her smile soft as she looks at Lina. “We’ll be landing soon. Your wife will need to take her seat.”
I open my mouth to correct her but stop myself.
Instead, I thank her, and she keeps moving, preparing the others for landing, and I look down at Lina.
Wife. Not a term I’ve used in a while. My first marriage was wonderful, and losing her broke my heart. My second was a disaster, a whirlwind born out of fear of being alone, and ended terribly.
But something about Lina feels right. We keep getting drawn back to each other, so maybe that’s a sign.
I kiss her forehead. “We’re landing soon.”
“Good for us,” she grumbles.
I laugh. “Come on, you need to get back into your seat.”
She stretches, her body vibrating with the action, and nuzzles into my neck. “One more minute.”
How about forever?
The entire drive to the cabin, I keep glancing in Lina’s direction.
I’m close to fifty. She’s thirty. We want the same things—travel, the ranch, a quiet, murder-free life. We’ve led completely different lives up until this point, but it brought us together. And maybe, from this point on, our lives will be entwined.
It’s evening when we finally arrive. We park up, and, hand in hand, we round the property toward the patio.
“You know, I had a thought,” I say.
“Hm?” Lina looks up at me, and the glow of the lights strung up around the house reflects in her eyes.
I stop and keep hold of her hand, so she stops, too. She faces me, head tilted.
And … I’m not nervous.
Not unsure.
“Marry me.”
Lina’s lips part, and her eyes widen. “What?”
“I love you. Marry me.” I brush her hair back, allowing the words to hang between us. This is the right thing. There aren’t many things in life I’m sure of, but I’m sure of this.
As we stand close, the humming of crickets playing around us and soft music drifting from the patio, Lina’s eyes shine.
“But … I’m a fuck-up.”
I laugh and press my forehead to hers. “You’re not.”
“I’m a monster, Guy.”
I regret those words, but I can’t turn back time, so I say what she said to me.
“My monster,” I whisper. “And you’re not a monster to me. You’re—”
“Am I interrupting?”
We look over to the patio.
A man in a dark blue suit is standing by the gate, his white-blonde hair brushed back, sharp blue eyes darting between Lina and me. I don’t recognize him, but it seems Lina does. She’s paled, and she takes my hand.
“Lina?” he says, a slow, toothy grin spreading. “Am I disturbing your moment?”
Lina squeezes my hand and whispers, “Run, Guy.”
His ice-blue eyes gleam with amusement, and now I know who he is, but I don’t want to admit what this means for us. I don’t have a weapon, and as far as I’m aware, neither does Lina. Gable will have some in the house, but my instinct tells me Sawyer Sinclair didn’t come alone.
He laughs. “Yes, Guy. Please run. I love to shoot a man in the back.”
“Don’t you fucking touch him,” Lina hisses.
“I think you’ll find I can do whatever I like,” he says. “Why don’t you join us all on the patio? We were about to play a game.”
Ella. The kids. I release Lina’s hand and stride forward, fully intent on knocking this prick the fuck out, but he holds up a hand—his gun glinting in the fairy lights.
“Not so fast, Chief. Let’s be civil about this.”
Civil. Men like this don’t do civil. Men like this rape and murder women. They evade repercussions through money and contacts, and that freedom only feeds the beast in them. They have all the power.
We have none.
I reach my hand out, and Lina takes it as we head onto the patio.
Everyone is seated at the round, wooden table. Ella is in a black dress, Gable to her left, their hands entwined. Y is on Ella’s right, and a woman who I assume is Silence, is next to him, dressed as elegantly as Ella. Two empty seats remain.
A revolver is in the middle of the table.
“I had everyone dress for the occasion,” Sawyer says. “But I can let it go for you two.”
Gable locks eyes with me, and I glance at the house. I hope he can read my mind.
The kids?
His gaze cuts to the upstairs window. The twin’s bedroom. When we lock eyes again, I see his panic, the frustration.
His family is up there.
My family is, too.
What the fuck do we do?
I count six armed men situated around the patio. A quick glance through the glass doors tells me that the house appears empty, but I could be wrong. There is a reason Gable and Y haven’t rushed these men, and I doubt it’s just because they’re outnumbered.
“Take a seat,” Sawyer says. I do, but before Lina can, he rests the muzzle of the gun against her chest. “Not you.”
I stand again, but she shakes her head. “It’s okay.”
Slowly, I take my seat, keeping my eyes on her.
Sawyer hits her fast, backhanding her across the cheek, and a mist of sheer fury clouds my vision. Blood pumps through my muscles as I launch myself out of my seat and go for him. Gripping his shirt, I pull my fist back, pausing only when cold metal presses to my temple.
“No!” Lina screams.
Sawyer doesn’t flinch; he just allows me to keep a firm grip on his shirt, panting through my rage as one of his men holds me at gunpoint. “Go ahead, hit me. I’ll just shoot your daughter.”
Rage barrels through me. “You’re a fucking piece of shit!”
“But I’m also the one with all the power. Sit the fuck down, Chief.”
Options. I weigh them, but I have none. He has everyone I love in the palm of his hand, and with one word, he could crush them.
I shove him away from me, going to Lina and cupping her face. Her cheek is already showing the beginnings of a bruise. “Are you okay?”
She nods. “I’m fine. Honestly.” I believe her because she’s tough, but I’ll never get that image out of my head.
Reluctantly, I return to my seat. Sawyer adjusts his shirt and tie before approaching Lina again, and she appears mildly bored as they face off. She lifts her chin, brow arched, looking every bit a queen.
He hits her again.
Lina falls to the ground, and I’m half out of my seat when she raises her hand.
Blood drips down her lip and she runs her tongue across it before lifting her violent gaze to Sawyer.
“Not a bad hit, Sawyer. Maybe one day you’ll learn how to throw a real punch.
” Sawyer boots her in the ribs and points his gun at her as I stand.
“Take one step out of line, Chief, and I will shoot her,” Sawyer says, attention locked on Lina.
He crouches, and I track his movement as he brushes Lina’s hair behind her ear.
She grimaces at his touch, and I want to tear his fucking fingers off.
“You know, I saw the photos, but they don’t do you justice.
You sure did grow up, Lina. I should’ve married you.
” He leans close. “Being a widower has its perks, though.”
She punches him so hard it’s like a whipcrack. Miraculously, he doesn’t fall back. I hold my breath, ready to move, but when one of the men holds a gun to Ella’s head, I stay in place.
Ella closes her eyes, and Gable’s dark glare lands on the man. “I swear to fucking God, your entire bloodline will never know peace if you even so much as graze her with that weapon.”
The man has the good sense to look rattled but doesn’t lower the gun.
Sawyer touches his bleeding nose, then lunges for Lina and stands. He grips her hair, yanking her to the table and shoving her in the chair next to me. She almost topples over but steadies herself.
“Nice hit,” Y says, and Lina nods her thanks, just as someone presses a gun into Y’s cheek.
Silence lets out a quiet sob. “Please don’t.”
“I’m okay,” Y says, taking her hand. Her knuckles turn white, she squeezes his fingers so hard, but he doesn’t let go.
My gaze darts from one armed man to the next, trying to calculate if we can turn the tables.
But they’re all large, armed, and seemingly happy to pull the trigger if Sawyer demands it.
The risk of Ella and Lina getting hurt is too high, but we also can’t sit here and see how this nightmare of an evening plays out.
Sawyer says, “As some of you may know, Lina here killed my brother. It’s only fair I get to even those odds.”
She bares her teeth at him. “You killed my sister.”
“She killed herself,” he sneers.
“Because you fuckers raped her!”
“Old fucking news, Lina!” Sawyer says and begins a slow circle of the table. “In order to even those odds, we’re going to play a game. I’m sure you’re all familiar with Russian Roulette.”
Ella closes her eyes and whispers something under her breath. Gable looks at me, panic and rage in his eyes. Lina steels her spine, unwilling to react. A tear slips down Silence’s cheek, and Y keeps hold of her hand.
“Come on, guys!” Sawyer cheers, clapping as well as he can with a gun in his hand. “Smile! It’s supposed to be fun!”
“And what if we refuse to play?” Y asks, his voice calm, demeanor totally relaxed. He looks like he’s at a normal dinner party, and not in a position where he could die.
Sawyer shrugs. “Then you all die.”