Chapter 49
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Rhode Island—Present Day
“I have to pee,” Olivia said. Her mouth was dry, and her stomach rolled, but she had remained still as long as possible, not wanting him to know she was awake.
With her eyes closed, Olivia listened carefully, trying to determine where she was, but the only sound was the tapping of a keyboard and a slight squeak, like someone shifted in a chair. It was the aftershave that gave him away. Olivia didn’t know where she was, but she knew the man in the room with her was Chris Keller.
Where did Kyle go? Is he waiting nearby?
Finally, when Olivia couldn’t ignore her bladder any longer, she spoke up.
“I really need the bathroom,” she repeated, opening her eyes. He would have to untie her from the chair. That would give her a chance.
“Done playing dead?” Chris’s friendly smile was entirely at odds with the situation.
“Yes.”
“It really is a shame you met him first. I like you.” His lips twisted bitterly. “Isn’t that the story of our lives? Everything always cosmically lines up for Declan.”
Olivia didn’t answer, only stared at him, shifting uncomfortably to illustrate her point.
Chris watched her speculatively for a moment, spinning a lethal-looking letter opener between his fingers. He suddenly flipped it to grip the hilt, and then drove the tip of the blade into the wood desk next to a bronze bust. Olivia flinched as it quivered.
“Fine.” Chris yanked the letter opener out of the desk with one hand and picked up the small bronze with the other. He snorted, staring at the statue, and then turned it to show her. “David Bloom. Next to Declan, he might have been the most arrogant man in the universe. Who has a statue made of themself?”
Olivia kept her mouth shut. Chris set the bust down with a thunk before approaching her with the letter opener in his hand. Olivia’s eyes widened when Chris leaned over her, but he only slipped the point under the zip ties and flicked up, causing the plastic to fall away.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” The smile he gave her was so chilling she felt it in her bones. “At least not until Dec gets here. I don’t want him to miss the show.”
Her heart sank.
Grabbing her around her bicep, Chris pulled Olivia to her feet, and her knees almost buckled. Her legs felt like jelly, and she stumbled as he marched across the room. “Pretty potent stuff.” Chris observed. “I wasn’t super clear on dosage, so I gave you all of it. Knocked you out for longer than I thought it would.”
Chris walked her down a marble hallway and opened a door at the end, revealing a small bathroom. “Of course, you looked like you were dead, and your ex-husband freaked out that we wouldn’t get the ransom. Like I was ever going to share with him. Kyle was such a moron. I can’t believe you married him.” Chris shoved her into the room. “You have two minutes.” His hand slapped against the door, preventing her from closing it. “Leave the door open.”
“You want to watch me pee?” Olivia glared at him.
“Not particularly, but better that than you trying to barricade yourself in there. Clock’s ticking.” He made a shooing motion with his hand.
Nostrils flaring, Olivia took care of her needs as quickly as she could, lingering as she washed her hands. Her mind was blank of escape plans, but Olivia hadn’t missed how Chris referred to Kyle in the past tense. Did that mean he was alone here?
“Declan will come for me.”
“I’m counting on it.” Chris leaned against the open-door frame, the gun resting by his leg, and he’d stuck the letter opener in his waistband.
If she could grab one of the weapons…
“I wouldn’t,” Chris said, seeming to read her mind. He casually stepped away from the door and beckoned her with the gun. “I don’t want to hurt you before Declan gets here, but I will if I have to.”
“Where are we?” The enormous house was silent, and through the distant windows she could only see green.
“The Bloom family estate.”
“Rhode Island?” Olivia couldn’t help the surprise in her voice. How long had she been unconscious?
Chris inclined his head and motioned for her to sit in the chair. To her relief, he didn’t restrain her again. He didn’t have to, she thought bitterly. He had a gun.
The computer monitor on the desk beeped. “Declan must have broken some sort of speed record.” Chris sounded pleased and looked up to meet her eyes. “Lover boy is here.” His eyes returned to the screen. “It looks like he’s alone.”
“Why do you hate him so much?”
Chris ignored her, flipped open a laptop, and typed for a minute or two. Olivia inched toward the edge of the seat, her feet flexing on the carpet. She couldn’t sit there and let Declan walk into a trap. Her eyes measured the distance to the large plate-glass window that overlooked the side lawn of the mansion, and then at the paned glass doors that led back into the house.
The window was closer. If she feinted like she was going to the door, Olivia could throw herself through the window—they were on the ground floor, so she didn’t need to worry about a fall. Olivia pushed the knowledge of what the sharp glass would do to her, out of her brain. Chris was going to kill her anyway, and she refused to be bait for Declan.
“You didn’t answer my question.” Chris’s eyes darted to hers before returning to the computer. “What did Declan ever do to you?”
“That’s an excellent question,” Declan said from the doorway. “I’ve wracked my brain, and I can’t come up with anything.”
Chris’s face contorted with satisfaction. With the gun pointed at Olivia, he stepped around the desk and pulled her from her seat, moving so that they stood with their backs to the window. Ten feet separated them from where Declan stood inside the doors.
What if I throw us both backward?
“Is it my natural superiority?” Declan cocked his head. “Or are you in love with me and can’t handle it not being reciprocated?”
Chris’s grip on her arm tightened. “You want to make jokes?” With his other hand, he shoved the barrel of the gun hard under her jaw, making her teeth snap together.
Declan’s expression turned murderous, and he took a step closer.
“Now I have your attention,” Chris sneered.
“You’re insane, is that it? What a ridiculously clichéd motive.” The planes of Declan’s face grew harsh. “Because I can’t imagine what you think your grievance with me is. You were my friend.”
Chris’s hand moved from Olivia’s arm to wrap in her hair, yanking her neck farther back. “We weren’t friends ,” he spat. “I was your lap dog. Even my father prioritized you and your father. ‘ Go to school with Declan, Christopher.’ ‘Stay close. Be his friend.’ ‘They have so much. There will be plenty left over for you.’ As if I couldn’t accomplish something on my own. Apparently, I should be grateful for your scraps.”
The gun lowered as he gestured at Declan. “You had everything. Everything . You didn’t care, you never appreciated it. It was all handed to you… Everything you ever wanted.”
“You sound like a spoiled child. Daddy didn’t love me ,” Declan mocked. “I really had hoped it was going to be something more interesting.”
Olivia stared at him in horror. Why was Declan provoking him? Chris was breathing hard, and the more Declan taunted, the looser Chris’s grip on her became, and Olivia realized that was what Declan intended all along. He wanted Chris to focus on him.
Declan’s eyes met hers and then flicked for a millisecond to the window behind her as Chris continued to rant. Olivia didn’t dare show that she understood.
“You had everything, that is, until I took it from you. One piece at a time.”
“Not very successfully,” Declan drawled. “Considering I’m the CEO again, and you’ve been cut off from the money.”
Chris gestured to the laptop.
“I have the transfer set up. You need to enter your password.”
Declan stared at him, eyes burning. “As soon as I hit enter, you will kill us both.”
Before Olivia realized what was happening, Chris hit her on the side of the head with the butt of the gun. She cried out, lurching sideways, as Declan lunged forward, but Chris raised the gun holding him off.
“Every minute you delay…”
Olivia could feel the warm trickle on her face, and she twisted to get away. This time the blow caught her jaw, stars exploding in her vision.
Declan’s eyes were wild, but he was too far away to help. Jaw working, he stalked to the computer and punched in a series of digits and spun it so Chris could see. “It’s done. This has nothing to do with her. This is between you and me. You want to kill me? Do it. You could be on a plane and gone before anyone else arrives.”
“Not yet. I have to admit, I enjoy her company.” Olivia fought the urge to gag when he suddenly turned and licked her face. “Maybe I’ll take her with me instead.”
Olivia opened her mouth to retort, but Declan gave her an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
“Maybe I’ll let her live… If you ask me nicely. In fact…” Chris smirked. “That is exactly what I want you to do.”
Chris’s hand left her hair, landing hard on her shoulder as he pointed the gun at Declan. “But first.”
The gun exploded.
For a second, Olivia couldn’t hear anything, even though she knew she was screaming, as Declan reeled backward, blood blooming on his sleeve. His face contorted with pain, but he managed to stay on his feet.
“On your knees,” Chris growled. “Beg for her life.”
“Do you think I would hesitate?” Declan’s voice was raspy, his eyes on her, speaking to her . He slowly lowered himself to the ground, one knee at a time. His arm hung useless, blood dripping from his fingertips at an alarming rate.
Sobs tore through her chest as Declan stared into her eyes. “I would offer my life for hers ten thousand times without a second thought. She is my life.”
“Declan,” Olivia’s voice broke. Blood pooled next to him, soaking the carpet, and his tan face was paling rapidly.
“Don’t cry, Petal. It’s going to be all right.” Declan’s violet eyes clouded, but he gave her a sweet smile. “Don’t be afraid. I love you.”
Olivia saw his gaze go to the window behind her again and knew what he wanted her to do. Her heart tore in two. She couldn’t save them both.
Chris’s fingers flexed on her shoulder, no longer gripping her, his attention fully on Declan. “You know, I intended for your last moments to be listening to her die, but now I think you might suffer more, listening to her watch you die.”
“No!” Olivia screamed as the gun flashed again. This time the blood bloomed over the crisp white of Declan’s dress shirt, and he slumped to the ground.
Dragging her forward by the shoulder, Chris pushed at Declan’s shoulder with the toe of his shoe, rolling him onto his back.
Declan grunted, his eyes cracked open.
“Oh good, still alive. Don’t worry, Olivia, it shouldn’t take long, and then it will be your turn.”
Olivia didn’t want to cry, didn’t want to give Chris what he wanted, but the sobs that racked her body were impossible to hold in.
Declan was dying. Right in front of her.
His lips moved. “Love you.”
Olivia heard the whisper and suddenly knew exactly what she needed to do.
“What?” Chris leaned closer to hear, and Olivia seized her chance.
Pivoting around the hand on her shoulder, she threw herself into Chris’s arms and clutched at his shirt front, sobbing. Chris shoved at her shoulders, but his gun arm was useless with her pressed against him.
Using her sobs as cover, she swiftly pulled the letter opener from his waistband and immediately reversed it. There was a split second of shock and recognition in Chris’s eyes before she plunged the letter opener deep into his stomach. He threw himself backward, staring in horror at the blade still protruding from him.
“You bitch!” The gun lifted, but his hesitation gave her time to grab the heavy bronze bust of David Bloom from the desk. Olivia slammed it down onto Chris’s hand, forcing the gun down, and then swung upward with all of her strength connecting with a loud crack to his skull. Chris collapsed in a heap at her feet, but Olivia’s only concern was Declan.
He was so still and pale, lying against the blue carpet. Pulling her blouse over her head, Olivia wadded it into a ball and leaned all of her weight on the wound on his chest. Tears slipped down her cheeks as the blood soaked through the silk.
“Don’t leave me,” she begged. “You promised. Stay with me.”
Declan’s lips moved, and though it was scarcely more than a puff of air, until the day she died, Olivia swore she heard him.
“Always.”