Chapter 47
chapter
forty-seven
Millie blinked as Garrick’s face came into view.
The sharp angles. The familiar lines. The cold, soulless gaze.
“You found me,” Millie whispered, her voice barely audible.
He smiled the kind of smile that had once made her stomach flutter.
Now it made her skin crawl.
“Of course, I found you,” he snapped. “Did you think I was stupid?”
What was she doing just standing here? She need to move. To run!
As if reading her mind, his hand shot out, and he grabbed her arm. His fingers dug into her flesh until she gasped.
Biscuit let out a low growl.
“It’s okay, boy,” she murmured, fearing what Garrick might do to her dog. “It’s okay.”
The dog remained on alert, staring at Garrick. But he made no move to attack.
Fear coursed through her body like ice water as her gaze slid back to Garrick. Bile roiled in her gut. “You have no right to be here.”
“You had no right to leave me.” His voice was calm. Too calm, like they were discussing the weather.
“We’re divorced, Garrick.” Her voice shook. “Our marriage is over.”
He laughed—a low, bitter sound. “That’s just paperwork, Millie. It means nothing. You’ll always belong to me.”
He squeezed her arm tighter, and she yelped, pain shooting up to her shoulder.
Biscuit growled again, but she softened her voice as she reassured the dog.
Then she turned back to Garrick. “What are you going to do with me?”
“I’m glad you asked.” His smile widened. “I’m going to take you somewhere the two of us can be together. Forever. Somewhere no one will ever find you.”
Garrick’s grip tightened on Millie’s arm as he yanked her deeper into the woods.
The darkness grew denser around them, as did the chill in the air.
She stumbled over a root, nearly falling, but his hand kept her upright—kept her moving.
“Stop fighting me,” he said, his voice eerily calm. “You’re only making this harder on yourself.”
Biscuit darted alongside them, barking frantically, his body low and tense.
“Garrick, please—” Millie tried to pull away, but his fingers dug in harder. Pain shot up her arm. “You’re hurting me.”
“Good.” His tone was flat. “Maybe you’ll finally understand there are consequences to what you’ve put me through.”
She twisted, trying to wrench free, but he was stronger. He’d always been stronger.
“This is insane,” she gasped. “You can’t just—”
“Can’t just what?” He stopped abruptly and spun her around to face him, his eyes wild in the fading light. “Can’t take back what’s mine? Till death do us part, remember?”
Biscuit lunged forward, snapping at Garrick’s leg.
Garrick’s free hand shot out, and he grabbed something from his waist.
A gun.
He raised it toward Biscuit.
“No!” Millie screamed. “Don’t you dare!”
A slow smile spread across his face. “There she is. The Millie I remember. The one who cares.”
He lowered the gun but didn’t put it back into his waistband. “Call off your stupid dog, or I’ll do it for you.”
Millie’s heart hammered. “Biscuit, come.”
The dog hesitated, still growling.
“Biscuit. Come here. Now.”
Reluctantly, Biscuit backed up, positioning himself between Millie and the path they’d come from. His ears were pinned back, his hackles raised.
Garrick started walking again, dragging her with him.
Panic raced through her. She couldn’t just give up. She had to do something!
Keep him talking. Buy time.
Those were her best options right now.
“How did you even find me?” Her voice shook as she asked the question. “How did you know where I was?”
He laughed—a short, bitter sound. “You think I’d let you disappear? You’re my wife, Millie.”
“Ex-wife.”
“Technicality. I’ve been tracking you since you left.”
Her blood ran cold. “What? How?”
“That dog of yours.” He glanced back at Biscuit and scowled. “Such a loyal little creature. Shame you care more about him than you ever did about me.”
“Biscuit?” Confusion swirled through her panic. “What are you talking about?”
“His collar.” Garrick’s smile widened. “Has a nice little tracker sewn into it. I’ve known where you were the whole time. But I needed to wait for just the right time to get away from work. I wanted to see the place for myself before I made my move.”
Millie’s stomach turned.
She hadn’t even thought about Biscuit’s collar.
And that oversight might be a fatal mistake.