Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
He nodded and I followed him out of the café, my legs like jelly even as I powered toward the SUV’s passenger side. Though I knew Adam had Callie in sight, it didn’t matter. My fear and panic wouldn’t dissipate until I had Callie in my arms.
Nathan was definitely here.
He was trying to hurt me. Us.
Would we never be free of the bastard?
Walker did a U-turn and then sped out of Ardnoch way above the speed limit. I braced my hands on the door, willing him to go faster even though he was already going way too fast. Not surprisingly, he handled the road like a professional, slowing into the bends so the SUV didn’t topple, and then accelerating on the straight.
Neither of us said a word, the tension thick and excruciating.
My daughter’s face remained a fixed image in my head, and I tried not to think about what I’d do if anything happened to her, but failed.
It would end me, I realized. All of my strength was in Callie. If someone took her from me, there would be nothing left but unfixable, broken fragments.
“Callie,” I whimpered.
“She’ll be fine,” Walker promised.
Then, as if he was a prophet, his cell rang through the car. His thumb hit the Answer Call button on his steering wheel. “Adam?”
“I’ve got them. Callie is secure in the car with me, and we’re heading back to Ardnoch. Mrs. Adair, Lewis, and Eilidh are in their vehicle following us back.”
“Where’s Mom?” I heard Callie cry in the background, frightened tears in her voice.
A sob burst out of me, and I smothered it with both my hands.
Walker reached across and squeezed my shoulder as he replied, “Callie, we’re coming. Thanks, Adam. We’re on our way. We’ll meet you and transfer Callie to us so you can escort Regan and the children safely back home.”
“Got it.”
They hung up.
“Callie’s fine,” Walker reiterated. “She’s fine, Sloane.”
I nodded, sucking back my tears and the nausea that had come in the wake of relief.
A few minutes later, Walker said, “That’s them.”
A desperate need to get to Callie overtook me, and I rested my hands on the dash, leaning forward as Walker safely executed another U-turn and pulled off to the side of the road behind Adam.
I unbuckled my belt before he’d even stopped, and he’d barely drawn to a halt when I launched myself out of the car.
“Sloane!” Walker yelled, but I was already racing down the side of the road, past Regan’s car to Adam’s. I’d almost reached it when the back door flew open and Callie jumped out.
Sobbing hysterically, she ran to me and we slammed into each other so hard, I had to hold tight so she didn’t fall over. “Mom!” she cried, her fists knotted tight in my T-shirt.
“I’ve got you, baby girl. I’m sorry. We scared you, and I am so sorry. But we’re okay. We’re okay.”
“What’s going on?” She hiccupped, lifting her tear-streaked face to look up at me.
“We can’t do this here.” Walker was suddenly at our sides. “Get to the car.”
“Walker?” Callie’s face crumpled.
Without a word, he lifted my daughter into his arms and she wrapped herself around him like a monkey. His face was grim as he ran a soothing hand down her back and jerked his chin. “Sloane, get to the car.”
He glanced at Adam, who stood by his SUV, expression hard. “Follow Mrs. Adair home. Let me know she’s safe.”
Adam nodded and approached Regan’s car to explain.
I turned to Callie in Walker’s arms and ran a hand down my daughter’s back before I followed them to the SUV to open the door for Walker. He murmured soothing words to Callie, who unlatched herself from him long enough to climb into the car. Then we both hurried inside too.
For the first time since we’d moved onto the estate, I couldn’t wait to return to the safety of one of the most secure places in the country.
Twenty-Five
WALKER
I’d heard the yelling. Her scream. The way it changed from anger to terror. The door was before me. She was behind it. With him. Why was I waiting?
Last time I barged in. Didn’t I?
Now I was frozen like a fucking deer in headlights.
Throw the damn door open! I roared at myself.
You’re going to be too late.
Open the fucking door!
I brought my knee up and leg out, putting all my force into it.
The door swung open, crashing into the wall.
She lay there on the floor, eyes glassy and unseeing. Blood saturated her torso, pouring from the wounds at her neck.
Despair and grief like I’d never experienced brought me to my knees beside her. “Iona,” I whispered, my hands reaching for her.
They were already drenched in blood.
What?
Confused, I turned them over, watching the blood, her blood, drip from my fingertips.
A snarl cut through the room, and my gaze jerked up to find him, feral and teeth bared, coated in blood and gore, glaring at me as he kneeled over her. “You did this too. This is your fault too.”