Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Suddenly, he lunges forward, his fist flying toward my face. I barely have time to register the movement before pain explodes in my vision, stars bursting behind my eyes as I stumble backward. The world spins, and I hit the ground hard, my cheek burning from the impact.
"You fucking bitch," Christopher growls, towering over me like a predator ready to strike again. “You think fucking a priest will keep you safe? You have no idea.” His voice is venomous, each word dripping with rage.
I blink through the haze of pain, disoriented, struggling to catch my breath. My whole body feels numb, but fear is quick to take over. I raise my hands to shield myself as best I can, curling in on myself, but it’s no use. Christopher is relentless. His hand shoots down, gripping my bicep with crushing force, and he hauls me halfway off the ground, my head spinning with the movement.
“He’s been playing you this whole time, Eva.” His face is inches from mine, his breath hot and sour as he spits the words out. “He’s the fucking F.B.I.”
I freeze, my mind racing to process what he’s saying. F.B.I.? That doesn’t make any sense. Benedict—Father Benedict—has been... what? Working against me?
Everything feels like it’s crashing down at once, the weight of Christopher’s words suffocating me. I can’t think straight. Can’t breathe. My muscles scream in pain as he tightens his grip, jerking me up further until I’m nearly dangling in his grasp.
“The priest has been working you like a puppet,” Christopher hisses, shaking me roughly. “You really thought you could trust him? You’re more pathetic than I thought.”
The room blurs as panic takes over. My mind spins, but I can’t seem to grasp onto any solid thought. All I can focus on is the unbearable pressure of Christopher’s fingers digging into my arm, the bile rising in my throat, and the terror that’s seeping into every inch of my body.
“No,” I choke out, but it’s barely a whisper, the sound swallowed by the suffocating fear clamping down on my chest.
Christopher laughs, the sound low and mocking. “You’re in deep, Eva. And now, there’s no getting out. Not for you, not for your little priest boyfriend. And definitely not for Nate.”
The mention of my son jolts something awake inside me. Nate. I can’t let this happen. I can’t let Christopher hurt him. I try to kick out, my foot connecting weakly with his shin, but it only earns me another slap, the force of it making my ears ring.
Tears blur my vision, but I grit my teeth, refusing to break. Not in front of him. I won’t give him the satisfaction.
“I’ll destroy you,” Christopher hisses, his voice low and full of promise. “And when I’m done, I’ll make sure you never see Nate again. You’ll be nothing.”
I try to wriggle free, the pain in my arm excruciating, but it’s no use. Christopher’s grip is unyielding, and I feel my strength slipping away with every second. My thoughts are a jumbled mess, the terror of what he’s saying mixing with the confusion about Benedict.
FBI? My mind keeps circling back to that, trying to piece together how everything has spiraled so far out of control.
Chapter 35
Benedict
“Eva?” I knock louder on her door, the urgency growing with each unanswered call. My stomach twists as I stand there, listening for any sound inside. The silence is suffocating, thick with worry. She’s not answering her phone, and no one at the diner has seen her for hours. Every second that passes feels like a countdown, and I’m running out of time to find her.
Vin approaches from behind, his expression grim. “Her son’s missing as well,” he says, voice low. “We’ve got footage of Christopher’s Mercedes crossing the Saint Pierce Bridge about an hour ago. No sign of Nate or Eva in the car with him, but it’s a bad angle. Could’ve easily missed them.”
A cold knot tightens in my chest. Christopher. It always comes back to him. The bastard must have taken them. My fists clench as the weight of it settles in, but I force myself to stay calm. Losing it won’t help. Not now. Not when we’re so close to something breaking.
“We’ve got the whole team searching for Christopher, Eva, and Nate,” Vin continues, frustration etched into his face. “So far, we’re coming up empty.”
I run a hand through my hair, trying to push back the panic. The fear gnaws at me—fear for Eva, for Nate. Christopher is unpredictable, dangerous. If he has them... I can’t even finish the thought.
“I say we head to Lazarus’ place and rough him up for answers,” Vin says, his voice taking on that cold, no-nonsense tone. The same one he uses when we’re ready to make a move.
I nod, jaw tight. “I agree.” Lazarus is our best shot. He’s got connections—deep ones. If anyone knows where Christopher’s taken them, it’s him. And if he doesn’t talk, we’ll make him.