Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 102408 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102408 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
I couldn’t form words. They drugged him? I didn’t understand. Why would they drug him?
“I’ve taken great care to make sure Connor has been looked after over the years while we waited for my vision to grow. I even allowed him to watch you.” Pure dread slammed into me. “Movies of you. How you begged for your brother’s life. You’re mother’s life. But I don’t believe he enjoyed seeing you, Catalina. He was rather… upset.”
I covered my face with my hands as tears streamed down my cheeks. Any numbness I’d managed to encase myself in cracked. “Why? Why him?” I mumbled.
I heard the door open and there were two sets of footsteps. Two. My heart sank, knowing who was with Diego. Knowing that the man I loved and left that day seven years ago was here.
“Connor. Welcome.” Carlos placed his drink on the table right on top of the photo of Connor sitting in the shade, knees bent, sweat dripping down his brow, a cocky smirk on his face as he looked at the camera. At me. Right after I took the picture, he’d leapt to his feet and tackled me to the ground then kissed me.
I slowly dragged my eyes from the photo and looked up. And then… I saw him and it was like no time had passed.
Time stood still like in a photograph.
We were the photograph.
Connor.
I never thought I’d see him again. Never breathe in his scent. Never thought I’d have the chance to see his cocky smirk and deep blue eyes filled with laughter.
Except there was no cocky smirk in the man standing twenty feet away. No laughter in his eyes. He was blank.
There was no reaction to seeing me at all.
I bit the insides of my cheeks so hard I tasted blood.
My mind spun with ways to get Carlos to let Connor go. But I knew the answer. There wasn’t one.
“Connor, meet my wife, Catalina.”
Meet me? My eyes darted to Carlos then back to Connor who gave a brief nod. It was like… it was like he had no idea who I was. But that was impossible.
“You have a job for me?” Connor said, his voice monotone.
Carlos chuckled. “Your loyalty to Vault is impressive.”
My breath hitched. “Connor. No.” I couldn’t stop the words slipping from my throat. He worked for Vault? No, Connor would never do that. He’d never work for anyone like Carlos and whoever else was involved with Vault.
I scrambled to my feet and ran toward him. I couldn’t stop myself. It was stupid, maybe, but I had to touch him again.
I stopped inches away then reached up and cupped his cheek. “Oh, God, Connor.”
He moved fast, hand latching onto my wrist, his grip bruising as he twisted my arm until I winced. He then shoved me away so hard I fell to the floor.
Connor scowled. “Touch me again and I’ll break your wrist.”
My breath hitched. This wasn’t Connor pretending. This wasn’t Connor at all. I looked to Carlos. “What… what did you do to him?”
“I told you. My vision. And he is the first test subject, darling. He’s turned out perfect. Elite military and everyone thinks he’s dead. Of course, that was my doing.” Carlos grinned then strode over to Connor. “I have a Vault business acquaintance arriving next week. He is interested in seeing the result of the drug. You’ll remain here until then.” He turned to Diego. “He’ll stay in the pool house.”
I staggered to my feet and ran to Carlos, placing my hands on his chest. “Please. I’ll do anything. Anything. Please. Let him go.”
He stroked the back of my head and smiled down at me. “I know you will, my love. But you don’t have to worry. The drug won’t kill him, at least I don’t think so. There are a few quirks to be worked out but the scientist is working on it. This was our first test, to see if he’d remember you. It’s remarkable. He has no idea who you are. Seems it’s worked rather nicely.”
Seeing Connor, seeing what they’d done to him, seeing the photos, I couldn’t stop myself. I lost it and attacked him.
“You bastard,” I screamed. I hauled off and punched him in the face. “You disgusting piece of crap.” I tried to punch him again, but he blocked me with his arm. “Let him go. Let him go. You have me, damn it. Isn’t that enough?” I was crazed, raking my fingernails into his skin wherever I could while kicking and flailing.
It lasted five seconds before someone dragged me off him then forced me to stand still with an arm locked around my throat and another my chest.
I hadn’t noticed it before, but there was a metal garbage can beside the coffee table. Carlos picked it up and with a sweep of his arm he pushed all the photos off the table into the trash can then set it in the middle of the table.